Widely recognized as the most popular and effective way to house train puppies the crate method utilizes your dog’s natural instincts. Dogs are naturally clean animals and will not by nature relieve themselves in the area where they sleep.

Knowing how to communicate properly with your dog lies at the heart of the house training process. Lecturing, yelling or other forms of punishment will not achieve the desired result. The key is to reward good behavior. Puppies are like babies, much too young to be held responsible for their bowel movements. Punishments are not the way to get through to your puppy. If you are going to use the crate method it’s vital that you learn about the proper, humane method to house train your dog.

Choosing the right crate

This is very important when it comes to the humane treatment of your puppy. A crate that is too small is very cruel. The puppy should have enough room to maneuver around and be comfortable inside. If the crate is much too large – the puppy might even relieve himself inside the crate.

The plastic varieties of crates are much easier to clean, durable and easier to carry around than the metal varieties.
It is also cruel to leave your puppy inside the crate for too long. Night time is crate time and often even very young puppies can go the entire night without soiling their crates.

You will want to slowly get the puppy used to the crate. The idea here is to create a positive feeling about the crate. Put a nice soft blanket inside and your puppy’s favorite toys too. You can also put some yummy treats inside to entice your dog.
Never, ever force your dog inside the crate. It is his sanctuary within your home.

Tips for house training

- Prepare the area that your puppy will spend most of its time in with a layer of newspaper.
- Designate an official toilet area for your puppy
- Supervise (or have the children do it) until the puppy has relieved himself.
- If your puppy starts sniffing or circling pick him up and get him outside fast!

Golden rules for house training your dog using the crate method:

- Take your puppy out first thing in the morning
- Take your puppy out directly after meals
- If your puppy has had an accident be sure to clean the area thoroughly. Use a product that will remove the odor.
- Never punish your puppy for accidents. You would never yell at your baby and put her nose in her mess. Rather use positive reinforcement when your puppy does her business outside.
- Take your puppy out just before bedtime and make sure he does his business.
- Give praise freely where it is due. Treats, walks and positive reinforcement will go a long way toward getting your puppy to understand that eliminating outside is the goal.

Housetraining your puppy will take time and patience. The kind of dog and your methods will greatly influence how long it takes for your puppy to be fully house trained.

There is a reason that the crate method is the most widely used house training method. It works well. Of course house training your puppy isn’t your only concern when it comes to raising a well behaved dog. You will also want to set some distinct boundaries. Puppies should not be allowed free reign of the house; at least not until they are fully house trained. Your puppy is a sponge and above all – keen to please you. You are the pack leader and the puppy will look to you to figure out what is and isn’t acceptable in your home.

By deciding early what your puppy may chew on and what furniture he is allowed on you can eliminate confusion and behavioral problems later in life.

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The most crucial fact about puppies and dogs that owners must recognize is that dogs are pack animals and the person must set up authority. You, the owner, are the “pack leader” and you must act the part.

A new puppy will intuitively spend a big amount of time trying to figure out where they fit in the pecking order of their new home. They do this by trying to establish their own control. A few breeds have more forceful personalities such as the terriers or Chihuahuas. Other breeds are more naturally acquiescent.

As soon as your puppy comes home you need to help him learn his place in the hierarchy. All of the individual members of the family are above him in the “pecking order” and he needs to be aware of that fact. This is not reprimand at all and dogs actually prefer to be subservient to their owners. If your dog is to become content and well-behaved member of your household this hierarchy must be established.

In order to create the dominance you must go along with a few simple rules. Otherwise your puppy will be receiving mixed signals and it will be more demanding for you to train him and he will be confused as to what you really want.

The leader must each time eat first. Do not let your puppy eat before you eat. If you are planning on eating about the same time as you plan to feed your puppy, you need to make your puppy wait until you are done. Or you can have your puppy eat at a entire distinct time than you eat. In the start you may want to call your puppy to you to get his food and make him stay before you give it to him. You can teach him to sit and then give him his food.

Grooming your puppy can send powerful signals about who is in charge. At the start your puppy may whimper and cry when you hold him for basic grooming but you must pay no heed to him and be adamant on finishing. Always follow through on what you begin because puppies discover very rapidly if you really mean something or not.

Most puppies will nip and bite at things when they are very young. You must prohibit this behavior immediately and let your puppy know that it is not acceptable with a clear reaction of a “No” and a tap if needed. Keep in mind that you are the pack leader and the pack leader does not ever get nipped.

Showing your puppy that you are the dominant leader is the most essential thing you can do to have a well-behaved dog later on. Avoid aggressive games like “tug’o'war” where he can show too much dominance. Reward his good behavior with praise and treats and overlook his bad behavior as you commence the process of obedience training. Following these simple rules can help you train your puppy to be well-behaved and well-trained.

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Proper crate training dogs teaches them that a crate is a good place to go for sleep or when frightened. If the dog simply wants some alone time he can retreat to the crate. It also provides a safe place for the pet if he travels by car or by plane. It can also be used to assist in potty training.

The crate serves as an indoor dog house for the dog. It may be the place that he sleeps as well as eats. It becomes his den, a safe place that he can enjoy spending time no matter what is going on.

It is important that you do not force your pet into a crate. The more your force the pet into the crate, the more they will hate the crate and you will both be miserable.

The crate should be in a room where you spend a lot of time with he pet. Let him explore naturally and then add a few treats. In time he will start to go inside on his own. Then you will want to place his food inside, so he will start to associate the crate as a happy place. He should be very comfortable in the crate and sleeping there before you think abut closing the door to the safe place.

When you do close the door, make sure to stay in a nearby room so the puppy does not feel like he has done something wrong. Allow plenty of time for adjustment for a happy dog that loves his crate.

A crate can be very valuable in house training a pet. The dog’s crate needs to be small enough that he cannot go potty in one end and then sleep in the other but should also be large enough that he can stand and turn around.

As soon as the pet is taken out of his crate, you must take him to where he is to use the bathroom every time. Soon he will get the idea that this is his bathroom spot. This will be a major battle conquered in house training the dog. You will have fewer messes to clean up in your home.

Very young puppies lace bowel and bladder control, so do not leave them in their crate so long that they have accidents. Be very patient with them so that as they gain control, they will want to go outside to the bathroom. Over time, you will have a pet that becomes an even more special friend.

Crate training dogs is one tool that can be used in house training and makes your pet much happier.

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Receiving a new puppy or even a new older dog is always a remarkable event for a family. During those initial days the new member of your family is adjusting and getting used to everyone and all of the new things. It is at this time that you need to make sure that you are doing everything you can to suitably socialize your new family member. Your new pet will run into many atypical situations in life and it is better for everyone if he learns how to handle and react in a healthy and satisfactory manner.

A new puppy can start learning socialization skills as early as 2 to 3 weeks following birth. Usually a family will acquire a new puppy at about 7 to 8 weeks old. Puppies tend to be more hesitant and frightened until they are about 14 weeks old so during the early days be gentle with your new puppy.

While we all know that it is imperative to socialize a puppy, the fact is that socialization is a skill that should be practiced throughout a dog’s life. Changes in circumstances and situations can affect a dog and a formerly pleasant and outgoing dog can transform into a apprehensive and menacing dog under different conditions. That is why it is important to continually socialize your dog and permit him to undergo numerous situations, people and other animals.

Let your dog become familiar with other dogs and other animals. You can take him to a park or a doggie daycare or even just visit friends who have pets. Be sure that your dog has had all of his shots first but it is important for his socialization to meet up with others.

Present your dog to the people who come to your residence the most. Since the mailperson stops by on a daily basis it is a good plan to introduce your dog to him or her. Anyone who stops by a lot should be acquainted with your dog. Also if possible make sure your dog is around as many different people as possible. This will make him more sociable in separate situations.

Dogs lived in the wild in packs and they will naturally recreate a pack pecking order in a new situation. It is essential that every person in the family is seen as a dominant pack member. When any human speaks the dog should pay attention and obey. The dog is the follower and the owner is the alpha dog or the leader.

Socialization needs to persist throughout your dog’s life. He needs to continuously meet new people, new dogs and other animals. If not he could become fearful and take on hard-to-resolve problems such as biting and fighting.

A dog that is well socialized is enjoyable to own and much more agreeable for you and other people. You will also be more successful at dog training. Everything about owning your dog will be easier if he is suitably socialized.

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There is one thing that you will need to realize before we move onto the important parts of potty training puppies. This is that a puppy or dog does not use a potty or a toilet to do its business. So, they will opt to take their business outside.

You have to remember that there are many different types or breeds of dogs. The training of your dog depends on the breed you have. Some dogs learn quicker than others, and some dogs are easier to potty train than others. If you have a choice as to the pup you get, make sure you do your research. Learn how to train a specific breed, and how to best handle it.

The next thing that you want to keep in mind before you get started is that you must not get angry with the dog. If your dog does not get the potty or house training right the first time, give it a few minutes and try again later. It is sure to happen sometime, and when it does, make sure that you reward him or her with some playtime, or even a snack.

Firstly – A good schedule is very important in the training process. And this does not just pertain to the potty training process. You want your dog to become a part of your routine, and to pick up the routine quickly. If you wake up at a certain time in the morning, keep it to that time. The same goes for sleeping time, and eating time. Soon the dog will have your routine down perfectly, and will wake you up if you oversleep.

The Second Step – You want to keep you dog in a room where the floors are either concrete or tile. You do not want any accidents ruining your nice rugs. Do not forget that you doggy needs to sleep too. Make sure that you lay down a comfy bed for him or her to lie in at night.

Step three – Decide whether you want your puppy to do its business inside or outside. Many people opt for outside, as that just seems like a natural thing to do. However, if you feel that you do not want your puppy getting too cold, a specified place inside a bathroom is a good start. Also, you want to make sure that whenever the puppy does its business, it is in that one area only. You will have to be with it initially to make sure this happens.

The Fourth Step – Remember to keep one area designated for the dog’s business. It is like humans, you do not play where you do your business. This means you will need to be with the dog in the initial stages of the training. Keep the dog on a leash and make sure that you take the dog to that spot all of the time.

Do not forget – Do not play with your pup when he has not made a bowel movement or urinated after waking you up or moaning for no reason. Also, do not get upset. Take the dog back in and keep encouraging him to do his business. Give it a time out in a “time out” area, or his sleeping area.

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Animals in general want to please their owners. If you want to teach your dog proper behavior or even to do tricks then there are a few simple methods to help you achieve this. Though it may take time and patients, dog training is possible for anyone to accomplish. One of the most important things is consistency.

Rewarding a dog for good behavior is a great way to start. This can be done with praise or a special treat. You may get better results with a combination of both. Rewards let your dog know that it has done well and you are pleased with its behavior.

One common mistake is that people actually reward their pest for bad behavior. They give a treat to get their pet to stop doing something they shouldn’t be doing to begin with. This confuses the dog and says that the behavior is alright even though it isn’t. Scolding your pet after or during giving a treat only adds to the confusion. Don’t let yourself fall into this trap.

Tone of voice can hold a lot of meaning for a pet. How you say it says more than what you actually say. If you are trying to correct a behavior then you will need to be firm and use a firm tone of voice. If you are trying to encourage a behavior then you will need to be gentle and let you pet know it is alright. Love and kindness are valuable assets when training a pet.

In the beginning praise may not be enough of an incentive to get your pet to do as you ask. They may need to actually see the treat before they will follow the command. The treats let your pet know they will be rewarded for doing as you ask. Eventually you won’t need the treats and can just use the commands and words of praise.

More complex actions may require more than one command. Take things step by step and teach your pet one command at a time. This will make things easier for you can less confusing for your dog. If you are trying to make your dog stop jumping on you and sit down then the first command would be stop and then you would teach him to sit.

Dog training takes time and patients but it can be well worth the effort. Whether you want to correct behaviors or teach your dog tricks, it can all be done with love and kindness.

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Raising a puppy can be a fun and rewarding experience. Unfortunately, too many puppies grow up to be misbehaved dogs because the owners let them get away with bad behavior as a puppy because it was ‘cute’. Or, they just didn’t know how to raise their puppy to be a well behaved adult dog. There are a few crucial things you need to do.

First of all, you shouldn’t never bring home a puppy that is younger than eight weeks. During the first eight week of their life, they go through many development periods that are crucial to their long term well being. Removing a puppy from its mother and littermates too early causes behavior problems down the road.

Second, you need to start potty training immediately. Don’t let any bad potty habits form during those first few days you have them home, because those can be hard to reverse. I suggest teaching your puppy to go potty outside right from the beginning, rather than paper training them.

Third, never let your puppy nip at your hands or feet, even if it’s just playful. This is a common mistake owners regret in the long run. Always use toys to play with your puppy, never hands or feet.

Fourth, teach your puppy right from the beginning that you are the alpha dog. Also known as the ‘pack leader’. Even though dogs are domesticated, they still have natural instincts. They still expect to be part of a pack, and every pack needs a pack leader.

Your puppy expects to have a pack leader. If you don’t establish yourself as the leader, they will, and it’ll cause numerous behavior problems down the road. Do a search online for more information on this if you don’t know what it is. It’s important to know and use this information.

Last but definitely not least, you must gradually and carefully socialize your puppy for at least the first year of their life. You need to expose them to new and unfamiliar people, places, things, sounds, etc. Make sure the socialization experiences are pleasant. Carry along treats and make sure to provide plenty of praise and encouragement along the way.

I hope this article has helped you and given you insight on how to raise a well behaved dog. If you follow the tips I’ve given, I know you’ll make a great pet parent and your puppy will grow into a wonderful, loyal companion.

Thanks for reading. Go read more great tips and tricks about solving bad dog behavior at http://www.DogBehaviorExpert.com

With the onset of spring comes the onset of bouncing baby puppies. How you interact with your new puppy is critical to her development; in fact, the lessons she learns now can set her up for life.

You will need to decide where to take your puppy for puppy classes. Notice I said where, not if. Whether there are classes in your area or you have to drive some distance to find one, they’re well worth the effort. Many owners on their second or third puppy think that whatever they learned in the past will be good for the new addition. This might be true, but it’s important to consider how long it’s been since you went to a dog-training class. It’s also important to recognize that your life will have changed since your last dog was a puppy. You may have children now, or be an empty nester. Even if you have the same breed as before, this is a different pup with different needs.

All the benefits of kindergarten
By taking your puppy to a fun, motivational class, you will learn things you may have forgotten over the years. You may, in fact, learn a whole new way of training.

Puppies do well with the social aspect of classes. If they’re allowed to meet and greet others of a similar age, they learn how other breeds look and behave. Upon meeting a Great Dane pup or a Boxer, some pups become alarmed. They usually just need some exposure to other breeds to become accepting of new dog faces later on in life.

Even if you think your puppy already knows the basics, getting into a puppy class under the watchful eyes of experienced dog trainers will be beneficial. During the classes you’ll learn the appropriate amount of interaction between pups and discover who may be bullying whom. It’s always hard to be the parent of the bully, but isn’t it better to discover this early and take steps to teach appropriate manners? Teaching your puppy on your own, in your kitchen, can’t do this.

Which brings us to training with distraction. There will be many times when you wish there were no distractions, but learning to pay attention while other puppies are around is a great lesson for your pup.

The scenario goes like this: you take your puppy to class to learn training techniques and have some puppy social time. You go home and practise what you learned in a non-distracting environment, then go back to class a week later to use the distraction to proof the lesson. Perfect!

While teaching the basic training words, most puppy classes will also teach “settle,” “leave it” and puppy handling. The recall (coming when called) can be worked on as a group so the puppies learn to go to the person who called, not to a random person in the vicinity.

Some schools offer other types of classes, such as Puppy Gymboree or Puppy Social. Many owners attend classes twice a week simply to keep their puppies learning and working in the class environment. This may seem excessive, but in fact can be a lot of fun for you and your new pet.

Yes, go to classes. You will learn how to teach your puppy some basic words; that manners involve more than a sit-stay; and that the bond you have with your pup can grow by leaps and bounds. You will also learn that having fun is what it’s all about.

Just as you won’t see a 15-year-old hu­man marathoner, you shouldn’t see a six-month-old puppy pulling a sled. These athletic endeavours re­quire not only training, but maturation, and pups have exercise limitations that must be respected. By avoiding the pitfalls of overtraining, you can create a canine athlete that performs well and stays healthy throughout its life.

A pup destined for agility, hunting, coursing, racing, sledding, search and rescue, police duty or other work must have the right genetic qualifica­tions for its job. You can’t expect a Pug to run for speed, or a Basset Hound to bound over a wall. Besides physical ca­pability, dogs must also have an in­nate motivation to perform their duties. A guard dog needs a disposition that’s quite different from a dog that excels in search and rescue.

Even if a dog has the right disposition for the job set out for him, he won’t be able to fulfill his role unless he is healthy. A dog with a joint condition such as hip or elbow dysplasia will find it too painful to excel in a duty requiring heavy activity. As well, excessive exercise will aggravate dysplastic joints, so they develop arthritis faster. Dogs destined for strenuous activity are usually screened for orthopaedic problems before time and funds are dedicated to their training. Hip ra­dio­graphs are manda­tory in many working dogs.

Health concerns are not confined to bone diseases. Some breeds are susceptible to inherited eye problems such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). Testing for this disease and others is breed and duty specific.

Once a pup is declared healthy, a planned schedule of exercises can be implemented, suited to the dog’s ability and the desired result.

How the body responds
The biggest mistake most trainers make is stepping up the duration of a young pup’s activity too quickly. To avoid this problem, it is important to understand how the body responds to exertion.

Consider a puppy in the first stages of a training pro­gram. Even on short runs, the pup tires quickly. Not only does the puppy have poor endurance, he’s clumsy. It takes a while to develop the fine motor control needed for a flowing gait.

The body’s first physical response to exercise is to in­­crease muscle mass. When the heart is pushed hard, its muscle builds so it can pump more blood with less effort. The same occurs in skeletal muscles, which en­large as exercise stresses them. Muscular response can be rapid. Many owners see changes in endurance and muscle mass within a few weeks of initiating training.

Muscle is not the only factor to consider. The ligaments that connect bone to bone and the tendons that connect muscle to bone don’t respond to exercise as fast as muscle does. This means that the muscles can overdevelop in relation to the structures that hold them together. Due to their pure power, muscles can strain (stretch) ligaments and tendons beyond their capacity.

Trainers frequently report that just as things seem to be going well, injuries occur. To avoid this outcome, increase distance slowly and stick to a schedule. Resist the temptation to let your dog run long distances just because he can.

Exercise techniques
Walking is the best way to initiate any training program. It requires no equipment and can be done any time. It can also be done at varying paces that match your long-term training goals. No matter what level your dog is exercising at, he needs a brisk walk. Allow him to sniff at the start, then get to work. If you find your puppy tires, reduce the distance by a third the next time you go.

Variety helps maintain interest and boosts skill development. For example, an agility dog may work a few obstacles in one week, but different obstacles the next week. A search and rescue dog may work on tracking one week and endurance the next.

Jumps can be used to strengthen your pup’s back and develop coordination. These can be made from coffee cans and broomsticks. For little breeds, punch holes in milk cartons and run a dowel between them. Make sure you put jumps on secure footing, and don’t leash your dog while he’s jumping as a leash can throw him off balance. Start with just a few jumps and slowly increase the number. If he re­fuses, he’s probably tired, so stop.

You don’t want your dog to be over-challenged with a jump, so keep the height low – no higher than his wrist for the first few weeks. As the pup grows and his ability to jump improves, slowly raise the bar to elbow height. Don’t go higher than the elbows until he’s mastered the jumps and has a mature skeleton.

Bones are considered mature when their growth plates close. In small dogs, this might occur at six months of age. In Great Danes, it could be as late as 14 months. Too much stress on bones while the growth plates are open can cause damage and irregular growth.

Endurance training is only for dogs with mature skeletons. If you take a six-month-old puppy on a 10-mile run, you are setting him up for injury and long-term orthopaedic issues. Just as it takes years of training for a human (an adult at that) to run long distances, it takes time to get a dog conditioned for endurance work. It’s critical that the bone support system (tendons/ligaments) be well prepared to accept the stress.

Your job, like that of any coach, is to develop your puppy’s ability without causing injury. Always start new activities at an easy level, and advance slowly so his body can develop. If you do it right, he will be able to enjoy an active life well into his senior years.

By Jeff Grognet, D.V.M.
A multi-published writer, Jeff Grognet, D.V.M., B.S.c.(Agr.), runs a veterinary practice in Qualicum Beach, B.C., along with his wife, Louise Janes, D.V.M.

Here, Fido! Look what Mommy’s got for you…a toothbrush! Exit Fido.

Can it be said that anybody actually enjoys brushing their teeth? Just as we can coerce young children into brushing twice a day, there are ways to get your dog used to having his teeth brushed.

Dr. Sandy Hale, a veterinary dentist in Guelph, Ont., emphasizes the need for regular dental care, noting that good oral health results in better overall health. Dr. Hale insists that a dog’s teeth should be brushed daily – twice daily for those with poor periodontal health. And it’s not just the teeth that need brushing: “Done properly, brushing the gums is highly beneficial,” he says. “It removes plaque and massages the gum tissue, helping to flush fluid and debris from below the gum line. It stimulates fibroblasts [collagen-producing cells] within the gingiva [gum tissue] to produce collagen, the main structural protein of the gingiva, helping to make them tough and resilient. But brushing too hard can traumatize the gingiva.”

How do you get your dog to cooperate or even enjoy having his teeth brushed? Here are five tips:

A puppy will be more inclined to accept daily tooth care. The best age to start is eight weeks, taking a hiatus when your puppy’s baby teeth begin to fall out, so as not to irritate already sensitive gums. Resume when adult teeth are in, and normal. If your dog is an adult, it’s never too late to introduce a new routine, approaching gently and using consistency and repetition. You can teach an old dog new dental tricks.

There is no need to spend a lot of money on specialty canine toothbrushes. Use a child-sized, ultra-soft-bristled brush available at any drug store. The smaller brush head and soft bristles ensure less discomfort and therefore less resistance. And what about flavoured canine toothpaste? Dr. Hale says, “I have yet to see any convincing studies to show that adding toothpaste adds any significant benefit over brushing with plain water. One study in human patients found that the brush accounted for 98 per cent of the effect.” Your dog might like a flavour, though, and the more he likes this process, the easier it will be for both of you.

There is always someone in the dog’s family with whom he has a particularly close bond. This person is likely to be the one the dog will trust to initiate a tooth-brushing regimen. That person should begin as he would with any new training session: gradually and with patience, using positive verbal reinforcement.

Brush at the same time every day, with the same person doing the brushing, and use repeated language to signal it’s time for the daily tooth-care session. Pick a suitable time. If you’re in a rush in the morning and your dog is full of energy, brush his teeth in the evening. Perform the brushing in the same place every time; the kitchen or bathroom are good locations, but provide a non-slip mat.

Save a favourite treat to be given only when the brushing is complete, and not at any other time. Dr. Hale says, “Rewards are key to success with any training program. However, the reward has to follow the desired behaviour within just a few seconds for the dog to draw a connection between cause and effect.” If the reward is good enough, it just may inspire your dog to ask to have her teeth brushed every day!

Begin dental brushing only in a healthy mouth. There is no point brushing teeth in need of professional attention. Get a check-up and perhaps a cleaning done first and use brushing for regular, healthy maintenance.

Brush. Don’t rush. Reward. And smile!

Pamela Delaney is a widely published, award-winning writer. She recently finished her satirical memoir Lives Have Nine Cats and Other Tales of Pet Motherhood. Pamela lives in Cobourg, Ont.