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New Puppy Care Continued... |
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New Puppy Care Continued...
Playing: This is the best part of the relationship with him. The first rule is, you must be the one to instigate the play and you decide when it stops. This helps to reinforce your position as the boss from the very beginning. Many owners can’t resist refusing attention from a puppy when he runs up to them or grabs their foot in his needle-lined mouth! However, by doing exactly that, ignoring it, or by carefully signalling you are not interested (maybe with a low quiet growl or scoffing noise) you will avoid the puppy becoming demanding for attention, and this will guarantee a much easier life with the dog later on, especially in adolescent stages.
Never play rough games with him, or allow him to take control of the game. Remember he is learning valuable lessons through play. Any roughhousing now makes for unwanted behaviour later on. There are literally thousands of dog toys on the market, all designed for you to have fun with your dog. Use your imagination and have fun! One word of caution though, do not fill the house with toys in every corner. In fact in our experience ONE good strong dog toy is the best number of all. That will keep the puppy focussed on one thing (good for training later on), it will also prevent him getting used to chewing and mouthing lots of different items around the home. Just one toy which YOU control access to at all times, and which is never left with the puppy all night when asleep, is all you need, and certainly all the dog needs.
Safety: Just as with a small child, you need to ensure that your puppy comes to no harm in the home. Kitchen cupboards can hold many dangerous substances, so be sure to secure the doors. Remove any small objects that are lying around, and now may well be a good time to roll up any rugs, which act as a magnet for youngsters to chew on. Also remove houseplants out of the puppy’s reach. Plants can be toxic to animals if ingested. Check out the yard and garden for items that may harm the puppy as he roams around.
Sleeping: This is the subject that most first time dog owners have trouble with. The puppy has been fed, had endless playtime and now you want to go to bed. You settle him down, snug and warm in his bed, and with a fond “goodnight” you leave him to rest. Unfortunately some puppies have other ideas, as you begin to nod off, the crying starts. If you go down to the puppy, you will only reinforce this unwanted behaviour, but the crying can go on most of the night. The creature misses his mother and littermates. Like a child, he cannot control his emotions, so will whine and cry endlessly. Any attempt to punish or scold the puppy will only cause fear and confusion which will ensure much more whining and certainly won’t help your bond whilst he is in this vulnerable mental state.
My personal choice is to place the puppy where I will ultimately want him to sleep, and then by shutting as many doors as possible between my bedroom and the puppy, I simply ignore anything which happens, though if I can hear he has gone to sleep or gone quiet whilst awake (even better) then I will immediately run down and reward him with a treat or a stroke and go back to bed, again ignoring any noise (which will follow the first few times). Basically the message is that whilst he is quiet he is more likely to get what he wants, Your Attention. And whilst he is noisy (unwanted behaviour) he will NOT get what he wants, no matter WHAT! However you need patience, timing, and accuracy for this method, as well as bundles of determination and energy. I don’t have a problem with this, but some people do either due to their personality or their situation (i.e. elderly or disabled). In such cases you can mimic the process outlined above, but during the day time in extremely short doses. By placing the puppy in his crate (and bed within it) for literally a minute, if the puppy hasn’t made any sound, you can release him and praise him. If he makes a noise you simply ignore him COMPLETELY, that means no looks in his direction, no comments, no nothing! But he will eventually take a break at least for a few seconds and it is then that you reward by releasing him and playing with him for a minute. You can then try again. By doing this during the daytime, you may be able to manage fully training your dog to be quiet in the crate before nightfall, but if not, there is always tomorrow, and this is the best attitude to have in mind when training a new or young puppy.
In severe cases of very disturbed puppies (when left) you can actually bring the puppy in the crate and place it beside your bed for a few nights to give the youngster time to adjust. Then you can gradually (night by night) move it away from you, and out of view but within earshot. Then you keep moving it (a few feet per night) until the puppy is in the desired place where you want him to sleep. The key is in the gradual process, never moving him far enough to cause distress, but constantly increasing the distance while keeping his confidence intact.
Some owners have found that it helps to place a clock under the pup’s bedding as the ticking has a soothing effect. Others have had success with leaving a light or a radio on.
Every puppy is different and every owner’s situation is too, therefore a combination of various techniques will be the key to your success. The main thing to bear in mind is that the puppy (just as with a baby) is not trying to annoy you or disturb you, he is simply pining to be near you (assuming toilet is not an issue). Therefore try to think more about what the dog is going through, and not what you are going through yourself. Above all, remember that the worst thing you can do is reward unwanted behaviour, and this means be prepared to simply listen and ignore the whining as much as possible, it WILL stop if you can do this, and the puppy will have learned a valuable lesson, that he can’t manipulate your actions with his vocal chords!
House Training: Several methods work when teaching the dog toilet training. One method is to lay newspaper in a particular area and reward the puppy when he uses it. You can also try taking the puppy outside at the first signs of him wanting to go to the toilet, such as whining or pacing around the corners of the room, then you simply reward him as soon as he goes in the desired location. Most puppies learn very quickly what is expected of them and are soon letting you know when they need to go outside. The fundamental thing to remember is that this is all part and parcel of puppy ownership, and if you are not prepared to give a lot of tolerance and patience, then you really should not have a puppy at all. You chose to have a puppy, so you must give the effort that goes hand in hand with that responsibility of ownership. It never lasts long, so long as you have that patience and understanding of his early canine needs.
 Cherish this special time with your puppy, use it to create a strong bond between the both of you, and most of all, shower him with love when he is good, and ignore him when he is not so good. The young dog has no idea which behaviours are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in your mind, this is something you teach by offering rewards for certain ones, and no rewards for others. A dog just wants to please, all you have to do is show him what pleases you, and you will soon see that his only desire in the world is to make you happy! If this doesn’t seem to make sense in your household or with your puppy, then you must seriously consider if the puppy’s needs are being failed in some way. Check diet, exercise and mental stimulation levels. If in doubt, always ask a vet if his behaviour is really not making sense to you, or if he constantly whines or is agitated, as it could be something more sinister which needs medical attention.
Above all, enjoy your puppy. They don’t remain puppies for long, and the most wonderful gift a puppy brings to you is a mental blank canvas where you can shape him into the perfect dog for you and your family. Anything he becomes is your own doing as the owner, so think about everything you do and say to him, and make sure other family members do the same.
You are embarking on a very special partnership!
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