Congratulations on your new puppy! Having a new little canine in the house will be a wonderful adventure for you and your family. There are many fun memories to be made with your pup; however, you should also learn to know and understand typical puppy behaviors. By educating yourself a bit, you can know what to look out for and how to encourage your puppy – or how to correct them should they misbehave.
Chewing and Mouthing: Just like human infants, puppies go through a teething phase where they want to have their mouth on everything. While this can be cute when they are young, you should discourage the behavior so they unlearn it by the time they are older. A bite from a small puppy may not be a big deal, but a bite from a grown dog can hurt or cause harm. When your puppy tries to bite you, offer a chew toy instead. Pet them while they chew on the toy so they still receive the attention they are seeking by nipping at you. Should your pup continue to attempt to bite you, say “Ow!” in a sharp, high-pitched voice–this will surprise your puppy and cause them to let go. Once they do, ignore them for a few minutes to show that they will not receive attention when they bite. The sooner you can train your dog out of this behavior, the better.
Jumping: Puppies are very excitable, and often show it by leaping up on people. Like biting, this is cute when they are small but less so as they grow. When dogs jump up, they are seeking attention. By acknowledging them when they jump, even in a negative way like shoving them down, they consider it a success in gaining your attention. Instead, turn your back on them and ignore them until they are no longer jumping up. Once that happens, you should turn to them and praise them with petting and a “good girl/boy”.
Tugging or other Aggressive Play: These kinds of games, while fun and good at tiring out an energetic dog, encourage bad or defensive behaviors. By associating tugging with playing, dogs are more likely to lunge at objects you are holding – or simply at you. They can associate grabbing and refusing to let go as a form of play, even when they grab things they shouldn’t. By playing tug or wrestling, your puppy also gets used to competing with you as opposed to listening to and obeying you. Instead, throw a ball or toy for them to fetch, and teach them to let go of the object on command; this will still tire them out, but won’t form accidental bad behaviors.
Socialization : Introducing your puppy to other dogs, people, and animals is crucial during their early life. The critical period for socialization–from the time they are 3 weeks old until they are 16 weeks old–should be filled with as many new people, places, and experiences as possible. This exposure allows your puppy to develop healthy social skills that will make life so much easier down the road; when properly socialized, dogs are less likely to act aggressively or fearfully when met with unfamiliar circumstances.
Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training offers specialized puppy training classes which will help you to establish good puppy behaviors which will last for a lifetime. If you have just brought a new dog into your Sarasota or Bradenton area home, gives a call.
