Julie,

How do I get my 9 week old english bulldog/boxer mix to stop wetting the carpet? She goes outside handles her business there and then comes in a few minutes later does in inside. HELP PLEASE.

Lou

Hello Lou,

I know it can be frustrating and time consuming to housetrain your puppy but there are ways to help make it go successfully.  Prevention and education are the keys to making this work and that comes from you.  You’ll get there if you follow these steps below:

Housetraining your puppy:

Establishing a routine with your puppy is one of the most important things you can do.  It may take several weeks to housetrain or longer for smaller breeds. 

1. Take puppies out regularly-at least every 2 hours and after eating, drinking, and a nap.
2. Observe your puppy outside and as soon and give it a name like: “do your business”.  As soon as they pee or poop praise and treat at the exact moment they complete it.  Plus, it is important to observe if they did eliminate, because if they didn’t you’ll know you need to bring them out again in a half hour or less. 
3. Puppies need to be fed about 3-4 times a day on a regular schedule.  Make sure you take them outside after eating. 
4. When the puppy is inside with you watch them close for signs they may need to go-it can be a great idea to attach their leash to you so you are always close to them in the initial phase of housetraining so you can have good timing. 
5. Confine them to a small area when you are unable to watch them.
6. If you must leave your puppy for more than two hours you need to give them an amount of space that offers a sleeping area, play area, and elimination area with newspapers on the floor.  Leaving your puppy for long periods of time will prolong the housetraining though. 
7. If you catch a puppy in the act of eliminating indoors, quickly say ‘no’ in a matter of fact way and bring them outside.  Do NOT get angry or punish your puppy for accidents inside.  At this point it is up to you to prevent it and you can cause behavioral problems if you punish your puppy for this. 
8. Clean up all accidents well to remove odor or puppy may want to eliminate in that spot again. 
9. When your puppy has had no accidents indoors for a few weeks you can begin to offer more freedom with you in the same room watching closely.  Slowly offer the freedom and observe closely to be successful. 

With patience, consistency and prevention you can be successful but it can be a lot of work so go into it knowing what to expect and everyone will be happier!

Good luck!

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Julie

Hello,

And thank you for your services. I appreciate you being here for me!

I found you through Facebook, somebody recommended your link. I thought I would check it out. I am from Illinois, where we lock up our politicians.

First of all this is our fourth dog as a married couple. Each of us has had dogs before. This is our second Wire Fox Terrier that we are trying to crate train. The issue is, I thought dogs would not soil their own beds. Magic, our 10 week old puppy dog, has a crate covered with an old sheet, a heater to keep the room warm, an appropriate sized plastic box that has a clean towel/rag in it, for comfort. We recognize the fact that puppies are going through a difficult transition period. We let her outside to relieve herself before bedtime. The water has been removed at 7pm. She is exercised before bed, good idea about keeping her up before bedtime though, I will remember that. But in the morning I would expect some soiling in the cage, but her bed has always been wet, and twice I have found feces there as well. There has been feces in the cage area in the past.

We wash down her cage and her bed with 3/1 Vinegar. We change her bedding each time. What can we do? We have never put any of our dogs in our bedroom, especially un-crated. This dog loves to bolt to the carpet area to relieve herself.

Thank you for your time and consideration in your suggestions.

Paul

Hello Paul,

 Nice to meet you!  At 10 weeks old your puppy is not capable of staying dry from night through morning.  You will need to bring them outside every 2 hours at this age to eliminate.  Having a puppy at this age is a lot like having a newborn baby that you have to get up and change their diapers for!  It can be a lot of work but it will be worth it in the end.  If you do not get up and teach the dog to soil their bed that can be a problem later and they may never stop doing it.  So how long do you have to do this?  For every month of age add one hour….so if your puppy is 2 months old they can go about 2-3 hours before needing to go outside to eliminate.  So it won’t be until your puppy is about 6 months old before they can go about 6-7 hours at night.  I know this is tough news if you like your long sleep at night!  But, it has to be done, so take shifts with your wife.  Pick the puppy up, bring them to eliminate, praise when they eliminate and put them back to sleep…don’t play at this time…just do their business and go back to sleep.  Time will pass quickly and soon you will be through this difficult puppy stage!

 Good luck!

 All the best,

Julie

Julie,

Thank you for your reply. Yes, it looks like the inevitable. Shift work like when we had our child to bring up at night. oye, we thought that that was over. Oh, well the Joys of puppy hood :0

Paul

Hi Julie,

My name is Jurga and I have a very cute and loving 9 weeks old Lab (Black/Silver mix) Koby. We brought him home on Monday night and for 3 days now trying to crate train him. He is making a lot of noise when in crate and last night even started to bark. He is very attached to me from day one and wants to be next to me at ALL times.

I just read your article about crate training, which is very helpful! However, what I’m struggling to understand is what to do with the dog during the night when he is not in the crate.  He cries and whines all the time if he is not with us in the bed. And the last thing we want is for the dog to sleep in our bed! We have put the crate in our bedroom as per many advices I found on the internet hoping that he will feel close to us and sleep but it’s the same story he just doesn’t stop crying and whining. We hardly slept for 3 nights now and I feel like I\’m doing it right and it will effect dog\’s behavior. I would appreciate if you can give advice on how to handle this.

Thanks in advance.

Jurga

Hello Jurga and welcome to webDogTrainer!

The first few days with your new puppy can be a very difficult time.  They are often missing their littermates and/or mother and it can take time for everyone to adjust to the new routines.  There are a few things though that can hopefully make it a little easier for you. 

Putting the puppy in the crate in your bedroom for the night is probably a good idea as long as the crate is a positive place for the puppy.  As you read about in my article, teach crate training the proper way through positive reinforcement.  (Note from admin: This step-by-step article for teaching the best way to crate train is available through webDogTrainer when you become a member-here’s the link: http://www.webdogtrainer.com/join.php). 

Being near you while you are sleeping, even if in a crate is a chance for your puppy to bond with you.  To use the crate successfully you must never punish your dog by putting them into it, you want the crate to feel like a very happy place for the dog so continue to follow my steps as outlined in the article. 

Some people use a short tether attached to the bed to keep the dog nearby.  If the puppy is allowed to roam freely in the room they may have an accident but if they are tethered to a smaller area they tend to not want to soil their sleeping area. 

Do not let your puppy sleep in the bed “sometimes”.  It would not be fair to your puppy if you allow them to sleep there sometimes and then other times do not.  It will only confuse them and make your training more difficult.  Keep in mind how large they will become!

Dogs learn quickly from routine.  Do the same thing the same way every night and they will catch on quickly.

Here are some tips to get through the night with your puppy:

1.      You’ll want to stop make sure your puppy doesn’t have any food or water after about 7pm, unless it is hot weather.

2.      Try to keep your puppy awake for 2-3 hours before bedtime.  You don’t want your puppy to have napped for 3 hours and then be ready to play when you are ready to sleep!

3.      Tire your puppy out just before bedtime so they will be more likely to sleep.

4.      Then, the last time you let the puppy outside to eliminate before going to sleep you want to make sure you give your puppy enough time to fully eliminate and pay attention to what they are doing so you know if they emptied their bladder completely. 

5.      Expect to get up every 2-3 hours to take your puppy outside to eliminate. 

If your puppy is whining in the crate at night:

1.      If you know that your puppy has just eliminated outside and it has only been a couple minutes, it is best to ignore the puppy.  If you give the puppy attention when they are whining you teach them that whining is good and it will continue. 

2.      If it has been a couple hours and your puppy was quiet and then suddenly starts whining it is best to bring them outside to eliminate.

3.      When you do take your puppy outside to eliminate do not play with your puppy and give them the idea that it is playtime.  DO praise your puppy for eliminating but then go back inside to sleep.  You want your puppy to understand that it is time to eliminate and not playtime. 

4.      Make sure your puppy has not been left in the crate all-day and then again at night.  They should not spend too much time in the crate during the day. 

5.      Exercise your puppy a lot during the day!  A tired puppy sleeps well at night!

With consistency and some patience you’ll soon be through the difficult puppy stages and sleep a little longer each night! 

Good luck and let me know if you have any further questions!

All the best!

Julie

 Hi Julie,
 
Thanks for your detailed response. Just wanted to confirm if I understood you right.. So you think we can try to keep him in the crate for all night? But what to do if he doesn’t stop crying for about 2 hours, is that ok? I’m afraid he will start hating the crate. We play a lot before putting him to crate and take him outside of course. But then once he in the crate he starts crying and whining and even barking.
 
What I do during the day – I keep the door open and put all his toys and treats in the crate. He is happy to go in and stay there as long as the door is open. I even managed to convince him to sleep in there for an hour or so. But once I close the door in the night it leads to never ending crying…. So I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing at this point and with the time he will be ok to stay in without making any noise.
 
Thanks
Jurga

Hi Jurga,
 
Yes, as long as you KNOW he has eliminated fully just before putting him in the crate it will be ok to leave him in it for the next 2-3 hours, even if he whines.  He may whine but if you ignore him it should stop.  You will need to take him out of the crate every 2-3 hours to eliminate outside though, he is too young to hold his bladder all night and you do not want to teach him to soil his bed.  A good rule is add one month to their age and that is how many hours they can stay in the crate at night-so if he is 2 months old he can stay about 3 hours in the crate as long as you KNOW he has eliminated just prior.  Then, after 2-3 hours, take him outside to do his business and watch him to make sure he did empty his bladder then put him back inside the crate.  Keep up with your positive crate training so it is never a bad place to be.
 
If you occasionally take him out when he whines to pet him and console him even when you know he doesn’t have to eliminate than you will never teach him to stop whining and he will always think that will work so he will continue to whine.  I know the first few nights may be tough but it usually only takes a night or two of being consistent for him to understand you won’t come when he whines.
 
You can do it!  You will get through this rough patch if you are consistent.  I know it can be hard to ignore a cute, whining puppy but in the end you are being kinder to him by setting firm rules in the beginning.
 
Good luck and let me know how it goes!
 
Julie

Thanks Julie! Now I know that I’m on the right track :-) I will keep you updated.

 Hello Julie,

Please help!  My puppy is aggressive towards other dogs.  We have two dogs, both female Australian Bulldogs.  The first is one years old - She is a great dog who loves other dogs. We socialised her a lot as a puppy and she has always been very submissive and very playful. I have never seen her even attempt to nip another dog. We have put her through puppy school and basic obedience training and all round she is a great dog. We walk her every night at a big off lead dog park and have done so since she was 12 weeks of age. She loves it.

We now have a new puppy that is 13 weeks of age. She is a pleasure around the house and loves our older dog. They play happily all day. They both also attend Doggy Day Care one day a week and they have advised me that they are both an absolute pleasure and play well with other dogs. We have had other dogs visit our home often and also have taken the little one to friends places and basically everywhere we go as we did with the older dog. We know it is very important to get your new puppy around as many new situations as possible. However tonight when we took her down to the off lead dog park now that she has had all of her vaccinations, the little puppy was very aggressive and attacking other dogs. She was stiff, growling and trying to bite. We were quite concerned and shocked as we have never seen this behaviour in her or any of our previous dogs for that matter so did not know how to act. We have her enrolled in puppy class but I would be interested to know what else we can do to nip this behaviour in the bud now before she turns into an aggressive BIG bulldog! I\’m sure there are training techniques however never having this problem before I\’m not sure how to go about it.

Thanks for your time. Lesley from Victoria

Hi Lesley,

Good for you that you have been so diligent about socializing your puppies and knowing how important that is.  No two dogs are alike though so it seems to me that your new puppy probably felt pretty overwhelmed by other unknown dogs approaching it.  Many people believe that 13 weeks is too young for dogs to be in an off-leash dog park because there are so many different types of dogs that we cannot control which ones are approaching our puppy to provide positive experiences with other dogs that are also well socialized.  Your puppies response was to keep them away from her.  Adult dogs that are well socialized tend to allow puppies a little room but will let them know what is appropriate dog behavior and what isn’t, which is why we like to have puppies meet these types of dogs during this crucial development.  Adult dogs that are NOT well socialized tend to teach your puppy bad manners which can escalate into problem behavior.

So for awhile I would suggest limiting your puppies interactions with dogs to just a few KNOWN dogs at a time rather than dozens of unknown dogs at a dog park.  If you do notice your puppy growl you’ll want to discourage that behaivor and not coddle them during the behavior.  If you pick up your dog for example and give them attention after they have just growled we have rewarded that growling and told them we liked it which will of course encourage growling in the future and possibly escalate aggression.  So instead say a quick No! and later try to socialize the puppy with the dog it growled at in a more controlled environment, one on one.  You can practice positive obedience near the dog that the puppy growled at, for example ask your puppy to sit and when she performs the command well offer her a treat.  You can slowly work up to being closer to the other dog (who should be on leash). 

Do not force your puppy towards another dog or person that they seem to want to pull away from.  Be patient and give her time. 

It’s great that your puppy is doing well in the doggy daycare, perhaps that situation feels more secure to her whereas the dog park felt more overwhelming. 

When your puppy is greeting other dogs on leash make sure that your puppies leash is loose because a tight collar can create frustration which can lead to aggression.  Also, make sure that you feel calm and not nervous or your puppy will sense you are uncomfortable and feel the same way which can turn the greeting into something negative. 

It sound like you do understand the importance of socializing your dog well be introducing them to all kinds of different experiences.  Just remember, this puppy may not react the same as your first dog so you’ll have to adjust things accordingly.  Keep up the doggie day care and that’s wonderful you have enrolled her in a puppy class.  I would talk with the instructor of that class ahead of time about your concerns as well so they can be on the look out for the behavior.  You’ll also want to get a feel for how experienced the instructor is for this type of behavior so you can make sure you do everything right.  If you don’t feel confident in the insturctors individual experience try to find one that you do feel has the experience and is willing to work with you if needed. 

It sounds like you are on the right path to resolve the issues and I can see you are dedicated.  You are a great role model for people who notice something about their puppy and plan to do something to fix it rather than let it turn into a problem that will be much harder to resolve as an adult.  I am proud of you for that!  Good job!

Let me know how it goes and if you need any other advice!

Best of luck to you.

Julie

Hi Julie,

Thank you very much for your reply. 

I realise now that it was probably very overwhelming for our little puppy at the dog park and we will most definitely take a couple of steps back and wait until she is a older before we take her again.  I feel a little bad about that now,  I shall keep her on lead in future and ensure that she has gained more positive experiences around dogs in a controlled and less confronting situation as you have suggested.  I think Puppy School should help and I will make sure I advise the trainer and ensure we all keep an eye out for this behaviour to properly correct it.

I am no dog expert but a true believer in puppy socialisation.  Our older dog is such a pleasure to have around and we always get comments from people on her behaviour.  We have only ever used positive reinforcement for training and lots of love.  We know that by putting all the hard work in at the beginning has rewarded us with such a great adult dog. (but is it really hard work when they are gorgeous little puppies?  I don’t think so.).  If we can do it, it must be easy and I’m out there telling everyone to do the same!!

We have our hands full with this feisty little one but it should be OK.  Nothing like a challenge.

Thanks Again for your advise and i will let you know how I go.

Lesley.

Hi Lesley,

You are welcome!  Sounds like you are on the right track now and I am confident you will do well!

Julie

 Hi Julie,

I used to have an australian shepherd growing up. Two actually. We also raised Siberian huskies, bred one, kept the pups and I did training with the mail, we even showed in obedience and in confirmation. That however, was a bit ago. So I am trying hard to remember everything. I live in a two story house. THe living area is upstairs and we have wood floors and a deck. We have a mostly fenced in back yard but would get a dog run. The dog would mostly be in, but out when we leave the house. I am just wanting a refresher again on what to expect, time wise and exactly HOW to potty train, etc. Also we need to find a breeder, if you have any resources there. I started with the breeders directory from australianshepherd.org. Any other ideas as we embark upon this?

Thanks!

Jamie

Hi Jamie,

It’s great you are looking into being prepared before you get the dog-that’s so important an responsible! Have you considered going through a rescue group instead of a breeder?  Such as this one: http://www.norcalaussierescue.org/index.htm   I highly recommend this avenue-you can find all types of wonderful dogs this way, that is how I adopted my German Shepherd years ago.  He was about 2 when I adopted him and turned out to be an amazing dog.  A lot of these rescue dogs were given up because the owners couldn’t handle the puppy phase or the early teenage phase, but they are still great dogs.  Puppies and dogs less than 2 years of age are A LOT of work and would be like having another baby in the home.  I know that with children, I have less time than before and that may be something to consider.  One great thing about rescue groups is that they tend to know the dogs really well and can place them with the right “match”.  They often don’t place a dog with children unless they know it has lived with children before, so a lot of thought goes into the match.  Adult dogs can bond with your family just as well as a puppy and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you “saved” a life-in fact, that bond can be more strong than a puppy bond.  Plus, you know what you are getting when you adopt an adult dog, regarding temperament, energy level, size, etc. AND you don’t have to housetrain them and they are past the chew everything phase! Just something to think about.  Also, the rescue groups are often looking for fosterers so that can be a chance for you to dip your toe in the water by trying out a dog before committing.  Just a thought.  You should go to an adoption day and talk with the fosterers and visit the dogs available for adoption.  You don’t have to commit, but it can be a lot of fun to see the dogs and you can meet several that way in person. 

If you do decide to go with a breeder, make sure you visit in person and see the conditions the mother and puppies are being raised in, you wouldn’t want to buy from a puppy mill accidentally so that is why you should visit in person.   Check out my article about this: The Best And Worst Place To Adopt Your Next Dog

Here are some things to think about regarding Australian Shepherds:  They are VERY active dog and need a lot of exercise to prevent behavioral problems that may develop if their energy needs are not met.  They like a job to perform, whether that is obedience, agility or some dog sports for example.  One of the reasons a lot of these dogs are given up is because people don’t realize how much energy this particular breed has.  A typical dog will need at least two long walks a good 45 minutes each, twice a day and this breed will need a lot more.  They often also need off leash running time everyday with Frisbees or balls for example.  You’ll need to tire them out at least twice a day, meaning they come home and lay down to rest AND they’ll need a job to do.  Here’s a good list of things to expect from an Australian Shepherd: http://www.norcalaussierescue.org/aboutAussies.htm They are a herding dog so this is another consideration when having children.   Just prepare yourself well before you adopt; make sure you understand the commitment, have the time to put into their energy needs, and train them well. 

Check out my media article on Responsibilities of adopting a dog:

Responsibilities of Adopting A Dog

Houstraining your puppy:

Establishing a routine with your puppy is one of the most important things you can do.  It may take several weeks to housetrain or longer for smaller breeds. 

1. Take puppies out regularly-at least every 2 hours and after eating, drinking, and a nap.
2. Observe your puppy outside and as soon and give it a name like: “do your business”.  As soon as they pee or poop praise and treat at the exact moment they complete it.  Plus, it is important to observe if they did eliminate, because if they didn’t you’ll know you need to bring them out again in a half hour or less. 
3. Puppies need to be fed about 3-4 times a day on a regular schedule.  Make sure you take them outside after eating. 
4. When the puppy is inside with you watch them close for signs they may need to go-it can be a great idea to attach their leash to you so you are always close to them in the initial phase of housetraining so you can have good timing. 
5. Confine them to a small area when you are unable to watch them.
6. If you must leave your puppy for more than two hours you need to give them an amount of space that offers a sleeping area, play area, and elimination area with newspapers on the floor.  Leaving your puppy for long periods of time will prolong the housetraining though. 
7. If you catch a puppy in the act of eliminating indoors, quickly say ‘no’ in a matter of fact way and bring them outside.  Do NOT get angry or punish your puppy for accidents inside.  At this point it is up to you to prevent it and you can cause behavioral problems if you punish your puppy for this. 
8. Clean up all accidents well to remove odor or puppy may want to eliminate in that spot again. 
9. When your puppy has had no accidents indoors for a few weeks you can begin to offer more freedom with you in the same room watching closely.  Slowly offer the freedom and observe closely to be successful. 

If you plan to get a puppy make sure you designate a good 2-3 weeks or more of intense observation.  With patience, consistency and prevention you can be successful but it can be a lot of work so go into it knowing what to expect and everyone will be happier!

Good luck!

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Julie

A:

Hi Cody’s parents!

Glad to hear how well most things are going for you. 

It sounds as though he might know when you are tired and tend to give in.  When you are sitting trying to relax…so often it is easier to give in to his attention in those moments and he is smart and knows it.  It isn’t that he is a “spoiled brat”- it is that he is VERY smart! ha.  So what is the answer? 

Since jumping on you is the problem you need to let him know that he will not get any of your attention when he jumps.  You mention that he “knows” when you are cooking or standing that he doesn’t get any attention.  How do you think he “knows” that?  You taught him!!  With consistency you probably taught him over time that he wouldn’t get attention in those moments because you were busy, so he learned he wouldn’t get attention which is why he doesn’t jump on you seeking attention in those moments.  But when you give him chew bones and attention for jumping on you when you are sitting he learned that he would get attention when you sit!  So basically you have taught him he won’t get attention when you are up and about but he will when you are sitting and trying to relax!  See how smart he is?!  J

You basically have to do the same thing you did to teach him to leave you alone when you are working-remember what you did?  Probably ignore him.  Here are some suggestions:

1.      I would suggest doing “practice sits”-meaning you sit down and pretend you are going to drink your coffee or relax but with the intention you are really going to do some training setups with him.  He just needs to have some practice for what your expectations of him are in those moments so you are going to set up some practice for him!  Once you do teach him what your expectations are of him you are going to have to be consistent for it to work in the long run.  If you give in occasionally then he’ll forever keep pestering you to find out when you’ll give in. If he learns from today on it NEVER works, then he’ll stop. 

2.      So, we have learned that we need to teach him that he won’t get the attention at those times you are trying to relax.  The best way to go about doing that is to ignore him when he is trying to get your attention.  But, if he jumps up on you for attention you simply stand up, fold your arms, don’t move, and look away.  You are now telling him he won’t get your attention when he is jumping on you.  Now, I would give him a location you do want him to be in, like a mat or bed. 

3.      Bring him to that mat and say, “Go to your mat”.  When he gets there and lays down, praise him and pet him.  That might also be the time he gets his chew bone.  Then, sit back down and try again.  It shouldn’t take too many times for him to understand.  Occasionally when he is on his mat like that it would good to give him attention and praise so that he isn’t ignored completely when he is doing a good job.  The idea here is that he gets your attention when he is having good behavior and ignored when he is having unwanted behavior.

4.      Now you have taught the “go to your mat” command as well and can use it when you want him to go lay down and have quiet time.  Do not use it as a punishment place though.  It should be a place he feels good to be in and receives praise for being there.

5.      For any of this to work it needs to be done EVERY TIME.  This is why I have you do practice sits when you are not feeling too tired to do them so you are prepared and ready for the training.

6.      You mention he gets a good amount of exercise.  That is wonderful and completely necessary.  Depending on his natural energy level you might have to change your routine a little and exercise him a bit BEFORE your morning coffee.  It just depends on how much energy he has stored up in the night but you might relax a little better if he is able to rest calmly after a walk.

I have a lot of faith in you because you have been doing a great job so far with him.  He is still a puppy at 6 months so it is challenging I know.  Keep up the good work and let me know how it goes or if you have any other questions!

All the best,

Julie

Julie, i have a month old half pit half german shepard puppy. she seems to be barking for no apparent reason. we give her enough attention, that she shouldnt feel neglected. I have so much patience but she doest seem to get the message. sHE is not the first puppy we  had n she seems to be the most stubborn we\’ve had. I had her for almost two weeks now. How can I get her to listen. please help me. Im desperate.I want her to grow up with my 8 month old niece               ~sheila CA

Hello Sheila,

Puppies are wonderful but can be a lot of work.  It isn’t your puppies fault that she is barking and she isn’t being stubborn.  Dogs do what comes naturally to them until we train them otherwise.  So, yes this problem can be resolved but you have to be the one to fix it.

You may have unintentionally taught your puppy to bark.  She wants to go out, so she barks and you let her out; she wants to eat so she barks and you feed her; she wants to be pet so she barks and you pet her.  It seems easier to just offer the behavior she is asking for by giving it to her when she barks but what this does is teach her that she gets what she wants when she barks.  She is actually a smart dog if you think about it!  So what do you do now?

Barking is often a result of isolation, fear, frustration or boredom.  Dogs need to be exercised a lot at least twice a day as well as go out and explore the world.  They do not do well be left alone for long periods of time and also need to go out for walks, explore new sights and smells and not just stay at home every day.   A tired dog is a good dog and will most likely spend a lot of time sleeping if they have had their needs met. 

Also, make sure you praise your dog and give it attention when they are NOT barking.  We often mistakenly give our dogs attention when they bark which rewards the behavior and forget to give the attention when they are quiet.

I would highly suggest you begin an obedience-training program using positive methods.  You can train your puppy to behave the way you want them to if you practice daily obedience with them in a positive way and with good timing. 

You also need to be very consistent with your dog and establish clear rules.

Here are some steps to follow for immediate results:

1. When your dog is barking say a command firmly, like “Stop Barking”, or “Quiet!” Pick one of the commands and stick to it as a family.  Do not be angry though and let your dog sniff a treat while you say that command.  Generally, when offered a treat a dog stops barking to smell it even if only for a second. 
2. Then, when your dog is quiet, give a treat and say “good quiet” or “good no bark” in a praising way.  Continue this but expand the amount of time you expect your dog to be quiet from say 3 seconds, to 6 to 9 and so on.  So the wait for the treat is delayed. 
3. They start associating the fact that you say that command, they stay quiet and then they get a treat. 
4. This method may take some time but it is one way for you to work on the barking problem right away.  It also establishes the meaning of the command to the dog so that over time you can just say that word and they will stop. 

There are many ways to resolve this problem and this is just one example.  It is important that you work on obedience training right away if you want to be able to handle your puppy well.  Do not wait or more behavioral problems can develop. 

If you are interested in joining my online training program to get a good start with your puppy, that includes access to email me 7 days a week throughout your training I can offer you a buy one get one free coupon!  If you are interested, sign up at the join now page http://www.webdogtrainer.com/join.php   and I’ll send you the free membership coupon you can offer to a friend or family member as a gift!  Makes a great Holiday Gift! 

I hope the information I provided was helpful.  Good luck!  If you teach your puppy well now they can grow up to be a wonderful companion for years to come. 

All the best!

Julie

Hi Julie!

Thank you for contacting us.  Cody is doing well now walking–coming, sitting, fetching, etc.  HOWEVER, our biggest challenge is his jumping on people.  He just LOVES people and while he will sit well, etc., he just cannot contain himself.  I have read your info about people coming to your house, etc. but our issue is just being “out” as we have a travel trailer and meet people walking, etc.  On leash he is just straining to get to them and will ignore sit as he is just dying to greet them.  He also likes to jump up on us.  “Off” doesn’t really cut it to get him to stop it.  People have suggested—can with pennies in it–rattle it when they jump?  Or a water/vinegar spray when they jump.  I haven’t tried either but was going to write to you for advice. This jumping is bad as he is getting bigger and could easily knock someone down.  He responds well to treats but ignores all just to greet people. We would appreciate any suggestions per this.  Thank you.

Sue

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My Answer:

Hi Sue!

Great to hear from you!  Cody sounds like he is doing really really well for such a young age-YOU should be very proud of yourself for that accomplishment!  I am proud of you!!

In regards to your training him to stop jumping you’ll need to first do some training setups before you do the real thing. 

1. Put him on collar and leash.
2. Practice walking up to people (you can get some friends to help)and then when he begins to jump you say “OFF” and quickly move away off to the side away from the person he wants to greet.  You repeat this over and over until he understands that all 4 paws need to be on the ground to get attention and for you to pet him.

**The idea here is that he does not get to have the attention when he jumps.  For this to work it is essential that he DOES get attention and petting when he doesn’t jump.  Your timing is important here so set this up when you are actually doing it as a training session, not when you really need to talk with someone.  If you practice this well and consistently it won’t take you too long to teach him that he only gets pet when he isn’t jumping.   

**Another important tip:  if you sometimes allow people to pet him when he is jumping then you won’t fix the problem completely.  I know this sounds tough but if you stick it out seriously for a couple weeks he should understand.   When you greet people just explain you are training him and they’ll understand what you are doing. 

Also make sure you are consistent about petting him when he does approach you or others and is well-behaved…because this will be his “payment” for not jumping.

If you are very clear that when he approaches and jumps he is taken away and doesn’t receive petting, but when he approaches well with no jumping he does get pet you’ll be on the road to success!

If you find he approaches someone, doesn’t jump and so gets rewarded with petting, but then does jump during the petting, you also need to say “OFF” and move away the same and repeat. 

**It is VERY important that you repeat until he doesn’t jump for this to be successful as well.  If you just take him away and don’t repeat he won’t learn what you are trying to teach.

I have a lot of confidence you’ll be able to accomplish this and I would love to hear how it goes!

Let me know you received this and good luck with it!

Talk soon,

Julie

Hi Julie,
My puppy is 9 weeks old. So far everything seems to be going well except for one thing which I would like some advice on. He wears his collar all the time now with no problems but I can’t get him to accept wearing his leash. Every time I put it on him he fights it like crazy. I want to get him to wear it so I can walk him and train him. What would you suggest? I appreciate your help in this matter.
Peter
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HI Peter!
Great to hear from you! Here is some advice regarding the leash.

Introducing your puppy to the leash:
Step One:
Get a delicious treat ready that your puppy loves, before you put the leash on. Then, put the leash on your puppy, give them the treat and let them drag the leash around without you holding on to it. Make sure you are watching carefully so they don’t get caught on something. Let them drag it around for a few minutes, then take it off and do another session later, gradually extending the time your puppy is wearing the leash. Whenever you put the leash on, give your puppy a nice treat so they start to associate the leash positively. Also when your puppy is excited about mealtime, put the leash on them right before feeding and let them eat with the leash on. When your puppy feels happy to put the leash on and is used to dragging it around you can move onto step two.

Step Two:
Pick up the leash now but do not pull on it or make it tight, instead follow your puppy around. You can encourage them to come towards you with food treats and praise them when they are walking with you. So, if your puppy sits with the leash on and you want to encourage them to walk, then use a food reward and entice them to come with you, do not pull them towards you with the leash. It is important that they not feel tension on their collar at this point and that there is always a loop in the leash. Keep the experience really pleasant for your puppy and be enthusiastic when they have the leash on. Over time, you can move away from your puppy, enticing them to come with you and treating them when they do. Eventually, your puppy will understand that when they walk with you, they get a reward and it is fun for them!

*Tip: Always do training sessions when you are feeling calm. If you are tired and cranky your puppy will get signals that you are not happy with them and the training experience can be confusing to them. Whenever you feel yourself get frustrated with your puppy try to take a break and begin again when you feel up to it.

-Let me know how that goes and if you need anything else! Keep in touch and have fun with your new pup!
Julie