Puppy Socialisation
The importance of socializing a puppy can not be stressed enough. This should begin with regular handling as a puppy while growing up starting at an early age. When the puppies begin to be active, interaction with a few healthy, vaccinated dogs can be considered. Puppies need to meet and have pleasant encounters with a wide variety of adults, children, dogs and other animals. To be successful, this must begin when they are very young (under 16 weeks of age), taking care not to overwhelm them. The benefits are well demonstrated in the importance this plays in producing a well adjusted dog in adulthood. The Puppy Socilisation Plan is a fantastic website with an abundance of information. Attending a well-run puppy training class will help keep your puppy sociable with other dogs as well (The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme has a contact list of local clubs).
House Training Tips
We start the process of house training around 4-5 weeks of age by providing the opportunity for puppies to get outside when appropriate. Understanding when a puppy will likely need to go out will improve consistency and establish good habits early. As a general rule, the length of time a puppy can hold its bladder for in hours is equal to his age in months plus one (ie. At 3 months of age = 4 hours). This includes getting up through the night! It may be a sacrifice in the first few weeks but will pay off in how quickly your puppy will master house training by avoiding accidents at this time if you put in the work. He/She will also want to go out as soon as they wake up so take them out then and normally approximately one hour (this may vary somewhat) after being fed. Supervising your puppy will let you quickly recognize signs of needed to urinate or defecate. These signs usually include exploring the room with nose to the ground so do not assume your puppy is being inquisitive.
Your puppy will not understand you for punishing him for accidents in the house but will make the association that it is not good to go in your presence (inside or out). This will make house training more difficult on you both. Better to gather your puppy up and get outside if caught in the act, then praise. Do not try to hard to encourage your puppy to urinate/defecate when you take them out. Too much attention from you will offer something much more interesting for them than the task at hand. Monitor them quietly to allow them to find a suitable spot and praise them after they go. Puppies, especially Spaniel puppies will often urinate when excited by greetings. Tone down greeting your puppy when you initially come in until they have had a chance to go outside to pee will make both your lives more enjoyable!
The importance of socializing a puppy can not be stressed enough. This should begin with regular handling as a puppy while growing up starting at an early age. When the puppies begin to be active, interaction with a few healthy, vaccinated dogs can be considered. Puppies need to meet and have pleasant encounters with a wide variety of adults, children, dogs and other animals. To be successful, this must begin when they are very young (under 16 weeks of age), taking care not to overwhelm them. The benefits are well demonstrated in the importance this plays in producing a well adjusted dog in adulthood. The Puppy Socilisation Plan is a fantastic website with an abundance of information. Attending a well-run puppy training class will help keep your puppy sociable with other dogs as well (The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme has a contact list of local clubs).
House Training Tips
We start the process of house training around 4-5 weeks of age by providing the opportunity for puppies to get outside when appropriate. Understanding when a puppy will likely need to go out will improve consistency and establish good habits early. As a general rule, the length of time a puppy can hold its bladder for in hours is equal to his age in months plus one (ie. At 3 months of age = 4 hours). This includes getting up through the night! It may be a sacrifice in the first few weeks but will pay off in how quickly your puppy will master house training by avoiding accidents at this time if you put in the work. He/She will also want to go out as soon as they wake up so take them out then and normally approximately one hour (this may vary somewhat) after being fed. Supervising your puppy will let you quickly recognize signs of needed to urinate or defecate. These signs usually include exploring the room with nose to the ground so do not assume your puppy is being inquisitive.
Your puppy will not understand you for punishing him for accidents in the house but will make the association that it is not good to go in your presence (inside or out). This will make house training more difficult on you both. Better to gather your puppy up and get outside if caught in the act, then praise. Do not try to hard to encourage your puppy to urinate/defecate when you take them out. Too much attention from you will offer something much more interesting for them than the task at hand. Monitor them quietly to allow them to find a suitable spot and praise them after they go. Puppies, especially Spaniel puppies will often urinate when excited by greetings. Tone down greeting your puppy when you initially come in until they have had a chance to go outside to pee will make both your lives more enjoyable!
Importance of Training
Dogs like routine and need to know where they stand in the family dynamic. With dog training find the right approach for you and your dog. Attending puppy classes and establishing basic training can help ensure that you and your dog have a happy relationship with each other and the wider community.
Educate and teach good manners. Puppies need to know where their boundaries lie. Teach them in a consistent manner what is acceptable and what is not. Training begins as soon as your puppy has come into the household. Use positive methods for all education, from house-training to coming back when called. Strong-willed puppies need to learn that they cannot have their own way all the time and what you want must come first.
Teach your puppy to be left alone. Of course puppies like to be with others but our pet dogs need to be taught to tolerate being alone. Begin with short sessions when your puppy is young and build up to longer absences gradually. You do not want to reward your puppy by coming to it every time it whines or it will soon learn to use this to its advantage.
Puppies chew while teething and during adolescence. Provide plenty of suitable chews and change them often. Teach your puppy what to chew and what to leave alone. Try not to leave your puppy in a place where it can damage your things or itself. Prevention is better than cure. Adolescence can be a difficult time, try not to worry – it soon passes!
Dogs like routine and need to know where they stand in the family dynamic. With dog training find the right approach for you and your dog. Attending puppy classes and establishing basic training can help ensure that you and your dog have a happy relationship with each other and the wider community.
Educate and teach good manners. Puppies need to know where their boundaries lie. Teach them in a consistent manner what is acceptable and what is not. Training begins as soon as your puppy has come into the household. Use positive methods for all education, from house-training to coming back when called. Strong-willed puppies need to learn that they cannot have their own way all the time and what you want must come first.
Teach your puppy to be left alone. Of course puppies like to be with others but our pet dogs need to be taught to tolerate being alone. Begin with short sessions when your puppy is young and build up to longer absences gradually. You do not want to reward your puppy by coming to it every time it whines or it will soon learn to use this to its advantage.
Puppies chew while teething and during adolescence. Provide plenty of suitable chews and change them often. Teach your puppy what to chew and what to leave alone. Try not to leave your puppy in a place where it can damage your things or itself. Prevention is better than cure. Adolescence can be a difficult time, try not to worry – it soon passes!