Puppy Tips Blog

She has terrible problems of behavior, I try to pet her and she bites, she bites everything, I can’t make her to listen to me when I give her an order, she steels all my clothing and tear it apart, when I wear skirts she jumps to bite it and pull it so… good bye skirt, one more to join the rest of destroyed thing on my house. I am not sure what I am doing wrong, I try to spend as much as I have with her, but I think is not working, she is about 6 hours alone every day, three at the morning and three on the afternoon, I am thinking about giving her away, but I love her so much that I don’t want to, but I feel that she is never going to change her way and it is a problem for me. I really need and advice!!!!! PLEASE!!!!

Dogs form their personalities at 2 and 3 months of age. This is when they need to be trained and socialized with people regularly. This is when they form their first habits, the ones that will stay will them all their lives. Dogs don't learn the right habits by themselves so TAKE HER TO TRAINING CLASSES WHERE YOU CAN BOTH LEARN

My puppy is a mini dachshund. He is 11 weeks old. The only time he isnt biting my hands is when he is sleeping. He has plenty of chew toys, all different textures, he isnt chewing anything else, just my hands.

You always try the most positive method first:
Some ideas for discouraging finger chewing: when your puppy clamps down, let out a very loud YELP in imitation of a hurt puppy. Then, fold your arms and ignore him for 1 or 2 minutes. With very young puppies, this sometimes works wonders - it's the same thing that happens when they get too rough with another puppy. The wounded puppy yelps and runs off, refusing to play for a bit. The yelp must be startling enough to stop the behavior.
That should do the trick, unless she is prey driven, . However, if it doesn't fix the problem this will work:

To introduce an element of "natural discipline", grasp the recalcitrant pup with one hand, place your other hand over the top of his muzzle, gently pressing his muzzle towards his chest as you say, in a low, growly tone of voice, "No BITE". If they begin to throw a tantrum and thrash around trying to bite, just hold the line until they "give in" and "say uncle" (quit resisting). You should not find it necessary to get aggressive with a young puppy. Simple restraint is usually enough to get the message across.

DON"T hit him or flick his nose! this will cause a rift in his relationship with you, and he will never be as trusting.

never had a puppy … but heard that they tend to do that naturally … you can try to view user opinion at

http://www.dogcat101.com

so,we got a new puppy hes 9 weeks old.hes been good lately but just today he just acted so weird,hes been biting everything he sees and hes been crying just all a sudden hes been distant to us for today.can anyone help us on what you think is wrong with him?what can we do to make him feel better if theres really something wrong.

At 9 weeks old he's NOT teething. Puppy biting is common. That's how they explore their world..through their mouth. He's most likely going through a transition period of being away from his mother and littermates. I highly suggest you join the yahoo group SPT. It's a puppy group with a lot of answers, moderated by a positive trainer with lots of experience. If he's biting people, there's info on bite inhibition there as well as tons of other things.

I have a miniature schnauzer puppy and every time he see another dog he starts barking at the other dog. How do I get him to stop…Does anyone have any suggestions to what to do??

You can bring a toy with you each time if he starts to bark direct his attention to the toy.Soon he probably will feel more confident be next to dogs.

When the new puppy(2 month old lab mix) eats, he will take one piece of food at a time, walk away, eat it and then do it over again. I know its not a bad thing, I find it pretty funny. I was just wondering why he does this. Thanks in advance

It's an instinct left over from the days of the wolf. The pack animals would rip a piece off of the kill and take it away to eat it before another member grabbed it away. Dogs still have this instinct. Especially the weaker, young and older dogs.

we just got a puppy about a week ago and he is 3 months. does anyone have and good ideas or tips that worked for potty training their dog?

trust me this will work i have pits if there in tha home and it pee's, make it smell tha pee everytime it pees and hit it on tha behind a good time, after a while it want be peein in tha house so what you do then is get a door flapper or just take your dog outside and it'll pee on its own, improvements takes about 2 weeks but ill work…..

We have a new puppy, who whines if you aren't petting or holding it. It is really bothersome at 3 am. I really need help. This our first house dog.

so in other words everytime it whines you hold it or give it attention? This needs to stop immediately! if you do not give it attention when it barks and whines it will eventually figure it out and stop. Praise the dog when it makes no noise at all and sits quietly. My dog did this too and it drove me nuts. he would sit in his bed and emit a high pitch whine that only a few of my friends and i could hear. DO NOT scold the dog or talk to it when it whines, still interprets it as attention

good luck!

Holly is 11 weeks old and is already going after a ball and bringing it back to me. She's 80% house trained. Should I give her snacks when she does her business outside in addition to good behavior? I've broken the bones into small pieces. I'm crate training her and she's doing well with that also.

1. Take some of the food she's supposed to have each day and set it aside. Then use that kibble for treats/rewards whenever she "does good." That way you can be sure you aren't overfeeding her.

2. Yes, a small treat is fine when you're rewarding her for doing her business, especially on command. But don't forget lots of praise. You see, it's not that she remembers the treat, it's that she remembers the FEELING. So if you praise, stroke her back and then treat her, what she remembers is "when I got to this spot and do my business, I feel real good afterwards."

Treat her for everything she does that you like. When you go on a walk, mention her name. If she looks up at you, treat. She's learning her name AND she's learning to focus on you outside. When you call her for her crate, put a treat inside and let her find it–she'll start to associate her crate with fun surprizes.

3. Almost all treats are too big. I have a 20 pound dog (3 years old). His treats are no bigger than the size of a pea (and some are smaller than that).

4. Think of the treats in a hierarchy. You start with the kibble (for doing run of the mill things). Than move it up a notch–maybe something like part of a dog biscuit. Then you have what are called high-value treats. These are the things that the dog goes frantic over. My dog's high value treats (they don't have to be food) are (from lowest to highest value of the high value items): cooked hot dog slices, cooked salmon scales, tugging with his rope toy, cheese sticks, and his soccer ball (he'll kill for his soccer ball). I don't recommend hot dogs and cheese sticks for a puppy but that illustrates the hierarchy. And the reason this is important is that I use the high value treats to reinforce the important stuff. With a puppy, that's probably recalls or "come". Use the lower value treats to reward things the puppy is already doing (like the house training).

However, something I'd bet would be a good high value treat that is the right size would be Zuke's mini-treats. They're a bit smaller than the size of a pea, hold their shape well (so you can put a bunch in your pants or coat pocket and not get left with a bunch of crumbs), are very healthy, I have yet to find a dog that doesn't love them and they chew easy. I've listed the website below–all of their stuff is quality.

Shes part boxer and shes also mixed with something else I believe Lab but I'm unsure! I am really having the hardest time! My husband wants to get rid of her but I just can't I am attached to her! She is very playful and I really enjoy her! So if anyone has any tips on how to potty train a puppy or how to get her to stop whining please help me so I don't have to get rid of her! Thanks a lot!

A puppy is like a baby. He will relieve himself anywhere, anytime. Because a newly adopted adult dog is unfamiliar with your home, he may not understand where he should "go"! Housetraining, or teaching your dog to go outside to relieve himself, is an important lesson your dog must learn.
It is up to you, the new parent, to housetrain your new puppy or dog with patience, love and understanding.
CRATE TRAINING
In the wild, wolves live in a den or cave. It is important the entire wolf pack keep this area clean. The same idea works with your family pet. Your dog’s crate is his home, his bedroom. It is likely that your dog will not like to soil his bed. Therefore, he will wait until he is let out to do his business.
HOUSETRAINING WITH YOUR CRATE
On average, puppies can hold their bladders one hour for every month they have been alive, plus one hour. For example, if you have a three month old puppy, he can wait 3 + 1 = 4 hours. If you work longer than this, the best solution is to have someone (a neighbour, a relative, a dog walker) come in at an appropriate time to let your dog out.

100 PER CENT SUPERVISION
Supervision is the key to housetraining! While you are at home, your dog must be supervised. Whether you are watching television, making dinner, on the phone or on the computer, your puppy must be watched. While it sounds like an impossible task, it isn’t. Keeping the crate in a social part of the house makes it easier. Using a house lead – a small, thin lead with a little clip on it – also helps immensely. Outside, you put a lead on your dog so you can control him. If the lead is removed after returning home, control is lost. For example, when watching television, have the lead tied to a couch leg. Your dog can have his blanket and toys with him. He’ll feel safe and comfortable. The majority of accidents happen when your pup wanders off and you haven’t noticed. You don’t want him to sneak off into the kitchen and find a puddle a short time later. If your pup is kept from wandering, the possibility of an accident is diminished because he will not eliminate where he is sitting. 100 per cent supervision means ensuring your dog is playing with you, in his crate, outside or on his house lead.

SCHEDULING
In the morning, take your dog outside. He should urinate and possibly have a bowel movement. Spend about five to seven minutes with him and then bring him in. Do not play with him yet. Feed him breakfast, either in the crate or with the lead, and supervise it. If your pup did not have a bowel movement earlier, take him back outside about 15 minutes after he has eaten. Use the lead to keep your pup moving along while outside. Otherwise, he may start sniffing, stopping and playing to avoid the job at hand. You can say “hurry up” and your dog will begin to associate these words with the task at hand. Praise him excessively when he has eliminated. Bring him back in the house and place him in his crate if you are going to work. Continue to supervise him with the crate or the lead if you are home. When returning after being out, go directly to the crate, let him out, praise him and put him back in. Feed him his meal, take him outside 15 minutes after he has eaten, praise him after he eliminates, and bring him back in. Continue to follow the same steps consistently.

While you are home, you should take your pup outside on a regular basis. Even if your pup is in a crate or on a house lead, he still needs the opportunity to eliminate. Also, be careful what you wish for! A pup who barks to go outside may be cute and clever now. However, you must try not to fall into the habit of leaping up every time your dog wants in or out. It is a very submissive gesture on your part. Have your pup wait a moment or two.

Setting up a schedule is also a good idea. If your pup is under four months of age, take him out for five minutes every hour on the hour. If your pup is over four months old, take him out every second hour on the hour. The schedule will help you remember when to take him out. Go out for five minutes only. It provides the opportunity to eliminate even if your pup may not need to go. Take your dog out after active play and also after napping. If an accident occurs, you may have forgotten to take him out .

FEEDING TIME
Having a puppy drink a lot of water and then placing him in his crate is much more unkind than letting him be a bit thirsty for an hour or two. Adult dogs should have access to drinking water at all times. However, this is not the case for untrained pups. Most parents will not allow their children to drink a big glass of water before going to bed. Avoid setting your pup up for failure. Restrict his water intake to three or four drinks daily and make sure you remove the water dish about three hours before bedtime. This will help your dog sleep more comfortably.

If it is a hot evening, supply your pup with a few ice cubes. They will enter your dog’s system at a slower pace. When feeding your pup, provide a high-quality food that is a good source of protein. The food must be concentrated so your puppy’s body doesn’t require much of it. If you feed less, your puppy eliminates less. Food is directly related to how well puppies do in their housetraining.

EXERCISE
It is important that your pup gets a lot of exercise, especially while crate training. You can play fetch, chase or hide and seek in your home. You can call ‘come’ at the same time to provide further training. Anyway you do it, your pup needs to be able to run and play.