Austin Dog Trainer Blog

What are the most important things to teach your new puppy?

Most puppy owners are eager to work on things like sit and stay.  I want the  focus to be on socializing that puppy (teaching the puppy about sights, smells, sounds, people, and other dogs), teaching the puppy not to jump up or nip at your heels, and teaching the puppy to pay attention to you when you say its name.  If I had a puppy, my puppy would:

1 - Never see the inside of a food bowl:  All food would come either from me for sitting, looking at me when I say its name, or coming when called.  Any food I wasn't using for training would go into interactive feeding toys for my puppy to figure out.

2 - Go with me to a new place every single day:  No matter how tired I was, my puppy would go to the vet's office to say hello, a Home Depot to see sights and sounds, a children's playground, or a shopping center every single day for the first few months of its life.  I want a puppy that is not afraid of new experiences.

3 - Get fed for sitting from as many people as I could possibly find.

4 - Be crate trained and trained to stay alone comfortably.

Sure, there are other things I would teach and we would do a lot of training, but these are the things I'd focus on for the first couple of months of that puppy's life! 

Cara, Austin Dog Trainer

Can't find a good puppy class?

We'll have a foster puppy, Sabrina, coming to us in about two weeks!  She currently weighs in at about 2.5 pounds and is 7 weeks old.  Isn't she a cutie?  Even though she'll attend our puppy classes three times a week, I thought it would be fun to take her to another Austin dog training school for puppy class.  I'd get to experience puppy classes from a client point-of-view and she'd get even more socialization (which we all know is the key to raising a great puppy!).  When I went searching for a good class, I was surprised at how hard it was to find one!

I know a good trainer down South so I can travel to her if I need to, but I wanted to find one up closer to Central Austin, where I'm located.  Here are the problems I ran into (and a little bit about why I think they're problems):

Private training was the only option offered.  I ran into this one a lot!  Apparently many of the dog trainers in Austin are only offering puppy training in your home.  Many even touted this as a selling point (fewer distractions for your puppy or easier for you since you don't have to load the puppy into the car).  To me, this makes no sense at all.  If you understand puppy development, you know that a puppy needs to be exposed to new sights, smells, sounds, people, and other animals in a safe environment at a young age.  Puppy classes should include opportunities to interact with others, explore new textures or obstacles, and listen to different sounds.  Of course, we also teach some basic manners in our puppy classes (like Sit, Come, and Leave-It), but a primary focus of puppy classes is to socialize your puppy!  Classes at home do none of this for me!

The class was for people only.  This setup has the same pitfalls as the private puppy training option.  No opportunity for socialization and experiencing the world that my puppy has to live in!

The website didn't tell me anything about who would be teaching the classes.  A couple of the dog training places that did offer group puppy classes didn't offer any information about the teacher that would be holding the class.  I want to be able to check out the teachers, see who they are, what their education consists of, what their experience level is, and what their training methodologies are.  I'm not signing my puppy up for any classes without knowing who is teaching the class!

Many didn't offer puppy training at all!  Puppies can learn so much in such a short period of time.  I want a dog training school that understands this and can help me capitalize on it!

Some classes included 6 month old adolescents with 10 week old puppies.  Well, here's one where you need to call and do your homework.  The crucial thing here is to find out if the 6 month old adolescents are going to be allowed to play with the younger puppies.   Remember, a 10 week old puppy shouldn't play with an adolescent - it's a recipe for rough play manners, poor social skills, and an overwhelmed puppy!  If they split the class into appropriate ages for play, I might consider attending.

Puppy classes were taught at a local park.  When you take your young puppy out to a puppy class, they won't be fully vaccinated yet.  Because of this, you're really trying to balance the risk of being exposed to a disease like Parvo with the risk that your puppy may develop serious behavior problems (leading to rehoming or euthanasia) if the puppy is not well-socialized at an appropriate age.  Although as a canine behavior consultant that deals with aggression and anxiety I err on the side of socialization at an early age, I always recommend being smart about that socialization.  For example, we sanitize our training center with Trifectant before each puppy class (Trifectant kills Parvo, Distemper, Hepatitis, and more).  I also recommend skipping the dog park or pet stores until your puppy is older.  For these reasons, I'm going to cross classes held in parks off of my list - I don't know if the dogs that were there earlier in the day were healthy and vaccinated and I'm not taking a chance on it!

Well, it looks like Sabrina and I will likely drive South to the trainer I know down there and she'll do puppy classes with me at our Austin Dog Training School.  I'm skipping the rest of them for now!

Cara, Buddy's Chance, LLC, Austin Dog Training, Behavior, and Dog Daycare

Can my puppy spend the day outside when I'm at work?

Well, as with a lot of questions in dog training, the answer is, "it depends."  It depends on what breed of puppy you have (a lab will do better than a Maltese would in the yard).  It depends on whether you want a dog that might bark all day or dig holes in the yard (if left to their own devices outside all day, your dog will learn bad habits like digging and barking).  It depends on whether you want your dog to be house trained (if your puppy is outside all day, she won't need to use her muscles to control her bladder and bowels - if those muscles aren't being used, your puppy won't learn to hold it and your house training efforts in the house will be sabotaged).

Ideally, use a pet sitter or dog daycare instead.  And, if you must leave your dog outside during the day, create the perfect setup to protect your pet and keep them safe - see our post on outdoor kennels for more info! 

Cara, Austin Dog Training, Behavior, and Doggie Day Care

Puppies and Play

How important is it for my puppy to play with other dogs?  Who should my puppy play with?  What should that play look like? 

These are all important questions to ask when socializing your new puppy.  Ideally, get your puppy into a GOOD puppy class before the age of 10-12 weeks so that you can have some playtime with other puppies in a well-supervised setting.  Look for an instructor that will actively supervise the puppy playtime and stop play that is overly rough or frightening for any of the puppies.  Ask questions about why the instructor is or isn't stopping play so that you can learn what is acceptable play and what is not. 

In general, you want your puppy to play with other puppies very close in age (even a few weeks older than your puppy may make a big difference at this age!) or with good adult dogs that are calm enough to not overwhelm the puppy.  For example, if your puppy is 9 weeks old, she should not play with a 16 week old puppy or an adolescent 2 year old Labrador!

As for what the play should look like, it should be fairly even.  Both puppies or dogs should spend some time on top of the other rather than one puppy always being pinned to the ground.  If one dog looks fearful (cowering, hiding, etc.), give it a protected area to stay during initial play sessions.  An exercise pen or baby gate works well for this.  If you're uncertain about the quality of play, pull the two puppies apart and hold them apart for a few seconds.  Then, let them go and see what happens - if they both run back eagerly, the play is probably okay.  If one seems less eager to return to the play, or even relieved at having the play stop, it was too rough!

Last, stay out of the dog parks at this age!!!!!!! Not only is your puppy at risk in a dog park because it is not fully vaccinated, you have no idea what play style and manners the dogs at the park will have.  Your dog may be exposed to bullies and dogs that will teach it very poor play rather than teaching nice manners.  Stick to puppy classes or play dates with pre-screened dogs in your own backyard until your puppy is at least 6 months old.

Cara, Buddy's Chance, Austin Dog Training, Dog Behavior, and Dog Daycare

My dog won't stop chewing up the carpet!

Yikes!  A new puppy, or even an adult dog, can wreak havoc on your home with their endless need to chew.  Those jaws do need exercise, but YOU should control what your dog chews up, not the other way around! 

When you have a new puppy in the house or an avid adult chewer, the following steps will help protect your house and home:

1 - Limit your dog's access when he isn't being supervised.  You can use crates, exercise pens, or baby gates to keep your dog confined to one room or a safe space.

2 - Feed your dog its meals out of interactive dog toys.  There are all kinds of toys designed to dispense treats or your dog's regular kibble.  Instead of feeding your dog from a bowl, put its regular kibble ration in a toy with some peanut butter or a little canned dog food and let your dog work to get the food out.  If your dog is busy working for its breakfast, it won't have time to chew on your carpet!  Just be careful if you have more than one dog - they'll often fight over food-stuffed toys.  Separate them or crate them whenever they have a food stuffed toy.

3 - Provide enticing chew toys to redirect chewing energy and allow your dog to exercise its jaw in safe ways.  Provide several good chew toys and edible chew bones for your dog to work on throughout the day!  Always supervise your dog whenever you give them a new bone or chew toy to be sure they aren't eating large pieces.  Safety first!

Lastly, if your dog's chewing always occurs at doorways and windows and you believe it may be caused by separation anxiety rather than boredom or a need to chew, consult a qualified dog trainer or behavior consultant to rule out separation anxiety.

Cara, Austin Dog Trainer

Did you bring a puppy home for the holidays?

Don't waste time - get in touch with a local trainer today to find out when to start your pups' training!  Many clients wait until they've missed important deadlines and milestones for their puppy's development.  Find a trainer in your area through a veterinarian referral, the APDT, or the IAABC and contact them right away to get started on the right track. 

For new puppy owners in Austin, we'll be hosting a FREE seminar on puppies to get you all the info you'll need.  The seminar will be at our Central Austin Dog Training and Behavior Center on Lamar Blvd. on January 7th.  It is free to the public but we will be collecting donations to benefit Texas Hearing and Service Dogs.  You can find out more info on our website. 

Congratulations to all the new puppy owners out there!  Cara, Austin Dog Trainer

Socializing your puppy with other dogs

A woman in my puppy class today asked whether she was socializing her puppy with enough other dogs and it sparked a wonderful conversation about quality of interactions with other dogs versus quantity.  While it is certainly important to have your puppy socialize with a number of dogs of different sizes and personality types before the age of 18-20 weeks, the quality of those interactions is CRUCIAL. 

First, you want to be sure you do not allow your puppy to play with any adolescent dogs.  Look for other puppies as playmates (up to 16 weeks of age) and match the puppies as closely in age as you can.  Don't put your 10 week old puppy with a 16 week old puppy.  Also match temperament.  If you have a quiet, timid toy breed don't match her with an older, exuberant lab mix.   

Good, gentle adult dogs can be excellent too - look for one that is mature and will not spend a lot of time pouncing on your puppy or overwhelm him with play that is too rough.  Be very picky about who your pup plays with - don't head off to the dog park and hope your puppy doesn't run into a bully or an over-excited adolescent dog that may give him the wrong idea about appropriate play. 

If you want to take your puppy to a doggy daycare, ask some very specific questions about the age, temperament and play style of the dogs and puppies he'll be put in with for play sessions.  As if there will be nap times (cranky dogs can get snippy with one another).  Ask about sanitation procedures (it takes me a solid hour and a half to sanitize our training center for puppy class!). 

Also, be sure to speak with your veterinarian about appropriate safety measures and vaccination schedules.  Since your puppy won't be fully vaccinated, you probably want to be selective about where you go.  Your vet may tell you it's okay to go to a friend's house because you know her dogs are vaccinated, or to your dog training class because the training center is sanitized, but it's not okay to go to the local park with your young puppy. 

Overall, look for several good, positive experiences with other puppies and mature dogs of different sizes for your puppy's first playmates.  The dog park can come later!

Cara, Austin Dog Trainer

How to tell if your puppy's growling is playful

Owners often have a hard time deciphering whether their puppy's growling is playful or not.  This can happen whether your puppy is playing with you or with other dogs.  Here are a few keys to solving the mystery of your growling puppy:

1 - Look at body language.  Is your growling puppy also play bowing, bouncing around, or wiggling its butt?  Is your growling puppy's body relaxed and wriggly or is its posture forward (shoulders, ears, etc. forward and up)?  Is there any stiffness to your puppy's body? 

2 - If your puppy is growling with other dogs, what are the other dogs' reactions?  You can often figure out what is play and what is serious by looking at the receiving dog's response. 

3 - Is your puppy's mouth closed or does he have his teeth bared?  Both can mean the growling may not be in play.  Look for a relaxed, open mouth. 

4 - Is your dog trying to escape or back away from you or another dog when growling?  If so, this is likely not playful!

5 - Is your dog staring at you in a direct, threatening way?  Again, this probably means the growling isn't playful.

If you think your puppy is growling in a threatening or challenging way as opposed to playful, or if you're just not sure, call a trainer near you to help figure it out (and be sure to book your spot in puppy class too!).

Cara, Austin Dog Trainer

Resource Guarding - A puppy who growls when people try to take a rawhide away

Here is a question I received in a recent comment to the blog so I thought I'd post the answer here:

"Hi Cara,

My wife and I have a 7 week old boxer/bullmastiff mix (we picked him up earlier this week). He was one of the smaller in the litter and was not one of the stronger feeders according to the breeder.

He has been a joy so far but today when my wife took him into the vet they gave him a rawhide bone. When they took away he began to growl aggressively, protecting the bone.

The vet said that to correct this behavior we need to put him in a submissive position and let him know who is the boss.

However, after doing some reading I'm getting mixed messages. Some articles suggest that taking the bone away and putting the puppy in a subordinate position will only make him more aggressive in the future as he will be in constant fear that his food/bone will be taken away.

What approach should we take? Any insights?

Thanks a million... Peter"

Hello, Peter: 

Your puppy is Resource Guarding, which, although it should not go untreated, is not uncommon in dogs.  One study showed that 20% of dogs either growled or snapped while in possession of toys, food, or valued objects. (Lindsay, Handbook vol 3, 2005, at page 416).  Dogs may also guard an owner (after all, you are a HUGE resource for them) or a place, like a bed or couch. 

Contrary to popular - and unfortunately dangerously misguided - belief, there is very little correlation to dominance or status.  (Mech 1999; Lindsay,2005).  Treating this problem with confrontation or competition between the owner and the dog is, I believe, dangerous for the owner and ineffective since it merely confirms that you are a challenger for resources and you should be defended against.

Since your puppy is exhibiting this behavior at a very young age, I  recommend contacting a trainer or certified dog behavior consultant (you can find one at www.IAABC.org).  In the meantime, you should prevent further incidents by not giving your dog rawhides or bones until the behavior consultant has taught you how to work with your puppy on this issue (we don't want your dog practicing this behavior - practice makes perfect!).

I would also educate yourself as much as possible on this so that you can be an active participant in your dog's treatment.  The best resource I can recommend for doing this is a book called Mine! by Jean Donaldson.  This will give you excellent understanding of the nature of this problem and of the most up-to-date treatment methods we have. 

Please let me know if you have other questions!

Cara, Austin Dog Trainer

Growling Puppy

I recently received this question from one of my blog readers and thought I'd share the answer as a blog entry.

Reader: "My pup growls in what I believe to be irritation when I pick her up (to ensure she learns to settle down) during play sessions.  As soon as I turn her to face me she is happy as a clam, licking my face, but I'm concerned about her growling, and how I might change this habit of hers."

Austin Dog Trainer: It sounds like you're trying to do the right thing with your puppy by interrupting her during play sessions.  I generally recommend interrupting play every two minutes or so to make sure puppies don't become over-aroused.

Without knowing how old she is and seeing the behavior, it's really tough (and probably unsafe) for me to give specific training advice on line or tell you how serious this is.  If left unaddressed, it could certainly lead to problems, though. 

Here is what I can recommend:

1) Buy, beg, borrow, or steal the book The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson.  This is one of the best resources for raising a puppy and the earlier you get it and read it, the better.  It should be required reading for any new puppy owner. 

2) Begin to call your puppy over to you to interrupt play rather than picking her up.  From your description, it sounds as if you're coming from either above or behind her to pick her up - this is likely threatening and frightening to her, hence the growl (if you want to learn more about our body language and your dog's body language, pick up The Other End of the Leash, by Dr. Patricia McConnell - this one should be required reading too!).  My guess is that she would be responding more out of fear than irritation, but you'll need a professional trainer on site with you to really assess things. 

For safety sake in the meantime, stop picking her up like that.  Instead, try to move to where she is facing you or can see you, kneel down and clap your hands for her in a happy way - make her want to come check in with you.  This will help keep you safe and stop her from practicing the behavior (practice makes perfect!) while you follow step 3, below.

3) Get her into a trainer!  Again, I can't know how serious her growling may be unless I know more and see her.  Dogs use growling as a way to communicate that something is not ok but you certainly don't want this to escalate into something more serious.  You need to find a trainer who uses positive methods, is experienced working with puppies, and can assess the seriousness of this and teach you how to do handling exercises (teaching her that handling by humans is normal, and even good) and leadership exercises (benevolently, NOT alpha rolls or forceful methods) to help get you past this.  A good place to start your search for a trainer is through the IAABC website or the APDT website.

Cara, Austin Dog Trainer

Tags: dog training puppy socialization puppy training puppy growling canine aggression dog aggression aggressive dog