Puppy Training Tips

Puppy chewing problems can turn the joy of a new puppy into a nightmare.  However, you can solve the problem of destructive chewing.  All puppies chew, but it’s up to you as the dog owner to teach your puppy which items are off-limits to his teeth.  Here are ten tips that can help. 

1. Take Time To Puppy-proof Your Home

Instead of always yelling at your pup for getting into things, it’s better to temporarily put away things you don’t want him to damage. Pick up the throw rugs, put the plants someplace where he can’t get to them, and cover or tape down electrical wires. Put trash bins in the closet, along with the toilet paper and any household cleaners. Put your clothes and shoes away. Secure anything heavy that a puppy could pull down on himself to prevent injuries.

2. Give Him Only Two Or Three Toys At A Time

If your puppy has too many toys, he’ll have a hard time learning what belongs to him and what belongs to you. Plus he’ll get bored with his toys after a couple of days. That’s when you put those toys up and give him different ones.

3. Confine Him Safely To One Place

If you’re not able to keep an eye on your puppy, it’s best to confine him to a safe area where he can’t destroy anything or get hurt. Use a wire-reinforced puppy gate to confine him to one room. You can also use a crate that’s the right size for him. Puppies often feel more secure in a small, protected den area like a crate. It also gives you peace of mind because you know destructive chewing isn’t happening while you’re gone.

4. Lots And Lots Of Exercise Is Essential

Your pup needs one to two hours of active exercise outside every day. Playing fetch with a ball or other toy can help to stop puppy chewing, too, as well as using up all that excess energy all puppies have.

5. A Puppy Playmate Can Help, Too

Playing with another puppy will also use up his energy, as well as teaching him how to interact with other dogs.

6. Begin Basic Dog Obedience Training Even Though He’s Still Young

Keep the sessions very short. A young puppy can’t concentrate too long, but a 30-second “mini-session” several times a day is a good start. Don’t ignore training opportunities as they arise during the day. You can correct small problem behaviors as they occur to prevent them from becoming big problem behaviors in a few months.

7. Find An Agility Training Course For Him

These classes are a lot of fun, plus your puppy is getting lots of exercise while he’s becoming more coordinated and confident. This way, you can make it into a win-win situation for both of you.

8. Use A Bitter-Tasting Spray

If your puppy just won’t leave the sofa leg alone, try spraying it with a bitter-tasting substance. You can get these sprays at any pet store; they’re very effective in convincing your puppy that he doesn’t want to chew on the chair leg after all.

9. Don’t Punish Him After The Fact

You can’t stop puppy chewing by punishing him for something he did several hours ago. Dogs live in the present. Your pup can’t connect the fact that he chewed up your shoe two hours ago with your being upset now that you’ve just found it.

You either have to catch him in the act of chewing, or better yet, prevent the problem in the first place. See numbers one and three above.

10. Remember that it’s up to you to teach your puppy what kind of behavior is and isn’t acceptable, right from Day 1.

You should know that investing in a good dog training course will pay dividends now, and throughout your dog’s life.  If your puppy chews everything in sight, click on any link in this article to discover how a good dog training course will help you quickly solve your puppy behavior problems.

Technorati Tags: destructive chewing, puppies chew, puppy chewing, puppy chews, stop puppy chewing

Tags: destructive chewing, puppies chew, puppy chewing, puppy chews, stop puppy chewing

About 90% of American pet puppies live indoors with their owners. Dogs kept inside with your family and you need to be housebroken. The process of potty training a puppy is a prospect that intimidates many dog owners. It is not that difficult, it doesn’t have to be messy and housebreaking can be accomplished without a struggle. Be aware, however, that you are dealing with a training issue, and you will need to dedicate more than just a cursory effort. You will need time, a little more involvement, as well as some training tools such as puppy training pads.

The Puppy is Boss

For those who own dogs or puppies, there are two major puppy training guidelines to follow. The first and most important rule is not to punish your puppy unless you actually catch her in the act! Two, always remember to praise your puppy for good behavior. Don’t let training lead to situations where your only action is saying ‘no’ when you catch your pet doing something wrong. Praise them or offer them a reward when they do the right thing.

House Training/Breaking Puppies

There are many different techniques to house train your pup. When starting indoors, encourage your pup to use puppy training pads or papers to go to the bathroom on. Puppy pads are usually scented with chemicals that attract little doggies to use them. The moment you observe them beginning the pre-elimination routine of pacing and sniffing at the floor, lift up the puppy and quietly relocate them to the paper or puppy training pads, and then offer them a reward for appropriately going to the bathroom.

When the new dog is comfortable with the papers or puppy training pads, they can then be put near the door or even outside. This transition is done from focusing toilet habits at one spot inside the home to one spot outside the home. In the very near future you will have no need for papers or training pads indoors.

The only major problem or setback with this puppy potty training method is that it takes a longer period of time to encourage the puppy to do his bathroom rituals indoors. When house training puppies, other widely used techniques might work; you could, for example, use puppy crate training or cages, always accompanied by the owner’s close supervision.

The maximum amount of time that dogs can hold their bladders and bowels is between seven and eight hours, so you should keep that in mind when using a crate or a cage, trying to housebreak your dog. Usually this technique is very effective because most puppies consider their cage or crate as their sleeping area and they don’t want to have to lie in their own mess. However it is not recommended to leave them in a cage or crate longer than necessary.

The use of crates/cages and papers/puppy pads is not required if you have constant supervision. Here pet owners choose to spend all the time necessary with their pet puppies. This works good for those who are retired, work from home, or any owner that can spend lots of time with the puppy. With this method, pet owners usually hustle their puppy outside as soon as they notice the pre-potty signs. You need to keep a constant eye on your puppy to prevent any accidents or slip-ups.

To sum up, puppy housebreaking and training should be treated as part of the ‘come’ and ’stay’ command trainings. But puppy potty triaining and housebreaking will be the most difficult forms of dog training due to the fact that they are simply the messiest. Do not lose heart!

Technorati Tags: Housebreaking, puppy barking, Puppy Biting, puppy care, puppy chewing, puppy obedience, Puppy Potty Training, Puppy Training, Puppy Training Classes

Tags: Housebreaking, puppy barking, Puppy Biting, puppy care, puppy chewing, puppy obedience, Puppy Potty Training, Puppy Training, Puppy Training Classes