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Friday, March 23, is National Puppy Day! We know you love your puppy and would do anything for them, but sometimes their behaviours need to be honed for the sake of both yours and your puppy\u2019s comfort.<\/p>\n
There may be many behaviours you wish to help your puppy improve, but it\u2019s best to start small. Here are some suggestions on where to start:<\/p>\n
Daily Routines<\/strong><\/p>\n Basics such as food and water location, meal times, and bedtime are matters of repetition and routine. Feeding your puppy only an hour earlier than usual, one time, can throw off what they know to be the norm. If they\u2019re not fed at that earlier time the next day, they may whine, you may give in to those puppy dog eyes, and then it becomes a cycle. To avoid those tempting puppy dog eyes, do your best not to stray from the routine.<\/p>\n House Training<\/strong><\/p>\n To ensure your puppy has a bathroom routine, they must also have a feeding routine. Food shouldn\u2019t be left out throughout the day, or else your puppy may use the washroom far more often than is convenient for you.<\/p>\n If your puppy does relieve themself indoors, clean the area as soon as possible. If the scent sticks around, your puppy will continue to associate that spot with a bathroom, and breaking the habit will become more difficult. When your puppy does go to the bathroom outside, use positive reinforcement to reward them, like giving them a treat, praising them, or taking them for a walk.<\/p>\n Crate Training<\/strong><\/p>\n Before house training your puppy, you may want to consider crate training them. Once properly crate trained, dogs view their crate like wolves view their den: a place of safety that\u2019s free of feces and urine. A crate-trained puppy will try harder not to excrete waste within the crate, and therefore wait until they are let outside.<\/p>\n When crate training your puppy, keep in mind the following:<\/p>\n If your puppy doesn\u2019t get the hang of things right away, don\u2019t fret! Humans and dogs alike learn at different paces. Just stick with it and they\u2019ll get there eventually.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important that your puppy views all of this training as displays of friendship rather than as chores. Training your puppy is an important part of growing the love and trust between you two. All of the positive reinforcement treats your puppy receives are just bonuses!<\/p>\n Happy training, and Happy National Puppy Day!<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n