The Ultimate Guide to Puppy Care and Training. Tracy J. Libby
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security of his mom and littermates and the only home he has known. Making the trip home and his first experience with his new family a positive and happy one will go a long way in helping reduce problems later on.
Ideally, you will want to pick up your puppy on a day when you’re not working so you’re not rushed. If possible, consider taking a few days off from work so you can be with your puppy to help him transition and to get started on the right foot.
On the ride home, your puppy should ride in a crate, not on someone's lap or loose in the car—and never in the back of an open pickup truck. These are accidents waiting to happen! A traumatic first car ride can make it more difficult to “"car-train"” your puppy later.
Many breeders crate-train their puppies and give them short car rides to precondition them for the trips to their new home. Most breeders also avoid feeding puppies right before they head to their new homes to avoid carsickness.
Line the crate with a few towels in case the puppy has an accident. Your puppy may whine or cry because he is nervous or scared. Avoid yelling at him or telling him to be quiet. He won't understand, and you are likely to exacerbate the situation. Instead, be comforting and have a passenger come along who can sit near the crate or put his or her hand close to the crate.
Once home, allow your puppy plenty of time to freely explore his new yard and, if necessary, potty. If your yard is not fenced, keep him on a leash or long line at all times. Don’t be surprised if he’s nervous and just sits or lies in one spot. Give him plenty of time to explore at a pace comfortable for him.
Allow him to do his business, and calmly praise him when he’s in the process of pottying. Too much praise may frighten him or cause him to forget what he is doing. When he’s finished exploring, and he’s relieved himself, take him indoors. Have baby gates or an ex-pen in place to confine him to a certain room or area. Corralling him wherever the family tends to congregate will keep him from wandering around the house, where he can inadvertently learn bad habits and get himself into trouble by peeing or chewing. Remember that most puppies have tons of energy, but they tire easily and need plenty of quiet time to recuperate from the excitement of being a puppy. Allow your puppy plenty of time to rest in his bed, crate, or ex-pen when he needs to escape the domestic hustle and bustle. Everyone—especially children—should understand that the puppy needs to be left alone while he is sleeping. After all, no one wants a grumpy puppy!
Get on your puppy’s level to make his acquaintance. Puppy love begins with ticklish kisses.
Children and the Pup
Children and puppies tend to go together, but too much “togetherness” all at one time can be overwhelming. Parents are the key figures when it comes to teaching children how to interact safely with a puppy, and vice versa. By setting a few ground rules, you can help ensure that your children and puppy develop a positive long-term friendship.
Young children are often boisterous, excitable, and inconsistent with their behaviors. Most puppies—especially herding breeds—are excited by movement and like to chase and nip the legs of fleeing children. This is natural doggy behavior. However, reinforcing these behaviors means you will end up with an adult dog who sees no harm in chasing, jumping up, and nipping. Also, children have short attention spans and easily lose their patience with a puppy—especially if that puppy is jumping and nipping. Supervise your puppy and young children to discourage unwanted behaviors and create an environment of safe play.
Teach your children early on that your puppy is not a toy but a living animal that must be handled properly and treated gently, kindly, and respectfully. Never allow children to overwhelm your puppy or put him in a position where he can be bullied or frightened.
Children must also learn to approach the puppy quietly and slowly—no running, screaming, or grabbing. Teach older children how to properly pick up a puppy. For very young kids, do not allow them to pick up the puppy without your supervision. They can inadvertently hurt him or possibly even drop him should they try to pick him up by his ears or legs.
Parents need to teach children how to properly interact with young puppies that can be harmed by careless handling.
Introducing Dogs and Cats
Despite the old adage “fighting like cats and dogs,” cats and dogs can and do live harmoniously when introduced in a positive manner. Sure, plenty of cats simply do not and never will like dogs—no matter what— and the same goes for some dogs when it comes to cats. But taking steps to ensure a positive introduction is never a bad idea.
To help set up a positive relationship, provide your cat with plenty of escape routes. Cats like being up high, so provide plenty of access to countertops, furniture, and the like. Also, provide your cat with a room or area of his own—a spare room, office, den, the upstairs—so she can escape puppy antics and not be bothered.
For the first introduction, keep your puppy on leash so he can’t chase or harass your cat. You don’t want your puppy’s first introduction to the feline result in a scratched nose! Some dogs like to stalk cats, so you’ll want to be on the lookout for signs of this behavior and keep it under control. Allowing your puppy to harass a cat or any other animal is neither fair nor funny and should never be encouraged or tolerated.
If you live in a multiple-dog household, introduce your puppy to his canine housemates in a calm environment. To be comfortable, your puppy needs to know that he is safe and that the other dog (or dogs) won’t bully, intimidate, or hurt him. The same goes for the older dog. He needs to know that he can trust the puppy. It is your job to create an environment that is safe and comfortable for all dogs involved and promote a positive, tension-free friendship.
In multiple-dog households, consider introducing your puppy to one dog at a time. Puppies can become overwhelmed and unnecessarily frightened by three or four dogs trying to get to him at the same time. In these instances, try sitting on the floor and holding your puppy in your lap. If everything seems fine, let one dog interact but continue to supervise.
On the flip side, if your puppy is nervous, shy, timid, or fearful or has a history of being bullied or intimidated by other dogs, or if your other dog is an alpha wanna-be, you will need to take precautions and take the introductions slowly. This process can take a few hours, days, or weeks. Never force introductions because this may destroy any chance of the dogs’ getting along—ever! Some dogs are naturally calm and get along beautifully with other dogs from the get-go. In these instances, introductions may go off without a hitch, and your puppy and other dog will be fast friends. This happens quite often, but plenty of behaviorists will cite cases in which introductions were rushed or forced, and the dogs ended up disliking each other from the start.
If your other dogs are pushy or bossy, put your puppy in his ex-pen and allow them to meet and greet with a barrier between them. Sometimes learning simply to exist around each other is a huge step and a safe way for dogs to get comfortable in the same environment. Dogs who are nervous, anxious, disobedient, and/or hyperactive can create chaos and turmoil, which can lead to canine squabbling and scrapping.
Walking your puppy and another dog together works well, too. They don't have to start out walking next to each other, but, as they become more comfortable together, you can gradually close the distance. Use crates, ex-pens, or baby gates to separate dogs when they can'’t be supervised.
Most problems arise because a new puppy and another dog or dogs are allowed to run loose too quickly in a chaotic, stressful environment. When introductions do not go smoothly, and a squabble ensues, there is a good chance that the grudge and long-term distrust will continue.
No one wants chaos and animosity between pets, so it’s always worth taking the time to introduce animals slowly and properly. If you are uncertain, consult an experienced dog trainer or behaviorist. Investing the time and resources to establish a positive, stress-free environment from day one is preferable to trying to fix a bad situation later.
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