By Lisa Peterson

and Adria Henderson

Your new puppy is home and on his way to housebreaking. He is sleeping well in his crate at night and doing well on his new diet and schedule.

Now what?

Welcome to part three of our Puppyhood series – Training, socialization and the puppy’s first year.

Training

Your first job will be to collar and leash break the puppy. When the puppy first wears his collar he will sit down and scratch his neck. It is a new feeling for him and he doesn’t like it. Try to leave the collar on in the house for a while so he gets used to it before you put a leash on it. Then add the leash and let the puppy drag it around with him. He will get used to the weight and pulling action of the leash even before you pick it up for the first time. Make sure this activity is supervised.

Once outside, try to follow the puppy where he goes while holding the leash. If you try to drag the puppy he will sit down and resist. A good idea is to pick up the puppy in the house and carry him over to his “bathroom” area outside and then place him down. After he goes, then you can start to direct him around the yard with the leash. Never use a steady pull, but rather little tugs that are quickly released. This gets his attention and pulls him in the direction you want without demanding it.

Use little treats as a reward if he comes to you, however, most puppies will respond to pure praise in a nice tone of voice for a job well done. Try to keep food rewards to a minimum.    After you have gained his confidence while walking on the leash, you can begin simple training at home.

Teaching the puppy to sit, down, stay and come are the basics all pups should learn. Dogs learn through repetition. So ask once and if they don’t get it, show them and place them in the position you want. Then ask again. As soon as they do the required command, reward immediately. Whether you use food or praise make sure the pup knows that it did the right thing.

Dogs are smart and once taught what is expected of them, they are very eager to please.

The Basics

Before you start, think of a “release” word from the exercise. Either “Okay” or “All done.”  Try not to use “Good Boy” because you may want to use that phrase during an exercise to show praise rather than to release the pup. Keep commands simple and understandable to the pup.

 

Sit – Use a treat and raise it above the pup’s head. As he follows the treat he will automatically sit. When he sits, praise him, “Good Sit” and then give him the treat. This exercise they will learn quickly. After the treat, release him.

Down -  From the sit position, tell the pup “down” and point to the ground. If he needs help, either guide him with the leash or pull his front legs forward so he slides down to the ground. Once there praise, “Good down” and then release.

Stay – Have the pup sit or lie down and give the “stay” command. In addition place the open palm of your hand in front of the nose. Walk only a few steps away. If he gets up put him back and repeat the process. Once the puppy has stayed for a few seconds reward with “Good Stay,” walk up to him, and give a treat. Increase the amount of time that he must stay between praising. Eventually he will do it until released.

Come – Put the pup on a sit stay. Then with the leash on – walk away from the pup and turn towards him. Use the “Come” command and gently pull on the leash towards you. Reward the puppy for moving towards you. It is not important that the pup sit in front of you before you release him. You just want a dog that will listen to you and come when called. Unless you are going into competition obedience, the sit in front is not necessary.

Past these basics, a beginner obedience class is the best thing for you and the puppy. It will help the first time puppy owner how to teach a dog. The classes are great to socialize the puppy and to teach the human part of the team what is expected of them. However, if you go to a class, you must reinforce the training with work at home between classes.

Socialization

Even before you make it to an obedience class, a puppy kindergarten class, which has some obedience aspects, is the perfect first step. Get the puppy used to as much as possible. Such as other people, places, noises, situations, and car travel.

When you travel in the car, it is a good idea to keep him in a crate. First and foremost, if you are in an accident, your pup is protected from flying around the vehicle and injuring himself or hitting you. Other restraining devices such as harnesses or gate barriers in the back of wagons work well too. Small puppies can be held on your lap, but only if you’re not driving!

If you only take the puppy in the car to go to the vet, he will associate that experience with the car and may develop a fear of car travel. Bring the pup to crowded areas so that he will get used to loud and different noises. It also allows him to meet lots of people. Have you ever seen anyone walk away from a cute little puppy? Have people come to the house as well to meet the new addition. This way the puppy gets used to company at the home.

Interaction with children is also important, as long as it’s supervised. Children need to be taught how fragile little puppies are and can easily be broken if they are too rough with them.

Puppy’s First Year

During the first year you will be creating a bond with your puppy that will last a lifetime. Pay attention to all new experiences with your new friend and make them positive. You will be taking the puppy on field trips in the car, training at home and possibly some classes.  What ever you do make it fun!

Look for classes offered through local kennel clubs, boarding kennels, or education classes at high schools. Also, there are clubs, companies or individual trainers that offer training classes. Some organizations even offer puppy playgroups. Check the yellow pages or local newspaper.

During the first year it is important to get all vaccinations for your puppy. Make sure you follow the recommended schedule set up by the breeder or kennel attendant. When you purchase an 8-week-old puppy it should have had at least its first puppy booster (DHLPP) and possibly Corona. The pup will need two more boosters at 10 and 12-weeks-old.

Also, a rabies vaccine at 12-weeks-old and no later than six months in the state of Connecticut is required. Other good vaccines to have include bordatella (kennel cough), especially if you plan on taking the pup to classes, dog shows or board at a kennel (most kennels require this before admittance) and in this part of the country, Lyme vaccine is a good idea with all the ticks.

In addition, you will want to inquire with your vet about flea and tick preventatives, such as Frontline™ or Advantage™. Heartworm medication such as HeartGard™ is also recommended to fight this parasite. Regular screening for internal parasites is a good idea. Some vets will recommend yearly teeth scaling or daily brushing with toothpaste and brush.   

While this series is a general primer for puppy owners, we will be bringing you more specialized topics in the coming months.

If you have a topic or question you would like discussed please contact us. We love to hear from our readers.

Lisa Peterson and Adria Henderson are owner/operators of Safe-At-Home, LCC, a Newtown-based pet sitting service. You can reach them at 203-426-5784 or 426-4682; P.O. Box 427, Bostsford, CT 06404 or e-mail at animallifestyles @usa.net.