So you found the perfect puppy and have brought him home. Now is the time to set your new pup up for success. Training at this age sets the foundation for your future dog, so making sure this foundation is strong and positive is important to making your future adult dog the best companion they can be.
First of all, a puppy needs a safe place to sleep, eat and stay when not under supervision. A plastic “airline” crate is your very best option. Not only is it easy to clean, but it provides a very “den-like” haven for the puppy. The crate should only be big enough for the puppy to turn around and lie down. The puppy should have to hunker down to get in. The top of the crate should only be 2”-4” taller than the puppy’s wither (the base of it’s neck where the shoulder blades lie on either side of the spine). Too big a crate and the puppy will relieve itself in one corner and sleep in another – defeating the purpose of the crate.
The crate should have nothing in it – a puppy is less likely to potty on a smooth surface. The crate should be somewhere dark and quiet – like a room prepared for a daytime nap – shades down and no noise. You want the puppy to sleep while he is in there to slow their metabolism so it is easier for them to learn to control their bladder and bowels.
The puppy should be fed in the crate – this helps reinforce that the crate is NOT a place to potty. Puppies need to be fed 2-3 times a day – put the food in their crate, wait 20 minutes and then take them out to potty – eating always makes their bowels move. Water can be left out for the puppy to access when he is out of his crate under supervision, but do make sure to pick it up about a half hour before their final walk of the morning before you go to work or their final walk before bedtime. This helps them regulate themselves so they are housebroken more quickly.
Make sure the puppy’s crate is somewhere you would like them to sleep once they are adults, so they get used to spending the night there. Often, with nervous and fussy puppies, it is soothing for them to have their crates in a bedroom with their humans – it is comforting for them to hear their people breathing – in nature, packs sleep together. Also it gives you the added advantage of being able to correct inappropriate noise from the puppy or get up in the middle of the night to walk the puppy. The “rule of thumb” is that a pup can hold it’s bladder for the number hours it’s age in months is – for instance, a 5 month old pup can generally hold itself for 5 hours. Of course, this may vary greatly for those “teacup” breeds who may have some metabolic issues. Part of the idea of crate training is to also “train” the pup’s biology to help it control itself. Rationing water and scheduling food will help keep relieving itself on a general time-table.
Keeping a schedule will help the puppy learn to control it’s biological needs. Anytime the pup is out of it’s crate, it must be under supervision, and take pup out every 15-20 minutes to offer it the opportunity to relieve itself outside. When pup does go potty outside calm praise and a treat will help reinforce the right place to go. Remember that if the pup is playing hard in the house they may need to go out even more frequently as their metabolism is revved up. You will learn their “I have to potty” body language, and when you see that, take pup out! If they have an accident it is YOUR fault for not paying attention, and know that every time they get the opportunity to potty in an inappropriate place it increases the likelihood of the pup learning to potty in the wrong place. If you cannot control the dog, you must control the environment, so if you can’t devote all your attention to pup, crate it. Even if it is for the 5 seconds it takes to answer the phone – it gives pup enough time to sneak off and go potty behind the couch… and EVERY time the pup comes out of the crate (even if it for the 5 seconds you need to answer the phone) it MUST get the opportunity to potty outside.
Once pup has had no accidents for a week, you can extend the 15-20 minute intervals between potty breaks. Go to 30 minutes, 45 after that, etc. Allow pup free access to water while it is out, but pick up the water about half an hour before the final walk before you go to work or bed, when pup will have to hold itself for a longer period of time.
There are also things you can offer to pup to keep him quiet while he is out interacting with you – a “stuffed” frozen Kong toy or other long-lasting chewy toy/treat. These are also good for putting in the crate when you leave – it helps prevent separation anxiety in an adult dog as every time you leave, pup gets a goody! It also helps reinforce that the crate is NOT where you potty.
Make sure you follow your breeder’s guidelines for feeding, as well. With a lot of Giant and Large breed pups it is advisable to have warm water in the kibble to help prevent “bloat” and conditioning the pup not to be rambunctious immediately after eating. A lot of “tea cup” breeds need to eat/drink on a much more frequent timetable to prevent hypoglycemia – in this case pee-pad or “litter box” training is a good idea.
Outlining a schedule for the household to follow with the puppy is a good idea. Everyone needs to be on the same page to raise the perfect pup into the perfect pet. Finding a good trainer is advised – early training and socialization help a dog become a well-adjusted member of society. There are also a lot of fun things you and your family members can do with your perfect pup – from Agility to Fly Ball to well, you name it!
Enjoy your new family member and feel free to ask me anything!
