Mas Little Paws Kennel

Encouraging Good Habits in Puppies

Condition your pup to accept gentle touching and petting. When your pup is in a calm state, practice examining him from head to toe, gently and patiently. This exercise will pay off later when you need to check your dog for ticks, clip his nails, or when the pup goes to the vet or groomer. It is also a good idea to use touch techniques (such as T-Touch) to relax your dog and help alleviate some behavioral problems.

Teach your dog his name. And that his name means "pay attention and look at me."

Begin teaching your pup to come by calling him to you enthusiastically and rewarding the come with a petting stroke, a "good dog," and a tasty treat.

Never use your dog's name in an angry tone, to call him for a reprimand, or for anything he finds unpleasant. You want the pup to associate his name as well as coming to you with good things.

Get your pup used to a leash early on by using it every time you take him outside for potty breaks and walks.

You can keep your puppy from developing the habit of jumping up on people. Do not let anyone pet the puppy when he is standing on hind legs. Put the puppy back on the ground before he gets attention and petting every single time.

Avoid chasing your pup. Instead, encourage the pup to follow you.

When the pup mouths you, make a "yip" sound to let the pup know "stop it, that hurts!" Stop playtime when the pup nips, since play will reinforce the unwanted behavior. Dogs who aren't stopped from teething on and nipping people will likely continue that behavior.

When playing with your puppy, use chew toys to redirect his sharp teeth from your hands, clothing and furniture. Encourage gentle play instead of roughhousing, play-fighting and teasing that all can lead to problems. Remember, little puppies grow into strong, active dogs.

Proactively condition your dog NOT to protect his food and toys. Remove his food dish at least once during feeding. Put an extra treat in the bowl before setting it down gives your pup a positive association with someone removing his bowl. With toys, gently take the toy away and say, "out" or "drop it." Reward the pup with a "good dog" and a treat, then give the toy back.

For effective housetraining, avoid leaving pups under 4 months old alone more than a couple of hours at a time. You want to be there when the pup shows any signs of having to go potty, so that you can take him out and have the opportunity to praise him for going in an acceptable spot. Crate training can be very useful.

Some people are fortunate to be able to take their young pup and his crate, water bowl and toys to work and to friends' homes so that they can keep on a good housetraining schedule and speed up the process. If you can't take your pup to work, come home for lunch or hire a dogwalker during the housetraining period, which if done correctly will last just 2 or 3 weeks. As an additional benefit, outtings to work, to friends' homes and regular walks provide opportunities for socialization.

                      Crate training not recommand for Shiba Inu