Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks

Harriet Howe, DVM, is the owner of a mobile veterinary service that makes house calls and offers support for animal owners. Her services range from routine preventive care for young, healthy pets to detection and treatment of diseases as pets age. She provides complete medical care throughout any stage of a pet's lifetime. In an exclusive interview with Patch, she provides her top ten tips for dealing with a new puppy.

 1. HOUSE TRAINING

Keep your puppy in a small area, like a bathroom or large crate. Dogs will not normally go to the bathroom where they sleep. Take the puppy out every two hours to use the bathroom and use a simple command such as "go potty." Take the dog to the same area each time, and give a reward. Puppies, Howe explains, need to use the bathroom after eating and as soon as they wake up from a nap. With consistency, they will be house trained in about two months.

 2. EATING

Puppies should eat three times a day for the first 16 weeks. Use puppy food, mostly dry kibble, with some wet food if desired; Howe warns that "wet food can cause loose bowels." Pick up whatever the dog has not eaten after ten minutes, and save it for the next meal. Dog food is perfectly balanced, and introducing human food interferes with proper nutrition and encourages begging.

 3. SLEEPING

Open door crates are best, Howe reports, assuming the crate is large enough. This creates a sanctuary for the puppy where they can be safe from children. Howe does not advise having the dog sleep with you, as it can be unhygenic and disrupt the dog's sense of position within the home.

4. OBEDIENCE TRAINING

Howe advises to start training at 18 weeks or after the last round of immunizations. Simple commands such as "sit," "lie down," and "stay" can be taught at home.

 5. SEPARATION ANXIETY

 Dogs are pack animals, and their family is their pack. When the family all leaves, puppies can get anxious and destroy the house. Howe suggests giving puppies their favorite toy or treat only when you leave, so they do not see it as a bad thing when you leave. Make sure the puppy does not have the run of the house or the yard while you are gone. Confine them to specific space.

 6. CHEWING

There is not much you can do to prevent chewing before your puppy loses all their baby teeth (around 6 months). If you do catch the puppy chewing on items that should be off-limits (like your good shoes) take the item away and replace it with one of the puppy's toys. Keep a basket of toys around and switch toys often.

 7. SOCIALIZING

Avoid having your puppy around other animals before all vaccinations are complete (usually around 16 weeks). Treat them like a newborn baby.

 8. NEUTERING

Howe recommends spaying or neutering before a dog is four months old. This prevents development of hormone urges, so they will not mark their territory. The vast majority of dogs that wind up in shelters are not spayed/neutered.

 9. BARKING

Dogs naturally bark to communicate, so it is hard to stop this behavior. Try using a squirt bottle and a stern "no" command. Tell the dog to go to their bed or keep them on  a leash when opening the door. Consistency is the key.

 10. TRANSITION

Puppies need a safe place to go where children cannot disturb them. Follow the same rule when introducing your new puppy to your other pets. Set up a barrier so the animals can see and smell each other safely.