Alexandria, VA – I know a new puppy parent when I see them. It’s not hard to tell. Bags under their eyes, holes in their shirts or pants, scratches, and even bruises on their arms. What appeared at first sight to be a bundle of fluffy joy turned into a baby Tyrannosaurus rex once they got home.
Don’t get me wrong! Puppies are adorable animals whose antics often make us laugh. However, puppies are a lot of work. As cute as they are, their normal but very “bad” puppy behaviors can be overwhelming. Nipping and biting, jumping, barking, crying at night in their crates, and going to the bathroom everywhere but outside are just a few frustrating behaviors that can take all the joy out of having a puppy.
If you recently brought a new puppy or plan to bring one home soon, having an action plan that sets your puppy up for success and lets you sleep well is essential to getting your puppy off on the right paw. Here are some Must DO’s to prepare you and your home for their arrival and beyond.
DO get a food and water bowl. Then, ditch the food bowl. When I look at a cup of food, I see 50-60 training opportunities that will otherwise be eaten in minutes or sit on the floor for later. Start building a relationship based on trust and connection as soon as you get your puppy home. Food is a dog’s biggest motivator, so having their food on you and on walks, mixed with higher-value reinforcers, will make you a very special VIPP (Very Important Puppy Parent.) Of course, high-quality puppy food and high-value training treats are on this list.
DO get a collar, ID, and harness. A good harness alleviates pressure on your puppy’s neck, especially when they pull—and they will. Remember, a puppy’s walk should be about exploration, observation, sniffing, potty breaks, and creating positive associations with the world and you.
DO get a Dog Bed and Mat. A nice comfy bed for sleeping and a crate mat, door mat, or bath mat for a chill spot. We love teaching puppies how and where to relax!
Do have a puppy crate, baby gates, and Xpens ready. Managing your puppy’s environment is critical to the training process and a way to keep your puppy safe. You wouldn’t leave a four-month-old baby on the living room floor while you go for a run or take a shower. Puppies are infants, too, and they love getting into everything and eating everything! The best way to housetrain a puppy is by supervising their whereabouts, taking them outside frequently, rewarding them when they go outside with a potty party, and putting them in their crate to rest when you cannot keep your eyes on them, even if it is just for one minute. Managing your puppy’s environment will help set him up for success and keep him from practicing inappropriate puppy behaviors. When in doubt, take your puppy out!
DO have tons of chew toys, Kongs, bully sticks, Himalayan yaks, tug toys, balls, treat dispensing toys, etc. When you sit down to play with your puppy, be surrounded by toys, tugs, and chews. Puppies explore with their mouths, and their little teeth are very sharp. You must redirect them without yelling or hand-to-teeth combat and teach appropriate biting. They have spent two months playing, biting, and fighting with their siblings. They don’t simply stop biting. And they have no idea that your skin isn’t as tough as their littermates. They’re also teething, so stock up. Never punish your puppy for nipping and biting. They have to bite, just not on you.
DO train, train, train. Puppies learn daily rituals from the minute they walk through your door and by practicing behaviors. It’s better if we train them and not vice versa. The critical puppy socialization window is four to fourteen weeks of age, so there is no time to lose for making positive associations with the new and often scary world around them.
Find an experienced, professional, certified positive reinforcement trainer, attend puppy classes to learn modern methods and techniques for raising and training your puppy, and start socializing them. I don’t mean letting them run up to every dog and person on the street. Build a connection with your puppy so they learn to observe the environment, people, other dogs, and squirrels, but then choose to stick with you because you have all the good stuff and you’re fun. Much has changed in the last 20 years in how we train puppies because we know much more about how puppies think and learn.
For more information on all things puppy, check out our puppy resources section at wholistichound.com/resources. Enjoy your puppies!
Sandy Modell, CPDT-KA, is the Founder, Owner, and Head of Training of Wholistic Hound Academy, Alexandria’s award-winning, premier canine training and learning center — offering classes and private lessons in puppy training, adolescent and adult foundation and life skills, behavior modification, agility & dog sports, fitness, babies/kids and dogs, pre-pet planning and selection. Classes are starting soon! Check out our PuppyK classes and new Puppy Socials! Visit www.wholistichound.com to enroll in our programs, like us on Facebook.com/wholistichound, and follow us on Instagram at Instagram.com/wholistichound.
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