Four Tips To Avoid Behavior Problems With A New Puppy

I don't know about your dogs, but Alvin and Simon are sorta well-behaved - when they choose to be. And sometimes they behave badly, like this morning when they tried to dig a hole for the foundation of their new dog house and came in covered in mud.

But they can behave well - I asked them to pose for the picture below, and they actually sat still for a few minutes. Miracles abound!


According to Dr. Becker, the holistic vet, you can avoid puppy behavior problems by following the following tips (additional references are below each section):

Bring your puppy to the vet as soon as possible for an examination. A sick pup won’t adjust well to his new environment, even if the illness is minor. It’s also hard to gauge a new dog’s real temperament and personality if he’s feeling under the weather.

Crate train your puppy. It’s much easier to housebreak and supervise a crate-trained puppy. Dogs are natural den dwellers, so if you make all your new pet’s crate experiences positive ones, he’ll quickly come to view it as his ‘bedroom’ – his own quiet, safe space. References: http://www.squidoo.com/dog-and-puppy-crate-training-tips and http://www.squidoo.com/More-Crate-Training-Tips

Make sure your new puppy gets plenty of rest and quiet time in her crate or another enclosed, safe area of your home. Puppies are babies and require lots of sleep. In addition, your new pup needs to learn to be alone and not to expect constant attention from human family members. Reference is http://www.squidoo.com/puppy-house-training-schedule

Socialize and train your puppy. In order to create a balanced, well-behaved adult dog, puppy owners must be extremely conscientious about socialization and training. There is nothing more important in raising a healthy, well-adjusted dog than insuring she is thoroughly socialized and receives basic obedience training, at a minimum. Reference is ezinearticles: http://ezinearticles.com/?Puppy-Socials---Are-They-Necessary-Or-a-Passing-Trend?&id=3020622

Also refer to http://www.squidoo.com/solving-puppy-training-problems

Molding Your Pup's Behavior By Finding The Solutions To Puppy Training Problems

New puppy owners get so enthralled with canine cuteness they forget about the house messing, mouthing and biting, and the confusion caused by lack of discipline.

When reality and lack of sleep hits them a few days later, many new owners cry for HELP!

OOPS!!

How do I stop puppy biting and mouthing?

Do I need to watch this puppy every second?

Does crate training work?

What's the best way to teach leash training?

Why won't this dog come when I call him?

Solving puppy training problems - puppy housetraining, puppy obedience training, and puppy anti-aggression training - all need to be addressed.

Here's the site to visit to tackle these issues:
http://squidoo.com/solving-puppy-training-problems.

Puppy Training Problems - Obedience And House Training Your Puppy

Anyone with a new puppy knows the common puppy training problems:

Your cute puppy:

• Messes in the house
• Will not come when called
• Pulls on his leash
• Bites everyone and everything
• Wakes up every three hours at night - whining pitifully
  

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New Puppy Owners: Need Help With Puppy Training Problems? Get Advice From People Who Understand Puppy Behavior

Ain't They Cute?(Would You Feel That Way If Simon (left) Ate Your Cell Phone?)

If you feel like I felt when you got a new puppy (and then, in my case, another new pup 4 months later) - you wonder (sometimes) if the little bugger is returnable.

When will this Marley-like monster stop biting, chewing, digging, and eating my shoes?

Then your not-so-helpful friends give you advice that totally FAILS!

What I found was I needed EXPERT help. Unfortunately, certified dog trainers charge $75 per hour (at least where I live!).

When I needed help with obedience training, I turned to as close as I could get to an actual trainer - a demonstration DVD - It's PAWSible! Dog Training and Puppy Training DVD. See my blog post.

When I needed help with house training issues and dog behavior/aggression issues, I USE (yes, I continue to use this info - the dogs are about a year old) Secrets To Dog Training (videos, pdfs, and audios).

These experts help hundreds of dog owners every day!

They WILL help with your pup's training and behavior issues!

The Myth That Creates a Multitude of Puppy Training Problems

Make My Day!

What myth can cause a dog owner to CREATE puppy training problems? It's the same issue that perpetuates housetraining accidents.

Here's the myth - People believe they do not need to understand dog behavior. They don't see why they have to.

Then the puppy training problems emerge - housetraining isn't working, puppy aggression starts, and family members wonder why they got a dog in the first place.

Examples
Here's an example - dogs operate from habit. Breaks from their routine cause confusion. Something simple like feeding a dog in a different location throws my year old pup into a tailspin. He won't eat.

Another example - Food shopping is a weekly affair which takes place on Sunday. As soon as we walk into the house with food bags, the search for the dog treats begins. Both pups expect the treats when the food bags arrive. That's habit and routine.

Avoiding Problems
Avoiding puppy training problems is a simple concept. Build in routine. Take a puppy outside for elimination on a schedule. If you need to correct a behavior, do it consistently. If a pup is supposed to sit before he gets his meal, make sure it happens - every time.

The Dog Behavior Experts
Want to make puppy training easy? Predict how your dog will behave under a certain set of circumstances, almost like you had a fortuneteller's crystal ball. It sure cuts training time! Consult dog training experts any time you please with Secrets to Dog Training, the dog owner's "bible."

Got a puppy? Scrimp on Puppy Obedience Training and Suffer the Dire Consequences!

The following article was written based on my obedience training experiences with the boyz: Alvin and Simon.

You will find this information helpful when you obedience-train YOUR puppy.

Do it now! You do not need a Marley in your future!

Five Reasons Why Dog Owners Flunk Dog Obedience Training

Thousands of dogs end up in shelters every year. The reason is owner lack of commitment. Puppy owners will try dog obedience classes and not follow through with reinforcement training. The puppy quickly grows into an unmanageable dog.

If you have a puppy or recently got a dog, understand that consistent, continuous obedience training is necessary to co-exist peacefully with your dog. Without it, life with your dog may be chaotic. Do not ignore puppy training problems!

Consider dog obedience training a course you need to be enrolled in all the time. At first, you'll be going to classes continuously. The better you get at obedience training your dog, the fewer classes you need to attend. But you can never drop out of the dog obedience training course. Failure means puppy training problems - you may need to find your dog a new home. Can you put up with a dog like Marley from the movie "Marley & Me?"

Here are the reasons why YOU might fail dog obedience training:

Thinking You Can Train Your Dog Without Help
With the exception of professional dog trainers and expert dog owners, most people need help with obedience training. Puppy training problems happen often.

Questions arise all the time - how often do I need to train? How do I get the dog to stop pulling on the leash? How do I get my dog to come when called?

Find a few knowledgeable resources - the vet office staff, a friend with a dog, dog forums, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a dog training DVD, a dog training book, Internet web sites for dog training tips - and get the answers to your questions.

Not Getting the Dog's Attention Before Issuing a Command
If your dog's attention is focused on the squirrel crossing the street as you say "Sit," don't expect it to happen. YOU have to get the dog's attention first. This is an issue with a puppy with an attention span of a microsecond, but think about it - puppies can focus - how long did he focus on the squirrel? You need to make yourself the center of his attention.

Lack of Patience
This is THE biggie, especially when you have a puppy. They whine, wiggle, jump, chew, bite, pull on the leash, and are generally puppylike. But even a young pup can learn to sit fairly easily. And you can move on from there, step by step. Dog and puppy obedience training REQUIRES patience.

Inconsistent Application of Commands
Training happens every day and is connected with everyday activities - it does not always need to be formal. Suppose you have been getting your dog to sit while you put on his leash or before you put down his food dish. Then you forget for a few days. Now the dog's confused - do I need to sit or not? This often happens when different family members attend to the dog's needs.

No "Connection" with Your Dog
So you come home from work, let the dog outside, feed him, and then forget he exists. Or you go to the super pet store to buy dog food and don't bring the dog. You have no idea where the nearest dog park is located.

Your dog's not a family member, just a part of the home landscape. Maybe that's the way you treat your other family members?

Parting Words
You can learn to train your dog. And you can both live together in peace. Think about the reverse of each of the reasons for failure described above.

You do love your dog, don't you?

Stop Puppy Training Problems Before They Happen!
Do you want a Marley-like dog? Probably NOT!
Prevent your pup from learning Marley behavior.

Avoid Puppy Training Problems - Take This Action First

No matter how hard you try, you cannot train a puppy unless you get his attention first.

How Do You Get A Dog's Attention?
Try screaming at the top of your voice. That'll work a few times. OR you can save your voice and try the "Watch Me" command.

Have you ever seen a dog trainer like Victoria Stilwell use this command?

Follow These Steps
Get the pup to sit. Bring a treat up toward your eyes and say "Watch me".

When the pup makes eye contact (at first he'll look mostly at the treats), give him the treat.

Do it enough times and you'll hold the dog's attention when you say the command.

This simple command will help you avoid puppy training problems if you use it to get your pup's focus on you.

Learn the right way to train your puppy - use the dog training bible, Secrets to Dog Training.

Puppy Training Problems? Be Sure To Take This Action FIRST

Does your pup react like this

when you give a command?
We call this expression "Alvin's Evil Eye."

Teaching a puppy requires a special temperament. As a rule, pups have the attention span of a flea and you can easily lose your patience if you’re not careful. It’s a good idea to sidestep bad habits before they start. Here are 4 ways to avoid puppy training problems:

The Most Important Thing You Must Do First
If you don’t do this one activity, you will end up BEING one of the puppy training problems.

You need to get and keep the dog’s attention. How? Well, for example, I’ve trained two puppies to sit at attention looking at me when I stand with my hands behind my back. Their expectation is that treats will follow if they do so.

Repetition
I always mention the story from Yahoo Answers! The questioner implied that a puppy obedience class was sufficient training and could not understand why her pup was disobedient.

How about reinforcing the obedience training in everyday activities? Sit and stay are good commands to use before the pup gets his meals or a treat. If you get the dog to work a bit for a reward, he won’t forget the command.

Use The SAME Word(s) Each Time You issue A Command
Puppies get confused when the words command words change. Recall is a good example. Say the dog’s name and the word Come once. Not “Fido, come over here now” or “Fido, get over here.” “Fido, Come” is sufficient.

Take One Step At A Time
I once complained to a trainer that my puppy Simon would not respond to a verbal command for Down. As she watched me give the down command, she said “Give the command and then wait a few seconds before you do anything else.”

Apparently I was combining an action with the verbal command and really confusing the pup. And I thought he was stupid! Once I waited after saying the command and then lured the pup down, he learned quickly. I wasted a lot of time because I was teaching the command incorrectly.

Hope these ways to avoid puppy training problems were helpful. Be sure to get the pup’s attention as the first thing you do.

Bonus Tip
Most puppies bite and mouth. Make sure you correct this behavior while the pup is young. Check out this tip: Correcting Puppy Biting.

If you’re like most people with a new pup, you're dealing with training and behavior problems on a daily basis. AND you need solutions FAST. Find out how to address these issues in Secrets to Dog Training, the Dog Training "bible."

Can You Resist The Whining Of A Crated Puppy?

Crate Training Tips – How To Handle A Whining Puppy

This set of crate training tips deals with one of the most annoying puppy training problems – the whining, crying, and possibly barking crated dog.

The Scenario
Suppose your about to go to bed. You’re tired, but you take your pup out for the last time. He does both duties. He willingly goes into his crate, but in a few minutes he starts whining. And after five minutes of noise, you take him out of the crate. Oops!

Who’s Training Who?
Obviously, you wanted him to stop - but when you remove him, yell, or talk to him, you’ve actually sent a powerful message – puppy gets owner’s attention when puppy whines.

Look at it this way – when you take him out of the crate, HE is training you. Now who’s really in charge?

Crate Training Tips For A Whining Crated Dogette
So here are the crate training tips to follow when a young canine whines in his crate:

1. As long as he has just eliminated AND he’s healthy (no digestive issues or urinary tract infection), let him whine. It may take some time, but he will tire and fall asleep.

2. Try covering the crate with a towel or sheet to achieve a den-like environment.

3. Leave the TV or radio playing – he’ll think he’s got company. If you live in an apartment, the TV may drown out the whining.

4. Be quiet – no talking to or yelling at the whiner. If your spouse complains about the noise, you can remind him or her who wanted the little monster!

5. If you really can’t deal with the noise, think about putting the crated dog in another room.

These crate training tips will guide you through a mini crisis – the whining crated dog.

Find more helpful information about Crate Training Tips – 5 Big Mistakes You CAN Correct at http://www.squidoo.com/more-crate-training-tips

Also, if you’re dealing with puppy training problems and need solutions fast, learn from expert professional dog trainers in Secrets to Dog Training, the Dog Training “bible” at http://secrets-to-dog-training.info/

Puppy Training Problems – Correcting Puppy Biting For Good

One of the most persistent puppy training problems is biting and nipping. Young puppies bite when you pet them. They bite when you play with them. They don’t discriminate – they bite everyone. It's what they do.

If you don't stop them when they’re young, you'll have a harder-to-correct dog biting problem.

Picture your loving pet full-grown with a mature set of wolf-like teeth. You do NOT want this creature biting, nipping, and mauling you. Either the dog will end up in a shelter, or you will be covered in cuts and bruises.



Tackle The Puppy Biting Problem Now

Correcting a puppy’s biting is a two-step procedure.

First, when the little monster starts with the mouthing and biting routine, startle him with a loud noise either coming from you (a loud Errrr will do) or from you shaking a can full of coins.

By the way, if you’ve been told to squeal like a puppy when you get bit, go ahead – that will startle him too.

You need not get upset, just startle the pup into stopping his biting. By the way, this biting thing is only an issue for humans. The dog is doing the same activity he enjoyed with his litter mates.

The Next Step Is A Substitution

Once you surprise him into stopping the biting, he’ll probably look at you in total amazement. You immediately give him something else to bite – like a toy or a bone.

Consistency Is The Key

Repeat this startle and substitute act EVERY time the pup bites. Consistency is the key to success for correcting puppy training problems such as biting and mouthing.

valmillsy

P.S.

You can HOPE your puppy or dog will develop into a well-trained companion or DISCOVER how to make it happen! Find expert guidance from professional dog trainers at http://www.secrets-to-dog-training.info/

Try the free Secrets to Dog Training 6-Day Course!
Sent to your email, this course covers selected training tips and methods used in Secrets to Dog Training, the dog training “bible.” The Secrets to Dog Training 6-Day Course is absolutely free with no obligation. Click the link and scroll down a bit.

See more information about puppy training problems.

Training A New Puppy - Critical Topics To Understand

This post addresses 3 critical topics you will need to address when training a new puppy: correcting puppy biting, house training, and leash training.

These areas can be tough to handle for a new owner. There's a lot of information to digest.

The first two topics (correcting biting and house training) need to be tackled as soon as your puppy arrives in your home.

Correcting Puppy Biting
Biting and nipping are common puppy training problems. Correcting them is a 2-step procedure: stop the biting or nipping with a noise that will distract the pup, and then quickly substitute an item the puppy can bite, like a toy or bone.

House Training Tips
To expedite puppy house training, you may decide you want to use a crate. Here are two important puppy crate training tips:

• Introduce your puppy to the crate before you actually crate him for a period of time.
• Once the pup is crated for the night, do not give in to his whining UNLESS you suspect he may need to eliminate.

Another important house training tip - develop a written puppy housing training schedule. A schedule takes a lot of the guesswork out of the house training process and helps with communication among family members.

Leash Training
The third topic, leash training, is probably the most requested training subject in obedience classes. Even if you are attending obedience classes, it will be helpful to read about leash training. You may pick up information to ask about in the classes.

This topic can be separated into two sections: preparation and choosing a method for leash training a puppy.

Preparing for leash training puppies involves choosing the correct collar and the proper training environment to minimize distractions.

You can choose a leash training method by researchinng the internet, talking to a trainer, reading books by training experts, watching a obedience DVD, or actually taking obedience classes with your dog.