Lovely Dog Supply

Archive for August, 2009

Once he has slept and done his job, you will find that your pet is much more relaxed. Bring him back to the area near the crate. Not only that, once he’s had a good rest inside the crate, he would be looking at it as his den. Your dog will be
a little more receptive and a little less wary of it. This is the best time to play. It’s also a good idea to play near the crate. Roll a ball or try a game of fetch. Always make sure that the ball is back in your possession. He shouldn’t claim
ownership of the ball because you are the alpha and you have the right to all his things.
Maintain the leadership stance at all times. Make sure that your authority is not undermined. This is because the once the puppy takes you over with his dominance and growling and posturing, the entire process of housetraining is undermined. Be it while serving him his meals or at playtimes, make sure that you are in control. In fact, it would make a dog feel reassured if you are the leader, because then he could depend on you for some structure in the new environment. You could make the play session a time to practice sit or come. You could roll the ball to him but get it back to you and use it as bait to tell him to come to you. If he sees you as his alpha, he will definitely come to you.

If your family is as excited as people usually are when a new pet is coming home, they would have lined up a reception committee! But warm as the welcome they want to give, it’s a good idea to be a little toned down in your reception. This is because the dog’s nerves might be a little frayed from the separation from his mother and littermates, the journey in the car and the unfamiliarity of his new surroundings. Loud noises and too many people might scare him and a scared puppy means more involuntary leaks! Keep your family calm and tell them not to crowd the dog. Here’s what you need to do:

• Hold your dog and allow your family members to pet him. If the children are old enough, teach them how to hold him by supporting the whole length of the dog’s body rather than yank his arms.
• Talk to your dog and use his name and the family member’s name to introduce him. Talk to your dog as if you would to a human child. Say your dog’s name is Fifi then this is how you would do the introductions—“Fifi, meet Julia”.

You could take the crate to the breeder’s kennel a few days earlier and get the dog used to it. You can also try and take the crate on the same day and introduce your dog to it at the kennel. You can hold him and meanwhile open the crate door and slip in some doggie treats. Once you put him down, you can let him follow your hand and guide him to the crumbs. If your dog seems to be Ok in the crate then you can transport him in it. Add a little toy in there to keep him or her busy.
Most people recommend bringing home your dog on your lap. So you would need to have someone drive the car while you hold the dog. Your dog might be a bit unsettled by the unfamiliar feel of the car as well as the fact that he is being separated from his mom and littermates, which could be a traumatic. Hold the dog in your lap, if you are not using the crate, and talk to him or her in a constant soothing tone.
Make sure he eliminates before you put him in the crate or your lap. For safety’s sake you can line the crate with a thick pad of newspaper, which you can throw away. If you have him in your lap, make sure you are protected with a couple of old and thick towels. Little puppies might pee every ten minutes and you can do nothing about it except protect yourself! If it’s a long journey, you might have to stop and let the puppy out—but make sure that the place is safe and clean because if you have a little puppy, there are chances that his immunizations haven’t kicked in.

Whatever it is, use the time that the journey gives you to bond with your puppy or dog. Allow him to see your affection. At the same time assert your firmness—if he seems to be too excited, command him to sit and sit him down in your lap by gently pushing him down. Don’t let the puppy or the dog chew on your fingers—do not encourage the gnawing because it might grow up to be a habit with the puppy and graduate into biting. Of course you can’t expect a small puppy to obey commands right away but this will begin to establish you as the leader right away. You must begin asserting your loving authority right from the start!

Make sure that you have tucked away all the wires and covered up all the electric sockets and blocked off the spaces behind the refrigerator. You puppy can try and bite the wires and get stuck in undesirable spaces with dangerous consequences. Inform your children of the danger of having small bits and pieces of their toys lying around. Tell them that dogs explore the world by chewing things and holding them in their mouth. If they happen to chew on a small piece of plastic, it could accidentally slip down the throat and choke the dog.
Have the trash cans out of reach for you never know what toxic things can end up in your dog’s mouth. Lock the medicines away and please do not leave chocolate around. Even a very small bit of chocolate can raise the dog’s heartbeat and easily become fatal. Also make sure the garden is safe and that all the dangerous chemicals, fertilizers, paints etc. are locked away.

There is nothing evil about the crate. Using a crate to housetrain your dog is a safe and useful option. It can double as the dog’s own personal space as well as a carrier for transporting him from place to place if required. The crate can serve as a den for your dog and give him a sense of security and a place for you to put him in when you cannot supervise him.
Crates make it easier to train a puppy or a dog because of the fact that when they are in the crate and consider it their den, you can be sure that they will not eliminate inside it. Dogs are clean animals and will never mess up where they sleep. They would be more inclined to use the marked out elimination spot than the crate. Just ensure that the crate is not too big or the dog will begin using one part of it as a toilet! Block one end of the crate leaving just enough room for your dog to turn around. As your puppy grows, remove the barrier.