Kimble is our newest edition to the Puppy Tales Family and has joined Lucy at home with her other dog, Nova.
Puppies are adorable but they require a lot of work and putting the right foundations in is essential for having a well-rounded, social, happy dog.
Kimbles first weeks have been busy and a big change to the routine!
House Training
He came mostly house trained however, we have had a few accidents when we haven't been watching properly! Kimble now has the odd accident but is doing so well. We have ensured to praise Kimble whenever he goes outside with both praise and food.
Please remember that if your puppy is toileting inside:
- Your puppy isn't doing it on purpose.
- Observation is key - have a look for signs that your puppy needs to go - sniffing and not settling are two key signs.
- Take your puppy out frequently to avoid accidents especially after they have eaten/drunk, had a play or woken up.
- Ignore accidents in the house, clean them up and take your puppy out straight away - rewarding your puppy for going outside.
Socialisation
For many people the main aim is to ensure their puppy is well socialised, which is really important! I believe that you can 'over socialise' a dog. To me, this is when the dog is so fixated on seeing other dogs and people that they get frustrated and don't focus on their owner. I want Kimble to be happy to be around and say hello to other dogs and people but mostly have focus on me! We have begun socialisaing him by taking him to pet shops, pubs, cafes, the vets and meeting with friends who we know have mature, adult dogs. All of these places, I can work with Kimble to settle him, keep his focus, get him used to handling and socialise him with dogs who will show him appropriate social skills. The key for me is ensuring Kimble is comfortable in a range of situations and when he meets unfamiliar dogs and people. Remember treats and praise are crucial in having to pair new experiences with positive things!
Crate Training
Crates can be a really useful tool for any puppy owner. It helps to keep your puppy safe when you are not around and can give them time to themselves when they are tired and need to relax. Crate training is essential though - feeding your puppy in the crate and leaving them in there for short periods of time at first will help to create positive associations. We do not recommend leaving your puppy in there for long periods of time and please ensure the crate is a suitable size for your puppy.
Kimble has done really well in his first couple of weeks - the training has begun and his character is starting to show!
Remember its important to provide puppies with lots of soft toys and chews - this will help with puppy biting (We will have another post on this soon!).
