Puppy Rules
I’m going through some old files and cleaning out my computer when I came across some goodies that I thought I should share. Based off the title, this is my old worksheet I use to send home to puppy parents…hope ya’ll enjoy!
Congratulations on getting your puppy home! While this is an exciting time for you, your family, and your puppy, there are a few ground rules we must apply to ensure a smooth transition as they grow into your family pet. I’ve highlighted the guidelines below. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to us:
When it comes to puppies, we must manage their environment as to mitigate any future behavior problems. Your pup during their stay with us learned how to relax, how to properly play with humans and dogs, worked on being calm and quiet in the crate, and was introduced to obedience commands (highlighted on your cheat sheet).
Leash: When your pup first comes home, for the first two weeks we highly suggest letting your puppy drag a leash around when free to roam in your home. This will allow you to do multiple things: a) guide them in the right direction or b) stop unwanted behaviors. When letting them drag around a leash, make sure you’re using a cheap leash from the dollar store as some may be sneaky and chew on their leash.
If you’re not able to watch your pup while they adventure in your home, please put them in a kennel or area that is blocked up. This will prevent destruction happening while you’re distracted.
Kenneling: If you crate your puppy (we highly suggest it), make sure their crate is not too big and not too small. The crate should be large enough where your dog can stand without hitting their head on the top and have enough space to make a tight turn. If the crate is too large, sometimes your dog will have enough space to use the bathroom where they sleep. If your crate is too small, you can hinder proper bone growth.
The crate needs to be a happy place, so this is where they will get high value treats and/or their food. To help with housebreaking dump some of their food on the crate bottom, most dogs do not use the bathroom where they eat. Never use the crate as punishment!
Adding a bed or blanket to the crate. Some dogs will need bedding in their crate. Once fully housebroken, you may introduce a towel to their crate to lay on. A towel is rather cheap so if it’s destroyed there’s no lost and it doesn’t have any stuffing like dog beds or blankets that can be digested. If your pup decides to eat the towel then you must remove it for a couple days and reintroduce it again in a shorter time frame. If they ignore the towel, graduate accordingly to the proper bedding that you would like your pup to have.
Adding toys to the crate. Feel free to give your pup high value toys or puzzles while they’re in crate once they’re housebroken. This will deter boredom and will give them something positive to work on.
If you work from home, at some point or at multiple points crate your dog when home. Time is dependent on you. We must teach our pups that they don’t have to be with us at all times and creating a space where they’re safe and relaxed.
If your dog cries in the crate, DO NOT let them out. Reward anytime they’re quiet and only let them out with proper thresholds techniques when they’re calm.
Housebreaking schedule:
The typical rule of thumb for how long a puppy can hold their bladder is one hour +1 for every month of age your pup is. Meaning if you have a 2-month-old puppy, then they should be able to hold their bladder for 3 hours.
During your pup’s stay with us we worked on holding our bowel movements consistently for 5 hours. HOWEVER, if your pup just ate or just got done roughhousing please take them out to potty before giving them free time in the home.
When taking your pup out to use the bathroom, please have on a leash and lead them to the exact spot where you would like them to go. Stand as a post and let the dog sniff while you say the word “potty” periodically. If your dog goes to the bathroom say “good potty” and have a party with your pup once they’re finished. If your dog does not go to the bathroom, bring them in and put them in a kennel or area that is blocked off and retry within 15-30 minutes. They earn free time by going.
During your dog’s stay we worked on touching the bells to go outside. This will be done by use guiding them with our hand and encouraging them to touch the bells. Once they touch then you must open the door for the dog to exit. This is just a form of communication that your dog will associate the bells equals outside.