No matter how many times you have raised a puppy it is very easy to forget how hard it is to do properly. Your new found friend needs a lot of guidance in the first few weeks of his life and if he doesn't get the correct guidance this can end up with the poor little fella being rehomed through no fault of his own. It isn't unheard of even for some dog trainers to get themselves in such a state that they forget what they do for a living and the information they give out to customers on a weekly basis and end up needing help. Don't forget that your puppy isn't evil, he is showing completely natural behaviours and it is your job to show him what is and isn't appropriate for life with humans. One of the biggest issues is bite inhibition. Puppies are born with razor like teeth that at times can make them resemble little dinosaurs.They have not been born with these to help them mug old ladies in the street but rather it gives them the opportunity to learn how powerful there mouths are. This is where mum and dad come in, it is your job to teach your puppy that biting hurts! Puppies lose their sharp teeth around 18 weeks of age so the sooner you get started the better! This is not aggression they are just investigating the world. The key to successful training (all training) is consistency. So make the rules and make sure everyone is sticking to them. If dad is playing rough and tumble and encouraging him to bite then your pup is going to get confused. Every time your dog investigates your skin or even your clothing we let them know they have done the wrong thing by yelping and ignoring the dog for at least 20 seconds. This replicates the learning that will already have taken place when your puppy was still with the rest of the litter. It is possible to use non reward markers followed by negative punishment but if we keep things simple this usually works for the majority of dogs. If you do not know what markers are or you are having trouble with this issue at home seek the help of a professional. Do not use aversive s (rattle bottles, lemon sprays etc) as this will have an effect on your pups relationship with you. It can also end up being the cause of more severe problems in the future. Do not expect the biting to stop immediately, it won't, it should however become less hard and less frequent over a period of weeks. If you have any other tips please feel free to add them below. |
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CategoriesClub UpdatesDog Blog Donna |
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