Basic Dog Training Techniques: How To Correct Your Puppy

If you don't know how to properly communicate with your dog and convey what behavior you appreciate and what behavior is unacceptable: training will be an uphill battle. By using the proper correction technique you will easily and successfully communicate your displeasure at your dog's bad habits.

You have to correct your dog the right way or you will do more harm than good. We use corrections to change a dog's behavior. A correction needs to communicate to your dog it has not done what you wished, by learning what not to do, dogs will quickly learn the behaviors we need to teach them to fit into our daily life.

A correction combines physical or (preferably) emotional pain with the word "NO." The preferred method of correcting your dog is with a squirt bottle: a quick squirt to the face and a loud firm "NO." It is important you squirt the dog in the face or they will not even notice. With many dogs you will want to add a small amount of mouthwash or vinegar to the water in the squirt bottle (just a small amount) so the water is a little more of a deterrent. You should only add a teaspoon for a whole squirt bottle and even less for smaller squirt guns.

It is very important to recognize the difference between correction and punishment. Punishment has nothing to do with teaching your dog proper behavior and everything to do with you venting your anger. Trying to correct a dog for instance for an 'accident' in the house you find even a couple minutes later must be avoided. The dog has long forgotten his transgression and correction (punishment) now will only confuse the dog and make it more anxious and stressed, even more prone to future accidents.

Since timing is so crucial you should have a squirt bottle on your belt or in the immediate vicinity when training a puppy.

Just as important as the correction is the praise immediately following. You have to praise your dog when it has stopped doing the undesirable behavior immediately so it associates your praise with the correct behavior.

For instance, if your dog is barking too much and you correct it, as soon as you shoot your squirt bottle and the dog stops barking, you immediately offer your praise, "Good Quiet, Good Boy!"

A couple more ideas for non-physical corrections are to ignore the dog, refraining from eye contact and to make a loud sound to startle the dog. This can be a stomp of the foot, a snap of the fingers or if you have a few minutes to kill you can make a very effective tool by dropping a hand full of pennies in a can or a water bottle. Shaking that can is now guaranteed to stop your dog from whatever it was doing.

In summary the key aspects to remember are to properly time your correction (you have to catch the dog in the act) and to give praise as soon as the dog stops the unwanted behavior.

Puppy Proofing Your House

Puppy proofing your home before you bring in the new member of the family is a necessity. Not only can it save you a lot of trouble and a big mess but you can avoid common household items that may pose a real danger to your new puppy.

Puppies explore the world with their noses and their mouths. Obviously this means anything new and interesting they can get to will be going in their mouth for a taste. This can make for a huge mess or even a potential tragedy.
There are a lot of houseplants for instance that could make your puppy sick and can even be life threatening. Some examples of toxic houseplants are philodendron, hydrangea, spider plant, ficus and many others. Electric cords are another concern, if your puppy chews into one of those he could be burned or shocked. If your puppy gets into the trash this could also be a dangerous situation, especially if there are bones in the garbage. These can splinter inside the dog and cause serious damage. You also need to avoid giving the puppy access to small objects and take care not to drop them on the floor. A puppy can choke on these just like a young child.

Besides removing potential threats from your household, it is advised to avoid potential temptations: this can nip some problem behaviors in the bud. For example, there is no need to leave a box of kleenex where the puppy can find it. If you have a large breed puppy you will soon want to go ahead and clear off coffee tables and low shelves.

You should definitely limit your puppies access to the house in the beginning whether this means simply closing some doors or possibly putting up some baby gates. This will be very helpful in potty training and it will be easier to recognize when the puppy has to go.

You also have a golden opportunity at this stage to teach your puppy what it is allowed to chew. For instance, if you let your puppy chew on an old sock he will quickly learn to eat all socks, brand new and old alike. With a lot of puppies you can even teach them how hard they can chew, a simple correction when ripping and tearing sounds are heard will go a long way towards saving stuffed animals in the puppy's adulthood.

No matter how careful you are a puppy is bound to inflict at least a small amount of damage, but truly this is a small price to pay for all the love and joy a new puppy will bring to your home.

Know About Common Dog Dangers

5. Although many people on the East Coast or outside the United States will have never heard of Foxtails, for those living in the South Western United States they can be a very serious danger. Foxtails are a grassy weed that grows west of the Mississippi and whose seedpods resemble foxtails. Tiny barbs along the edge of the foxtails mean they easily get caught in the fur and will only travel in one direction. Foxtails commonly get stuck in the nose, ears, eyes, paws and even the urethra. They work their way into the skin with alarming speed and a foxtail that enters through a paw can travel all the way to the animal’s internal organs causing serious repercussions. If you live in an area with foxtails, you should check your pet over whenever they have been playing in grassy area.

4. Don’t let your dog drink from puddles on the street or the ground. Not only could your dog ingest spoiled food or germs, it could swallow a small amount of some far more dangerous compound like antifreeze. It only takes one teaspoon of antifreeze to kill your pet. Whenever you add antifreeze to your vehicle you should take great care in hosing off the surrounding area.

3. Never leave your dog unattended in a car. The temperature rises very quickly even if the windows are left ajar. The temperature can rise over 30 degrees in as many minutes creating an extremely dangerous situation for your animal. If your dog is suffering from heat exhaustion you should immerse him in cold water immediately to lower his body temperature and call your vet.

2. Many common plants are very poisonous to your dog including, but by no means limited to: amaryllis, azaleas, birds of paradise, cyclamen, gladiolas, irises, kalanchoe, lilies, morning glories, narcissus, oleander, onions, philodendron and tulips. Check the website for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal which has an Animal Poison Control Center section with a good list of toxic plants. Know which plants pose a danger to your dog and eliminate them from your house and garden, especially if your dog has shown an interest in eating plants.

1. Take care in what you feed your dog as well as how much and when. Many people have heard chocolate is toxic to dogs but far less are aware that raw fish, caffeine and apple seeds are toxic as well. But the most serious danger facing your pet of which many dog lovers are blissfully unaware of is bloat. Bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus, involves the stomach filling with gas and twisting around, putting extreme pressure on all the other internal organs. This is such a tragic way to lose your dog as the animal will be in perfect health one moment and in a critical life-threatening situation the next. There is a lot of misunderstanding about bloat and every dog owner should take some time to research the affliction on the internet, but in general the scenario involves a large, deep-chested dog and some combination of vigorous exercise or excitement, eating too fast, gulping air and drinking too much water. Even with treatment as many as a third of the dogs who suffer bloat will die, and those that survive face serious complications. Again, there are a lot of theories on what causes and how to prevent bloat but it is generally agreed that feeding your dog several smaller meals a day and limiting its water intake will reduce the risk. Some warning signs are excessive drooling, extraordinary restlessness, unsuccessful attempts to vomit or defecate and indications of abdominal pain. Bloat is one of the most dire medical emergencies your dog may face in its life and if you observe these warning signs you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

House Training and Crate Training

Dogs instinctually will not pee or poop where they sleep. You can use this principle to easily house train your puppy with crate training. A lot of pet owners have a misguided negative impression of crates as if their puppy will be locked up in a jail cell. The crate is actually more akin to a cave or den or a child's bedroom or playhouse. The crate is a positive thing which will reassure, relax and recharge your pet. It should never be used negatively for punishment, instead it should be used positively. Feed your pet near the crate. Put special treats inside the crate. You can make your own crate, buy one at a pet store or even use a closet, laundry room, or bathroom as a 'crate.' The area must not be too much bigger than your pet because if there is a corner far enough away from the sleeping area, that corner will become the bathroom.

You can keep your dog in the crate for up to 4 hours and when you open the crate, take your dog immediately to the backyard, always to the same spot. When the puppy starts to pee or poop, praise it sincerely and enthusiastically and use whatever command phrase you desire, for example "go potty, good go potty." The puppy will soon learn to associate the command phrase with the behavior and you can communicate what you want by putting it outside and giving the command.

You need to establish a routine with feeding as well as with 'potty breaks'. Every 3 or 4 hours you should take your puppy outside. Almost all puppies will need to be taken out at least once during the night.

Do not scold or yell at your puppy for accidents. Unless you catch him in the act, he will not be able to understand what you are upset over, making him more anxious and more prone to accidents. In the event that you do catch him in the act you should pick him up and take him quickly outside to finish, praising him as usual when he does.

If your puppy will be left alone for more than 4 hours you really need to find a friend, family member or neighbor who can stop by during the day to let the puppy out. Leaving a puppy crated for any longer is not only unfair to the animal but is just asking for an accident which will be a major setback to your house training progress. If you cannot find anyone to stop in you should definitely look in to the doggy day care options in you area as they are usually very affordable and an all around great experience for your puppy.