Owning a puppy is very exciting - he's sure to be a bundle of energy and lots of fun. But he also brings some responsibilities, and it's very important that he gets off on the right paw. As a new member of your family, he needs to be taught the rules of the household right from the start. That's why we have puppy preschools - to teach puppies good manners and socialisation from an early age and to educate owners on responsible pet ownership. Teaching him good manners as a puppy enables him to grow into a confident, friendly and sociably acceptable adult dog.
Puppy Preschool aims to:
Puppies have a sensitive period of development called the socialisation period. It occurs from about 4 - 14 weeks of age (although the exact time when this period ends can vary according to the experiences the pup has, his breed and his individual personality). Any experiences the puppy has during this time can affect later behaviour. He needs to be exposed to many new and novel situations in a non-threatening way. It is known that dogs that are isolated during this time are more likely to develop behavioural problems later. This can include hyperactivity, aggression, difficulty in training, and antisocial and fearful behaviour. To develop into normal, friendly and confident adults, puppies need to be regularly handled and need to socialise with other dogs (puppies and adults) and people. They need to learn dog body language, and how to communicate with other dogs. But it's important not to mix your puppy with other dogs in public places until he's fully vaccinated. Puppy Preschool is a safe way to socialise your puppy.
Puppies also need to learn what is acceptable sociable behaviour. It is important to start them off on the right paw. Some behaviours might be cute now, but they won't be when he's fully grown, and he won't grow out of them by himself. It is much easier to teach the puppy the correct behaviour first, rather than try and correct bad behaviour later, when the pup has had 6 months or more to learn it. Puppy Preschool includes basic obedience training. They will learn good manners, which includes basic obedience commands such as "Come", "Sit", "Drop", "Wait", "Stay" and "Heel".
There's a lot to learn when you get a new pup. Unfortunately, it's impossible for us to teach you everything (or for you to take it all in) at a single vaccination/consultation visit to the vet. Our vets usually cover the basic preventative health things like vaccinations and worming. Puppy Preschool gives you a chance to learn more about things such as nutrition, grooming, flea control, dental care, nail clipping and pill-giving. We have included brochures on many of these things, and the classes will give you the opportunity to ask questions too.
For too many dogs, coming to the vet is a very stressful event. This is usually because the pup is examined and poked with needles at any age when they are most fearful of such things. Puppy Preschool on the other hand is designed to be fun. All training is reward-based or motivational. There are also lots of play sessions. Your puppy will enjoy coming to the hospital, and will hopefully keep these good memories and be more relaxed and manageable for future visits. He may even want to come to the vet. And the classes are designed to be fun for you too, so don't take the training too seriously, enjoy your puppy!
Puppy Preschool was developed in Australia by Kirsti Seksel, a qualified animal behavioural specialist. The concept is sponsored by Uncle Ben's and the Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association. Our classes are run by Nicole Stanley. As well as her previous experience with puppy preschools in New Zealand, Nicole has been trained by Kirsti as a Puppy Preschool teacher. Nicole is also a qualified veterinary nurse.
It is generally accepted that dogs evolved from the wolf. Therefore they have many things in common, including the fact that they are pack (group) animals, which helps them to fit into a human family group very well. They also have a strong social hierarchy, and they are very territorial. Your new puppy has joined your "family pack" and through your training he will learn his place in your pack.
You are the pack leader, and your pup needs to know that you are the leader, otherwise he may take this role himself. He must be at the bottom of the pack, willing to submit to all members of your family, including the children. Demonstrating leadership will reduce the potential for aggressive behaviour. Your puppy will not be trying to be the dominant one, but instead will accept his place.
Desexing is strongly recommended when your dog is about 5-6 months old. This will reduce his (or her) territorial behaviour and make him less dominant, and thus more willing to accept his place in the pack. Our leaflet "Should I get my pet desexed?" covers the many advantages of desexing.
To demonstrate leadership over your pup, here are some things we recommend :
It is important to be always mindful of the potential danger of young children with dogs. Train your children to demonstrate leadership over your pup right from the start, otherwise your pup will quickly learn to be the dominant one. It's harder for children because they are smaller than adults are, and their voices are less assertive. Children love to race around and stir puppies up too. Despite these problems, the training is very important. Your dog must not be allowed to think he has a higher position in the pack than your children. All of the above points apply to children as well as adults.
You should also teach your children how to behave around puppies and how to handle your pup. We encourage you to bring your children with you to the Puppy Preschool classes. However, space limitations in our hospital may force us to place restrictions on this.
ALWAYS supervise any contact between very young children and dogs. NEVER leave toddlers or very young children (under 5) unsupervised with a dog. They can both behave unpredictably.
Play is very important for puppies – as well as a lot of fun to watch. The Puppy Preschool classes devote a lot of time to play. Through play, your pup will learn how to socialise and communicate with other dogs. This is especially important between 4 and 10 weeks of age. He will learn acceptable behaviour around other dogs of all breeds, sizes and ages. Some puppies play very roughly and make lots of noise. The play sessions are designed to be fun for you and for your puppy, so enjoy!
You may notice your pup make some of the following gestures:
Training for your puppies is really about teaching them good manners and basic obedience skills. The most effective way to train any animal is with reward-based training. That is, training him to perform a task to receive a reward. If a desirable behaviour leads to a reward, then it's more likely that the behaviour will be repeated. The reward can be food, praise or patting. With puppies, food is usually necessary to get and keep their attention. Only a tiny piece is necessary – such as dehydrated liver or grated cheese. Small pieces of kibble (or cat biscuits) are also suitable. This is how puppies are trained in Puppy Preschool – with small pieces of food, and lots of praise.
Dogs learn fastest when:
Once a command is learnt, start to reward him intermittently, and also vary the size and type of the reward. Dogs remember the command longer when the reward is given intermittently.
Other points to remember:
For more reading on training techniques, you may be interested in "Dog Training: The Gentle Modern Method" by David Weston. Other good references are "Dog Problems: The Gentle Modern Approach" by David Weston and "The Perfect Puppy" by Gwen Bailey.
This is a puppy's way of saying "please" and teaching your puppy to sit is a
good start to his good manners. This can be done by placing a small piece of food in
front of his nose to get his attention, then slowly move it up and back over his head.
His head will follow up and back, and his bottom automatically sits. Use the "SIT"
command as soon as his bottom hits the ground, and reward him immediately with a piece of
food and lots of praise.
Note: At no stage is your puppy actually forced or pushed into the "sit" position.
Try to train your puppy to sit before he gets anything he wants – food, play,
walks, etc. This helps to assert you as the dominant one, and teaches the puppy to earn
everything he gets by saying "please".
This is easy to teach. With a young puppy you can start by standing only about a metre
away, get his attention by calling his name and tapping on the floor. Alternatively, you
can start when you know he's likely to come anyway, such as at meal times. Use a
bright and happy voice, and use the word "COME" when he approaches. Reward him
immediately. Be sure to pat him and handle him around the neck, so he isn't
frightened later when you need to attach a lead to his collar. Next you can start to walk
away and he will automatically follow you. Reward him again.
Note: Never punish him if he is slow to respond, and never get him to come to
punish him for something else he has done wrong. This will only teach him that "come" is
for something bad.
Drop can be a bit more difficult to teach, but it's a good command for your
puppy to learn. It is a comfortable position in which your dog can wait for longer
periods of time, and this can keep him out of trouble.
DROP follows from SIT, so get your puppy to sit first, then use the food to guide his
nose down to the floor. His body will follow. Use the "DROP" command as you do this, and
reward your puppy as soon as he is lying down. Some puppies find this command difficult,
but that's OK, practice makes perfect.
If he is having a lot of trouble getting both his chest and his bottom down, you can
sit on the floor with him and have one leg raised slightly above the ground to make an
arch. Use his reward to call him through. The act of crawling should get his whole body
on the ground. Use the "DROP" command and reward him immediately. Soon he will be able to
do it without the aid of your leg.
Wait is an important command because it teaches the puppy not to grab or snatch food from the hand and also to wait until told otherwise before he can have something.
First put your puppy in the "sit" position and then hold a piece of food in your hand in front of the puppy's nose. If the puppy tries to bite or snatch at the hand, he is lightly tapped on the nose and told to "WAIT" in a firm voice. When the puppy backs off, even slightly, he is immediately rewarded with a treat. After 2-3 repetitions the puppy will usually wait for the food without snatching.
Most people prefer to walk their dog, rather than having their dog walk them! That's
why "HEEL" is important. The aim is to teach your puppy to walk at your side on a loose
lead, without pulling, or getting under your feet.
Initially, teach your puppy to walk by your side without the lead. Start with him in
the "sit" position and then start walking away, holding the food at your puppy's
nose level to encourage him to follow you and prevent jumping. Walk with your puppy using
the "HEEL" command (not "COME") whilst he is beside you, and reward him. Don't
continually repeat the command whilst the pup is walking at your heel.
(Note: It's conventional for dogs to be trained to heel on your left side, but if you're not planning to go into formal obedience training or competition work, then it really doesn't matter.)
Then start with short sessions on the lead. As soon as the lead pulls tight, STOP and wait until the lead becomes loose, then set off again. Eventually he'll learn that you don't move until the lead is loose, and he won't get to go for his walk. Then he'll walk at your pace. Soon you'll be able to walk in your chosen direction with your puppy at heel. And this will be a blessing later when he grows much bigger and stronger!
Note: We don't recommend that you use check chains (chokers) on young puppies. They
are a negative form of training and can pull quite hard on his neck and windpipe. If you
are having difficulty there are head collars (like a bridle or halter on a horse) that
are much friendlier devices for training your pup. There are several brands available
including Halti, Kumalong and Gentle Leader.
Note: You shouldn't take your pup out for walks in public areas until after he's fully
vaccinated [7-10days after his last (12-14 week) puppy vaccine.]
A well-mannered dog will wait for his dinner, or let his human leader go through the
door first. He will sit patiently when the gate is opened, rather than bolt out and down
the road.
To achieve this you can get him to sit, which by this time he should be getting good
at. Then use the "STAY" command and take one small step backwards. Then quickly come back
and reward your pup for not moving. Next try a couple of steps, then return to him again
and reward him. Don't try to go too far at first or stay away too long. If he
follows, you are probably moving too far, or staying away too long. The food in your hand
may be too distracting for this command. You may need to try praise alone as the reward
in this case.
Later, you will be able to move further and further away the better he gets.
Eventually you should be able to move out of his sight. You can teach him to sit and
stay, lie and stay, or stand and stay.
Always give your puppy a release command such as "OK" or "FREE" to tell him when it's OK to move.
It's important that you handle your pup often in a positive way from an early age. Play with and examine all parts of his body every day. This will make you aware of his body and that will make it easy for you to detect anything abnormal about your dog. Most importantly, it will also put your dog more at ease if he ever gets sick and you or the vet needs to examine him or administer treatment. He will know it's nothing to be scared of. Your handling should at least include the following:
If you don't do these things now, many dogs will become very fearful and resentful of handling these areas later. Do all of this in a relaxed way that is reassuring to your puppy. Praise, pat and give him food treats to reinforce the right response. If he shows resentment, do not force him initially but gradually work on the area to build up his confidence.
Brushing is vital for long-haired breeds, but it's also important with short hair because you will be removing excess/dead hair from the coat. Your couch and clothes then won't need to look as hairy as he does! By using a flea comb, you can also detect fleas by finding their faeces (poo) or eggs, even if you haven't noticed any fleas yet.
Dental care is also an important part of grooming. It's important that you look after his teeth from a young age. He will lose all of his puppy teeth, usually at around 3 - 6 months of age, but care of his puppy teeth is still important. Lift his lips and examine his teeth and gums regularly – including the back teeth. Rub your fingertip along his back teeth. It's just as important that you train him to accept this so that he'll allow you to look after his adult teeth when he's older. We have included a copy of our brochure "Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats". This brochure explains what to look for, and what you can do to ensure the best possible care of your dog's teeth.
Nail Clipping.
You can bring him into the hospital to have his nails clipped, but there's
generally no reason why you can't do it yourself at home. You should use nail
clippers designed for dogs. Human nail clippers are not suitable because dogs' nails are
round, not flat. Also avoid the cheap guillotine-style dog nail clippers. Get a good
quality pair of clippers (we'll show you the best type) and they'll last a lifetime.
Your dog should be able to stand so that his nails are flat on the ground, but all of
his weight is on his pads. If the nails are too long, his toes will bend and this can be
uncomfortable, even painful. With young puppies, this is unlikely to be a problem. The
nails usually aren't excessively long, but they are very sharp and can make nice
scratches in human skin and furniture! Even if they don't really need it, clipping
your pup's nails is important as a training exercise so that they will accept it
later in life when it is needed.
For puppies we recommend trimming just the tips off the nails. If they are still too
sharp then you can file the ends smooth with a small file or emery board. When your dog
is older, he may wear his nails down naturally if he walks a lot on hard surfaces. But
many dogs still need their nails trimmed regularly, and you will still need to trim his
dewclaws regardless. With white nails you can see the pink bit inside and should cut just
below this. If you cut the pink part it will bleed (and possibly hurt). If this happens
don't panic, just apply some pressure with a cotton wool ball or swab until it stops.
With black nails it's harder, so if you're unsure, just trim the very tip off.
Giving Pills
This is another task that many dog owners (and many dogs!) find very difficult.
Fortunately, many of the modern worm tablets are pleasantly flavoured so your dog will
eat them. But this is not the case for all medications, and it's important for you
and your dog to learn how to give tablets now.
This is easier to demonstrate than to describe, but I'll try! At first back him
against a wall, sit him on your lap, or have someone else help hold him so that you only
need to control his head. With your hand over his head, use your thumb and forefinger to
hold his top lip and gently tip his head back. Hold the tablet between the finger tips of
your other hand, open his mouth and quickly push the tablet right down the middle over
the back of his tongue. Remove your hand immediately because he can't swallow until
you let him close his mouth. Hold the mouth closed and keep his head tilted back until
you're confident he has swallowed. Many people rub the dog's throat to make
him swallow but if you've put the tablet in the right place, this should not be
necessary.
There is all sorts of advice going around about nutrition for puppies. Many breeders sell their pups with elaborate diet plans. Some of these are fine - others are a bit ridiculous! We don't like to tell people exactly what they should feed their dogs - that's largely up to you. But it is important that you follow some basic principles.
Vaccinations are very important in preventing diseases such as parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and canine cough (kennel cough). Your puppy should first be vaccinated from at 6 –8 weeks of age and again at 12-14 weeks. Yearly boosters are then recommended for the rest of the dog's life.
Heartworm prevention tablets should be started at 6 –8 weeks of age, and continued monthly for the rest of your dog's life. This is very important for all dogs. Even if your dog never goes out of your yard, it only takes a mosquito bite to be infected with heartworm – and it can be a life-threatening disease.
Worming against intestinal worms is traditionally done at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks of age, and then every 3 months for the rest of the dog's life. However, many of the monthly heartworm tablets will worm your puppy as well.
Flea control is important all year round and prevention is better than cure. Over winter there are less fleas, but if you ignore them they will breed and you'll have a plague on your hands ready to hatch out in Spring.
If you have further questions about any of these issues, our vets and nurses are happy to discuss them with you.
House training can be a stressful period, but for obvious reasons it is a pleasure once mastered. The emphasis once again is on positive reinforcement NOT punishment. You don't need to rub their noses in it!
Some puppies do not have full control over their bladders until 12-14 weeks of age, so you need lots of patience. Success depends on commitment and consistency. Unfortunately you can't be there to observe and train your puppy all the time, but every accident does set back the toilet training. If your dog is going to sleep inside, then ideally you should be prepared to get up to him during the night. You can't expect him to hold on all night. You could train him to use newspaper, but then you'd just have to retrain him later to go outside (you shouldn't expect your puppy to learn to go outside during the day and use newspaper at night).
In case you hadn't already noticed, puppies have needle sharp teeth! So although they don't have a lot of jaw strength, their bite can still hurt. They also have a habit of chewing just about everything in sight!
It's normal for puppies to bite and chew – they all do it and it's part of their development. They should be given their own toys and objects to chew, and encouraged to chew these. See "Chewing" later in these notes for specific tips. Rest assured that his tendency to chew will reduce as he gets older.
Biting people however is never acceptable and you puppy will not "grow-out" of biting - he has to be taught. In young puppies, you should do this in the same way that he would learn not to bite other pups. If he bites too hard, the other pup yelps and the play stops. So if your pup bites you, make one short, high-pitched squeal (or say "Ouch"), and then stop playing with him. He'll soon learn that if he wants to play, then he can't bite. If he continues to bite, walk away and stop playing with him altogether. Ignore him or put him in the sin-bin (see later).
Remember the rules:
Note: When your pup is older, it is possible that stronger disciplinary action may be necessary if he is biting out of anger rather than just in play. We will discuss more about discipline and reprimands later in these notes.
Punishment is the least efficient way to teach a new behaviour and is not generally recommended as a form of training. It is much better to teach your puppy the right behaviour rather than punish him when he does something wrong. The puppy may not even know what he has done wrong. He may look guilty, but he could be just reading your body language, which tells him that he's in trouble.
For a reprimand to work it needs to be:
All of this is difficult (or impossible) to achieve - that's why it's better to ignore the bad behaviour and reward the good behaviour. In real life however, reprimands are sometimes necessary. Here are some tips on how to do it:
"NO":
This is usually the word that puppies here most! It can mean a variety of different things including "don't jump", "don't bite", etc. However "NO" is not a command. It doesn't mean anything to your puppy unless it is followed by a command for the desired action and subsequent praise. Only use "NO" to distract the puppy from the undesirable behaviour and then follow immediately with a command such as "SIT". This will teach him what you want him to do instead. When using the word "NO", it should be said loudly in a firm deep voice. Instead of saying "NO" you could growl at the dog, but "NO" is probably easier for all of the family to do consistently.
Sin Bin (or Time-out):
Puppies generally want to play and be with us. So rejection and separation are good means of discipline. You need to have an area set aside, where the puppy is left for no longer than 5 minutes before being given another chance to behave himself. But when he does come out, don't praise him or pay any special attention to him. The sin-bin area needs to be an area that the puppy doesn't associate with any of the good things in life such as food, play or even sleep; so just putting him out in the backyard is generally not suitable.
Physical Punishment:
Physical punishment is generally not recommended for training dogs (especially puppies), and may aggravate a potentially aggressive situation. Some behaviour specialists believe that dogs don't really understand hitting. It is much better to use the other reprimands mentioned above.
If you feel the need to hit your pup, NEVER use your hand. Hitting with your hand can make your pup scared of your hand, and make him more likely to be fearful or aggressive with hand movements in the future. Instead, use a loosely rolled up newspaper. Often you don't even need to hit him with it. Just yelling "NO" and striking it on the ground beside your pup will be enough to let him know that he's in trouble. Even if you do hit him with it, it's the noise that you're relying on, rather than any pain that it might inflict.
These commonly include digging, barking, chewing and jumping up.
Usually, most of these types of behaviour are exacerbated by boredom, confinement and lack of physical activity. Dogs are highly intelligent, active, social animals who need activity, company and stimulation. Walks are not enough – they require mental as well as physical stimulation. If these needs aren't met, then the pup will take out his frustration on the environment.
Digging:
If your dog's passion in life is to dig, then instead of trying to stop a normal
behaviour, divert it. Give the dog a digging pit of his own. A child's sandpit is
ideal (but we're not suggesting that your dog and children share a sandpit). Bury
bones, toys and other treats for him to discover and reward him for digging there. It is
now a true treasure pit for him to dig in, and the rest of the garden will be boring by
comparison. Another possible thing to try is burying a blown-up balloon in the area that
you don't want him to dig. The scare of a bursting balloon may be enough to scare
him off.
Barking:
The same principle applies to barking. Barking is a normal behaviour for dogs and
cannot be stopped entirely. However it can be modified, if the causes are known. Some
breeds are more likely to bark than others. If you provide your puppy with sufficient
exercise, both physical and mental, he will bark less.
Chewing:
Provide your pup with suitable toys to chew. If he has good toys of his own to chew,
he's less likely to chew your pot plants and shoes. As much as possible, keep
things that he isn't allowed to chew out of his reach. Rest assured that his
tendency to chew will reduce as he gets older.
Change his toys regularly to maintain interest – don't just leave all the
toys lying around all the time. Don't give him old slippers – he can't
tell the difference between old ones and new ones! Fresh raw bones are ideal things to
chew and are good for his teeth too. Toys like Kongs and Buster Cubes can provide hours
of entertainment. Kongs are like a large, refillable marrow bone. Fill it with food and
seal with a little peanut butter and see what ingenious methods your dog can come up with
to get to the food. A Buster Cube is like a large dice. As your dog learns to roll the
dice, food will appear. It keeps puppies occupied for hours and is a good way to feed
breakfast. Boomer Balls are also great for dogs who like to play soccer.
Jumping Up:
It's cute when your little 5kg puppy jumps up to say hello. But in 6 months time when
he weighs 50kg, or his paws are covered in mud, it's not so much fun! So it's important
to teach him now that this is not acceptable.
This sort of behaviour is best resolved by ignoring it. That means don't look at, touch, or speak to your dog when he jumps up. Stand still and wait until he has all 4 feet on the ground and only interact with him then. Reward him when he is calm and not jumping. Eye contact or pushing him down may just encourage this behaviour. Even yelling "DOWN" or "NO" is probably not helpful.
It's important that your dog be exposed to different people, from kids to the elderly, both men and women. "Pass the Puppy" is a game that will allow him to experience different people in a positive way and can be a lot of fun for you too. It will encourage him not to be afraid of different types of people and handling. Puppies that show tendencies towards fearful or aggressive behaviour around strangers can be identified, and the problems can be dealt with and corrected.
Each puppy is handed around the various members of the group. Different people should handle the pup's feet, mouth, ears, hindquarters, etc.
With a vet handling him on the examination table, he can become familiar with this situation and this makes it a less stressful experience later when he has to visit the vet.
We want to eliminate any fears that your pup may have of strange objects and noises, such as vacuum cleaners and thunderstorms. It is best to do this now while he's a puppy. It's important to expose your puppy to various items and noises in a positive, non-threatening way. If something traumatic happens at this age, he could develop a fear that is hard to eliminate later.
Start by introducing a noise at low volume or an object from a distance. Do this while your puppy is doing something he enjoys such as eating or playing. Then gradually move the item closer or make the noise louder, and reward your puppy for not being afraid. Take it slowly. If you pup shows any sign of fear, terminate the activity immediately. You'll then need to take a backward step. Try again later with the noise at a much lower intensity or the object further away. Puppies are most fearful at around 8-10 weeks of age, so be especially careful doing exercises like this during this time.
Note: Never cuddle or protect your puppy from the noises and objects that he fears. This will reinforce his fears and could make him worse next time.
During the Puppy Preschool, we will help you to introduce your pup to vacuum cleaners, brooms, electric clippers, hair dryers and hospital cages. We will also play a tape of various noises (such as thunderstorms) so that your puppy learns not be scared of these noises.
Introducing your puppy to adult dogs teaches him how to interact with bigger and older dogs. This will reduce any problems with fear, aggression or other unsociable behaviour later on.
Introducing him to a cat is also important. This will reduce the tendency that some dogs have to be aggressive to cats later on. Hopefully your dog won't then be the one who chases the neighbours' cat down the street!
Congratulations. Your puppy has now graduation from Puppy Preschool. We hope that you have both enjoyed the experience.
Remember that it's important to continue his training. After preschool, he needs to go to primary school, high school and even university. It's up to you whether you take him to formal obedience training or not. But whether it's done formally or at home, training should be a part of your dog's daily routine for the rest of his life.
Next week:
We want to make your pup familiar with a variety of novel items and noises. We'll provide a vacuum cleaner, broom and hair dryer. But we'd like you to bring along items such as hats, masks, skateboards, balloons, whistles and musical instruments.