1. Leadership is about being someone worth following.

2. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.

3. Dogs have deadly weapons in their mouths. Most will go their entire lives without using them. Don’t take this for granted.

4. You have a lot of power over your dog. With great power…

5. Picking up after your dog in public is sexy.

6. Stand up for your dog.

7. It’s OK to tell people to leave your dog alone.

8. Don’t let anyone bully your dog, not even a professional trainer.

9. Stay humble.

10. It’s good to have a dog who asks, “why should I?”

11. There is no way to know for sure why a dog does something. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

12. Any dog can bite.

13. Head halters may not cause pain, but that death glare your dog shoots you when you make him wear one is not in your imagination.

14. Aggression is usually fear-based.

15. Don’t take anything personally.

16. Judging a shelter dog by the way she acts in her kennel is like judging a person based on their Facebook page: you never get the whole picture and what you do see is often misleading.

17. Newly-adopted dogs may need time to grieve for their previous families.

18. Bonding with a new dog takes work; relationships are something you earn, not something you’re entitled to.

19. As the owners of “broken” rescued dogs, our job is to help them move on.

20. Hand-feeding solves a lot of problems.

21. Distractions make great training rewards.

22. Show me a dog surrendered to a shelter for destructive behavior and I’ll show you a really smart dog.

23. Boredom is the leading cause of behavior problems.

24. Smart dogs do not make good house pets.

25. Dog training reality shows are entertainment, not education.

26. Stockholm Syndrome looks a lot like unconditional love.

27. Pit bulls are the most resilient, forgiving dogs there are.

28. There may be “no such thing as a bad dog,” but that doesn’t mean you’re a bad owner.

29. If your dog has behavior problems, food bowls are your enemy.

30. Smart toys are your friend.

31. Dogs have bad days, too.

32. Training is something that happens 24/7.

33. Focus on teaching your dog what you want him to do, not what you don’t.

34. Be careful with clicker training. It’s addictive.

35. The best trainers are the ones who are willing to make fools of themselves for their dogs’ sakes.

36. Training is a mechanical skill, anyone can learn it.

37. Building a good relationship is not a mechanical skill.

38. Your dog probably thinks you’re crazy.

39. Anthropomorphism isn’t always a bad thing.

40. Sometimes it is.

41. Dropkick dogs are people too. (however, I shall continue to gleefully refer to them as “dropkick dogs” and there’s nothing you can do about it)

42. Take lots of pictures.

43. Dogs are incredible problem solvers.

44. A well-socialized, poorly-trained dog is a much better pet than a well-trained, poorly socialized one.

45. Take an agility class at least once.

46. Never train angry.

47. Teach your dog tricks.

48. A spoiled dog is not always a happy dog.

49. One of the best things you can do for your dog is to give him a job.

50. Your dog will puke all over your nicest carpet/furniture. It’s a law of the universe.

51. Most of behavior modification is about getting dogs to stop acting like dogs.

52. Let your dog be a dog sometimes.

53. It’s okay to comfort a fearful dog.

54. The job title “dog trainer” is a misnomer; a trainer’s work is mostly about training owners. The dogs are easy.

55. You can train a dog without a relationship.

56. You can have a good relationship with a dog without training.

57. Dogs are like toddlers: sometimes playing with the box is more fun than playing with the toy.

58. Just because it’s necessary doesn’t mean it’s any less evil.

59. Don’t interrupt people who are doing the impossible.

60. Everybody has an opinion. Sometimes the best thing to do is stop listening.

61. Animal shelters are not infallible.

62. Responsible breeders are not the enemy.

63. Screw grammar. A dog is a “who,” not a “that.”

64. Positive training works on people, too.

65. Humor is an acceptable and often superior tool for dealing with serious and/or painful subjects.

66. Melodramatic attempts at being heartwrenching do not make me want to throw my money at the nearest charity.

67. Show a shelter dog some respect. For that dog, you may be the only one who ever has.

68. Work with your dog. Not at him.

69. It’s worth the effort to study canine body language.

70. Learn about calming signals. They’re friggin’ awesome.

71. Diet affects behavior in dogs just like in people.

72. Learn how to read a dog food label.

73. Feed the best dog food you can afford.

74. A multiple-dog household may sometimes be a pain in the ass, but it’s never boring.

75. Build your dog a sandbox.

76. Take a walk where you let your dog stop and sniff as much as she wants.

77. Most people are good.

78. You haven’t lived until you’ve been mauled by a litter of puppies.

79. Puppies are cute for a reason.

80. Is it really separation anxiety or is your dog throwing a party while you’re out?

81. When your dog tells you to get off your lazy butt and go play with him, listen.

82. The co-evolution of our two species is one of the coolest things that has ever happened.

83. Dogs probably do have conditions for love, just not the same ones we have.

84. Foster failure is good for the soul.

85. Behavior modification is simple but it’s not easy.

86. Patience, my young padawan.

87. If you can’t get your dog to come when called, you need to fix that.

88. How a dog and owner walk together says a lot about them.

89. Volunteer at an animal shelter. It’s a good hurt.

90. Put a lot of work into raising your puppy. It’ll pay off.

91. Your dream dog is waiting for you in a shelter somewhere.

92. It’s not always the owner’s fault. Sometimes dogs are just nuts.

93. Improve your training skills. Have someone train you.

94. Cats can be trained to do awesome stuff too.

95. If you’re frustrated with your dog, chances are the feeling is mutual.

96. Take your dog hiking. Let her navigate.

97. Dog sports > dog parks.

98. Go watch a dog sports competition. Be inspired.

99. Holy crap are you still reading this.

100. Stop procrastinating on the internet. Go teach your dog something cool.

Photo credit: one two three

The style of this post was inspired by this post from Julien Smith.

So you’ve adopted a puppy who has turned out to be a little terror, and you’re thinking of finding her a new home. Despite your best efforts, some problem has come up: the puppy won’t stop biting, won’t stop pooping all over your house, or maybe she just requires a lot more work than you were expecting.

I feel your pain. And this letter is not a guilt trip – I’m sure you’ve heard the “Ohmygod how could you! A dog is a lifetime commitment!” lecture already. That kind of thing doesn’t help you, and you will find none of that here. This is just some friendly advice from someone who has been there.

I’d like to introduce you to my puppy, Friday.

I had waited my whole life for this moment and now that it was here, I was regretting it.

I thought I’d somehow ended up with the worst puppy in the world.

Does this sound at all familiar?

It seems that no amount of research can truly prepare you for the challenges involved in bringing a new puppy into your life. Challenges like:

“If this puppy doesn’t stop biting me, I’ll no longer be responsible for my actions.”

“How am I supposed to housetrain this puppy if she has an accident every time I look away for five seconds?”


Biting, chewing and housetraining: the leading cause of newly-adopted puppies being put up for sale on Craigslist.

The biting thing was the biggest issue with Friday. She never. Stopped. Chewing. On. People. It seemed like anything we did to stop it just made it worse. My family came really close to finding a new home for Friday. So I understand being totally frustrated by this kind of behavior.

There is a lot of advice out there for dealing with these issues, and it can get pretty complicated. It doesn’t have to be complicated. To deal with each of these issues (and more), remember this simple strategy:


Prevent or ignore undesirable behavior. Show the puppy what you want instead, and then reward good behavior.


How this looks for biting:

Your puppy has to learn that when she bites too hard, good things end. “Good things” are whatever she wants at any given moment. Usually, it’s play. So when she bites, you end playtime. To end playtime, stand up and turn away instantly. This has to be clear and consistent. No nagging, no “if you bite me one more time I’m leaving” kind of stuff. “But what if my puppy just attacks my feet?” So what if she attacks your feet? Wear closed-toe shoes. For her, attacking your feet while you stand completely still is much less fun than you playing with her. After a moment, show the puppy what you want instead by offering a toy (bonus points if the toy is filled with treats) and playing tug.

There’s a tutorial for stopping biting here. Be sure to read the comments section on that post for more advice.

If your puppy is biting your children, teach your kids how to be a tree.

For housetraining:

Read this post.

For chewing:

That “What have I gotten myself into? I can’t do this!” feeling? That’s normal.

Like I said, no amount of research can prepare you for the experience of your first puppy. It’s a kind of culture shock, and the only way to really learn is to do it.

The “maybe this wasn’t such a good idea” phase is something that most people go through when they get a new dog. It’s usually worse for first-time dog owners, but it can affect even the most experienced dog people.

The doubts usually set in a few days after your puppy comes home.

You might start to think that this is way more work than you were expecting. You might be put off by the disruption that having a new baby dog brings to your family. You might be afraid that you’re doing everything wrong.

Chewing, biting, housetraining and everything else that goes with raising a puppy can seem like huge problems. I know it felt that way with Friday. However, after ten years, and after working with hundreds of dogs, I can tell you that these issues are not as big a deal as they seem right now.

Puppies eventually stop trying to bite everything that moves. They eventually develop the bladder control to “hold it” for more than five minutes at a time. Eventually they grow up and no longer need 24/7 care.

It gets easier.

If you are seriously considering finding a new home for your puppy, my advice is to wait it out. You will settle into a routine. You’ll work out what you’re doing as you go. The overwhelm will go away.

Need more help? Need to vent? Email me. Please.

I don’t want you to have to get rid of your pup any more than you do. So if you need some advice, a listening ear or a pep talk, send me an email: katie@3lostdogs.com. I’m happy to help. Write “puppy help” in the subject line so that it’ll stand out in my inbox.

This too shall pass.

Friday is now ten years old (she’ll be 11 in February). She is the sweetest dog you’ll ever meet. All those horrible puppy behavior issues that made me so angry are now a distant memory -a memory that I can laugh at. I love her dearly and can’t imagine how I ever considered sending her back to the pound.

Puppyhood is a crazy time. It requires a lot of work and it will probably drive you nuts. But it doesn’t last very long and when it’s over, you will miss it. So enjoy it while it lasts, keep your sense of humor, and take lots of pictures.

Sincerely,

Katie Buvala
Head Puppy Tamer
3LostDogs.com

P.S. Do you know someone in this situation? Show them this letter. Post it on Twitter. Share it on Facebook. The more puppy owners see this, the better. Thank you.

See also:
A Beginner’s Guide to Adopted Dog Ownership
Video: Shelter Sessions Episode 1: The Taming of the Puppy
43 Tips for New Puppy Owners
Puppy Training Games

People never adopt puppies with the intention of turning them into screwed-up dogs. But it happens all the time.

Imagine this scenario:

A family visits an animal shelter and takes home an eight week old puppy. They’ve got this perfect little baby dog, a totally innocent little creature. No bad habits yet. This little pup just wants to learn and explore the world. Properly raised, this puppy could turn into an amazing dog.

Now the puppy is a Shelter Dog. She’s damaged goods. She is going to have a very hard time finding a home, because very few people want to adopt an out of control teenage dog. This puppy will probably die in the shelter.


This is not a rare occurrence. It happens all the time and it really sucks.

The people who adopt and “break” these puppies are not evil villains. They’re just normal people excited about sharing their lives with a new bundle of furry joy. They end up making some very common mistakes – mistakes that you can avoid, with a little work.


So how do you keep your perfect puppy from turning into a shelter dog?

Socialize, socialize, socialize. Did I mention socialize?

Proper socialization is even more important than proper training. A well-socialized, poorly trained dog is going to have a much better life than a poorly socialized, well-trained one.

Socialization is the process by which you introduce your puppy to the world, and teach her how to handle tough, scary, or strange situations. Socialization teaches your puppy how to appropriately interact with people and dogs. It turns her into a confident, friendly, happy dog. If your puppy is between the ages of two months and five months, this is a great opportunity. This age is known as the “critical socialization window.” The things she experiences during this impressionable time are going to affect her personality and behavior for the rest of her life.

• Socialize, don’t traumatize – a bad experience with a new situation is worse than no experience at all. Introduce new things slowly and never let Marley get overwhelmed.
• Let your puppy meet at least two new friendly people every day - People of all ages, genders and personalities. Quiet people and loud people. People wearing funny hats. People with facial hair. The more variety the better. Have these people feed Marley treats or throw a ball for her.
• Introduce Marley to all kinds of novel situations - Remote control cars. Cats. Water fountains. Balloons. Agility equipment. Car rides. Shopping cart rides at the pet store.
• Introduce her to well-behaved adult dogs and other puppies - Take her to visit your friend with the mellow old lab. Arrange play dates with other puppy owners. Enroll in a puppy class. You need to be able to control the situation, so avoid the dog park until she’s older.

Don’t take obnoxious puppy behavior personally

Many frazzled new puppy owners talk about their puppies as if they were the worst behaved dog in the world. Upon closer investigation, you realize that these terrible puppies are just being… puppies. See, puppies bite (and it really hurts! Those needle sharp teeth are nothing to mess around with). Puppies chew (on everything). Puppies whine all night long and keep you awake. Puppies pee and poop everywhere until potty trained.

So before you get angry or upset, realize that you are just experiencing a bit of culture shock. Remember to breathe. Work on teaching better bite inhibition. Manage Marley better to keep her from getting into trouble when no one can supervise.

Don’t expect too much too soon

Your puppy is just a baby after all. This can be hard to remember when she’s ten months old and looks full grown. But even at that age, she’s got a short attention span. She’s easily distracted and excited by the world that is so new and fascinating to her. Give her a break.

Keep training sessions short. Take baby steps, training with low-level distractions and gradually working up to big distractions, like the park (asking a puppy to obey obedience commands at a busy park is like asking a sugar-loaded child to do multiplication problems in Disneyland).

If you’re a new puppy parent (or are planning to be one), you’re at the start of an adventure that will be more challenging, more humbling, and more rewarding than you know. Yes, it may sometimes make you want to pull your hair out. It may sometimes make you wonder what the hell you were thinking. And yeah, it requires a LOT of work to turn your perfect puppy into the perfect adult dog. But this stage doesn’t last very long, and when it’s over you’ll miss it. So have fun, and take lots of pictures.

P.S. The Secondhand Dog Survival Guide is almost here. This downloadable kit is a road map to training, socializing and caring for your adopted shelter/rescue dog. And yes, there’s a section devoted to not screwing up your adopted puppy. If you’re interested, there are details at the bottom of this post. The kit launches in late November 2011. If you want to make sure you don’t miss it (and the special launch price), make sure you’re subscribed to the 3Lostdogs email list.

If it’s not something you’re interested in, that’s cool too. Thank you for reading 3LostDogs and caring what I have to say and generally being awesome.

Photo credit

You can see exactly what search terms people use to find your Youtube channel or website. Some of these are pretty hilarious. My video How to Keep Your Dog Entertained and Out of Trouble comes up as the number one Youtube search result for “how to get your dog high.” My day was totally made when I realized that.

And some of the search terms speak to universal experiences that all dog owners can relate to:
“new puppy regret”
“new puppy sleep deprivation”
“got a new puppy can’t get anything done. “

Some are disturbing:
“dog teen makeout”

And some are just weird:
“putting your puppy in the laundry”

However, most are in the form of questions, so I thought I’d answer a handful of those questions today. Most of these questions require more detailed answers than I can provide in this video/post, so you will find links below to other 3LostDogs videos and articles that will provide the full answers you seek.


“Are Labrador retrievers supposed to be crazy as puppies?” LOL. Is the sky supposed to be blue?

“Why does my bulldog puppy get psycho hyper?” Because he’s a puppy.

“Why are puppies insane?” I don’t know. I’m sure there’s some genetic, evolutionary reason for it but I don’t know what it is.

Is My Puppy CRAZY? A Short Guide to Puppy Behavior


“New puppy! Now what?” Congratulations! Your biggest and most important tasks for the next few months will be house training and socialization. Advice for both at the links below.

A Beginner’s Guide to Adopted Dog Ownership
43 Tips for New Puppy Owners
I Just Got a New Puppy – What Do I Do With It?
Housetraining 101: The Basics


“Do you have to let your 4 month old puppy sleep in your bedroom?” No, but it does help minimize the stress that your new puppy is experiencing. He’s in a new place and away from his mother and littermates for the first time in his life. Sleeping near you is reassuring.

“What do little puppies do?” They poop and they pee and they bite.

“How do you get a new puppy to like you? Yahoo answers.” You play with it, feed it, be kind to it, and give it time to adjust. As an aside, please don’t get your dog care information from Yahoo Answers. The amount of bad advice that comes out of that site is mind boggling.


“Can I crate my dog for 8 hours?” No. Well, I’m sure you are capable of keeping a dog crated for eight hours but if your questions is SHOULD you crate your dog for eight hours, no. (Sorry. Sometimes my inner grammar Nazi breaks out of its cage)

“Is it awful to crate a puppy all day?” Yes.

“Does crating a dog make them over hyper?” Not inherently. But crating them too much might. I imagine if you were locked in a box all day you’d end up with a lot of energy to burn, too.

“Are dog crates good or bad?” Dog crates are good. But the phrase “too much of a good thing” definitely applies.

Dog Crates: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly


“How do I keep my dog from guarding his food?” The reason your dog is guarding his food is because he’s insecure and he’s afraid someone’s going to steal from him. You have to condition him to believe that people approaching his food bowl is a good thing, not a bad thing.

The Real Solution to Resource Guarding and Food Aggression


“Is dog growling always a bad thing?” No. Growling is never ever a bad thing. Growling is not aggression, it’s a dogs way of avoiding aggression. The last thing you want is a dog who stays silent when he’s uncomfortable and goes straight to biting.

The Truth About Growling Dogs


“Why would a dog yawn and have sweaty paws?” Sounds like one stressed out dog to me.

Do You Recognize These 6 Signs of a Stressed-Out Dog?


“What can you give your dog to chill him?” I don’t know… cold water?


“How do you get your dog to listen to you?”
“What do you do with a hyper dog?”
“How do you get your hyper dog to calm down?”
You buy my training kit, “Give Your Dog a Brain: How to Get Your Out of Control Dog to Chill Out, Focus, and Do What You Say.”

Or you check out these free resources:
Dog Behavior Problems: Hyper Dogs


“Leave food out multiple dogs?” Probably not a good idea. In fact I wouldn’t recommend leaving food out for a single dog. It can lead to guarding and overeating and boredom and all kinds of unpleasantness.

Keeping the Peace in a Multiple Dog Household


“How to stop my dog’s destructiveness?” Your dog is destructive because he’s bored. Play with him. Exercise him. Give him lots of things to do.

Solving Dog Behavior Problems


“What is the number one dog that will turn on you?” Chihuahuas. Shifty little bastards, they are.

Chihuahuas Are Evil: How to Keep Your Pint-Sized Pooch From Turning on You

Once you’ve made the decision to adopt a dog, you have a few things to think about. One of which is: Puppy or adult?

If you’re like most people, you probably think you want a puppy.

But… really? Are you sure?

For the most part, out of all the people who come to the shelter to adopt dogs, it’s the newbies who want the puppies. The first-time dog owners. The experienced dog people usually go, “uh, no thanks. I don’t want a puppy. Give me a grownup dog.”

And the reason? Puppies are a pain in the ass.

Yeah, I know they’re adorable. But there’s a reason they’re so adorable.

Survival.

It’s so you don’t toss them out on the street or sell them on Craigslist when they eat your phone, or pee on your carpets, or bite you with their needle-sharp teeth.

As a general rule, the cuter a puppy is, the bigger a pain in the ass he’s going to be. I mean, if puppies actually looked like the little gremlins they truly are, there’s no way that anyone would put up with them.

Now, adult shelter dogs are awesome. And terribly under-appreciated, if you ask me. When I come to the shelter, it’s the grownups who get my attention. These guys have personalities, they’re fun to hang out with. They’re the ones that I fall in love with and want to take home. The puppies are alright, but they’re basically furry pooping and biting machines. Kinda boring, really. Once you’ve seen one litter of puppies, you’ve seen them all.

People often say that they want to get a puppy because you can shape a puppy into a dog with the qualities you want. And that’s kinda sorta true, to some extent. But what these people don’t realize is that it’s really hard to “shape” a puppy’s behavior when you don’t know what you’re doing. Usually, they just end up shaping a dog with a lot of bad habits. Not that I speak from personal experience, or anything.

If this is your reason for wanting a puppy, my question to you is: Why not adopt an adult dog who already has the qualities you want? Shelters and rescues are full of dogs who are well-mannered, housetrained, good with kids and dogs, sweet, loving, protective, whatever. Look hard enough, and you will find your dream dog.


But won’t an adult dog have a hard time bonding with a new family?

Nope.

Ask anyone who has adopted an adult dog, and they’ll tell you that bonding is not an issue. Yes, the road may be longer. Yes, it may take a while for a rescued dog to settle in to his new home. But anyone will tell you that the whole process is worth it.

Enough about me and my opinions. Let’s talk about you.


How much time, energy and patience do you have?

Raising a 2-4 month old puppy is definitely more work than most people comprehend. Between the potty training and the socializing and the puppy classes, it can be a full time job. So if everyone in your household works or is at school for eight hours a day, you should not get a baby puppy. Maybe an older, adolescent puppy, but not a baby.


Speaking of babies…

If you have a baby or very young children, please, I beg of you, do not get a puppy. People who try to raise a puppy and a baby at the same time figure out pretty quick that they’re in over their heads. The situation usually ends badly for the dog.


So what dog should you get?

You might make a good puppy parent if:

• You like a challenge
• You’ve got plenty of time, energy and patience
• You’re not afraid of scrubbing pee out of your carpets

On the other hand, if you’re lower-energy or you’re looking for a mellow companion dog, you might want to consider an older adult or senior.

For most people, I’d recommend a young adult in the 2-4 year range. These guys have lots of enthusiasm and they’re easy to train, but they’re starting to mature. You don’t have to deal with the puppy insanity.

When you make the decision to get a dog, there’s obviously more to consider than just age. And we have just what you need! 3LostDogs has a new free ebook/PDF report thing that you can download when you join the 3LostDogs email list. It’s called “How to Adopt the Perfect Shelter Dog.” It’ll walk you through the entire adoption process. Click here to get your copy.

When you bring a puppy home, you are suddenly faced with obnoxious puppy behavior like whining, biting, jumping, chewing, and pooping on the carpet.

And if you’ve done any research at all, you know that proper care and training is critical during a puppy’s first few months. The things your puppy experiences now are going to affect him for the rest of his life. No pressure, right?

Between managing the puppy’s destructive tendencies, worrying about stuff like vaccinations and socialization, and dealing with well-intentioned but often incorrect advice from friends, family, and TV shows, a puppy parent can get a little overwhelmed.

So here are some bite-sized puppy tips to get you through the next few months. Bookmark this page so you can refer to it later on, when the sleep deprivation has set in and you can’t remember the difference between a clicker and a Kong.


1. Get a crate. It makes housetraining incredibly easy.

2. Let your puppy sleep in your bedroom, at least for the first few nights. This whole experience is scary for a pup. Don’t make him sleep in the laundry room. Put the crate next to your bed so you can reassure him.


3. Baby gates are your friend. Use them to keep the puppy out of places you don’t want him to destroy.


4. Supervise, supervise, supervise. If you cannot watch him like a hawk, he needs to be in his crate or in his “room,” see below.


5. Set up a puppy room for when you can’t supervise. Pick a small area like the bathroom or kitchen, block it off with baby gates. Add a bed in one corner and pee pads or a dog “toilet” in another.


6. Pick a potty spot. If you don’t want Sparky pooping all over the yard as an adult, pick one area and take him directly there when it’s potty time.


7. Set a daily routine. Housetraining proceeds more smoothly if your puppy knows what to expect from her day.


8. Enroll in a puppy class. Your pup will learn some basic obedience, but the real benefit of puppy classes is socialization with other puppies and people.


9. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Not all advice is good advice. Take everything with a grain of salt. And please, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, stay away from Yahoo! Answers.


10. Make sure everyone is on the same page. Discuss the puppy rules with your whole family. Figure out who will do what when. Pick one set of training cues and stick with them.


11. Play some puppy training games.


12. Don’t encourage behavior that you’ll regret when he gets big. Jumping up is cute when he weighs ten pounds. It won’t be cute when he’s 60 pounds.


13. Get your pup used to handling from day one, touching feet, nails, tail, ears, mouth, teeth, and belly with love. Your vet will thank you. – via @HoneysHeart


14. Start grooming early on. For the same reason as above.

15. Let your puppy meet at least two new (friendly and gentle) people every day.


16. Take your puppy to the petstore. Great socialization opportunity. Keep her in the shopping cart and off the floor until she’s had all her puppy shots.




17. Introduce your pup to all kinds of novel things. People in funny hats. Remote control cars. Kids playing. Agility equipment. Balloons. Cats. Car rides.


18. Socialize, don’t traumatize. Introduce new experiences slowly and never let your puppy get overwhelmed.


19. Invite friends and family to meet-the-puppy parties.


20. Frozen wet washclothes and baby carrots make great chews for teething puppies –via @muttstuff


21. Reward good behavior, don’t wait for bad behavior. Reward the puppy when you see him doing something you like. Don’t wait until he’s misbehaving to give him attention.


22. Avoid the dog park. In addition to putting your undervaccinated puppy at risk for disease, most dogs at the dog park are quite rude by canine standards. A couple bad experiences could ruin your puppy’s opinion of her own species.


23. Feed 2-3 small meals per day. Don’t leave food out for her to graze on.


24. Pick up anything you don’t want destroyed. If it’s on the floor, it WILL be chewed.


25. Get your puppy microchipped. It’s your best chance at being reunited with your dog if he ever gets lost. You can get this done for around $25 at your vet or local shelter.


26. Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. For example, teach your puppy to sit when greeting people. Don’t just yell at her for jumping up.


27. Watch your puppy’s poops. Disgusting? Yes. But it could save your puppy’s life. If you notice anything like diarrhea or blood, take your puppy for a vet visit ASAP.


28. Provide toys. If you provide her with her own toys, she’s less likely to chew on yours (ha! Yeah right. It’s worth a shot, though).


29. Make your own toys. Like kids who’d rather play with the box than with the toy that came in it, puppies are usually happier chewing on an empty plastic water bottle than an expensive store-bought toy.


30. Rotate throught the toys. Let your puppy have two or three toys at a time. Changing up the toy selection will keep Sparky interested.


31. Treat-dispensing toys make great puppy sitters. Click here to learn how to make your own.


32. If you think your puppy needs to go potty at all, don’t hesitate to take him outside! You’d be surprised how often puppies need to go sometimes. — via @ILuvRetrievers


33. Practice separation. As tempting as it is, don’t let Sparky be glued to your side all day. Letting your puppy have time to himself in his crate or room will help prevent separation anxiety.


34. Hellos and Goodbyes should be no big deal. Don’t make a fuss over your pup when you leave or come home. Again, prevents separation anxiety.

35. Don’t get offended when your puppy chews on you. Puppies bite. Sometimes painfully. It is NOT aggression. Do not react by yelling, smacking him, rolling him on his back or holding his muzzle shut.






36. Don’t use ammonia-based cleaners. Your puppy will think it smells like urine and it will actually encourage her to pee there again. Use an enzymatic cleaner like Nature’s Miracle.


37. Visit the vet. Take your pup for a visit when she doesn’t have an appointment. Bring some treats and ask the office staff to give her some. Make the vet’s office a fun place! (call ahead first to make sure this is OK)


38. As a general rule of thumb, the number of hours a puppy can “hold it” is his age in months plus one. So a two month old puppy should be crated for a maximum of three hours at a time (during the day. When they sleep at night, puppies can usually hold it for longer).


39. Leave the TV or radio on when you leave your puppy home alone.


40. Teach good leash manners early. Better to teach your puppy to walk nice on leash than to teach your adult dog to stop pulling on leash.


41. Remember that your puppy is a baby – don’t ask too much of her. Don’t worry about whether she’ll perform a perfect sit/stay or heel. Plenty of time for that when she’s older. Focus on socialization and having fun.


42.Take lots of pictures. Puppyhood goes by SO fast. — via @muttstuff


43. Be prepared for your pup to become an obnoxious little brat around age 6-10 months. Adolescence is even more challenging than puppyhood. Have fun with your teenage dog!

photo credits: one two three

Silly dogs. Don’t they know that it’s your job to make them use their brains and not the other way around?

There are a few reasons a dog would refuse food:

1. Lame treat selection
Don’t try to use none of that commercial petstore crap. Please. Training treats are how you pay your dog for his work. Beggin Strips, Milk Bones? These are not suitable paychecks. Try real food like cheese, chicken, liver, or hotdogs.

2. Your dog is not hungry
Maybe you need to reduce the amount of food he gets at meals. Try holding your training sessions around your dog’s regular feeding times. Either before mealtime, or instead of a meal all together. This way Fido will be hungry and motivated to earn his food. After all, a dog with a job is a happy dog. A dog who gets to work and earn his dinner is going to be much more content than one who sits around all day waiting for you to fill his dish.

3. Stress
When a dog is very anxious or nervous, he’s not gonna be so interested in food anymore. I work with a lot of dogs in shelters, and many of them are too stressed out to take treats from me. They just can’t eat. Your dog’s reaction to food can be a good indicator of his internal state – if he’ll accept treats just fine in your home, but you take him out on a walk and he ignores those same treats, then you have to look at it from your dog’s point of view. What’s going on? Is he just excited because he doesn’t get out enough? Is he afraid of the crazy barking dog down the street?

4. The environment is more interesting than your food
This kind of relates to the previous example. Only this dog isn’t nervous, he’s just excited to explore his surroundings. When you take your dog to the park and there are people to meet and squirrels to chase and trees to pee on, Fido may not care so much about treats. I have another video that talks about how to turn these distractions into training rewards.

5. Your dog is a recent addition to your family
In this case, let me say congratulations on the new dog! But yeah, this goes back to stress. Changing homes is very stressful for many dogs. Your new friend is busy adjusting to his new home and figuring out where he fits into the family, and he maybe doesn’t care so much about sitting and offering a paw in exchange for a bit of hotdog. Give him time.

.6. Your dog would prefer a different reward
Hard to believe, yes, but some dogs have hobbies that don’t involve the pursuit of food. So here’s a novel idea: ask your dog what he wants! What does Fido really love? Does he have a favorite toy? My border collie Merlin is completely obsessed with frisbees. If he had to choose between never eating again, or never playing frisbee again, I honestly think he would choose to starve. So, he gets frisbees as his training reward. My other dog Jonas is rather needy, and he kind of uh, worships me a little bit. He will work all day for some kind words and a pat on the head.

I guess the bottom line to all this is simply… get to know your dog. Figure out what motivates him. Figure out what stresses him out. Figure out what his hobbies are. Food training is great but it certainly is not the be all and end all of positive dog training.

Check out these other posts:
Video Series: How to Teach Your Dog Practically Anything
Video Post: How to Use Teats in Dog Training
Slot Machine Dog Training

Owning two dogs is more interesting, more challenging.

Three (or more) dogs is, well….

Ever watch those TV documentaries where some Westerner travels to some far-off jungle to observe, and attempt to integrate into, some primitive tribal culture?

It’s like that.

With multiple dogs, you have a pack. With a pack, you get to observe the details of canine society and communication. And as you quickly learn, canine culture is a lot more complicated than you’d think. A lot of factors influence whether your experience will be a fun, rewarding adventure or stressful, what-the-hell-was-I-THINKING chaos.

Here are some ways to maintain a peaceful pack:

Who’s in charge here, anyway?

You, of course!

Your dogs may work themselves into a hierarchy with a “top dog,” or they may have no interest in a pecking order. Regardless of how your dogs arrange themselves, it needs to be clear to them that you are the boss and you control all resources. For a dog, important resources are food, toys, your attention, and access to choice sleeping spots. You reserve the right to take away any of these things if dogs start getting snippy. Make sure all your dogs learn the “leave it” and “drop it” commands, so that you can take toys away if needed. If you allow your dogs to sleep on the couch or bed, that’s fine, just as long as they’ll get off when you tell them to.

Set up routines and stick with ‘em
Interestingly, I’ve found that the level of peace in my pack is directly related to how much routine is present in their lives. Dogs are creatures of habit. They thrive on knowing what to expect and when. With multiple dogs, this is especially important. A reliable routine will drastically reduce anxiety levels, thereby preventing a lot of squabbles.

Set up routines for things like meals and walks. For example, if you walk all your dogs separately, take them out in the same order every time. This way, Dogs No. 2 and 3 won’t freak out when Dog No. 1 goes for a walk first, because they know that their turns are coming.

Control meal times
Free-feeding, or leaving food out for the dogs to pick out all day is a big no-no in a multi-dog household. You can’t keep track of how much everyone is eating. Not to mention that you’re pretty much asking for fights to break out when a dog decides that he should be in charge of the food. Instead, feed meals at designated times, and keep an eye out until everyone is done eating. Wait til the dogs are calm before you set the bowls down. Have each dog sit and stay, set the dishes down and then release them to eat. Keep the bowls far enough apart that no one feels the need to defend their food.

Makes sure everyone gets enough exercise and mental stimulation
An under-exercised, bored pack is a recipe for disaster. Take your dogs on a long walk and play a vigorous game of fetch or frisbee every day. Also provide ways for your pups to exercise their minds: Get a few toys that require them put their brains to use. Toys like Kongs and Buster Cubes allow you to load them up with your dog’s kibble or favorite treats, keeping him occupied for a while while he manipulates the toy to make it dispense his food. You can even feed entire meals this way.

Check out this video for ways to keep your dogs entertained, and this post for some cheap homemade smart toy ideas.

Give them some breathing room
Hanging out as a group is great, but everyone needs time to themselves. Your dogs are no exception. Each dog should have an area that they can get away from the pack, like a bed or a crate.

You don’t want your dogs to feel like they have to compete for your attention. Spend some quality time with each dog individually, whether playing fetch, training, or just chillin’.

Check out these other posts:
Video post: Why is My Dog Hyper and Crazy and Out of Control?
Video post: 3 Tips for Training Hyper Crazy Out-of-Control Dogs
43 Tips for New Puppy Owners
Separation Anxiety 101

The thing is, this is an extremely important to-do. Especially if you have little kids who would like to keep their fingers. It’ll take you all of five minutes a day and provide peace of mind for years.

You know the old wisdom to leave the damn dog alone when he’s eating? If you are 5 years old, this applies to you. But I’m assuming you’re a grown-up-type person, so I’m going to ask you to kindly ignore that advice.

This exercise is designed to prevent “resource guarding,” which is when a dog becomes protective of his food, growling or snapping when you try to take it. We’re going to teach your dog that people touching his food is OK, and actually a good thing.

But wait, you say. My dog hasn’t shown any signs of resource guarding. Do I still have to do this? Yes! You do. Resource guarding/food aggression can show up later in life. As with most bad habits, it is MUCH easier to prevent the problem now than to try to cure it later.

First of all, you’ll want to feed your dog meals two or three times a day. If you are free-feeding -that is, leaving food out all day for Fido to pick at- it’s time to stop that. Feeding meals makes it clear to Fido that his food comes from YOU, and not that magical bowl on the floor that is somehow always full.

Second, hand feed your dog. I hear you snickering. But seriously, when you feed Fido his breakfast, take a minute to feed him some kibble by hand. This is where the “play with your food” part comes in. Fill the bowl. Before you put it on the floor, have Fido do some tricks. Reward each trick with a piece of food. You only have to do this three or four times, and then you can put the bowl on the floor.

You don’t have to do this part for very long. Just the first couple weeks or so, to establish in Fido’s mind that you are the provider of food.

Third, occasionally give your dog some “gifts” at dinner. Feed your dog his regular food, be it kibble or canned food or whatever. When he’s eating, take his dish away and put something really good in it (piece of boiled chicken, cheese, deli meat, etc), then give it back. This teaches Fido that when people take his dish away, good things happen. Pretty soon, he’ll be eagerly anticipating you taking his dish away!

And that’s it. Pretty easy, yeah? This simple process will go a long way to preventing dog bites in the future. And if you have young kids, this isn’t just a “nice thing to do,” it’s pretty much the most important thing you can do. The last thing you want is for your toddler to escape your supervision, wander up to your eating dog and get bitten in the face.

After you’ve worked on this stuff with your dog and feel pretty confident that the dog is comfortable with it, have your kids do it, too. Just make sure to supervise closely and make sure your child understands the rules.

Photo Credits