Behavior ProblemsWhat we perceive as a problem may be perfectly normal behavior for a puppy, so when we determine the reason behind certain behavior, it's much easier to guide that behavior into one that is acceptable to us. Chewing, NippingChewing Chewing is a behavior that most dogs outgrow with time. Nipping Whining, BarkingWhining Just as human babies cry, puppies cry or whine when they need something. It's their way of letting you know they are hungry or cold or need to go potty or even just feeling lonely and wanting to play. Your puppy may whine the first few nights in his new home. Tuck him into his bed or crate near your bed where he can see you so he won’t feel abandoned. Reach down from your bed and pet him or let him cuddle up to your hand so that he feels the warmth and smells your scent. You may provide him with a warm water bottle wrapped in a towel and sometimes a low volume of soft music will soothe lonely puppies. It's best to control whining early so that it does not become a habit. If your puppy is confined and whining, make sure nothing is wrong and that he is not cold or hot or hungry or thirsty, make sure he doesn't need to go potty, and then do not give in to his whining. If he is whining from loneliness or boredom, you may not be spending enough time playing with him and tiring him out. Allow him to spend lots of time with you in order to feel a part of the family, and then provide chew toys, with your scent on them, to occupy him when he you can't be with him. If he has had several days to settle into your home and if he doesn't stop whining when you tell him, then try squirting him with a squirt bottle. When he stops for even a few seconds, praise him. Your puppy needs to know that being alone is nothing to get upset about. Show him that when you leave, you always return. First, play with him in the area where he will be left alone so that he's comfortable in that place. Then you can begin by leaving him for five minutes and then ten and so on, until he's comfortable being left alone for longer periods. And remember that you must be prepared to tolerate a certain amount of whining for awhile. Puppies will occasionally whine just as babies cry. If your puppy is barking (or chewing) when he is left alone, he may need a small, secure area with something to occupy his time. Enrichment toys filled with treats that work much like a gumball machine will keep him busy. As they are rolled and tumbled, the occasional treat falls out. He will spend hours playing and concentrating on getting at those treats. Toys with your scent on them are comforting to your puppy and there are some toys available that allow you to record a message to your dog in your own voice. You can also leave the TV or radio on low volume to keep him company and, if he is an outside dog, a digging pit may alleviate boredom. If your puppy spends hours alone, be sure to provide plenty of exercise and play time that he can look forward to spending with you each day. When he’s old enough, perhaps around 6 months, obedience classes will not only teach him commands but socialize him and help him mature and grow out of many annoying puppy ways. Digging, Jumping UpDigging Digging is a natural puppy behavior but can be triggered by different reasons. Sometimes puppies dig because it is fun and the smells in the soil are enticing. Sometimes they dig to escape and explore “greener pastures” and sometimes they dig simply from boredom. If your puppy is digging to escape, you may need to make sure he is not lonely. After you make sure he is getting enough attention and spending plenty of time with you and he is still bent on having an adventure, you may have to pour a concrete “curb” around the fence perimeter or line it with step bricks. You can also dig a trench underneath the fence and bury a strand or two of wire below the ground or install an electric fence a few inches inside the perimeter of the regular fence. If he is digging for fun or out of boredom, try making him a digging pit, similar to a child’s sandbox, and let him dig there till his heart’s content. The little plastic kiddy pools work well for this. Fill one with dirt and place some of his favorite treats just underneath the surface. Show him how to find them. Help him dig them up until he gets the hang of looking for treats there. Let him see that it's ok to dig in his pit. Gradually bury the treats deeper. If you catch him digging somewhere else, sternly tell him “No dig!” or use the squirt bottle and direct him to his sandbox. If he resumes his digging there, praise him! If he is digging in a specific area, such as your flower bed, try burying inflated balloons there that pop and startle him when he digs. As always, consistency and patience pay off. In rainy weather, the digging pit can be covered with a tarp. For some, it may be easier to just fence off an area of the backyard that belongs exclusively to the puppy where he can dig all he wants to. Jumping up is best discouraged early on. Don't ever let a puppy become accustomed to a wild, excited greeting. Most people don’t mind, and even think it’s cute, when a young excited puppy jumps up in greeting. They laugh and welcome the puppy and he grows up believing that jumping up makes people happy. But as he grows into a 50 or 60 lb dog, it becomes another matter. He happily jumps up to greet someone and they shove him away angrily. The poor dog doesn’t understand why his happy greeting now meets with disapproval. He’s totally confused and has no idea what is expected of him. But you can teach him a calm way of greeting before he gets into a bad habit. If he jumps up, sternly tell him “Off!” Then tell him to “Sit” while guiding him into position. If he sits and becomes calm, squat down to his level, and in a calm manner, give him the attention he wants. If he doesn't, another method may work better. Some puppies learn better if you simply ignore the jumping. If you make a fuss, he's getting the attention he wants. When he approaches and jumps up to get attention, totally ignore him. Fold your arms, turn away, freeze and look up toward the ceiling. Pretend you are a post until he gives up on ever getting any attention from you. Only after he’s calmed down and stopped jumping, do you squat down to his level, pet him and praise him gently. If you and everyone in the family are consistent and patient, he will, over time, learn that he gets more attention when he is calm and this will become his new habit. Separation Anxiety, FearsSeparation Anxiety Separation anxiety is the stress your puppy feels when he is left alone. You may be tempted to lose patience because you see no reason for it but to him, it is real. He may bark, whine, pace, chew or potty in the floor. Sometimes these things appear to be done out of spite but actually they are done out of nervousness much the same way that humans smoke or chew their nails. Your puppy may chew items that have strong scents of you on them. This anxiety can be very intense and will not be cured in a day or two but with your patience, your puppy can overcome it. You can teach your puppy that when you leave, you always return, and there's nothing to get upset about. The desensititization method usually works well if used slowly. It involves leaving your puppy for very short periods of time. In a matter of fact manner, with no emotional goodbyes, walk out the door and stay about five minutes. Return in the same manner. Repeat this many times a day, gradually, over several weeks, increasing the length of time you are gone until your puppy is comfortable being left alone for longer periods. In order to prevent damage to your belongings when you must leave for longer periods, you may confine him to one puppy-proofed room, with several chewy toys that have your scent on them. I do not recommend crating for long periods. Sometimes a radio or TV left on low volume relieves loneliness. Always make sure he has plenty of exercise and enrichment time when you return. Just as with humans, exercise is great for relieving stress. Never punish him for mistakes due to his stress. This will only add to his anxiety and cause more problems. In extreme cases of separation anxiety, some veterinarians will prescribe medications but this should be a last resort. Fears The best prevention of fears and phobias is socialization and exposure to many different experiences. This will give your puppy confidence. Sometimes your puppy will react to your own apprehension. If he shows fear, try to appear as if he has nothing to worry about. If you stay calm and act in a matter of fact manner, he may do the same. But if your puppy has a genuine fear of storms, loud noises, riding in cars or whatever, desensitization can help. This method works by simulating the frightening situation on a milder level. If thunder causes your puppy to tremble and hide under the bed, try recording the sounds of a storm and playing them at a low volume, perhaps in another room. At the same time, distract your puppy with treats or a game. If your puppy seems comfortable with this, repeat it several times a day, very slowly increasing the volume over two or three weeks. If at any time he shows anxiety, go back to the previous comfort level. Until you are sure that his fears are under control, you will want to make a secure place available, such as his crate, for him to retreat to during storms, especially if he is home alone. Remember to make it available but never lock him in while he is afraid. And, as mentioned above, in extreme cases veterinarians may prescribe medication to ease the anxiety. If your puppy is afraid of riding in cars, begin with just sitting a few minutes in the car in the driveway. Distract him with treats or play. Do this several times a day until he is comfortable with it and then you can progress to letting the motor idle, backing out and right back into the driveway, a trip around the block etc. The key is to progress slowly letting him get comfortable with each step before going to the next.
When puppies annoy the bitch she will use eye contact and facial expression first. The youngster will carry on the unwanted behaviour then the mother will give out a low growl which will increase in volume with a show of teeth. If this is not enough to produce the desired result the bitch will to all intense and purposes fly in at the youngster. This is not a full blown attack, far from it, it is dress rehearsal for the pup conditioning him for life later on. No contact is made although from the resulting noise mainly from the puppy, one could be excused for thinking that the litter had been reduced to one pup. It is interesting to note that the bitch will immediately console the puppy and start to lick it all over...and this behaviour is observed every time the youngster steps out of line. From this we can learn that the puppy has been taught by the bitch..the correction and reward. Correction..Growl (our voice NO)....the moment the behaviour stops the lick ( we simply stroke the pups head). Now what we are doing is copying the mother. This way the puppy is never fearful of us. IMO it is cruel to punish a dog for anything....after the act. In other words if you come home and find a mess....destruction etc. then ignore this...the puppy or indeed ..the dog will never understand he has done wrong....to come home and shout will make any dog put his tail between his legs and cower..or shy away.........many owners will say "You see..he knows he has done wrong " He does not know anything other than the human has arrived back at the den and is aggressive. Commitment, Firmness, but kindness NEW BABY AND THE FAMILY DOGI always advise that as soon as you are aware that there will be a new baby in the house, begin to prepare your family dog. Do not leave it until the new baby arrives. It is important that your dog associates the new baby with as few disruptions as possible.It is essential to ensure that your dog has a basic understanding of good behaviour. The dog should be able to lie quietly for short periods, not jumping up, walking on a lead without pulling and coming when called are all essential. Most dogs are used to being the "baby" in the family and may find it difficult losing this position. Get your dog used to being ignored and left alone for short periods of time every day. If it is your intention to exclude your dog from certain areas of the house after the baby arrives, establish these rules well in advance to the baby's arrival. Ideally, the dog should be excluded from the baby's bedroom. It is a good idea to teach your dog to walk gently next to the pram, but never tying the leash to the pram, and never when unattended. The dog should also be accustomed to new items of furniture such as playpens, carry cots and high chairs before baby arrives. If possible get a tape recording of baby noises and play it in a tape recorder placed where the baby will normally be so the dog becomes socialized to these sounds. Also teach the dog the difference between his/her toys and the baby's toys. Make sure that you develop a routine and stick to it when the baby arrives. It is important that the dog receives sufficient mental and physical stimulation. Try not to make a big deal with the dog about the arrival of the baby. Teach the dog how to approach the baby properly and gently. Allow the dog to make initial investigations and approaches. Associate the baby's presence with positive things. Give the dog titbits and lavish praise for desired behaviour around the baby. Do not place the baby on the floor with the dog and never shout at or hit your dog for approaching the baby incorrectly. Gently show the dog what you wish him/her to do and offer a reward for responding. Due to the fact the a baby's immune system is not strong, ensure that your dog is healthy and is up to date with worming and vaccinations before baby arrives. If your dog has any behavioural problems, make sure that you resolve these before baby arrives or if you are in doubt about your dogs behaviour after your baby arrives, consult your vet who can refer you to a local animal behaviour counselor. NEVER leave any baby or child unattended with any dog. Of course all the above rules must also apply when Grandchildren or visitors come over here for a few weeks, where dogs are not used to being or living with children. Commitment, Firmness, but kindness.Puppies and ChildrenMany times parents get puppies for their children to grow up with. Puppies can be good companions for children, raise their self esteem and teach empathy and responsibility. But ultimately, parents are responsible for both the children and the puppy, and a few rules are in order. Most children love puppies but have not the knowledge or self-control to handle them properly so they should never be left with the puppy, unsupervised. When puppy first comes home you can help them to understand his feelings. Remind them that he will miss his mother and littermates at first and will need to be played with gently and quietly until he gets used to his new surroundings. Children should be taught that the puppy has likes and dislikes, just as they do, and that they will need to respect his feelings and his space. Puppies do not like to be squeezed tightly. They do not like to be dangled in midair. They do not like to be stared at as this is sometimes interpreted as a threat. They do not like to be surprised when they are sleeping. Children should be taught to treat their puppy gently. Otherwise, Puppy can become defensive and bite. Small children should never carry a puppy. They may sit down and hold the puppy on their lap while offering a treat so it will associate them with a pleasant experience, and have something to chew on besides the child's hands. If the child is frightened of the dog taking a treat from his fingers, and jerks back, show him how that he can hold it in his open palm. You can even hold your hand under his hand. Children should be taught not to scream in the puppy’s face or pull his tail, ears, or any other parts, but to stroke him gently on the neck or chest. Some children instinctively pet a puppy on the head but are not aware of how rough they can be. Show the child how to pet a puppy gently. Children should never tease or scare a puppy. If puppies associate children with an unpleasant experience, they may become defensive and nippy. Children also need to know not to chase a puppy as it may become frightened and, later, may grow to be defensive. Children should never be allowed to play tug of war or any rough games with the puppy as this may cause him to consider them his littermate equals and strive to dominate them. They should not be allowed to encourage a puppy's prey drive by running and screaming. This behavior may be cute when he is little but, as he gets older, he may play too rough. More constructive games such as ‘fetch’ or 'hide and go seek' will encourage the puppy to cooperate with, rather than try to dominate, his family. If the puppy is playing too rough, everyone should calm down so that he will too. If he doesn’t, it may be appropriate to crate him for a few minutes until he settles down. Children should take a part in feeding the puppy so that he looks to them for food and considers himself their subordinate. If your puppy has had several days to get settled in, it’s not too early to begin, gently and pleasantly, teaching him to ‘sit’ before he gets a treat. This will be covered in a future lesson. When he gets the idea, the children can make him sit for a treat too. This will reinforce, in his mind, their dominance over him.
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-Training Tips |
