Puppy Tips

Some helpful tips & tricks

Never hit a young puppy.
Praise every correct action.
Socialize your puppy with other people and other animals.
Expose your puppy to many and various situations, noises, surfaces and sights. Treat each in a very matter of fact way.
Praise exuberantly.
Do not over protect your puppy or commiserate with your puppy if he is timid. Rather tell him how wonderful he is. Praise happily when the puppy begins to show more confidence.
Don’t allow biting at any time. Keep your hands or leg very still and yelp. Praise when the puppy stops.
Never correct a puppy after the fact. Correction must be given as the puppy is misbehaving. Train your puppy every day to establish routines, stretch his mental capacities, and make him a joy to be with. Be consistent in your handling so the puppy does not become confused.
Keep your puppy’s training short with few corrections. Puppies need success so that they can develop confidence. Do not call the puppy to you to give a correction.
Puppies need a leader so that they feel secure. If you are not in charge, your puppy usually is. Leadership is achieved through determination and consistence, never harshness.

Your puppy doesn’t seem to get the idea of going to the back door when he needs out. Many puppies don’t develop this behaviour until 5 months.
Your puppy is still urinating at night. Again some puppies do not develop full bladder control until 5 months. (However, it is a good idea to have a urine check earlier if the puppy has many accidents, to make sure the puppy does not have a bladder infection).
Your puppy has hiccups. This is quite normal and he will usually outgrow it.
Your puppy does not understand when you are giving verbal praise. You must begin by using verbal praise together with stroking, patting etc. It may be some time before the puppy understands and appreciates verbal praise on its own.
Your puppy makes movements and noises whilst sleeping.
Your puppy appears to know something one day but has forgotten it the next. Be patient and go back one stage in training. Remember that puppies must have success to become confident.