Training Your New Puppy
Dogs are naturally sociable animals who thrive on interactions with their owners and other dogs.
If you are to enjoy a long and happy relationship with your dog it is important that you get off to the right start and that your puppy receives the correct early socialisation and training.
Socialisation:
Before about 12 weeks of age puppies are curious about new experiences and tend to take them in their stride. This period is called the primary socialisation period and it is extremely important to introduce puppies to as many of the things they are going to come across throughout their life during this period. After 12 weeks dogs are much more likely to be afraid of new things and if this includes children, cars or the washing machine it can lead to serious behavioural problems in later life. If you are acquiring a puppy from an environment where he has had little socialisation (for example a collie born on a farm may have no experience of traffic or even the inside of a house) this can be an important consideration, particularly if the dog is over 12 weeks old when you take him home.
During your puppy's primary socialisation period he will not be covered by his vaccinations so you cannot take him every where but you can take him out in the car, let all your friends come round and meet him, and let him play with dogs you know are healthy and vaccinated. It is important that your puppy interacts with both men and women and that he meets children.
House training:
This is obviously one of the first things you need to teach your puppy and it is important that you get it right from the start. Inappropriate punishment and confusing training methods are often the start of long-term behavioural problems that could have easily been avoided.
Urination and defaecation (elimination) quickly become associated in the puppy’s mind with a particular place and floor covering. The idea is to ensure that he makes the correct association i.e. with grass and not your kitchen floor.
Take your puppy outside as often as possible particularly just after he has eaten and when he first wakes up.
Praise him as soon as he urinates or defaecates in the correct place and reward him with a game or a treat.
Do not punish him if he eliminates inside. Unless you catch him at it he will not understand what he is being punished for and dogs soon learn that if you wee behind the settee or when everyone is in bed you don’t get into trouble.
Do not teach your puppy to eliminate on newspaper. This is not what you want him to do when he grows up.
Clean up any accidents using biological washing powder plus an odour eliminator to prevent your puppy being encouraged to go back to the same place. Do not use bleach as the ammonia in it can smell like urine to a dog.
Obedience Training:
Basic obedience training can start at any age. Patient reward based training methods usually get the best results. A 10 week old puppy can quickly be taught to sit, lie down and walk at heel. The trick is to have the treat in your hand and hold it where you want the puppy’s nose to be. To teach sit hold the treat in front of his nose and slowly move it to over the top of his head, as the puppy follows the food with his nose his bottom will lower to the floor. The instant that he sits give the command ‘sit’ and give him the treat. Similarly, for heel hold the treat at puppy nose level next to your leg and walk giving the command ‘heel’. You should not physically push the puppy around, as this can be frightening and confusing.
Puppy Parties:
At Yorkshire Vets we run Puppy Parties every month. These are an excellent opportunity for vaccinated puppies to socialise and our staff will be happy to discuss any problems you may be having. Ask at reception to find out when your puppy can attend.