(no subject)
Myth Busters
by Sydney Bleicher & Peggy van Dam
As we learned from Part 1 of this column in the previous issue, dispelling misconceptions about dog behavior is an important first step in establishing realistic training goals for your pup. Before you begin training your puppy, test your knowledge and dispel any myths you may have picked up.
Allowing my eight-week-old puppy to mouth my hands is inappropriate and dangerous since it will teach him that it is okay to bite people.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B. Allowing a young puppy to mouth our hands gives us the opportunity to provide useful feedback: "Yes, that's nice," or "Ouch! That's too hard!" This is one of the ways puppies learn to have a "soft" mouth.
The number-one danger to my puppy is taking him out in public before he has had all of his shots.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B. The number-one danger to the health of your dog is a lack of positive socialization. Socialization is the process by which a puppy develops positive relationships with others and with his environment through exposure. A dog will respond confidently and easily to new circumstances later in life if he is exposed to unusual situations and unfamiliar surroundings and people as a puppy. So take a calculated risk and be prudent when you are out in public; be cautious and manage all of your puppy's encounters. Socialize your puppy responsibly and safely.
A major contributor to dog aggression is:
A. Being trained as a guard dog.
B. Being a highly reactive breed.
C. Being poorly socialized.
Answer: C. Puppies who have not had the benefit of a proactive, positive socialization schedule along with not having developed a soft mouth can be at particular risk of beoming aggressive with people and other dogs. A puppy learns to inhibit the force of his bite from our feedback and from playing with other friendly dogs.
My puppy peed on the carpet while I was out because he is trying to punish me.
A. True.
B. False
Answer: B. Your puppy peed on the carpet because he doesn't know any better. to him, it's as good a place as any if he needs to go. Puppies don't know the appropriate place to eliminate until you gently teach them. Housetraining your puppy can be a cinch if you stick to some simple rules.
All too often, people are unrealistic about the amount of time it takes for a puppy to become housetrained. When newly developing bathroom habits go south--and they will--the poor pup takes the blame. Reliable elimination habits take time to develop, so be patient and make sure your puppy is successful. Take him outside often (when he comes out of the crate, before he goes into the crate, after he eats, when he wakes up), and have him on-leash so he stays focused on what he needs to do. If he doesn't go within a few minutes, put him back in the crate and give him another opportunity within a short while. Praise him when he does go. Your goal is to allow no opportunity for him to have an accident in the house. How do you achieve that goal? You watch him like a hawk, and ensure that prior to romping around the house, he has emptied his bladder.
One final myth to be dispelled: Every time you come home, your dog runs and hides because he knows he has done something wrong. Guess what? All he knows is that every time you come home, you yell and are angry, so it isn't safe when you come home. Even if a faux pas happened two minutes prior to your arrival, he has no idea why you are so angry. But because your anger frightens him, he removes himself from your presence.
For more on puppy training visit: www.urbanpuppy.com
by Sydney Bleicher & Peggy van Dam
As we learned from Part 1 of this column in the previous issue, dispelling misconceptions about dog behavior is an important first step in establishing realistic training goals for your pup. Before you begin training your puppy, test your knowledge and dispel any myths you may have picked up.
Allowing my eight-week-old puppy to mouth my hands is inappropriate and dangerous since it will teach him that it is okay to bite people.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B. Allowing a young puppy to mouth our hands gives us the opportunity to provide useful feedback: "Yes, that's nice," or "Ouch! That's too hard!" This is one of the ways puppies learn to have a "soft" mouth.
The number-one danger to my puppy is taking him out in public before he has had all of his shots.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B. The number-one danger to the health of your dog is a lack of positive socialization. Socialization is the process by which a puppy develops positive relationships with others and with his environment through exposure. A dog will respond confidently and easily to new circumstances later in life if he is exposed to unusual situations and unfamiliar surroundings and people as a puppy. So take a calculated risk and be prudent when you are out in public; be cautious and manage all of your puppy's encounters. Socialize your puppy responsibly and safely.
A major contributor to dog aggression is:
A. Being trained as a guard dog.
B. Being a highly reactive breed.
C. Being poorly socialized.
Answer: C. Puppies who have not had the benefit of a proactive, positive socialization schedule along with not having developed a soft mouth can be at particular risk of beoming aggressive with people and other dogs. A puppy learns to inhibit the force of his bite from our feedback and from playing with other friendly dogs.
My puppy peed on the carpet while I was out because he is trying to punish me.
A. True.
B. False
Answer: B. Your puppy peed on the carpet because he doesn't know any better. to him, it's as good a place as any if he needs to go. Puppies don't know the appropriate place to eliminate until you gently teach them. Housetraining your puppy can be a cinch if you stick to some simple rules.
All too often, people are unrealistic about the amount of time it takes for a puppy to become housetrained. When newly developing bathroom habits go south--and they will--the poor pup takes the blame. Reliable elimination habits take time to develop, so be patient and make sure your puppy is successful. Take him outside often (when he comes out of the crate, before he goes into the crate, after he eats, when he wakes up), and have him on-leash so he stays focused on what he needs to do. If he doesn't go within a few minutes, put him back in the crate and give him another opportunity within a short while. Praise him when he does go. Your goal is to allow no opportunity for him to have an accident in the house. How do you achieve that goal? You watch him like a hawk, and ensure that prior to romping around the house, he has emptied his bladder.
One final myth to be dispelled: Every time you come home, your dog runs and hides because he knows he has done something wrong. Guess what? All he knows is that every time you come home, you yell and are angry, so it isn't safe when you come home. Even if a faux pas happened two minutes prior to your arrival, he has no idea why you are so angry. But because your anger frightens him, he removes himself from your presence.
For more on puppy training visit: www.urbanpuppy.com