Below are some common topics of discussion about puppies.

Introducing other pets, raw food, zoomies, exercise and appropriate movement during growth, children and puppies, multi dog households, timeout and the three d’s of training.

Introducing other pets

Set up a training session with the puppy and the other pet. Hold both the puppy and the other pet. Make sure everyone is calm before you begin. If you are worried have the other pet in a cage, behind a screen door or fence but still held. We are avoiding them making sudden movements that will interest the puppy and encourage chasing. Allow both the puppy and the other pet to sniff each other. Say “gentle” to the puppy and mark and reinforce their appropriate behaviour. All animals are smart so you can reinforce them and give them a piece of food when they allow the puppy to sniff them. Build up this relationship slowly.

Multi dog household games

Ensure your dogs have time apart – we all need our own space.

Supervise play and watch for signs of dogs needing space or “bullying”

Encourage “gentle” play and describe the play when it’s happening – a little running commentary – “nice gentle” “lovely play” “take a break” “time for water” etc

Grover’s cookie while Bert waits and then swap, Bert’s cookie while Grover waits and group name Puppies. Same again for any other dogs in the household.

The five possible zones of inter house relationships – Adore, Acknowledge, Tolerate, Aggravate & I Hate This “other dog”

Food reinforcement & chews

Use appropriately sized pieces of food for the puppy and remove skin from raw chicken. Wings are better than necks and can be given partially defrosted to encourage more chewing.

Zoomies are normal and dogs love being chased. Encourage them to run around some where safe and if needed give them a toy to have in their mouth.

https://www.livescience.com/why-pet-dogs-cats-race-around.html?fbclid=IwAR0qVlta3-I6o5lU8jPX8d6dEXZwJAsbaCoxF8deIUSu104LNHujnTjBWy8

Mouthing

If you have ticked the boxes on mouthing– natural desire to shred and chew, teething, play, exploration, and affection. Have you asked for a better behaviour? Have you reinforced the choice for better behaviour? Is it zoomies? Then as a last option a very short time out (5 seconds) in a safe, non sleeping or relaxation, location. Puppies are not listening during zoomies so don’t try to train or explain during this time.

Remove yourself and give yourself a break rather than trying again if you are frustrated, upset or angry.

Exercise

Young puppies only require approximately 5 minutes of exercise per month of age. They are also just learning about this big world we live in and adjusting to living with us.

Use ramps or minimal steps to avoid small dogs jumping up onto couches or beds.

Encourage sit and laying down as the preferred way to get your attention.

Puppies & Children

All contact between small young children and dogs should be supervised if this is not possible, they should be separated.

If your dog can play fetch this can be taught to the children so that interaction involves a safe game. Use a ball on a rope to add more space between the mouth and the child's hand. Older children can teach tricks and reinforce polite behaviours offered by the dog.

Children should be shown how to stand still, keep their arms and hands wrapped across their chest and ask the dog to sit.

The puppy should be trained that being gently touched by a child is a positive experience and when excepted with calm behaviour is reinforced.

Due to the age and excited nature of your puppies it is important to have realistic expectation (and of the children)

The family dog – YouTube clips

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Coprophagia – poop eating

What to do if the puppy is eating their own poo

A lot of puppies go through this but to help avoid him turning this into a lifelong habit for him lets rule out a few simple things first.

• Supervise all toileting – on lead if necessary
• Clean up straight away
• Get him to work for his food, change where, when, and how
• Ensure you are following the recommend feeding guide and if needed increase the amount of food
• If the faeces still smells like food change to a better-quality brand. Look for less fillers in the ingredient list.
• Continue to train leave it so when the puppy hears that cue, he is looking to you to be reinforced for leaving the poo. If leave it is proving tricky practise name recognition and as soon as he turns his head when you say his name say yes and give him a very high value piece of food.

https://www.tendercareanimalhospital.net/dog-coprophagia.html

Please find below the Three D’s of training

When a dog is learning, Distance, Duration and Distraction all play a part in whether they can follow your verbal or visual cues.

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