Puppies

For the past few weeks, as I have been working on this issue, I have also been promoting my latest batch of foster puppies...

Following a rash of reports of puppy deaths at the hands of their trainers, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) released a statement denouncing any training methods which cause physical harm to dogs. The last straw for APDT members was the news report of a trainer in Raleigh, North Carolina, who allegedly killed an eight-week-old Shar-Pei puppy by repeatedly using a choke collar and pinning the puppy to the ground to correct it for “puppy biting.” The pup died at its vet’s office, reportedly from damage to the trachea. The APDT was already aware of at least three similar cases: Some weeks prior, two puppies (one in Virginia and one in Hawaii) died when their trainers stuck their fingers down the dogs’ throats attempting to stop them from nipping.

If there is one thing that everyone knows, it’s that you have to start out puppies on puppy food. And then at some point...

Crate training is a valuable skill, especially for puppies. A safe, secure, and properly sized puppy crate is the safest place for your puppy when you are not home, cannot supervise him, or the house is dangerously hectic.

Tips for keeping your home, possessions, and self from being chewed to bits by your teething puppy.

The level of your children’s participation in your dog’s training program will vary based on the age and abilities of the children.

Potty training a puppy is an exercise in diligence, consistency, and patience. . So how do these things apply when it comes to how to potty train a puppy in an apartment?

When Hera was about 18 months, we went to an adult dog training class. This instructor told us to use a prong collar. We bought one but often we forgot" to bring it to class. We walked her with it a couple of times but just couldn't get ourselves comfortable with the tool even after we'd followed the instructor's directions to put it around our own thighs and jerk so we'd know it didn't hurt terribly much."

If you’re trying to raise more than one puppy at once, it’s easy to fall short on providing enough guidance. If each of the puppies isn’t getting all the attention, socialization, and training that they need, they can become dependent on a sibling.

The first time I saw Buddy he was a tiny tan morsel nestled in his owner's arms, a perfect pudge of a yellow Labrador retriever puppy – eight weeks old, fat, round and chunky with a shiny black button nose, warm brown eyes and milk-sweet puppy breath. His owner, Tena, had carried him into my training class to hand him over to me for three weeks of in-home boarding and training.

Teddy’s owners were distraught as they explained to me on the phone why they had called. Their veterinarian had told them that their nine-week-old Golden Retriever puppy was “dominant aggressive” because he was biting their hands. He had advised them to alpha-roll the pup every time he tried to bite or otherwise challenge their authority.

Keeping your puppy safe—and household destruction to a minimum—starts before the puppy joins the family, and it’s worth noting that puppy proofing is something of a moving target. Your puppy’s interests and ability to reach things will change as he grows.