Do’s and Don’ts While Waiting for Puppy Class

I often get questions from puppy owners about what to do until they get to puppy class.  Our puppy class covers all the puppy behaviors from housebreaking to biting and then some, but I can give you a few do’s and don’ts to get you started.  These tips may or may not be the actual training techniques that will be taught in class.  They also may or may not be exactly what your individual dog needs.  But the Do’s will do no harm and the Don’ts should be avoided at all costs.  Hopefully, some of these tips will keep you going until I can meet you and your puppy in class. 

In addition, you may wish to consider our Phone Consultation Service while you are waiting or you may wish to schedule a private lesson at our regular rates.

 DO’S

• Handle your puppy gently ALL over every day.  If he doesn’t want to be handled, bribe him with treats.

• RELAX.  Know that with few exceptions (see the don’t list), I can undo most mistakes that you make.

• Review the articles on Chewing and Housebreaking.

• Enjoy your puppy!  Play with him, hug him, have fun!  That’s the best part about puppies!

• Make pleasant eye contact with your puppy.  Smile and reward him with hugs or treats whenever he looks into your eyes.

• Reward sits with hugs and treats. 

• Hold treats and toys at the puppy’s level to discourage jumping.

• If you puppy bites, stick a toy in his mouth.

DON’T

• Don’t Alpha roll (flip the puppy on his back, stare into his eyes).  While this is a popular method for correcting biting, and while many vets ARE still recommending it, it works on only a small percentage of the dogs and CAN do irreparable damage to the dog’s trust in you as the owner.  This IS one of the things that is VERY difficult to fix if it goes wrong.  DON’T DO IT.

• Don’t chase your puppy, even if he has something in his mouth he shouldn’t have. Review my Chewing Article for tips on chewing problems.

• Don’t grab your puppy by the muzzle or make threatening eye contact.

• Don’t hit your puppy.  Sometimes it works, but it can also make things much worse.  Let me evaluate your puppy first and show you other ways to stop bad behaviors.

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