The Do's and Don’ts Of Puppy Training

The Do's and Don’ts Of Puppy Training

Do not expose your puppy to new animals until its immunity is fully up. (At about 16 weeks).

Don't bathe him until he is four or five months old unless he is entirely filthy. Your puppy's skin is very sensitive and dries out quite easily.

Do not pick the puppy up by the scruff of the neck.

Do not allow children to be rough with him or maul him in anyway. You wouldn't let the neighborhood kids do so with your ten-week old baby. Puppies aren't any different.

Do continue his vaccinations and heartworm medicine.

Don't forget to get rabies shots as required by law.

Don't let the puppy near your stairs until he has entirely mastered them under strict supervision.

Do keep the puppy well confined during the first several weeks home. A puppy that gets loose may wander away and forget, or not know, where home is.

Do housebreak and train your dog with kindness and attention to detail.

Do give your puppy all the love and attention you can possibly spare. Nobody needs it more.

Don't treat him like an adult dog. Treat him like an infant: with patience, constant supervision and a gentle touch. The way you interact with your puppy at this age is critical to his socialization.

Supervise your puppy at all times and interact with him regularly. Be alert for signs (sniffing and circling) that he has to go to the bathroom, then take him outside immediately.

A young puppy has no bladder control and will need to urinate immediately after eating, drinking, sleeping or playing.
At night, he will need to relieve himself at least every three hours.
Don't punish an accident. Never push his nose in the waste or scold him. He won't understand, and may learn to go to the bathroom when you're out of sight.

Praise your puppy every time he goes to the bathroom outside.

Feed your puppy a formula designed for puppies. Like a baby, he needs nutritious, highly digestible food.

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