If you’ve been Googling how to raise a confident, friendly dog, you’ve probably run into the same advice everywhere: take your puppy to the park, bring them to pet stores, ask strangers to hand them treats. The best way to socialize a puppy, according to most of the internet, is to expose them to as many people, places, and experiences
Whether your goal is competing in dog sports or simply having a dog who greets visitors politely at the front door, it helps to understand how dogs learn. Dogs are learning all the time. Not just during formal training sessions, but during everyday life with you. When you understand how dogs learn, you can begin to guide behavior intentionally. Instead
Few things alarm new puppy owners more than aggressive puppy biting. Your sweet little fluff ball suddenly clamps down on your hand or grabs at your pant leg. And you start wondering: Is this normal?Is my puppy aggressive?Do I need aggressive puppy training already? Let’s take a breath. Most puppies are not truly aggressive. In rare cases, they can be.
Keep Your Puppy and Your Belongings Safe What is Long-Term Confinement? Long-term confinement is a strategy for confining your puppy when you will be away for longer than she can be crated for. See the guidelines for ages and crating times here. This type of confinement prevents destructive chewing and potty accidents, provides boundaries, and teaches your puppy that alone
Give Your Puppy a Safe Place of His Own What is a Crate? A crate can be made of plastic or wire, and can be purchased at almost any pet supply store. The crate should be just large enough for your puppy to lie down comfortably, stand up fully and turn around. Size is important; if the crate is too
A Few Weeks of Work for Long-Term Success The Key is to Limit Her Space The most efficient way to house train your puppy is to limit her space using an appropriately sized crate, 6-foot leash, or a small area of confinement in your home. By limiting your puppy’s space, not only will you drastically reduce the number of accidents
Don’t Miss This Time Sensitive Opportunity Teaching your puppy the world is safe prevents problems in the future. What is Socialization? Socialization is the developmental process whereby puppies familiarize themselves with their constantly changing surroundings. It is how they work out what is safe and good as opposed to what is dangerous and not-so-good. Having a puppy who has been
