Puppy Prep: Simple steps to get your puppy ready for life
Puppies love to chew
The most adorable fur ball has just moved in. He's got boundless energy, bright vulnerable eyes, and he's eager for your love. What could ever wipe that smile off your face?
How about those dagger-like teeth digging into your hand? Or his sharp claws scratching raw lines down your leg? And all this only seconds after he rolls in a pile of his own poop.
Welcome to puppy ownership. As cute as they are, puppies are a handful. They need obedience training and grooming from the moment they arrive in your home, and doing both correctly are key components to your puppy living a long, happy, and healthy life. Here's how to start his life off on the right paw.
Obedience Training
Besides making your dog a joy to be around, obedience training will make both you and your puppy happier by setting guidelines around which to behave. Dogs are animals and without training they will act like - well, animals. You can train your puppy yourself, enroll him in puppy kindergarten, or hire a one-on-one trainer.
“Puppies are like sponges,” says Chris Onthank, owner of Dog Gone Smart in Norwalk, CT, and trainer of dogs for over thirteen years. “It's going to absorb good behaviors and bad behaviors. You might as well train it good behaviors.”
Fully training your puppy by yourself takes discipline and determination, but it can be done if you know how to do it. Even if you aren't training him yourself, it's smart to have a dog-training book handy for training practice with your pup. Puppies can, and do, start learning from you right away. This early interaction, and communication, between you and your puppy is crucial to your on-going relationship.
Ask your veterinarian, but generally puppies can enroll in obedience school when they have had all of their shots, at around twelve weeks old. Puppy kindergarten provides important benefits to owners and puppies. First, as a dog owner, you will learn about your puppy. What to expect from him at this age and how to best work with him for your desired result. Every dog, even within the same breed, has a different personality, and professional trainers can help you recognize certain traits. Secondly, your puppy will learn how to walk on a leash, and basic commands like “sit” and “come.” The third, and probably most crucial reason to start puppy school at an early age, is socialization.
Every dog needs to be taught basic obedience.
“Socialization is critical,” says Onthank. “You want to expose your dog to as many sights, sounds, smells, and surfaces as possible.” Puppies need to learn how to interact with people outside your family and other dogs, especially after they have been removed from their puppy pack. Coming into contact with a variety of breeds and sizes of dogs and various ages of people will help your puppy adapt to different situations as he grows up. Socialization is the only way to make him a safe companion while you are out and about together.
One-on-one training is another beneficial way to obedience train your puppy. One-on-one training includes finding a well-qualified instructor to work with you and your dog either at your home or elsewhere, like the park. This type of instruction is particularly helpful for dogs that have special issues that need addressing, but it is often more expensive than group classes.
Whichever mode of training your puppy you go with be sure your trainer is well qualified, whether it be yourself or someone else.
Grooming
By now you've probably washed his paws a few times, but it's not too early to get your puppy ready for real grooming. Taking care of your puppy's coat helps him avoid problems that could plague an otherwise healthy life. The sooner you introduce him to grooming, the easier it will be for him to adapt to process.
Get your puppy used to being groomed by brushing him or her every other day. “Let them know it's OK for their paws to be touched,” says Muskus. Their ears, too. “Also, take them out of their domain [off the floor],” Muskus suggests. Lifting them up onto a counter or into a sink or bathtub will get them used to the feeling of being away from where they are used to.
“Some puppies are skittish and some are not,” says Sheena Muskus, owner of Bow Wow Barber, a mobile dog grooming van based in Stamford, CT. With puppies, begin the grooming session when he is tired from playing. This will hopefully help lessen his desire to sneak away. “Take your time,” says Muskus. “Do everything a little slow.”
“You groom puppies just like you groom older dogs,” says Muskus. Starting with his head, check over her ears, eyes, and mug, and work your way down his body checking his fur, skin, and paws. Don't forget the hard-to reach areas like under his arms and legs, and his rear end. If you notice any strange bumps to skin loss that concerns you contact your vet. If he looks good, it's time to tackle his coat. Then comb or brush your dog in the direction his fur or hair grows, starting at the head and neck. You just might be surprised to find your puppy looks forward to all the attention he gets when he gets groomed.
Starting right and starting early with obedience training and grooming your puppy is the best way to ensure you both have a long and happy time together. “We teach the dogs how to learn,” says Onthank of training. That can be applied to a puppy's entire life, too.
What is Puppy Kindergarten?
Puppies have boundless energy.
Puppy kindergarten is nursery school for dogs. Just as children delight from playing with friends, being social, and learning basic behaviors, puppies do too. Puppy kindergarten is the first step in obedience training classes that begins when your puppy has all of her shots, at around twelve weeks of age. There are three important components to puppy kindergarten. First, as a dog owner, you will learn more about your puppy. What to expect from her at this age and how to best work with her for your desired result. Secondly, your puppy will learn how to walk on a leash and basic commands like “sit” and “come.” The third, and most crucial reason to start puppy school early, is socialization.
“Socialization is critical,” says Chris Onthank, a dog trainer and owner of Dog Gone Smart, based in Norwalk, CT. “You want to expose your dog to as many sights, sounds, smells, and surfaces as possible.” Puppies need to learn how to interact with people and other dogs once they have been removed from their puppy pack. Coming into contact with a variety of breeds and sizes of dogs and various ages of people will help your puppy adapt to different situations as he grows up. Socialization is the only way to make him a safe companion while you are out and about together.
Find a reputable class by asking around or checking with your local pet store. Sign up for a class at a time that will make it easy for you to attend. If you are tired at nights, don't sign up for a night class. Weekends might be a better fit. Encourage family member to come with you - especially your kids. Older kids will enjoy and learn valuable pet care responsibilities from being part of the experience. Plus they will get to play with and help socialize other puppies. Puppy kindergarten can help the entire family adapt to the responsibility and enjoyment of having a new puppy.
A version of this piece originally published in Dog Fancy, November 2005
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