“A Lifetime Commitment

When you take on a puppy you are taking on a 15 plus year commitment. So it is important for all owners to consider the dog’s welfare in both mind and body right from the very beginning.

It is a daunting prospect – both for the puppy and the owner. I often remind people that it is a traumatic thing for a puppy to leave the litter where it has spent the first two or three months of its life, to be placed in an alien environment where people are speaking a language they do not understand. This is why, in my method, I stress the importance of dealing with the puppy in a language it understands from the outset. Hopefully, this will mean that it will be happy in its mind from the beginning.

All of us benefit from being surrounded by as much help as we can get. By establishing the right food formula for your puppy (it is important to get this right – so knowing your breed size is very important) and the quantity of food your puppy needs, the guesswork is taken out of feeding – and so is the worry.”  [see vet recommendations for your puppy]

“Perfect Puppies: Ten Golden Rules

I spend much of my life dealing with what I call remedial dogs, pets with behavior problems. In almost every case, the root cause of the problem lies in the past. Owners, through no fault of their own, have been giving out signals that have – in turn – given their dog a misplaced sense of its own importance. It may be something that has been ingrained even earlier, by a previous owner. My method redresses this imbalance, establishing the owner as the unchallenged leader of their pack – and thus ensuring a kinder, calmer more understanding future for the dog. Of course, it follows from this that the best way to avoid any of these behavioral problems is by establishing the right sort of relationship from the very beginning of the dog’s life. A puppy offers the perfect opportunity to start as you mean to go on. And here are some key pieces of advice to help you get off to the best possible beginning:

A puppy should never leave its litter until it is at least eight weeks old. It is within the litter that the puppy learns the fundamental facts of life, from social skills to the language of its peer group. To separate a puppy from this environment before these first intense eight weeks are over is, I believe, hugely damaging to a dog.

Meet the puppy’s mother. New owners can learn so much from the parents, both the canine and human careers. The puppy’s mother will give you a clear idea of the dog’s temperament and physical attributes. More importantly its breeders will, hopefully, show you it has come from a responsible, loving home – and that they will be there as back-up, not just through the puppy’s difficult early days away from its litter, but for the rest of its life.

Because leaving its litter is such a trauma for a puppy, the first 48 hours in its new owner’s home are crucial. It is vital you make the puppy feel as comfortable, safe and loved as possible in its new environment. I recommend that a puppy actually spend its first night sleeping with or near its new owner.

Part of the fun of getting a dog is choosing a name. But make sure you choose it from the beginning and that you stick to it. There are good reasons for this – it is important that the dog becomes familiar and comfortable with its owner. I ask owners practicing my method to call their puppies to them as often as they can, always remembering to reward them with tidbits and praise when they do the right thing. As far as I am concerned there is no limit to the number of times a puppy can hear the words “good dog, good boy or good girl”.

Never forget how quickly puppies learn. One of the great joys of training a puppy is the speed with which young dogs learn new tricks. I have found that if you repeat any procedure three times a puppy will pick up the message, whatever it may be. This is a huge positive, but, by the same token, if you make a mistake more than once, it will be that much more difficult to retrieve things.

I do not recommend taking puppies out for walks until two weeks after they complete their vaccinations, that is usually until when they are 14 weeks or so old. They are simply unprepared for the big wide world at this point. It is far better in my experience to put them into a well-run puppy playgroup, where they can run around in a situation similar to the natural playfulness of the litter environment.

Before a puppy’s first walk in the outside world, it is important that the principles of heelwork are established at home. The important thing is to teach the puppy that the best place to be is by its owner’s side. Tugging matches should be avoided at all costs. There is nothing a young pup loves more than a game. There will be more than enough time for games later. For now it must learn the rules of a different game. If you don’t lay down those rules at this point, believe me, it will make up its own.

Use the right tone of voice. Don’t shout or shriek, use what I call a bonny sound. I remind them that the dog is supposed to be man’s best friend. How do they talk to their best friend, do they shout and bawl or do they talk kindly and calmly to them? Once the dog is responding to gentle commands the voice can be reduced to a near whisper. This will really bear fruit later on. A dog that is tuned in to soft commands will really pay attention when an owner raises its voice.

Make play constructive. Playing with a dog is a magical part of the relationship, something to be cherished and enjoyed at all times. Given that my method is based around non-aggression, it is in many ways the perfect time to transmit information to the dog. I frequently use playtime to practice and top up some of the key disciplines, skills like the recall and coming to heel.

Be wise to their tricks! Owners must establish playtime. And the easiest way to do this is by taking control of the toy box. One or two favorite toys can be left around for independent play. But generally the owner should decide when play happens. The key thing to remember here, however, is that you don’t get into contests. To the dog, play is never simply for play’s sake. It is a contest that it wants to win. So for this reason, owners should never get into tugging contests with a dog. Firstly it is allowing the dog to dictate the rules of the game. Secondly, and potentially even more dangerous, there is a danger the dog may sense its physical superiority over an owner. And in a puppy this is the last thing we want.

It really is vitally important for all owners to consider their dog’s welfare in both mind and body right from the very beginning – if you get it right from the start you’ll reap the rewards and pleasures of a well behaved, well balanced dog. “

You can see more and join a email list from her website  http://www.

Starting Your Puppy off Right!

janfennellthedoglistener.com/page.php?id=2

Another of my favorite sources is Ceasar Millan  from “The Dog Wisperer”

In the early days of housebreaking you want to make sure the puppy has a place to relieve herself where she feels safe; a place that seems and smells familiar. First thing every morning, bring your puppy outside to the same general area. It is important to remain consistent throughout the process so your puppy can learn the habit.

Once your new puppy has successfully gone outside, it is important to reward the good behavior. It doesn’t have to be a big, loud celebration, but a simple quiet approval or a treat can get the message across of a job well done.

And be sure not to punish your puppy for an accident or do anything to create a negative association with her bodily functions. Stay calm and assertive and quietly remove the puppy to the place where you want him to go.

Dog Walking

Please find SAFE ways to exercise your puppy too! As your puppy’s pack leader, you must help to expend their energy in a productive way. For all dogs, this means a daily walk.

Walking in front of your new puppy allows you to be seen as the pack leader. Conversely, if your dog controls you on the walk, he’s the pack leader. You should be the first one out the door and the first one in. Your puppy should be beside or behind you during the walk.

Also talk to your veterinarian about the risk of long-term bone development problems, parvovirus, and other health issues before implementing an exercise routine.

Visit to the Veterinarian

One of the cornerstones of good health for your puppy is regular veterinary care. It is crucial that your puppy maintains a nutritional diet and exercise routine to stay healthy and balanced. While a lot goes into keeping your puppy in good health, it all begins with the first visit to the vet. Refer to the following list of the veterinary or health related concerns that will come up during your puppy’s first year for more guidance.  (see his web site at  http://www.cesarsway.com/)