Puppy Training |
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By no means is this going to cover everything you need to know, but this is just a short overview to help get you started with your new Labrador Retriever. There are many excellent books for both companion dogs and for dogs that will be in the field. I love Cesar Millan's training DVDs and books. The best source I have found has been ebay for buying them reasonably. How to Raise the Perfect Dog by Cesar Millan is the one book I really think you need. I also recommend Family Dog by Richard A Wolters and Hey Pup, Fetch It Up, The Complete Retriever Training Book by Bill Tarrant. I would like to congratulate you on your new hunting partner and/ or family member. You have chosen one of our pups to fill this position in your life. I have put together this packet for the experienced as well as the new dog owner. Your Labrador retriever has been bred for superior intelligence and a loyal, cooperative disposition. The combination of good genetics, loving care, and proper correction and training results in a dog that is capable of going far beyond the "family pet". It produces the ideal intelligent companion that becomes a significant part of your life for many years to come.
When you pick up your puppy, he/she will have had its first puppy shot. But, this does not mean that there is a full level of immunity at this stage so minimize his exposure to strange dogs and places they've been. She/he will still need three more puppy shots, normally at 3-week intervals, and later rabies which is required by state (Check your state for the age, it was 16 weeks here in AZ). Follow your veterinarian's schedule for routine exams and vaccinations. Take your puppy to your vet within 72 hours for a thorough examination to ensure you and your vet are satisfied with your puppy's condition. I highly recommend you carry the puppy in and out of the vet's office until he is 16 weeks of age; many diseases walk through every vet's office! Also, be careful of all pet stores (Petco, Petsmart) and the diseases that are present on their floors.
FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS: I will send some food home with you so you can change over to the food that you will be feeding your puppy. When you switch to your choice of puppy food, make sure to do so gradually by mixing some of both foods for 2-3 days. If your puppy is 6 weeks old when you pick him up, free feed him or offer food 5-6 times per day. An 8-week old puppy normally eats between 2-3 cups of food per day, which should be divided into 2-3 daily meals. As he gets into the rapid growth stage of 4-6 months, you may need to increase the amount of food, and changes in temperatures and exercise can alter caloric needs. But remember a lean dog is healthier than an overweight dog, and puts less stress on his joints. But, on the other hand, if you don't give your puppy enough nutrition during this growth spurt, you may forever stunt his development of bone and substance. You should NEVER be able to see the ribs!
Overeating is also a common cause of diarrhea, particularly with puppies, although the stress of going to a new home, and a change in water, frequently causes some diarrhea for a new puppy. If it continues more than a day or two, you should consult your veterinarian. A puppy with diarrhea can dehydrate very quickly, potentially becoming a life-threatening condition. If you or your vet feel that your puppy is growing at a faster rate than normal or is too heavy, switch immediately to the "adult" formula if you have been feeding a puppy formula and adjust the amount. Research shows that excessively rapid growth and excess weight are very hard on bones and joints. It is wise to get your puppy used to eating at designated meal area rather than leaving food all over the house. Give it the same quiet spot, then pick up the bowl. Its crate is an excellent place to feed the puppy. Avoid times when it is too sleepy or too distracted to eat.
Use food time as an opportunity to teach patience and obedience. Prepare his food and have your puppy sit and wait for his food. Hold your puppy by his collar by slipping your thumb in his collar and set his food about two feet away. As soon as he stops wiggling, say the words “O.K.” and release your puppy. Do this at every meal throughout training.
Lastly, ALWAYS have fresh water available for your dog. Give your dog something to do before you share food, water, toys, or affection. This way the dog earns its treat. For example, have him or her perform the Sit or Down command.
PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT Your puppy is reliant upon you to provide a safe environment for him. Of primary concern is adequate shelter that offers protection from excessive heat as well as protection from the cold. Heatstroke can be a life or death situation, particularly for the very young or elderly dog. Make sure his shelter is well-ventilated or air-conditioned in summer months, and that shade and plenty of fresh water is always available. A small hard plastic child's pool from Wal Mart works great. Another alternative to a doghouse is a wonderful, inexpensive option is installing a "doggy door" from the fenced yard to a utility room, kitchen or any other room that can be closed off from the rest of the house and "puppy-proofed". As much as dogs may love to run, it is an unfair risk to your dog as well as to the family that loves him to ever allow him to run free without supervision. Even the best trained dog who never leaves his property is tempted on occasion by a squirrel, cat, or another dog. Too many "trusted" companions are shoveled up off the roads and highways every year. Also, many dogs are stolen and then sold to researchers. Consider having your dog micro-chipped as a permanent means of identification. Animal shelters and most vets have scanners and can trace a micro-chipped dog back to his owner; also, responsible research facilities supposedly scan and will not use micro-chipped dogs.
EARLY DISCIPLINE and TRAINING When your puppy comes home, it is important to be prepared for many training opportunities..... The most important thing you can do is become your puppy’s pack leader. This role doesn’t begin when your dog is six months old or when he’s bad. For your puppy to grow into a healthy, balanced dog, you must demonstrate leadership from day one! Puppies are naturally hard-wired to follow a pack leader. A pack leader is, by definition, strong, stable, and consistent; traits many new puppy owners forget. Many of my clients are strong leaders in their jobs, but when they come home, they turn to mush with their dogs. Puppy training basics during the first week the puppy is home is critical. It is obvious that you need certain physical items such as a dog bed or crate, food and water bowls, collar, leash, toys, etc. Equally as important, all family members must decide and agree on routine, responsibility and rules. The first few days are extremely important. Enthusiasm and emotions are up. Everyone wants to feed the puppy, play with the puppy and hold the puppy. Pre-established rules are easily broken. Everyone agreed that puppy will sleep in its own bed or crate, but as soon as its home, someone melts and insists that puppy will sleep in bed. Everyone previously agreed not to let puppy jump on them, but in the excitement, no on even notices that puppy is jumping up. No one sleeps the first night. Puppy wins and gets to sleep in bed. The next morning we find puppy has eliminated all over the bed. So the following night puppy is banned to her crate and screams all night. No one sleeps tonight either. Grouchiness sets in; enthusiasm is down. No one wants to get up at the pre-agreed upon early morning feeding time. How are we doing to housetrain puppy? How are we going to sleep with it constant whining? Your new puppy has just been taken away from its mom and littermates. It is vulnerable and impressionable. What it needs now is security and routine. Set up an area to be its very own special haven for the next couple of months. Place bed/crate, toys and chew items there. Play with her quietly and gently. Do not flood her with attention and activity. If it looks like it wants to sleep, leave it alone. Puppies need lots of sleep. Bad, unruly dogs are almost always the result of lack of training, or inconsistency, neglect, or abuse on the owner’s part. In as little as 5 to 10 minutes per day you can have a well-behaved, happy dog that the whole family, friends, and relatives will enjoy. Do not allow your puppy to do anything now which you would not like him to do when he is full grown. Some think it is so cute when a little guy jumps up on your legs and rough-houses and chews you hands. But it is rarely appreciated when a 75-pound adult continues the same habits! Avoiding bad habits is much easier than breaking them, whether it be begging for food at the table, barking, jumping on people, or sleeping on the couch. A sharp, loud "no" is sufficient reprimand for a puppy. Women with soft, sweet voices need to work at getting enough sternness in their voices so that the pup can distinguish between the happy voice and the unhappy voice. They learn fast and are eager to please you, and tone of voice often means more than the command words themselves. An effective form of more serious reprimand is the "scruff scold". When scolding the pup, hold him by the scruff of the neck (on both sides) and make him look into your eyes and pay attention. This maneuver is similar to the mother dog's discipline in the wild and helps establish you as the "leader of the pack". As soon as the offending behavior has stopped, praise him. Always remember to use a happy voice and praise warmly when your puppy does well. Chewing: Chewing things in the house is rarely a problem if you make an effort to avoid the problem. Remember, the puppy will be teething and needs to chew. So have plenty of acceptable things for him to chew, such as: chew/play ropes, kong toys, treated natural bones, nylabones or gumabones. Avoid anything he could swallowed, such as bells inside rubber toys, etc. For a while, you may want to remove temptation by picking up expensive shoes from the floors. But if you watch the puppy and direct consistently, he will quickly learn that certain things are not for him.
Biting: Biting is most common in young puppies. Especially in play and while teething. It's up to you to teach your puppy what is acceptable and what is not. Most puppies are generally loving, sweet, adorable, affectionate and wonderful 99% of the time. Only 1% of the time does something specific happen that makes the pup bite. I will discuss some of the causes of biting and what you can do to prevent your pup from biting. Puppies must learn to inhibit biting first of all before they are 4 months of age. Normally they would learn this from their mother, their littermates and other members of the pack. But, because we take them away from this environment before this learning is completed we must take over the training.
Socialization
prevents Biting. By allowing your puppy to socialize with other puppies and
socialized dogs, they can pick up where they left off. Puppies need to roll,
tumble and play with each other. When they play, they bite each other
everywhere and anywhere. This is where they learn to inhibit their biting.
This is where they learn to control themselves. If they are too rough or
rambunctious, they will find out because of how the other dogs and puppies
react and interact with them. This is something that happens naturally and
is something we cannot accomplish. It can only be learned from trial and
error. There is nothing you can say or do to educate them in this realm.
They must learn from their own experience. Whining, Howling, Barking and Other Dog and Puppy Vocalizations: Whining, crying, barking, and howling often result when a dog is left alone. Puppies will whine and cry when separated from their owners. The puppy is afraid he is being abandoned by his pack and is sounding the alarm so that he can be rescued. The reason excessive whining continues is because the dog has learned that whining, crying or barking gets whatever he wants - attention, food, affection. Often what starts out as a demand whining soon becomes an unconscious whining habit. To prevent an annoying whining habit, teach your dog to accept short periods of confinement before leaving him alone for long periods of time. Spend time with your dog in the area where he is left and show him that this is a fun place to be. If he starts whining or howling when you leave, don't rush back to let him out or reassure him. If you do, he will soon learn that he can control you with his whining blackmail. However, if barking, whining or howling continues then he probably is not yet comfortable in his confinement area. Spend a little more time with him there. Then when you leave, it he continues barking, whining or howling, give him a loud and stern 'NO!' After he has been quiet for a few moments, return and praise him lavishly. Practice leaving and returning several times so he becomes accustomed to your departures and realizes that you are not abandoning him forever. He will see that you will return and there's nothing to worry about. Practice leaving him for longer and longer periods of time.
Jumping: The reason most dogs and puppies jump on people is because they are happy and excited to see them! Jumping, leaping and bouncing are ways your dog shows affection and receives attention. The behavior is usually learned while they are puppies. When a puppy is very young, we usually sit on the floor, let them wiggle into our laps and allow them to lick and nuzzle up close to our face. When they come bounding over to greet us, jumping and stretching up to our knees, again we bend down, pick them up and exchange hugs and kisses. All this time we are training and rewarding the puppy for jumping up. Eventually we decide we don't like this behavior anymore. What used to be cute is now obnoxious and even dangerous if the dog is jumping up on children or the elderly. When visitors come to your door, have your puppy sit and stay and not go greet them until you allow him to do so. This will also teach obedience, patience and self control. Our inconsistency perpetuates the problem. Some of the time we tolerate the jumping and ignore it. Other times we reward the behavior by exchanging enthusiastic greetings. But when we're dressed up and the dog's paws are muddy, it's a different story. Reprimanding the dog for jumping up usually does not work. Either the dog misunderstands the reprimand as praise or he gets even more excited and the jumping gets worse. If the reprimand is severe enough, the dog may stop jumping at that moment but it doesn't solve the problem altogether; and it certainly is not a very nice thing to do. It's very similar to a person approaching you with a big smile, arm extended to exchange a hand-shake and you bopping the person in the nose. Even if your dog learns that jumping up on you is not a good idea, he will usually get away with jumping up on everyone else.
Come Command: And ALWAYS recognize with praise and petting when the puppy comes when called to come. Many people actually unknowingly train their dog not to come. A perfect example is when the dog is roaming too far away, or is investigating something not appropriate, and the owner calls "come". The dog stops what he's doing and starts to come; the owner (now satisfied), turns away and ignores the dog. Eventually, the dog learns that "come" must not mean come all the way to me, and he learns to ignore you just as you ignored him.
Basic Commands: You can begin teaching your puppy a few things right away, but remember his attention span is very short and he gets sleepy quickly. Start calling him by his name right away to get his attention. By as early as 6 weeks, you can begin short training sessions (5 minutes once or twice a day) for simple commands such as "sit", "down" (lie down), "stay", "come", etc., as well as getting him accustomed to a soft collar/leash. And get him used to staying still for having his ears cleaned, his feet handled and toenails clipped. There is nothing wrong with reinforcing his good behavior with little treats as well as praise during these sessions. Patience and consistency are keys to successful training and a happy, well-behaved dog. If you feel you are losing your patience, or the puppy is not concentrating at all, stop (preferably on a good note) and try again later. Remember, reinforcing good behavior is more effective than punishing poor behavior. You'll be amazed how quickly he'll learn these simple commands! If you are having consistent problems with certain things, it most likely due to confusion. Try another approach to communicate what you want or don't want. I strongly recommend some type of obedience training once your puppy is old enough, which can be fun and rewarding for both you and your dog. You both will learn a lot and it's great socialization for the puppy. But please, don't start classes, exposing him to many other puppies who may be carrying various diseases, until he's completed his series of 4 puppy shots! There are also many good books and videos on training dogs available at book stores, pet supply stores, and public libraries. HOUSEBREAKING: Housebreaking a puppy is always a major concern, and can be as frustrating to the puppy as it is to you. Keep in mind that your puppy really wants to please you, but it has two handicaps regarding the housebreaking issue. First, it may not initially understand at all what you want, nor that there is anything wrong with doing his business anywhere the urge arises; secondly, young puppies have to go often, and sometimes simply cannot hold it any longer, particularly if diarrhea has set in. Most of my puppies, raised from birth in dog house in a outdoor kennel, have developed the instinct to do their business outside; but your home is very different and they won't have any idea how to get outside. Timing is important in housebreaking. When very young, puppies will have to go every couple of hours. Your success in training can be expedited by being attentive during the first few weeks, and always taking him out at the following key times: (1) first thing in the morning, (2) after every nap, (3) after every meal, and (4) last thing at night. If he cries during the night, it may have to go out then also; however, it should not be long before it's sleeping through the night. The more conscientious about watching the puppy during the first several weeks (and trying to avoid accidents), the quicker the entire housebreaking process will progress and the more conscientious it will be. It may sound silly, but it is a very useful practice to decide on a word to use to refer to the dog doing its business. You may use a word such as "potty", or use your own imagination. Remember though, that it is a word you will oftentimes be using around other people for many years! Every time you take the puppy out, ask it in a happy voice: "Do you have to go potty?" Whenever possible, don't carry it out ... call it and let it walk to the door so it will learn where the exit is. The next step will be for it to let you know it has to go out by whining or scratching at the door. When at the designated spot, keep nicely repeating, "go potty". Do not distract it from its business by petting it or letting children run around it playing. When it does its business, get real excited and say "good potty, good boy/girl, good potty!" Praise and positive reinforcement go a long way. Pet it, play with it a few moments, and make sure it knows you are very happy. Then take it inside so it understands why he/she was taken out. The puppy will quickly learn what the word means, and will respond when you ask him/her if it has to "go out and go potty". This can be invaluable when you travel and must take it out on a leash to a strange area. Instead of standing around for hours waiting, it will understand right away what it is there for. Scolding a young puppy for a mess that you find after the fact is ineffective. He/She will not remember what he/she did wrong and will only be confused. After he/she is catching on, it can be effective to talk in a low, unhappy voice while cleaning up the accident. If you catch the puppy in the act inside, quickly pick it up, scold it verbally and take him/her outside. Remember, Labrador Retrievers are normally sensitive dogs who really want to please. It is not necessary to rub their nose in it, nor to physically reprimand them. Your angry or unhappy voice is normally enough to make them pay attention and feel bad for what its done. An older puppy or young dog who has not yet caught on may need sharper reprimands, such as a slap on the rump with rolled up newspaper. CRATES: Virtually every training expert and anyone who has ever tried it are avid believers in using a dog crate for housebreaking a puppy! It will greatly speed up the training process and reduce the number of indoor accidents ... and keep him/her out of trouble and danger when you can't keep a close eye on him/her. The concept is simple. Most dogs and puppies do not want to mess their own nest or sleeping area. Thus, in a crate, they will try to wait until you take them out. If the puppy has been sleeping (or quiet) and starts to fuss, he/she is trying to tell you it's time. Take him/her immediately outside. Keep in mind that you need to be available to let him/her out periodically, or you will give it no choice but to mess in the crate ... which develops a very bad habit and a hard one to break. If no one is home during the day, it'll need a safe, sheltered outside area, or access to the outdoor yard thru a doggy door; then use the crate and housebreak him/her during the evening hours and during the night. Many new puppies don't want to stay in a crate at first, but would rather be right beside you. Some may cry pitifully. If he/she does, let it cry for a while if you are sure that he/she does not have to "potty" and that it is not hungry or in pain. Usually, he/she will soon fall asleep. It may help at first to put treats in the crate and let him/her walk in and out. It also comforts him/her if you sit right outside the crate where he/she can see you until he/she falls asleep. In the beginning, it is a good idea to put the crate in a room where you can hear him/her, but the fussing the first few nights does not keep you from getting some sleep. The first week or so, he/she more than likely will really need to go outside once during the night (somewhere between 2-4 AM). It is strongly advised to get up, take the pup out, praise him/her, and put the pup immediately back to bed. To ignore the fussing will result in a messy crate in the morning ... and teach him/her that it is of no use to try to be neat and clean. I recommend, at first, putting a bath towel in the crate ... it is much easier to launder in the case of an accident than a big blanket or crate cushion. Do not leave food or water in the crate. Believe it or not, your pup will actually get to love its crate and will want to sleep in it or run to it when he/she feels threatened! It is an ideal solution to confining either a puppy or an adult dog when you are not there to keep an eye on him. And when traveling in the car, it is safer to crate him if room allows. The crate comes in handy when staying at a relative's home or in a motel room (some of which require dogs to be crated at night). If you decide to buy one, remember to buy one big enough to accommodate the dog when he becomes full grown (minimum 24" x 36" x 28" high). They come in molded plastic (like airline crates) or welded wire that fold and carry like a suitcase. Crate size depends.... In order to use it for potty training, you want a crate that fits the size of her body, and one where she cannot get away from her poo or pee if she chooses to use her crate. If she can make a portion of her crate her bathroom and another portion of her crate becomes her bedroom, she will do that and will not learn. But, because it is not in most of our pocket books to buy a bunch of crates to fit our growing puppies, an option is to buy a crate big enough to fit her adult body, and then partition it off with some sort of divider. I have even seen people use bricks to make it so a pup cannot utilize the whole crate. Plastic crates are very reasonably priced at many stores such as Wal-Mart and Ryans Pet Supply. Sleeping arrangements for puppies: Before bringing your puppy home, it is important to prepare for her first night with you. It is likely this will be the puppy's first night away from her mother and littermates. Here are a few tips on how to make this new experience as comfortable as possible. I encourage you to keep the puppy's resting place near your bed for the first few nights. This will help the puppy feel less alone. Make sure the puppy is tired out and has relieved herself before putting her in for the night. If you are putting her into a crate or a kennel, do not close the door until the puppy has relaxed and is in a totally calm, submissive state. You don't want her to feel trapped, or to associate anything negative with her sleeping arrangements. Providing a blanket, towel, toy or other object that has the scent of the puppy's mother and siblings on it will help to ease the transition to her new home, and help her be comforted by the familiar smell. In addition, providing an item or two with the scents of you and your family members on them will assist her in adapting to her new pack. If your puppy is sleeping in an open bed or you don't feel comfortable closing the crate the first night, give your puppy gentle but firm corrections if she tries to leave her bed, begins to whine, or tries to use chewing as a way to cope. Young puppies need very little correction in order to get the point - their natural mothers set very strict rules for behavior. Since puppies may miss the feeling of a beating heart next to them when they sleep, you can purchase "beating heart" plush toys at pet stores that mimic the sound of a canine mother's heartbeat. The best teacher is a canine one, so if you have another balanced dog that has demonstrated a gentle energy around the puppy, he or she can help your puppy feel safe and have a good night's rest.
Ear cleaning: Labs have a tendency for dirty, moist ears (due to ear carriage and frequent swimming). This results in a perfect environment for ear infections, both bacterial and yeast, as well as infestation by ear mites, which love dirty ears. Using a good routine ear cleaner (such as Epi-Otic or Oti-Clens) every week or two will greatly reduce the incidence of ear problems. Frequent shaking of the head, or smelly or reddened ears indicate ear problems which may require a vet check and antibiotics.
Toenail clipping: Long nails are uncomfortable, can crack off and bleed, and look bad. Learn to clip off the growth tip (taking care not to cut into the quick) every 2 weeks, or have a veterinarian do it for you periodically. If the dog has good round, upright feet, walking frequently on concrete or asphalt will often keep nails worn down so that clipping is not necessary.
Teeth: Your puppy will be teething, loosing baby teeth and getting permanent teeth, between 3-6 months of age. Watch for the occasional adult tooth trying to come in with the puppy tooth still in place ... it may have to be pulled. Provide plenty of safe, acceptable things for the puppy to chew, such as nylabones, chew ropes, and natural bone. These satisfy the Lab's lifetime desire to chew and carry things in his mouth as well as helping to remove tartar. I go to our local meat processor and get raw femur bones. These keep them busy for a long time. General grooming: An occasional bath and periodic brushing (with a "slicker brush") is all that is normally needed to keep a Lab looking good. Bathing too often, not rinsing soap out well, and over-using flea products, can cause a dull coat and dry, itchy, flaky skin. Use a good dog shampoo ... never a shampoo made for people. And remember, good nutrition is essential to good coat. Omega fatty acid supplements can be helpful for dry skin, even for some minor allergies.
Good luck to you and your new puppy!
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