So You Have a New Puppy!!!

Congratulations!

I have so many suggestions and recommendations for all of our new puppy clients, that I decided to put them on the website for your reference.

Things I suggest you will need for the new puppy:

A crate. Get one that will be large enough for your puppy once he/she is full grown. They come with partitions that will help in crate training until puppy is grown up enough to stay in the whole crate.

Nature's Miracle. Buy it by the gallon at any local petstore. It's a Red and White bottle. When your puppy has an accident, you can use this to help clean it up and the solution will take away the enzymes so your puppy shouldn't keep marking that area.

Bells for the door. I love how this worked for our Bella, who is now a 6 year old lab. She rings the bells every time she wants to go outside and doesn't bark to go out. Also, they learn that it's their way to tell you they need to 'go'. Simply hang the ribbon of bells to the doorknob of the door that will be used for them to go outside. Make sure the bells are large enough that they won't choke on them if chewed. Every time you take your puppy to go outside, bend down and take their paw and ring the bells and say 'OUT". Before long, they will be ringing the bells for you to let them out.

I don't believe in pee pads. I feel like it's telling them that it's ok to pee in the house. I know they are cute and adorable but if it is raining they still need to go outside to pee, it's ok if they get wet, you can dry them off when they come inside.

If your puppy comes home and isn't potty trained yet, I suggest bringing him/her out to the spot where you want them to go in the yard about every hour. Come up with a code word that you will repeatedly say when you want them to 'go'. Go potty or Do your business. Lots of praise after they go. Gradually go to two hours and then try three hours.

The puppy who is not house trained, should not have the run of the house. They should be gated in your kitchen or laundry room area with you or someone supervising them at all times. When they cannot be supervised, they should be crated. They certainly shouldn't have the run of a family room with carpeting if they aren't potty trained.

Routines are wonderful for puppies. Always take them out right away when you get home to do their business.

Try to feed them at about the same times. I do use small treats for rewards, though some trainers frown on this. I am not a trainer, just have alot of experience with puppies.

I will add more later. Please feel free to email me with any puppy questions you may have. Enjoy!