Phone:
(604) 476-1670

Email:
pawsitivelycanine@shaw.ca

My name is Lisa Davies, trainer and owner of Pawsitively Canine.

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Puppy Training Tips

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I'm getting a puppy...now what??!!!

HELP, I’M ADOPTING A NEW PUPPY!!!

Adopting a new puppy is one of the most exciting life experiences you and your family will ever experience.  However, before you go to the pet store and spend money on things you will probably never use, here are a list of important things to purchase as well as some basic training tips before you come to puppy class!!!  If you prepare BEFORE you bring your puppy home, everything will be less stressful and you will enjoy this special day and the weeks to come, so much more!!

ITEMS TO PURCHASE (before you get your puppy):

·        A crate—this can be plastic or wire, however make sure the one your purchase is not too big.  It should be just bigger than your puppy will be a few weeks from when you bring him/her home, with enough room for her to turn around and lay down comfortably.  If it is too big, your pup will go to the bathroom in one end and sleep in the other.  The purpose of a crate is to prevent your puppy from going to the bathroom in it and I highly recommend it as your short term confinement area (when you have to leave your pup for 2 hours or less) as well as overnight.  If you decide to purchase a larger one, you can partition off the back so that it makes the crate smaller, then take out the partition as your pup grows!!

·        A baby gate—this may become one of your best friends!!  It helps prevent your puppy from going places that you can’t see him and keeping him safe.  Another good idea is to make a habit of keeping ALL your doors closed in your home, so that your puppy can’t go into a room and have an accident or get into mischief when you aren’t watching!!

·        KONGS!!!!—every puppy should have at least 2, to start you should purchase the shape that looks like a snowman, they are the best for stuffing, you can go to the website www.kongcompany.com for a great list of recipes to put in the kong.  I can’t say enough about kongs, they keep your pup busy when you want to, for example, relax!!   You can freeze them, so they are wonderful for making your pup’s gums feel nice when they’re teething, and they are also great for when you need to leave your puppy for a few hours:  your puppy is so busy getting the stuffing out of the kong, providing mental stimulation, then he falls asleep doing that and by the time you come home, he hasn’t noticed you’ve been gone, preventing a serious behaviour called separation anxiety.  Have fun buying the other shapes and sizes of kongs later, but if you only have the budget for 2 kongs, choose the 2 “snowmen”.

·        Of course you want to buy a dog bed, but don’t start with the beautiful fancy one!!  Your puppy will be chewing, it’s natural!!  Purchase a couple that can be washed easily and or that the covers come off.  I like the snoozy brand because they wash so easily and fit in crates well too.

·        Even though there are many cute dog dishes around, stainless steel dishes will last forever and, unlike plastic, will not leach substances that are toxic to our pets over time.

·        When purchasing a collar—JUST NO CHOKE CHAINS OR PRONG COLLARS, any other flat buckle collar will do.....leash, for training you want about 6 feet.  DO NOT waste your money on a retractable leash, they are for later in your training, or you can ask about them in class, they have their place in your dog’s life, but used incorrectly, they “help” teach puppy to pull.  As for a harness—do not buy a regular harness that attaches to the leash at the back, like most you are used to seeing.  There are new ones out (well, they’ve been out a couple years in Canada, but many people haven’t heard of them) and they attach to the leash at the chest.  It sounds strange but they are wonderful!!  They help your puppy NOT develop the habit of pulling by bringing your dog off balance if they pull.  Some brands out there are Sensation, Sensible,   Gentle Leader /Easy Walk, and others.  They can be hard to find but Coquitlam has a few stores that carry them and it is worth the short drive if you live in the Maple Ridge area. 

      They can be hard to find but we have a great selection at fetch a bone in Pitt Meadows.  fetch a bone  www.fetchabone.ca

·        Make sure when you are picking out toys other than kongs (ie: stuffies), that you look for double stitching or thick material. Dogs and puppies love stuffies, but we can't expect them to last like a rubber toy!   Kong brand does make some great squeaky stuffies that don’t have a lot of stuffing in them and last well, and even come with extra squeakies!!

·         Beef chews, bully sticks, veal chews......all of these are wonderful, all natural chews for your pup.  Stay away from raw hide, it is dangerous and can swell in your pups stomach, causing a blockage.

·         Bitter Apple comes in a spray as well as in a pump in a thicker formula.  The thicker formula is great if your puppy has taken to chewing wood like chair legs or mouldings.  The spray is good for clothes and cloth items.  This is a great product, don’t buy “imitation brands” they are not the same.  But do shake the bottle before you use it, as the bitterness sits at the bottom.

·        Natures Miracle and Petastic, or something to neutralize any area your puppy has an accident is very important.  I find Nature’s Miracle new formula smells very strongly of ammonia, so I prefer the orange scented Nature’s Miracle.

·        For the most part, don’t waste your money on puppy pads.  It is best to always teach your puppy to go to the bathroom outdoors, but if you purchase an x-pen as a long term confinement area (when you have to leave your puppy for more than about 2 “ish” hours) then newspapers work just fine.  Puppies tend to chew up puppy pads, which can be dangerous.  I suggest putting newspapers in a cat litter box, away from the water dish and sleeping area in the x-pen.

·        Of course, you want to buy some treats, not crunchy ones (they’re ok for some things) but for calling your puppy to you, basic training, and going to the bathroom, you want good treats, soft and smelly ones!!!  Wellness Wellbites are great and healthy, rollover is a favourite for dogs too, not as healthy but a favourite!!

BASIC TIPS AFTER YOU GET YOUR PUPPY:

·        As soon as you get  your puppy, you should take him/her to your vet to get a basic check up and make sure everything is all right.  I recommend two wonderful vet offices, Westwood Heights and Sunwood, both in Coquitlam, Sunwood specializes in holistic care and the raw diet.  Both are wonderful clinics with excellent vets.

	You can call me for a private puppy consultation when you first get your puppy where I can come to your home and help you with lots of problems you might be having or questions you may have, I’m happy to help!! Also, contact me or a trainer of your choice and register for a class as soon as possible.  Usually after 2nd set of vaccines, your pup is ready to go.  Do not delay, socialization, especially with other puppies as soon as possible is critical.
	I also often hold puppy power hours, a chance for your puppy to socialize with other puppies in a fun atmosphere, indoors.  Checkout my website for more details and for the next puppy power hour date.

·        From the day you bring your puppy home, don’t start using the word COME, this is how we destroy our emergency recall before our puppy even learns it!!  We learn it very carefully in classes, but until then, if you want your puppy to come to you, use her name, and if she comes to it, treat her for it.  By doing this, you are already establishing a mini recall with just your puppies name!!

·        Hold a puppy party.....yes a puppy party!!  Invite over friends, family, kids, and friendly, vaccinated dogs before your puppy is old enough to be out and about.  This is critical, it gets the socialization started immediately.  Puppies have what is called “a critical period of socialization” that we believe ends by 14-16 weeks...this is when our puppies are most like sponges and able to take in new things, people, kids, dogs.....

·        If your puppy grabs something he shouldn’t have, don’t yell at him, don’t run over and say “no!!” and take it away, instead, just grab a treat, say “drop it” and at the same time trade him a treat for whatever it is he has.  If this happens frequently, you can get a short leash from the dollar store and attach it to your pup, then when your pup has something, you just step on the leash, offer the treat, and take away the object.

·        If you are going to be in a particular area of your home for some time, tether your puppy where you are.  Tethering means attaching the leash either to the leg of a chair, base of a table, handle of cupboards, or even around your waste.  Put down her bed, offer a kong or beef chew and now she’s set and you can watch her in case she has to go to the bathroom.

·        If your puppy starts sniffing or circling.....it usually means he has to go!!  Scoop him up, run him outside, start using a word such as “hurry up” and as soon as he goes, give him about 3 treats.  If he has an accident in the house, remember, it is OUR FAULT, as the pet parent for not watching more closely.  Do not yell at him.....if you catch him in the act, make a sound like “AHHH!!!!!” and hopefully that will make him stop before he’s empty, then run over, scoop him up and take him out but don’t forget to treat him if he goes again outside.  If you find an accident after the fact....it’s too late, clean it up, say “bad owner” and that the end of it.

·        Provide as many interactive toys, such as kongs and treat balls, as possible.  This keeps your puppy busy and they love it!!  You can even get a water bottle and put kibble in it for them to try to get out!!!

·        Some VERY BASIC tips about dog food......there is so much to say about dog food.....raw food is wonderful, and in my opinion, there is nothing better.  If you would like more information on what it really is all about you can call Susi at fetch a bone, who can provide you with a nutritional consultation-(604) 465-3647.  However, if you are not keen on that, there are some really great high quality kibble brands out there now.  You want to make sure that the first ingredient is the protein (such as chicken) meal, the “meal” part means that the protein has been weighed without water.  There should NEVER be any by-products in the food you feed your dogs.  Some great brands are Now, Go, Orijen, Acana, Rotations, and a few others.  Grain free is an excellent choice because dogs don't digest grains well and their bodies really don't require them for any nutritional value.  You DO get what you pay for in dog food these days!!