CANINE

Tips to prevent behavior problems in your new puppy

Be the Leader

Dogs, like many social species, organize their social interactions, in part, through relationships that include all those they live with, both dogs and humans.  But the communication between people and dogs is often confusing to both parties.  Humans often do not understand the subtleness of a dog’s body language, and the dog may misinterpret a human’s body posture as threatening, such as when a person leans directly over a dog.

Since the dog's perception of a family member's interactions may influence both the response to commands and his potential for aggression, a dog may only follow the command of a family member who interacts with the dog in a fair, kind, and consistent manner . If there is any question about the humaneness or consistency of the interactions, the dog may display aggression, since that is all that humans may respond to. This could be by snarling or growling when you make the dog do something it doesn't want to do (such as get off the sofa) or by disregarding your commands. If this miscommunication continues, the conflict may escalate to the dog trying to bite.

Your leadership role should be reinforced regularly by you setting the schedule for food and attention rather than just giving these when the dog asks for them.  Another manner in which to be a leader is to not use punishment when interacting with your dog, especially since it is often done inconsistently.  Such punishment-based techniques include “alpha rollovers” and pinning the dog down.  By interacting consistently and humanely with your dog, it sets up a dependable manner in which humans can interact with their dogs. This concept of ‘Nothing in Life is Free’ is an important leadership exercise. 

All resources, including, food, treats, exercise, play, and attention can be given as long as the dog performs a command first.  Dogs can then receive rewards and praise for doing so. Again, leadership should not be attempted by force or physical means.  Establishing leadership is usually relatively easy if you are starting with a puppy. If your dog does begin to show aggression towards you at any point, you should seek the advice of a veterinarian or other behavior specialist. You speak different languages and may not understand each other, so don't assume your dog won't seriously hurt you.
 
Crate Training
Dogs are den animals, and most love the security of their own space.  Once a dog has been properly crate trained, they will often go to their crates on their own to relax or sleep, and traveling and boarding them will be less stressful in the future.  It is often a good option for pets on a even on a daily basis when they are left alone The crate should be large enough for the dog to turn around in, and stand up comfortably in, but it should not be large enough for them to play in.  The reason is that once the puppy learns that this is his or her area to sleep or rest in, they typically will not urinate or defecate in that area.  If the crate is too large, however, they will have an area for resting, and may additionally identify another area within the crate for soiling.  In order to minimize buying several crates as the puppy grows, there are often divider panels that you can purchase to place in a larger crate for this purpose.  You can check with an associate at a pet store or wherever you are purchasing your crate for this option.

When you first bring the crate home, it is important to place it in an area that is appropriate.  An ideal location initially would be in an area where the family spends most of their time, such as a family room.  It should not be in a highly trafficked area, but not isolated in the back of a room, either. 

Once the location has been selected, the next step is to make it a positive object to the puppy.  Initially, you should reward your pet with treats and praise for even approaching the crate and sniffing it.  Curious puppies do not usually have a problem with this, but if your puppy is reluctant, do not force him or her to go near the crate, as this will likely cause them to be anxious or afraid.  Leave the door open at all times for this introductory period.  You can place a soft bed, toys, and treats to lure your puppy inside the crate, and always reward any decision made by him or her to go inside.  Once he or she enters the crate and stays inside the crate (either by your commands or his or her choice), you can continue to give treats and praise at frequent intervals for the duration of time he or she stays.  This can best be accomplished by placing a long-lasting treat, such as a stuffed Kong, inside. Depending on the personality of your puppy, this may happen right away, or it might several days.  It is best to work in short intervals of 10-15 minutes at a time, several times a day until your puppy feels comfortable with the crate.

When your puppy is happy to enter his or her crate on their own, and remain in the crate a period of time, you can begin closing the door while you are present.  Initially, you should only close the door (slowly) for a second, without latching it, open it right back up, and give treats and praise as long as your pet does not whine, bark, or paw at the door.  If this occurs, you can try only shutting the door part way and opening it back up. Continue to lengthen the time to door is closed and latched very gradually (one second, five seconds, ten seconds, 30 seconds, one minute, etc), and keep in mind that it is important to always begin at a level that does not elicit a negative response from your puppy, since you do not want to create a negative association, or reward bad behavior.  If your puppy becomes anxious or begins barking or pawing at the door, do not reprimand him or her, but instead avoid attention (eye contact, talking to him or her, etc), and wait for the behavior to stop.  When it stops, even for a second, you should open the door to reward the good behavior, but do not shower the pet in praise.  Stop the session, and allow the puppy to play independently.  At this stage, you should not leave the crate when the door is shut.

Once you are able to reliably keep the door shut and latched without any whining, pawing, or barking, you can begin gradually leaving the crate.  Initially, take only one step back, then return with a treat and reward good behavior immediately.  Continue to spend several short sessions increasing the distance away until your puppy is able to spend 30 minutes or longer in the crate by her or himself.  It is important to leave treats and toys in the crate to continue to reinforce the positive behavior.

Be sure to leave the door open during the times your puppy is not crated so that he or she may go in there whenever he or she pleases.  Also, do not ever give your dog a “time out” or punish them by placing them in their crate, since it may create negative associations with their “safe place”.  Instead, use a bathroom or some other room for this purpose.

Housetraining
One of the first tasks a new puppy owner will take on is housetraining.  Each individual dog is different, and the length of the training varies greatly, but like any other type of training, the key to success is consistency, keeping the experience positive, and being patient.  It is important to begin taking puppies outside to relieve themselves very frequently.  The more they urinate and defecate inside, the more this behavior is reinforced, and the more difficult it will be to train them to go outside.  Likewise, the more they eliminate outside and receive treats and praise, the more likely they are to continue this behavior.  Soft, absorbent pads used inside the home are not ideal, since they reinforce urinating inside the home instead of outside and delay the housetraining process.  Another important thing to note is that puppies are more likely to need to urinate and defecate after play, sleep and eating and drinking, so taking them out as soon as they wake up, both in the morning and after naps, and about 15-20 minutes after a meal is best.  Feeding in two to four meals (instead of leaving food down at all times), depending on their age, helps to control the predictability of bathroom breaks and trips outside.

Begin by taking your puppy outside every 30 minutes to the area you would like him or her go in the future.  You can use a command such as “potty”, and when he or she urinates or defecates, give them verbal praise immediately and give them a treat as soon as they are finished.  If he or she does not urinate or defecate, take them back inside but do not give him or her a treat.  You can gradually increase the length of time between each bathroom break if you are successful at the 30 minute intervals, but every 1-2 hours at least while your puppy is less than 4 months of age, will help prevent accidents in the house.

It is important to keep an eye on your pet at all times while they are inside the home. If your puppy urinates or defecates inside and you are not there to stop it while it is happening, you have lost the opportunity to correct the behavior.  Typically, puppies will begin sniffing around before they urinate or defecate.  If you notice this, take them directly outside to their potty spot.  If you miss these subtle cues, but catch your pet in the middle of the act, you can clap your hands loudly, say a firm “No”, or throw a soft object near him or her (not directly at the pet) for distraction, but do not continue to discipline him in any other way.  Instead, pick your puppy up (do not drag), take him or her directly outside, and reward him or her with treats and praise if he or she finishes outside in their designated potty area.  If you find a mess inside the house that you did not directly witness, do not call your dog over and rub your pet’s face in it, yell, or physically punish your pet, since he or she is not able to make the association that you are disciplining them for a past behavior.  Instead, he or she will be reluctant to come to you in the future, and might even be more fearful to eliminate in your presence, even outside.

Once your puppy is crate trained, house training becomes much easier.  If the crate is an appropriate size, you can leave him or her in the crate when you leave for short periods of time, and he or she will be less likely to urinate or defecate while you are gone.  Puppies up to six months should still be let outside every four hours if possible, and generally, eight hours is the upper limit of most dogs’ limit.  Regressions will occur, but depending on the age you acquire your puppy, and when you begin house training, your puppy should be fairly reliable by six months of age.  Consult your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns, as a variety of medical conditions can also be present and slowing the house training process as well.

Obedience Training
Obedience training is a major step toward avoiding behavior problems with dogs, especially if started when the dog is a puppy. It provides dogs with ways to earn rewards. Many caretakers complain that their dog is too hyper and uncontrollable, yet these dogs often are eager to please. Obedience training provides a way to channel energy into something productive that the dog and caretaker can both enjoy. Caretakers must be prepared to spend the time and effort to frequently repeat lessons and reinforce training or both parties may be frustrated. The dog will get extra attention, a chance to earn praise, and will learn what is expected rather than trying to guess. Furthermore, this one-on-one interaction with your pet will help strengthen your bond.  Many obedience programs are available through shelters, dog clubs, veterinary clinics, or pet stores. Or, they can offer a referral to trainers who they have worked with personally or who have been given good reviews. Also ask friends or neighbors if they have had any experience with local trainers.

Before picking a trainer, you need to sit in on a class before deciding. Trainers will have different approaches and you may decide one method is more appealing to you and your dog's personality. Training should focus on positive reinforcement. A group setting can also provide a chance to socialize your dog to new people and dogs in an unfamiliar setting.

How to Choose a Trainer

Provide Socialization

Puppies need to be exposed to as many things during its first few weeks of life so that they learn how to appropriately interact and communicate with other dogs and people, as well as to decrease the fear of dogs, people, and inanimate objects. This does not mean an older dog cannot be socialized, but the process may take more time and may move more slowly. Socialization is vital to help prevent interdog aggression, so that they may learn the appropriate responses to other dogs in a variety of situations.  Socialization should be started as early as is safe and maintained throughout the dog's life. The primary socialization period for other dogs and people are slightly different, but there is a lot of overlap between the two.  The age range of this period is between 3 and 12-14 weeks.  This means that as soon as your puppy gets its first set of vaccines, it is important and safe to begin interacting with other healthy dogs and puppies, and people with varied appearances (e.g., male, female, big, little, varied complexions, bearded, children).

Get your puppy used to other new situations. Situations that the dog will need to be able to handle later in life include: riding in the car, getting bathed or going to the groomers, hearing the vacuum cleaner running, and being touched all over the body (including the paws, in the ears, in the mouth - see basic care section page), or anything you expect the dog to be exposed to later in life.

A large concern for new puppy owners is not providing adequate socialization in order to prevent them from contracting infectious diseases from other dogs.  While illness is a valid concern, as long as owners are thoughtful about which places they take their pets, it is often not as large of an issue as some might imagine it to be.  The main thing to keep in mind is to avoid areas where many unfamiliar dogs visit, as this leaves them susceptible to acquiring diseases. Respiratory diseases such as Bordatella (or ‘kennel cough’) can be transmitted with face-to-face contact.  Contact with other dogs or their fecal material leaves your dog susceptible to intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.  Fleas can be transmitted from close contact with other cats and dogs, so flea preventative is also a topic to discuss with your veterinarian during the initial puppy visits to see if it is right for your pet. Perhaps the most severe are gastrointestinal diseases such as parvovirus.  These can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, and dehydration, so any of these signs should be addressed with your veterinarian immediately.  Of course, this is only a brief overview.  Please speak with your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about your puppy’s health.

As you can see, there are many reasons to be cautious, but it is important to keep in mind that as long as your puppy has his or her first wellness visit and first set of vaccines administered by a veterinarian, they will likely do fine in a controlled environment where you know the other dogs coming in contact with your pet are also healthy and vaccinated.  As we mentioned earlier, socialization is very important, and another aspect of a happy, well-adjusted puppy.  Kindergarten puppy classes are highly recommended for socialization and basic obedience, as long as the class requires at least one set of vaccinations from all participants.  Another way to safely allow your puppy to interact with other dogs is to have friends' or neighbors' dogs come over to visit your puppy, so long as you know the other dogs are healthy and fully vaccinated Places to avoid are dog parks, pet stores, or any location where there will be puppies or adults of unknown health and vaccination status.

An adult dog can get used to these new situations as well, but once the dog has learned to be fearful or have bad experiences, it is more difficult to reduce fearfulness. Anytime an adult shows a fear response to someone or something, desensitization should be taken slowly. Being afraid of something can make the dog feel uncomfortable, so if an object or situation is forced on the pet all at once, the uncomfortable feeling will be intense and associated with that object. The next time the dog has a fearful encounter, he or she will associate the bad feeling with the encounter, and have even more reason to be fearful. This can even provoke the dog to become aggressive. Gradually introduce the object, possibly starting with it far away or for a very brief exposure and slowly increase the exposure. At the same time, couple it with a simultaneous good experience, such as a treat and good praise. This way the dog does not have feelings consistent with being fearful. This would also be applicable to puppies that are extremely afraid when exposed to a situation. If at any point the dog expresses fear in the habituation process, it has been pushed too far and you must back down to a lower stimulus. Dogs showing persistent fear should be seen by an animal behaviorist.
 

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