Puppy information
Bringing your new friend home:
Start out on the right foot by doing all you can to ease your dog’s adjustment to his new family. Here’s the information you need to help make your friend’s stay in his new home safe and enjoyable.
DOG-PROOF YOUR HOME
Whether your new friend is a puppy or adult dog, here are important tips to help keep him out of harm’s way:
Keep household cleaners and chemicals out of his reach.
Restrict access to plants that are dangerous to dogs: poinsettias, azaleas, rhododendrons, dumb cane, Japanese yew, oleander and English ivy.
Store breakable items safely out of the way.
Hide or cover electrical cords so he won’t chew on them.
Safely store antifreeze, engine oil, laundry detergents and lawn chemicals.
Keep kids’ toys off the floor—since some parts may be small enough for your puppy or dog to swallow.
Use a cover and/or protective fencing if you have a pool or hot tub.
CHOOSING A NAME
Here are a few tips to consider before naming your new dog:
Names should be short. A two-syllable name is best because it’s brief and won’t be confused with one-syllable commands such as “No” or “Sit.”
Be consistent. All family members should use the same name—don’t use confusing nicknames or variations.
Reward your dog’s recognition of his name with lots of praise and play.
WELCOME HOME
As the “parent” of a puppy , it’s important for you to help him get used to his new surroundings. Think of him more as an infant than a pet: He’ll need plenty of patience, supervision and love. Here’s how you can help him adjust.
Bring him home when it’s quiet and you don’t have company. Also, choose a time when your routine is normal.
Show him the area of your yard that will be his bathroom before bringing him inside. Then take him there whenever he goes outside.
Give your dog his own room where you can keep his crate, complete with bedding and chew toys (leave the crate’s door open). He’ll feel safe in his “den.” Put down newspaper for accidents. Supervise your puppy at all times, and play with him several times a day. You’ll help establish yourself as the pack leader.
Give him bathroom breaks every few hours and right after eating, drinking, sleeping and playing (watch for signals like sniffing or circling). Never punish your dog for accidents; instead, praise him when he goes in his outdoor spot.
GETTING EXERCISE
An appropriate amount of exercise will help promote your new dog’s good behavior and assist you in training him. Talk with your veterinarian about how much daily exercise your breed typically needs. Some dogs are just naturally more high-energy, and need more exercise than others. Schedule family members to exercise your dog throughout the day.
MEETING CHILDREN
You should have no trouble at all encouraging your children to play with your new dog. Still, you’ll want to supervise his first interactions with your kids and set playtime limits—15-20 minutes two or three times a day. Here are still more ground rules to explain:
No rough teasing or playing. Tell your kids that tail-pulling and teasing can lead to bad habits like jumping up.
Be gentle. Tell kids never to shout at the dog, even if he does something wrong. Explain that dogs can be startled by loud noises.
INTRODUCING OTHER PETS , after the full round of shots.
Here’s how to help him meet your resident animals:
Do it gradually. Keep them separated for the first few days.
Keep him safely in his crate (or behind an expandable doorway gate) as you supervise their first meeting.
After several days of sniffing each other out, let your resident pet enter the den while your new dog is out of his crate.
Your new friend will need plenty of patience and love.
Supplies you’ll need: Have these supplies on hand before you bring your dog home with you.
Stainless-steel non-tipping food and water bowls
ID tags with the contact information for yourself and your veterinarian
A “breakaway” collar and a 6-foot leather or nylon leash
An airline-approved home and travel crate (large enough to transport him as he grows)
Dog shampoo
Brushes and combs
Cleanup supplies such as a stain remover, Bounty® paper towels, Swiffer® floor dusters and a deodorizing spray
Top five housebreaking tips:
Housebreaking your new dog may seem like a daunting task, but with a bit of insight into dog psychology and these proven tips, your new pet will learn quickly. Select the site. Before your new dog enters your house, introduce him to the specific area of your yard you’ve already designated as his. He’ll soon associate it with bathroom breaks. Visit it often.
It’s best to take your new dog outside about every two hours as well as upon waking, after playing and feeding and before going to bed. In addition, be alert to signals like sniffing and circling that may indicate he has to go.
Use his crate. When you can’t be there, crate your dog. Your dog respects his new “den” and will avoid soiling it. If you purchase a crate large enough to accommodate his adult size, you can partition off part of the crate so he won’t go in a corner of it.
Correct him kindly. Accidents will happen. Remember that shouting, scolding and punishment serve no purpose and will only confuse your dog. Even if you catch him in mid-act, simply say “No!” and immediately take him outside.
Praise him. Lavish praise on your dog each time he goes outside in his assigned spot. Speak in an upbeat voice, smile and reward him with treats after he does his business.
The Scoop on Accidents
Here’s how to make short work of accident cleanup:
Soak up urine with Bounty® paper towels and remove feces to a plastic bag.
Treat the soiled area with a mild detergent solution.
On carpeting, blot the stain—don’t scrub—and work from the outside toward the center.
To neutralize odors, use a spray product that’s veterinarian-approved as safe to use around pets.
A new puppy needs lots of positive reinforcement during housebreaking.
Rapid Learning Stage
From eight weeks to about 14 weeks puppies are really into high gear with regards to learning. They will go through various periods where they are very courageous and bold, and other times where they appear to be terrified of almost everything they come in contact with. Socialization and bonding, as well as exposing the puppy to lots of positive situations is critical at this stage. Once puppies learn that you, as the owner, will protect them and never ask them to do something that they could become hurt doing, they will learn trust.
In this stage the puppy can start to learn basic commands such as come, sit and lie down. They should also be exposed to a leash and collar, although they may not understand the whole concept of being on a leash. It is very important to not jerk or pull the puppy with the leash, and to keep all the training positive. Never punish or harshly treat the puppy at this stage, as this can seriously affect the temperament of the puppy for the rest of his or her life. Most puppies will benefit from a puppy obedience class at this time.
The Teenage Years
Just like kids, puppies will go through a teenage stage, which is both challenging and somewhat frustrating for the owners and the puppy. Typically, puppies in this stage will show extreme independence and selective hearing in responding to commands. Independence is more pronounced in some breeds than others, but even the most obedient of teenage dogs will go through non-compliance phases. Even though the natural response may be to punish or chastise the juvenile dogs for this apparent misbehavior, remember it is part of their emotional growth.
In the teenage years, dogs may also be rather clumsy and rambunctious. Lots of exercise for small to medium sized breeds and moderate, reasonable exercise for larger breeds is critical before, during and after training sessions to maximum focus on the training activities. More advanced obedience classes are highly recommended for breeds that are prone to independence as mature dogs.