First Coast Pet

Posts Tagged ‘puppy chewing’

Puppy chewing problems can turn the joy of a new puppy into a nightmare.  However, you can solve the problem of destructive chewing.  All puppies chew, but it’s up to you as the dog owner to teach your puppy which items are off-limits to his teeth.  Here are ten tips that can help. 

1. Take Time To Puppy-proof Your Home

Instead of always yelling at your pup for getting into things, it’s better to temporarily put away things you don’t want him to damage. Pick up the throw rugs, put the plants someplace where he can’t get to them, and cover or tape down electrical wires. Put trash bins in the closet, along with the toilet paper and any household cleaners. Put your clothes and shoes away. Secure anything heavy that a puppy could pull down on himself to prevent injuries.

2. Give Him Only Two Or Three Toys At A Time

If your puppy has too many toys, he’ll have a hard time learning what belongs to him and what belongs to you. Plus he’ll get bored with his toys after a couple of days. That’s when you put those toys up and give him different ones.

3. Confine Him Safely To One Place

If you’re not able to keep an eye on your puppy, it’s best to confine him to a safe area where he can’t destroy anything or get hurt. Keeping him in one room by using a wire-reinforced puppy gate is recommended. You can also use a crate that’s the right size for him. Puppies often feel more secure in a small, protected den area like a crate. It also gives you peace of mind because you know destructive chewing isn’t happening while you’re gone.

4. Lots And Lots Of Exercise Is Essential

Your pup needs one to two hours of active exercise outside every day. Playing fetch with a ball or other toy can help to stop puppy chewing, too, as well as using up all that excess energy all puppies have.

5. A Puppy Playmate Can Help, Too

Playing with another puppy will also use up his energy, as well as teaching him how to interact with other dogs.

6. Begin Basic Dog Obedience Training Even Though He’s Still Young

Keep the sessions very short. A young puppy can’t concentrate too long, but a 30-second “mini-session” several times a day is a good start. Don’t ignore training opportunities as they arise during the day. Prevent small problem behaviors from becoming big problem behaviors in a few months by taking the time to correct them now.

7. Find An Agility Training Course For Him

These classes are a lot of fun, plus your puppy is getting lots of exercise while he’s becoming more coordinated and confident. This is a win-win situation for both of you.

8. Use A Bitter-Tasting Spray

If your puppy just won’t leave the sofa leg alone, try spraying it with a bitter-tasting substance. These sprays, available at all pet stores, are very effective in making your puppy wonder what he ever saw in that chair leg.

9. Don’t Punish Him After The Fact

You can’t stop puppy chewing by punishing him for something he did several hours ago. Dogs live in the present. Your pup can’t connect the fact that he chewed up your shoe two hours ago with your being upset now that you’ve just found it.

You either have to catch him in the act of chewing, or better yet, prevent the problem in the first place. See numbers one and three above.

10. Remember that it’s up to you to teach your puppy what kind of behavior is and isn’t acceptable, right from Day 1.

You should know that investing in a good dog training course will pay dividends now, and throughout your dog’s life.  If your puppy chews everything in sight, click on any link in this article to discover how a good dog training course will help you quickly solve your puppy behavior problems.

Nearly all of the puppies owned by Americans make their home indoors. If you are thinking of having your dog live inside with you and your family, you have to go through the process of housebreaking them. Many pet owners are daunted by the responsibility of  potty training a puppy. It’s not that bad and it’s not too messy; and do not need to battle with your dog in order to housebreak him. You have to keep in mind though that this is a training issue and you have to put in a little more than just casual effort. You will need time for this, become a little more involved, and get some training tools like puppy training pads.

The Puppy Rules

For dogs and puppy owners, there are two major rules that you should stick to with puppy training. Remember to never punish your puppy for something you didn’t see him do. Two, always remember to praise your puppy for good behavior. Don’t fall into the trap of only responding with ‘no’ when you see your pet doing something you don’t want them to do. Desirable behavior should be met with praise and treats.

Housebreaking Guidelines for Your New Puppy

There are different ways to housebreak puppies. When starting indoors, encourage your pup to use puppy training pads or papers to go to the bathroom on. Puppy pads are usually scented with chemicals that attract little doggies to use them. As soon as you see them starting with their pre-potty pattern of walking around and sniffing the floor, pick them up gently and without saying anything, and carry them over to the puppy training pads or paper and reward them for the doing their bathroom acts properly.

When the new dog is comfortable with the papers or puppy training pads, they can then be put near the door or even outside. The transition is accomplished by focusing their toilet habits in a specific in the home to an outside place. In the very near future you will have no need for papers or training pads indoors.

The drawback of this approach to housebreaking is that more time is required to get the pup to do his business inside. Other popular methods of house training puppies involve puppy crate training or the use of cages plus constant pet owner supervision.

The maximum amount of time that dogs can hold their bladders and bowels is between seven and eight hours, so you should keep that in mind when using a crate or a cage, trying to housebreak your dog. Usually this technique is very effective because most puppies consider their cage or crate as their sleeping area and they don’t want to have to lie in their own mess. It is not a good idea to crate a puppy for long periods of time.

The use of crates/cages and papers/puppy pads is not required if you have constant supervision. It is here that dog owners opt to spend whatever time is necessary with their pups. This is very ideal for people who work at home, retired persons, or owners who can afford to spend a lot of time with their puppy. Pet owners can normally usher their dog outside as soon as the pre-potty signs are noticed with this technique. Puppies should be watched at all times to ensure that no accidents or slip-ups occur.

In summary, housebreaking your puppy should be considered a part of command trainings like ‘come’ or ’stay’. But puppy potty triaining and housebreaking will be the most difficult forms of dog training due to the fact that they are simply the messiest. Don’t give up!

If you want to keep your house clean after deciding to adopt a new puppy, you need to insist on puppy house training rules. Every owner must go through house training with their new puppy. Some puppies learn the process very quickly, while some need more time to catch on. So don’t be frustrated when you are not having that much progress with puppy training at first. If you manage to stay patient and calming your puppy will soon be well on its way to being housebroken.

Look into the Puppy Mind

Understanding how your puppy thinks can make puppy house training much easier. You must realize that the meaning of being clean doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing to you and to your puppy. You think it is important for your puppy to go to a chosen spot in the garden and “go”, but to your pup, what’s important is to relieve himself where the notion takes him. Your puppy’s only concern is to go away from his food and bed which is also the health and safety rule of nature. This means that any place else in your house, away from his bed and food, may be considered appropriate, from behind your couch to the floor in your bedroom. These are perfectly acceptable places for him, but of course not for you – and what you have to do is teach him and guide him to a better spot – the one you have in mind for him!

Anticipation of the Signs

The early warning system of a puppy is not very reliable during his first few weeks, so make sure to work it out as early as possible for both your benefits. Choose a location soon that is close to the puppy’s food, bed, or play area. It will be rewarding to anticipate when your puppy needs to be taken out. Puppies need to relieve themselves frequently particularly after they eat, drink, play or get excited.

You must also learn to read your puppy’s body language and soon you’d realize the tell tale signs that tell you he needs to use the bathroom. Common signs are sniffing around in a persistent manner, circling around a single spot, or holding his tail high. All you should do if this happens is get your dog and go to the area that you have designated as their toilet area.  By doing so, you are well on your way to completing your puppy house training.

Even dogs that have gone through dog training classes will occasionally have small accidents when they are very excited or when greeting friends and family members. This type of response is natural and is called submissive urination.  You shouldn’t treat this differently from regular house training. Although there may be additional accidents, your dog must not be chastised. Punishing a house training pup will only lead to confusion and more make the puppy feel the need to hide when it relieves itself.

Do not shout at your dog when he has an accident due to excitement, instead take a patient approach and work things out with him until the habit is broken. Try to make greetings low key and keep them outside if possible. Greet your dog gently and build up his or her confidence. Don’t make a big deal out of an accident when it occurs. Your dog will soon stop having accidents, and you can congratulate yourself on successfully concluding another round of puppy house training.

Canines bark, so a puppy barking is a completely normal phenomenon. As natural as birds sing, puppies bark, whine, and sometimes howl. If you have a dog that you love, you know that you are going to hear plenty of barking, whining, and howling at almost any time. Don’t even think to train your puppy not to bark as it will never work. It is best for all, including your dog, if the barking can be controlled.

Why Dogs Start Barking

Dogs that do not get a lot of socializing or that are spending most of their time alone need something to do to spend all that saved up energy. If there is nobody with your dog all day, then they may bark just to hear itself and nobody tells them to stop. Pretty soon, barking will become an enjoyable habit for him or her. Many dogs, once they start barking, do it because they think it’s fun and enjoyable.  

You may have trained your dog to bark too much by accident. When your dog speaks, you go up and obey. “Woof” and you open the door to let them out, another “woof” and you open it again to let them in. If he barks, he gets his tummy rubbed; therefore, barking is a behavior that is rewarded. A puppy gets attention from you by barking.  For this reason, it is easy for barking to become a habit.  After all, the puppy wants your attention, and if he barks, he gets your attention. You need to reward your dog when they are not doing any barking.

Exercises and Puppy Barking

To minimize puppy barking and for you to get some peace and quiet, you have to realize that most of the time; puppy barking is really due to the boredom, loneliness, frustration and fright that your puppy feels. These entire situations can be eased and improved when you spend more time with your puppy. If your puppy is happy, contented and adequately exercised, he will probably spend the day napping when you are not at home. Try to take the time to give your puppy exercise, playtime, and proper training.

Puppy obedience training is just as boring mentally for dogs as it is for their owners. Dogs love to learn tricks like “sit”, “stay”, and “come here”, but you can mix it up by also giving love hugs, massage, praise and goodies. Don’t let your puppy get bored with training.

Dogs that live in a backyard also need some socializing time. You may need to walk them around your neighborhood to minimize the puppy barking. Puppies find daily walks an adventure because of all the exciting sounds and smells they can investigate when they are outdoors. Running around the yard like a crazy dog is a normal thing for a dog or puppy to do, but it does not count as puppy exercise. Just like humans, they pace, fidget, and have other nervous tendencies. Be sure your dog or puppy has something to do to keep busy. Puppies love to have chew toys for puppy biting, and big dogs enjoy a digging pit.

Dogs, like humans, are naturally social animals. They are just like us.  They need companions and friends. Take your dog to a dog park daily or weekly and let them mingle with the other dogs. If they engage in dog training, playing, and romping all day, they will be exhausted. Then they will have no trouble sleeping well and rejuvenating after a good day of play and exercise.

Puppy obedience is something that starts suprisingly early in their development. The basics of puppy obedience training may be initiated by the breeder from whom you purchased or secured your puppy.

Studies show that up to the age of three weeks, puppies are not yet ready to take in even a little in the way of education. When puppies are born they know only of their mom, that they are hungry and that they need frequent naps. By the 21st to 28th day of a puppies life they begin to leave the blanket and search for somewhere to do their business. During this stage, puppies start becoming more conscious of their environment, and also become more sensitive to stimuli. Now is the time to make great strides in a puppy’s mannerisms and behavior.

Encouraging Puppies with Positive Reinforcement

When you want your pet to do the right thing, the best thing to do is to not use punishment as a form of readiness. A great solution is to use positive treats and reinforcements Negative stimuli should well be limited to saying ‘no’ and blocking any negative actions from your puppy with your hands. You should not hit or otherwise hurt a puppy as it is counterproductive.

Puppies should be rewarded with praises and positive affection each time they respond correctly to a command. If not praised, puppies will lose enthusiasm and interest in obeying you. When your dog has executed a command properly given a praise soon after will help teach them the fun and rewards from being obedient Puppy obedience will also be developed as he learns that repeating proper actions will reap rewards. Using a positive reinforcement and a treat will strengthen the dog’s understanding and increase’s the dog’s willingness to follow commands.

A Consistent and Proper Timed Approach

While puppy training, you should keep in mind that timing is everything. Your movements, actions, and corrections are related to the puppy’s ability to understand the lessons and trainings taught to him. Younger dogs may be confused by discipline, so it is critically important that puppies understand the link between their disobedience and the resulting disciplinary correction.

For instance, a puppy who’s chewing on a bone or toy in another room is unlikely to act in response to the command “come,” and if no one brings him to the trainer, he will learn that the command is the same as “ignore.But if the puppy is told to “come” under controlled situations, like when he’s on a leash and is gently pulled toward the trainer then praised, he will find out that “come” means that he should head for the trainer and that it will also bring in the goodies.

While instilling puppy obedience training on your pet, keep it simple and do easy exercises one at a time. This will be a much simpler concept for the puppy rather than trying to teach them the whole exercise in a single session. Bring your patience with you when you are training and use positive reinforcement.  Slowly your puppy will learn to obey.