Puppy Quick Tips

New puppies are a challenge, let's not pretend otherwise! If you are new to raising puppies, or would just like some helpful tips, this blog is for you, and there is a whole lot to learn!

This is Sulli, one of my many foster puppies through the years! I gather my experience from having gone through the puppy phase many times, with fosters and my own adopted pups.

If you just decided to bring a puppy home, or looking to brush up, and would like some quick info to get your relationship off to a good start, here are my top quick tips:

-Remember that they are a dog. They like to do dog things, not human things. They don't care about hats with "happy birthday" written on them, manicures, or long hugs, but they would love it if they could dig, tear apart a cardboard box, go on a hike, chase some squirrels, have their space and only cuddle up to you when they feel like, etc. Giving them safe and structured ways to be a dog is how you really make them happy.

My girl had a great time digging and snuffling in an approved part of my yard when she was a baby! Her nose tells her story. She isn't interested in it anymore, since I never made a big deal about it.

-An 8 week puppy is a literal infant wolf! Don't expect them to have the emotional regulation or capacity for understanding that a mature dog would have...it takes a lot of patience...and sometimes a 12 week, teething puppy can be terrifying, but it just means they are uncomfortable, and there are ways to alleviate that!

-Don't run after the puppy, always run the other way. Running away from them or backing away quickly and making them follow you by instinct is a great way to recapture their attention. To this day my pups never try to run away from me, which is invaluable.

-If you train recall, and recall the pup to you, always make it fun/rewarding, and release them back to doing what they were doing as much as you possibly can. Make sure they know you are not just the fun police, that tries to get them away from the things they are enjoying, or else they will play keep-away instead.

-There is absolutely no reason to ever punish or yell at a puppy. They will definitely not make the connection, and they often find even negative attention (yelling, swatting) fun and rewarding. Your attention is their highest motivator. Pointedly ignore bad behavior, and to stop it, distract/redirect/teach what you want them to do instead.

-Avoid the instinct to use "no!" at all costs, and train yourself to tell them what you want them to do instead of what you don't want them to do. Dogs don't understand the concept of the negative! Instead of "no!", train commands such as "off!" "drop it!" "leave it!". etc.

-REWARD EVERYTHING GOOD...even when they are just sitting there. Look up "capturing calmness" and "relaxation protocol" and practice daily. Don't take good behavior for granted, or else they will try to get your attention in other, likely more destructive, ways.

-Impulse control practice is fun to train with regular structured games of tug, and so valuable for that time they are overexcited teens and trying to rip your coat sleeve off. I have an other blog post detailing how to do this here.

-A tired dog is a good dog for real...but both mental and physical stimulation are so important. Lots of people think "my dog is so anxious/destructive/frustrated" and most of it, from my observation of people and dogs I know or have worked with, is because they don't give them proper daily mental stimulation, or physical exercise, or both.

Keep in mind the traits of your dog breed! My Labrador/Beagle/German Shepherd/ect. mix required a daily dose of walks, hikes, training, and mental games to get tired in his first couple years, but when he got what he required, he became the sweetest, calmest boy around! Today, he also works to protect our chickens and vegetable gardens, which gives him a real job and keeps him well balanced as an adult.

-Dog training is as much connecting with your dog and training yourself, your movements and responses as the dog. Professional trainers can help you get started but they can't do the work for you! You, yourself, need to train your pup daily.

-Socialize a young puppy every day. This does not mean playdates with other pups! Take them to new places, slowly and calmly introduce to new sights, sounds, textures, reward heavily, make it fun, so they grow confident and calm in as they face new situations and visit new places as adults. They don't have to be one of those dogs who is terrified of a leaf blower, or are always angry at the mailman!

-This is controversial but...on-leash greetings are not the end of the world if they get enough social time with other dogs in general. My boy started out over-excited to on-leash-greet as a puppy, but I always kept it structured, and as he matured he quickly got over the novelty of it and now he usually doesn't care at all if a dog passes by him, because he knows he will see other dogs and have playdates and such anyway. That said, he is also amazing at playing with other dogs because he had a lot of exposure/practice. Let your pup spend time with their own kind in safe and structured ways!

A dog who has plenty of positive experiences with other dogs will find it easier to make friends, read other dogs' body language, and adjust their play style. Here is my boy gently testing the waters with a new friend, they both played so well, after just meeting!

-Listen to your instincts. This is so important, and I learned this the hard way, making plenty of mistakes when I ignored my gut feeling. If you are out and about with your pup, or even if you are just training, if something doesn't feel right, back off. If you think the puppy is not entirely safe, remove them from the situation. I have ALWAYS regretted ignoring that little warning in the back of my head.

I could go on and on...and I will in other posts! In the meantime, I hope this was helpful! Let us know on our Facebook or Instagram accounts!