DON’T BUY A PUP FROM A PUPPY MILL

Pet Store “Puppies-In-A-Box”

They are conditioned to pee & poop on each other.

Don’t Get a Pup Before It’s Eight-Weeks Old

Buy a pup raised with its mother and siblings.  Mothers take pups outside to do their  business and teach litter biting inhibition.

DON’T SET YOUR PUP UP FOR FAILURE.  SET YOUR PUP UP FOR SUCCESS!

Puppy Proof Your Home

Think like a pup and get on your knees scanning for chewables.

Dog Crate and Baby Gates

Crates keep pups safe when they aren’t watched, and gates protect cat boxes and other danger zones.

NEVER USE A PUP’S NAME IN A NEGATIVE WAY

NEVER Call Their Name When:

They’re in trouble

You want to put them in their kennel

You want to trim their nails

Give them a bath

A Secondary Reinforcer

Only use a pup’s name in a positive context.

AVOID INAPPROPRIATE TOYS MORE TOYS = SMARTER DOGS

Inappropriate

Old shoes and slippers, toys, and balls that are like yours, rope toys, etc.

Appropriate

Durable toys!  Kongs, sterile bones, squeak toys, bully sticks, pressed or rolled raw hide, hard dog balls and Jolly balls.

Warning

Toys that are too hard can break their teeth.  Don’t leave toys in dog crates.

DON’T LET A PUP POTTY TRAIN INDOORS

A Potty Pad Problem

Relying on potty pads as a back-up plan when you can’t let a pup out may teach them to use a similar object (towels or clothes) even after they’ve been trained to go outside.

Rule of Thumb for Outdoor Potty Breaks

The Pup’s age in months, plus 1 hour.  Ex: two months old – three hours.

NEGLECTING PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH YOUR PUP

Reinforce Handing/Developing Trust

Start early, touching your pup each and every day making the experience pleasurable and rewarding.

DON’T WAIT TO CORRECT BAD BEHAVIOR

Use Positive Behavior Reinforcement

Rewards teach pups to think.

Primary Reinforcers

Things a pup is genetically prone to want (hot dogs, dog treats etc.)

Secondary Reinforcers

Teach the pup to like a word, like their name, a clicker or vocal tone, followed by a primary reinforce.

Redirect Bad Behavior

Show the pup what they could do instead.

Exercise Your Pup

A tired pup is a behaved pup.

DON’T USE A FLEXI-LEASH FOR TRAINING, START SLOW WITH A CONSISTENT-SIZED, SHORT LEASH

Start Inside

Let the pup walk while dragging the leash.  Use your foot to add pressure to the leash.  Pick it up without pulling then pull to let the pup know you’re in control.

Move Outside

Concrete doesn’t have the distracting odors of animals, insects, and interesting things.  Then move to grass.

DON’T LET YOUR PUP RUN AWAY

Teach Them To “COME!”

Play hide’n’seek, calling the pup, rewarding them with excitement and treats.

PREVENT AGGRESSION WITH VISITORS SOCIALIZE YOUR PUP FIRST

Prepare The Pup

Leash the pup inside.

Prepare Visitors

Have treats at the door for visitors to use.

DON’T LET A PUP JUMP UP ON PEOPLE – JUMPING UP AND BEING SOCIAL IS SELF-REWARDING FOR PUPPIES

Reward The Correct Behavior

Reward them when four paws are on the ground.

Greeting People

To prevent jumping on visitors, make the pup lay down to be petted.

PREVENT AGGRESSION WITH STRANGERS

Socialize Early

Socializing pups should begin by 12-weeks old.  Make sure the experiences are positive.

Start Small

A church.

Get Bigger

A mall on a weekday.

Bigger Still

A mall on a weekend.  Have treats for strangers to offer the up while petting.

PREVENT AGGRESSION WITH OTHER DOGS

Socialize With Familiar Dogs

Find pups six months or younger and of the same size, for the least aggression.  Introduce pups to adult dogs.

Control Interaction Of New Dogs

Start with a loose leash, remain calm and in control, then initiate one-on-one interaction.

PREVENT TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES

Keep Things Quiet During Your Pup’s Fear Stage

Don’t take them to a busy public space like out for Halloween, around fireworks, into water.  Trauma can last into a pup’s adulthood.

PREVENT DISOBEDIENT BEHAVIOR

Remind Pups Of The Rewards of Good Behavior

When they are disobedient, use a leash to take away freedom.  Make them work for their food, fun, toys, and games.