Puppy Training

Choose a dry food avoiding those that sell for unusually low prices. We suggest either a lamb and rice or chicken and rice with no corn. Avoid such things as high protein levels. The protein level should be around 25% and the fat content about 15%. Overfeeding is a contributing factor to hip dysplasia. Offer food to young puppies three times a day. If your puppy isn't hungry, reduce the frequency. After ten or twelve weeks of age, feed twice a day. Let your puppy eat as much as she wants in fifteen minutes and then pick up the food dish. Having food continually available encourages overeating, and chubby puppies are more likely to have hip dysplasia and weight problems. Dry food is cheaper and better for the teeth. The first two ingredients of your dog food should be lamb meal & rice, or chicken meal and rice. These foods are easier to digest and reduce the amount of waste. Treats should be given sparingly.

Puppies are very vulnerable to diseases. It is very important that you contact your local Veterinarian for the best immunization and worming schedule for your area. Generally your new pup gets his first puppy shots at 6 or 8 weeks. Until your puppy is four or five months old, try to prevent contact with stray or sick dogs. Avoid boarding your puppy or taking him places like highway rest stops where lots of other dogs "do their duties".

Puppies have a strong natural instinct to avoid soiling their own area. If you are consistent and patient, this natural urge for cleanliness makes house training fairly easy. You can begin training any time after six weeks of age. We like to keep our dogs in an airline crate at first, then as soon as we let them out, we take them outside to do their duties. Feed indoors. Remember, dogs do not like to eliminate where they eat. If your dog is urinating or defecating in a certain area indoors, try feeding him right at that spot after the cleaning has been completed. Right after your dog finishes eating, take him out to his toilet area; let him sniff around for a good spot. Do not confuse things by urging him to go. As soon as he starts "do his duties", tell him to "go pottie" or what ever term you would like to use. When he is done, tell him he is a "good dog".

Just a word about Airline crates. While you and I would not be comfortable in a little box, it is not confining to a dog. Instead they associate the crate with safety. It is their "house". In the wild, dogs burrow into a hole as a protection against other predators. The crate is their home and can be taken with you when you travel as a safe and effective way of transporting your dog.

After waking up, even from a nap.
After extreme excitement.
After drinking water.
After prolonged chewing on a toy, etc.
If he starts sniffing around the house for a good spot.

In about a week your pup should automatically head for his proper place after meals or whenever the urge strikes. If it takes longer, be patient. Teaching your pup to "go on command" is very useful when you are traveling.

Old fashioned house training methods tell us to grab the puppy, show him the mess and punish him. This is not necessary and probably harmful. Puppies will make mistakes. Take your puppy to its normal toilet area while you clean up the mess.

To discourage repeat visits, accidents must be cleaned up well enough to completely eliminate odor. After blotting and cleaning as best you can with paper towels, soak the stained area with an enzymatic cleaner. Let it remain on the stain 30 minutes or longer, blot up the liquid, and if still necessary, use regular rug cleaner afterwards. To work properly, the enzyme cleaner must be used before using regular rug cleaner.

Most puppies and young dogs have a tendency to urinate in response to new situations, when meeting a strange dog, or even when their owners come home and greet them excitedly. This is a normal response and will pass as the pup matures.

If you watch puppies at play, you will see a lot of growling and tussling. There is more to this play fighting than meets the eye. Those little guys are already deciding who is going to be "top dog". Whether you realize it or not, something very much like this play fighting is happening at home between your puppy and the rest of the family. To be confident and secure puppies need a master. For your dog to have a happy life and be a pleasure to own, at least one person in the family must become the master. Dogs have no mental concept of "friends and equals". Somebody has to be boss.

Assertive puppies tend to immediately investigate new people and objects. They are quick to begin play fighting activities with people. When they want to be petted or fed, they are insistent and demanding. These puppies fall easily into the role of family protector because they think the people belong to them. They may try to defend you from everyone, and biting because someone walks into your yard is not ok. Biting the children is not ok. The most serious problems happen when grandchildren are involved. Perceived either as an outside threat or a competitor, it is not unusual for grandchildren to be badly injured by the family pet.

It is necessary for you to be the master. Do not allow your dog to nip or bite at you in any way. Do not stimulate your puppy by waving your arms and acting excited or by playing tug of war. Do not become what your puppy perceives to be an equal and competitive playmate.

Submissive puppies tend to "shy away" from new people or situations. It is normal for most puppies to be slightly submissive. They wish for nothing more than to please you and this makes them easy to train.

Socialize your puppy by taking it with you when you can. If it is a shy type pup, give it the security of your protection as you encourage it to handle different situations, always praising the pup for investigating new places and people.

It is natural for puppies to chew—that’s one of the ways they explore and learn. Try to keep valuable objects that are chewable safely out of harms way. What may be destructive chewing to you is perfectly natural for a puppy. They are teething and need to "chew" to aid in the transition from baby teeth to adult teeth. Chewing is another way dogs keep their teeth clean. Good quality chew toys are available and will provide an outlet for the chewing.

Teach your pup to come when you call his name. This is easy, when you put out his food call his name. You can also use the times that he comes to you on his own to say his name. Sing it to let him know your happy, dogs don’t understand our words just our tone of voice. This can be used in later lessons. When they do some thing good we use our happy voice, when they are bad we growl and use a harsh loud voice.

Teach the down. This is best done around 2 or 3 months. We put a lead on the pup then step on it at the same time pulling up on the lead. This causes the pup to lie down and at the same time give the command "lie down". This only takes a second and when he is down we say "good boy", in our happy voice. Most Border Collies pick this up quickly.