If its been a while since you have had a puppy in the home, this Puppy Training Tips for New Parents will be provide you some good information. Congratulations on bringing home your new puppy! A new puppy represents innocent joy, constant excitement and unconditional love.
First Step is to Have a New Puppy Check List
Bringing a new puppy home, is so exciting but before your puppy arrive you will want to have your house set-up so that you are not running out to the store first couple days while your puppy is getting acclimated.
1. Crate- A crate is a great management tool, and using a crate is one of the fastest way to potty train your puppy. When first exposing your puppy to the crate, we recommend using Enrichment feeders, meals, and some fun play time involving the crate to help establish a positive association with the crate. Crates are not cruel, Introduced correctly, crates become a dog’s sanctuary and can even keep your puppy safe when left alone. Check out video on some of the games you can play to help make the crate enjyoable for your pup.
2. X-pen or Gates- We use X-pen and Gates to help manage your puppy and keep them safe when you cant be with them.
3. Toys- Check out our video on toy types, you will want a variety of toys. Some toys for learning, bonding, and exercise.
Next video is about interactive feeders, although in the toy category its more of your feeding bowls. Be ready to ditch the feeding bowl, and use these fun interactive toys for feeding to make learning fun.
4. Collar, Harness and Leash- You will want to get a few leashes approximately 6 feet, nylon works just fine and can be washed. 15 foot leash recommended so you can let your pup explore, we like the Medota snap long leash. Check out harness and leashes we picked out for our clients on our Favorite Page
5. Puppy Food, Treats, Probiotic- Most puppies need to eat about three times a day and fresh water is a most. You will want to make sure you have some of the food your puppy was on before you brought home. Purchase high-quality pet food recommended by your vet or breeder, do your research before choosing. Read and do some research which probiotic is best for you. When changing food:
- Create a mixture of 25% new food and 75% current diet to feed your pet
- Then few days later mix in 50% of the new food with 50% of the old
- The next step is to switch over to 75% new food, 25% old food
- Adding a Probiotic daily can help with transition in food
6.Potty Station and Enzyme Cleaner- If you have a yard suitable for taking your pup potty, then you wont need to have a potty station. If you decide you need a potty station we highly recommend using real grass such as the Doggie Lawn Real Grass Dog Potty. Potty Accidents are sure to happen, enzyme cleaner such as Skout’s Honor Professional Strength Dog Oder Eliminator are a must.
Puppy Set-up
1. Potty Station- To decide the location in which your puppy will learn to relieve himself, you first must determine the pup’s “substrate preference” – the surface on which he prefers to eliminate. An indoor potty station works for a toy-breed dog, but what if you have a large dog breed you will want to make sure you teaching your puppy to eliminate outside. Outdoor stations can include grass or mulch in the back yard, on the patio or on a wooden deck. Take puppy to the same spot each time to do his or her business. The scent will prompt your puppy to go.To teach your puppy to potty on a pad, grass patch or even outside you will want to bring your puppy to the designated spot and reward success.
2. Puppy Space (room)- Every puppy needs a private space. Be sure this space is where you pup can escape from everyone so that your puppy can learn to relax, get comfortable and feel safe. Your puppies space should often have a crate, or enclosed area that should be inviting. Be sure there is a seperate place for your dog to play, be sure to play quitely the first few days home. Try not to flood with attention and activity first few days home, and if she looks like she wants to sleep, place her in her quite space (crate) and allow her to sleep. Puppies need lots of sleep.
Now that you have what’s on the checklist its time to decide on House Rules
Hold a family meeting, and everyone get on the same page regarding roles, rules, schedule and stations. If the rules are settled with the family early, you can avoid confusion for your puppy. Establish the loctaion you want your puppy to go to the bathroom, sleep, and implement a schedule that works with your work schedule. We send our new puppy clients with a puppy schedule:
Download an Example of a Puppy Schedule: Click the Link Puppy Schedule
Socialization & Exposure
It is important that your dog isn’t forced into any experience or interaction that are forced and that all interactions are as positive as possible. An example would be when walking on leash and exposed to dogs across the street, keep from pulling up on your dog collar or anything he may think is abrasive so that he does not link the collar yank with the sight of the dogs across the street.
We shape your pup into well-mannered members of the family.
With today’s busy schedules, not everyone has the time to devote to training their dogs to be well-behaved companions. Training takes skill and the patience to practice until the behavior is well-established and reliable in different situations. Canine Learning Academy offers an all day training school for puppies as young as 8 weeks old. We also offer other Puppy Services (check out our Services).
A “Puppy School Day” for your Puppy Looks Like
The routine for our All Day Puppy Training School mimics the “school day” for human kids. Each school day consists of one-on-one training sessions with a Karen Pryor Academy certified dog trainer, group training sessions, playtime with well-matched dogs, in addition to plenty of rest time. Your pup will be given many socialization opportunities and be actively trained to learn good manners and important life skills. Mastering their foundation behaviors such as:
- Loose leash walking
- Sit and Wait before crossing the road
- Come when called
- Settle on a mat
- Eye contact
- Sit, Down, and Stand
Additionally, each pup will learn self-control, acceptance of handling, how to walk by other dogs, how to “play nice” with other dogs, and even how to be alone while waiting their turn!
While you are at work, school or play, your pup is exercising and learning! We will work to establish the behaviors that you want, such as reliably, efficiently and positively. Throughout the semester, you will receive videos of daily training sessions to help you to use the skills your dog has learned. Because each program will be individually designed, the duration will be determined by your training goals, but typically a semester is one month.
For our graduates, we have Enrichment Daycare programs that allow your dog to continue attending but as a helper with the new students.
Space is very limited for our Puppy Training School, call now for more information:
877 428-8285