Make the transition easy for your new puppy with these helpful tips: - Decide on a name and use it consistently
- Limit visits for the first few days
- Keep your puppy in your line of sight at all imtes for his/her safety and to establish correct behavior
- Never disturb a sleeping puppy!
- Teach your family the proper way to hold a puppy by placing one hand under the hindquarters and the other under the chest. Never pick up a puppy by the front paws or scuff of the neck.
- Do not leave a new puppy unattended with very small children or other family pets until you're sure everyone is ready.
1. Establish a routine and stick to it. Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, when he/she' wakes up from a nap, the last thing at night and within 15 minutes after he/she eats. 2. Until your puppy is trained, keep a constant eye on him or her and prevent accidents before they happen! 3. Crate-train your puppy. As a general rule, your puppy can safely be left in a crate the number of hours that equal his/her age.plus 1. 4. Designate a potty area. Train your puppy to use this designated space by consistently taking him/her there and using a command like "Go Potty". 5. Correct your puppy's mistakes only when you catch him or her in the act. With a firm "NO" pick up your puppy and take him/her to the designated potty area. Accidents will happen, so remember to be patient. * Remember this precious puppy is your new family member to care for through their entire lifespan. One of the first things owners teach their puppies is not to eliminate in the house. One very effective method, the one used by most breeder and trainers, is crate training. Not only can you housetrain a puppy using a crate, but when it is used correctly, the dog naturally learns to I look upon it as its den. The pup will seek out the crate when it wishes to rest undisturbed.
The crate's success as a housetraining tool is simple: Puppies will not soil their sleeping area if they can possibly avoid it. But remember that a puppy needs time to play. Use the crate when you can't watch your puppy, but don't overuse it.
Crates come in different styles and sizes. Choose one that will be large enough for an adult dog of your puppy's breed to lie down in, stand up and turn around in easily.
Put the crate in a location close to other family members to lessen the puppy's anxieties.
Move the crate from the kitchen or family room to the bedroom at night, so your puppy will feel like a part of its new family.
The puppy will probably cry or whine when it first goes in. Offer a treat and close the door.
Leave the room, but remain nearby. At the first sign of a separation response, such as barking, whining or howling, intervene with a sharp "No"! your pup should associate the reprimand with it's actions and stop. It may take four or five tries, but it will eventually settle down.
Once the pup is quiet, keep it in the crate for 30-45 minutes. If it begins to cry, take it outside to relieve itself. Once that's accomplished, praise the pup, take it back inside and allow it free time outside the crate. If it starts chewing on something other that its toys. respond with a sharp "No," take the object away and replace it with a toy.
After 15-20 minutes of play time, put the pup back in the crate for a nap, correcting if it cries. Your pup learns through association, so consistency should help it accept being in the crate after a few tries. When it has been quiet for an hour or so, repeat the process.
Be aware that your puppy will need to eliminate directly upon waking and shortly after eating or playing. Also, a very young puppy will not be able to hold it's urine through the night.
Put your puppy on it's leash immediately after letting it out of the crate. Rush the pup to the door or carry it if its small, so it can avoid an accident. Be sure it relieves itself once outside.
Never place newspapers on the bottom of the crate, these will encourage the pup to eliminate there. After you're sure your puppy isn't wetting its bed, you can give it a towel or blanket, though it may be more comfortable without one.
Gradually lengthen the amount of time your puppy is allowed to play. When it's 4 or 5 months old, it should be able to control itself for an hour or so between trips outside.
The crate also aids in curbing destructive behavior, such as uncontrolled chewing. As your puppy matures and shows it can be left loose in the house, give it that privilege.
The crate itself cannot stop your puppy's need to chew when it's teething, so provide it with safe chewable toys and nylon or rawhide bones. If it continues to chew beyond teething stage (about 8 months), it's probably bored, so try to spend more time with it.
By the time your pup is 8 months old (a bit older for large breeds) it should be able to walk Around the house for most of the day once it has been taken outside to relive itself. By 1 year, it should be mature enough to be trusted all night in the house. But keep the crate set up with the door open anyway. Your dog will become attached to its own private "den" and will look for it.
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