Puppy 101

I love this video on how to handle biting/nipping: McCann Dog Training - biting video

Puppies tend to bite when…

• They’re at the same level as you. This may mean you’re sitting on the floor, or they’re sitting on the couch with you. Combat this by standing up or placing them on the floor.

• They’re overly excited. Combat this by asking them to sit / stay for a moment.

• They’re on their back. Combat this by leaving letting them back on all fours. (You’re not going to gain anything by asking them to be “submissive” in this positive.)

The best way to prevent a pup from chewing on something inappropriate is to distract them by getting them to come to you reliably. “Come” should always sound happy and excited, not angry. Avoid giving pup attention in these moments when she’s not behaving as you’d like (e.g. walking over and picking her up). She only gets positive attention when she comes to you as she is called. If needed, you may want to have her on a leash so you can tug her back toward you while you call “come”.

Change your tone! Make sure you sound happy, excited and playful. Avoid asking Pup to come and then scolding him or getting frustrated. Check out this great resource on recall.

An over simplified situation at my home…

Leah: “Archer, come.” 😠(I’m thinking: He knows better than to be digging around in that pot right now.)

Archer: No response. (He’s thinking: Mom’s yapping about something again)

Leah: “Archerrr! Come-ere boy!” 😃(I’m thinking: I’m going to sound happy and fun because I know better than to ask my dog to come to me when I sound annoyed.)

Archer: Looks up and trots over to me (He’s thinking: Sounds like fun! I bet she has treats.)

Puppies need to pee as soon as they wake up. This is the best chance to potty train. Put them on the pad / outside and let them move around just enough to get their bladder going. They will pee. So keep them on that pad. When they do, give them calm praise. Treats are ok here but not necessary. Make sure not to scare your pup with over excitement but give them scratches and “good dog” praise when they’re done.

Introduce a word (e.g. “get busy”) to signal potty time. Try to say this just before your pup starts to go. The timing is tough but it's important that the word carries the right meaning. (Otherwise, your pup may become desensitized to that word. If you think this may have happened, switch it up and try another cue.)

Poops often take a little more time. Look for signals like sniffing or walking in circles. Unlike peeing, you can pick a Pup up right as she’s about to poop and she’s likely to hold it until you get her in the right spot. (If you pick up a peeing Pup, you’ll get wet. I'll admit to poorly timing this from time to time.)

Check out my list for cleaning supplies that work.

Start helping your pup build positive associations with their crate on Day 1.

Supply notes:

• 30in Wire Crates are great for dogs up to about 25lbs. If you want to start out with a bigger crate and use the divider that will work too.

• I recommend starting your Pup in the 30in which will make it easier to prop Pup up on a chair at eye level when you sleep. It’s my #1 crate training secret.

• Consider purchasing a second crate so you can have one in your bedroom and one in your living space. (This saves me from moving the crate around everyday and makes me happy.)

• No need for special beds/covers. An old towel or tshirt makes a great bed that’s easy to wash and another towel or sheet over the top of the crate makes it a cozy den.

DO:

• Feed meals in the crate with the door open.

• Lure Pup into the crate with appealing treats. Walking in and out to get a treat is a great start!

  • Begin easing Pup into sitting in the crate for a minute or two (with you right next to the crate.)

• Encourage all naps in the crate. It's so hard to avoid cuddling a sweet puppy when they're sleeping but I promise you won't regret it!

  • Pup is ready for a nap after all her needs are met (food, water, potty break) and then has a burst of energy. Right after that burst of energy, expect a nap. It's ok to put Pup in the crate when she's being a little too wild. She's overtired and needs help settling down.

  • If you find Pup asleep on the floor, scoop her up and let her finish the nap in the crate.

  • I prefer to let Pup fall asleep in the crate because it will teach her to self-soothe and fall asleep without touching you or being out in the open.

• Hide treats and toys in the crate throughout the day to encourage positive associations.

• Create a schedule for crate time. The same 20 minutes everyday will create routine and a calm pup (especially at night and before leaving for work)

• Watch this video: McCann Dog Training - crate training video

AVOID:

• Avoid forcing Pup into the crate.

• Avoid locking Pup in the crate for the very first time and leave the room.

• Avoid letting Pup scream/cry excessively and work themselves up into a panic that they’ll have trouble calming down from.

• Avoid letting Pup “cry it out” for more than 20 minutes. Wait for a gap in crying to praise Pup and let her out for a pee break. Then place her back into the crate and start again.

  • There will be a gap! Set a timer so you have a sense of how long she's been crying. 30 seconds can feel like 20 minutes when you're stressed.

• Don’t use a crate that’s big enough for Pup to potty on one side and sleep on the other.

• Don’t invest in crate bedding that’s tough to wash. Expect that Pup may pee or chew on it.

Socializing is all about exposing your puppy to unique sights, sounds and smells. We want to expose our dogs to as many unique experiences as possible at a young age because it will have a big impact on your dog's temperament throughout his life. Socializing does not mean that our dogs should say hi to every person and dog they see on the street. The ultimate goal is a dog that's comfortable enough in his environment to not feel the need to engage with each and every stimulus.

Socializing a Pup in NYC may seem daunting but we’re in the perfect location to see tons of weird things everyday. Perfect for desensitizing a young pup! Even before Pup can put his paws on the ground, carry him around with you. Although some vets recommend that a puppy doesn’t go outside until their vaccine series is complete, others believe it’s fine as long as you are cautious of what the puppy is smelling/licking on the street. You’ll also want to ensure any dogs Pup meets are fully vaccinated. Peak socialization time is 9 to 16 weeks and is critical to a well adjusted puppy.

*High risk areas like the dog park / pet store should be avoided until after all vaccines.

Tips:

• Let Pup say hi to people who are interested. Encourage them to hold him and play with his paws so he gets used to being handled by someone that’s not you. Ask them to pretend they are a vet and check your pup out from head to toe.

• Expose him to elevators / escalators / automatic & revolving doors.

• Location ideas:

  • Old Navy is very dog friendly and the 6th ave location has an escalator. Bring paper towels / wipes in case of accidents!

  • Penn Station / Grand Central are fantastic ways to expose pups to a million things including escalators

  • You can count on CVS / Walgreens for automatic doors

  • Look for revolving doors in your neighborhood. Archer learned to walk through them at the Nordstrom Rack on 14th St.

  • Subways! Everything about the Subway is weird for a pup. Archer and I walked through the W 4th station every morning on our walk. We’d go underground to cross 6th avenue. I think this is why he does so well in crowds. Think about the subway turnstiles. It’s weird for the pups to go under them. But it’s fun and easy if they’re exposed at a young age.

• Avoid letting your dog wander all over the sidewalk and say hi to every dog they see. It will become difficult to teach them that this is no longer acceptable behavior when they get bigger/older. Start loose leash walking habits early.

• Ultimate Pup Worksheet -- this is a fantastic list of weird things your pup might encounter in their life. Try to check off as many boxes as possible before your pup hits 16 weeks.

After assessing this behavior in a training session, we tackled the issue with a 2 week training plan and lots of high value treats. She’s back to being an innocent little angel. (If you’re experiencing a similar issue, please send me a video so I can recommend appropriate training.)

To avoid skin issues, puppies shouldn’t be bathed more than once a month. For a smooth coated dog without any fluff, they’ll require less maintenance. As adults they should only need a bath every few months. (Archer prefers no baths ever… but he’s more of a house cat than a dog.)

• I like to use Dawn Dishsoap to wash the puppy once on their first day home. This will kill anything gross (even fleas). After that, Johnson’s Baby Soap makes for an excellent pup wash that won’t dry out their skin.

• If you have a messy pup that tends toward dirt, rinsing without soap or using baby wipes will be helpful between baths.

• If your puppy is younger than 8 weeks, please avoid bath time. They’re too young to regulate their temperatures and the water can make them very cold, very quick.

Most new owners are concerned about how much their Pup is eating and how often. Everyone worries they are eating too little or too much. I recommend following your vet’s advice, but generally I feed my puppies 3x a day and allow them to eat as much as they want in about 10 minutes.

When you’re looking for food, I recommend a dry kibble that’s not grain free (this was a fad for a bit, but shown to contribute to health issues in dogs). Ask your rescue/foster/breeder what the pup has been eating and try to stick with that for a bit. If you plan to transition your dog from one food to another, make sure to do so gradually. Here's a good explanation of how to do that: How to Safely Change Your Puppy's Food.

Reach out to me if you have more questions and I can recommend a few brands I like.

• Tell me about the parents

• What do they like and dislike?

  • Asking for specifics like this will give you a better sense of the good and bad of the dogs

• Why are you breeding these two dogs? What do you look for in dogs to breed?

  • I want the breeding to be motivated by getting great puppies who are healthy and have great personalities. I’m cautious of breeders that put too much of a focus on convenience (“They’re both my dogs and they’re great”) or showing their dogs. Almost all breeders will be working with show dogs so be lenient here but make sure they’re also thinking about personality in their breeding.

• How do you socialize puppies after they are born?

  • Since the puppies will be with the breeder for a key socialization window, you want to ensure the puppies are handled by people every day and exposed to things outside the home. This should all be within reason (they’re still babies), but a great breeder will expose the puppies to various experiences (e.g. adults and kids that don’t live in the home).

• Will the puppy come with AKC papers?

  • All reputable breeders will provide this

• What will the dog weigh when I pick him up?

• What has his schedule been? When and where does he sleep/nap/eat/play?

• What kind of food is he eating?

• What type of socialization has he had so far?