So, you have a new puppy - what a wonderful, exciting time in
your life. It is the beginning of a decade or more of one of the best
relationships in your life. Now is the time to start laying the foundation.
Picture your pup at his adult size and weight. Jumping on your kneecap
now is not a problem, but in a few short months it'll be your shoulders
he is leaving paw prints on. That's okay if all your clothes are the
same paw pattern. It's not okay if it's the neighbour's toddler.
Most people don't want their children to rush over and push the neighbour's
little one over. A puppy (or a child) does not know at birth that
this is unacceptable behaviour. It is our duty to teach them.
The knowledge that we have the time and dedication to devote to raising
and training a nippy, destructive puppy and turning him into a well-mannered
member of the family should be our first step. This is a major family
decision and endeavour. It will involve everyone. It demands time
and consistency and a great deal of effort, but the results are tremendous.
In my opinion, "Eh-Eh" is the most vital word or sound in
training. It is a guide word that is not harsh but let's our pup know
that he is heading in the wrong direction. You can also put in as
much feeling or as little emphasis as you want at the time.
On the other side is tons of praise. While they are very little it
is easiest if you pick a single word that comes easily to you - YES!
or GOOD! Again the volume can easily be adjusted to fit the situation.
Use this word often and freely. If they are sitting or laying quietly
doing absolutely nothing - praise them (calmly if you want them to
continue sitting quietly). Our goal should be to praise them most
of the time (even if you have to search for praise-worthy events).
At least 75% of the time we should be saying, YES! good puppy.
Eight week old puppies are constantly learning. You are training them
all of the time whether you are aware of it or not. If they bark needlessly
and get your attention for it, even if it is to yell at them, they
have just been trained to bark for your attention. If they are
put out in the backyard and left to their own devices, but you come
out waving a dishtowel when they dig a nifty hole, you have just taught
them how to get your attention. Many of these behaviours are self-rewarding
and it becomes a real challenge for us to find something more exciting.
Usually human attention is much more fun than digging that nifty hole
all by themselves. If your pup is truly part backhoe then you will
likely have to provide an area or sandbox that can be all his. Then
it is up to you to bury great treasures for him to discover. Puppies
need a great deal of attention.
Most dogs by nature want to please. If we give them appropriate behaviours
to offer us they are less likely to try unacceptable behaviours. Usually
when we are teaching various tricks to our dog they will offer that
trick repeatedly, knowing that is what made us happy. If we teach
a young pup to sit on command giving lots of praise for it, he will
offer that sit repeatedly hoping for that same praise. As they progress
in their training, they will not need or expect the profusive praise
they received when that great trick was first learned. They move on
to more and more difficult endeavours as each behaviour is mastered.
A puppy's greatest learning is done in the first sixteen weeks of
his life. It is our obligation to expose them to as many new situations
as we can manage throughout this period especially. They need to see
different colours and sizes of people, all different buildings and
bodies of water, all the various shapes and sizes of other dogs and
species of animals. We must teach them appropriate behaviour in all
of these areas.
Many young pups at some early stage will try to assert themselves
over their human littermates. There are several things we can do to
ensure they remain at the bottom of the totem pole. Pups in a canine
pack are not first through the doorway or first to be fed. They are
not given attention whenever they demand it but receive it when mother
has time. Games and toys are started and finished, not at the pups
request, but when the adults have the time to indulge them. Discipline
is a must in any relationship.
Early training is the key to a well socialized puppy that is a welcome
addition to all our family activities. Once we have taught our puppy
how to learn, the door is open to a lifetime of sharing and enjoyment
with our beloved family companion.
