Dogs4Ever.info

Although it doesn’t sound like the most appealing job in the world, housebreaking a new puppy will play an important part in bonding with the newest member of your family. It will teach you patience and leave you with a better understanding of what your puppy wants once he has learned. In addition, he will learn acceptable behaviors and exactly what is expected of him to live happily and comfortably in his new home.

It’s important to remember that, just like a small child, a puppy’s attention span is very short. When you teach a young child not to hit, he likely won’t learn the lesson the first time, but instead, gradually after you’ve shown him repeatedly that it’s not okay. Similarly, you will have to be consistent with your dog when training him. Also, when housebreaking your puppy, keep in mind that he is not intentionally being a bad dog; he just has not yet learned what behaviors are acceptable!

Start housebreaking your puppy with a simple feeding schedule. Give him breakfast, lunch and dinner, just as you would yourself. By doing this you will be helping him become regular with his bowel movements. Once he has eaten, wait 20-30 minutes and then take him outside. Watch how long it takes before he is able to void. This will give you an idea of how long to wait the next time you take him out. (Within about a week, you should have his schedule down.) Try to never let him eat at free will, leaving food in his bowl all day, because it will cause him to have accidents and make housetraining all that much more difficult.

Despite the old rules of training a puppy, you should never hit, rub his nose in his messes, or yell at your puppy. By doing this, you are telling him it is bad to relieve himself at all! In addition, most dogs respond negatively to aggressive and mean behavior and it has the opposite effect—they regress in their training rather than advance. Instead, while housebreaking your puppy take him straight outside when he has an accident. In addition, don’t forget the praise! Every time he “goes” where he’s supposed to, praise him lavishly, and soon he will begin to understand exactly what brings praise, and what brings that disappointed face. During the process, don’t forget that full control of the bladder and bowels won’t happen until 16 weeks of age, so don’t expect too much from your puppy in the beginning.

Also helpful in housebreaking a new puppy is to buy a stain remover/ odor relief spray. Household cleaners and sprays cannot be smelled by dogs; only those made for animals will work. When an accident happens, clean the mess and spray immediately. This will cover the odor left and your puppy will not try to mark his territory there again.

Remember that housebreaking a puppy is a big responsibility that can lead to you and your puppy sharing a special bond. Giving encouragement and lots of love will make all the time spent worth your while!

The raising of puppies can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience. It can also be an experience wrought with frustration if some guidelines aren’t adhered to or if certain aspects of the duty are overlooked. There are a number of things that you can do for the puppies and their mother to help make their first days, weeks, and months together healthy and happy ones.

The mother dog will spend the first few days after giving birth with her new puppies. It is important to check on the mother and the pups to ensure that the puppies are being kept warm enough and are being well fed and to make sure that Mommy is producing enough milk and is comfortable.

If the mother leaves the puppies it will be very important to monitor their temperature closely. It is imperative that the pups be kept warm and their area should be kept at a temperature of ninety degrees Fahrenheit for the first four days of their young lives. The temperature can be decreased gradually after that. Remember that a large litter will still need to be kept warm, but that the puppies’ body heat will help keep them warm as they huddle together.

The mother will be very protective of her pups and may display signs of anxiety when people come around the puppies. Some dogs will move the puppies from place to place in an effort to hide them from predators. This is instinctive behavior. Keeping the mother and her pups in an enclosed box may curb this problem as the darkness will ease the mother’s mind and make her feel that she’s found an ideal location for protecting her babies.

During the puppies’ first month there should be little need for the owner to do much of anything for them. They will be cared for exclusively by the mother during this time. The owner’s role should be one of monitoring the pups’ progress and growth rate. The puppies should double their weight in about a week. By two weeks of age the pups will be alert and attempting to stand on their own. By the time they’re a month old the pups should all be able to walk, play, and run around. Now the fun starts!

By about four and a half weeks, the puppies should be eating solid food. One way to train them in doing so is to start feeding them a mixture of canned or dry dog food mixed with a little water or milt to soften it. The pups will lap this up like they are drinking, but will be taking food in at the same time. Day by day the amount of liquid being used should be reduced until eventually the pups are eating the canned or dry food on its own.

One activity that a new mother will engage in will sometimes alarm dog owners. In an effort to teach her pups how to urinate and defecate, mother may lick the pups’ hindquarters. This stimulus will make them “go.” The mother will often eat the pup’s excrement. She does this to both keep the pups’ area clean and eliminate the scent of her pups’ droppings that could alert predators in the wild. The pups will sometimes mimic this behavior and eat each other’s excrement for a short time. most puppies will cease this behavior by the time they are weaned.