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Dog Care and Behavior Tips
• Barking
Chained dogs often bark out of frustration and loneliness. Just getting your dog
off the chain will reduce
barking. Some dogs bark more at night. Bringing your dog inside at night should
stop barking entirely!
Dogs who are well-exercised and happy are less likely to bark. Walk your dog and
let him get to know the
neighborhood so he won't feel threatened by it. A tired, happy dog will sleep
instead of bark.
Prevent chronic barking by teaching the word "Quiet." After your dog starts
barking, startle him with a
noise (like calling his name) or by tapping a treat on his nose. When he is silent,
say "Quiet" and reward
him. Then you can use the command "Quiet" to stop barking.
• Begging
Decide at the beginning that no one will feed the dog from the table. Don't allow
guests to break this rule.
Feed the dog before your meal, and he won’t be hungry.
• Biting
Every time puppy bites on your finger say, "Ouch"--not the way a person would
say it, but the way a
puppy would say it...high-pitched and loud. Puppy will think he's hurting you.
Ignore the puppy for a few
minutes afterward. Never grab, squeeze or pop them on the nose. This will
escalate the behavior.
• Destroying Property
Never leave your new dog unconfined when you leave the house. You are asking
for trouble if you let an
untrained dog have full run of the house! A crate, playpen or small room is best.
Privileges are earned
and your new dog must be mature and trained enough to be responsible before
you give him total
freedom. Leave him with plenty of appropriate things to chew on while you are
away.
Provide him with soft and hard rubber chew toys, along with a tug toy or rope and
chew treats. These
should be readily available at all times. Stuff hollow toys with treats and food to
keep their interest and
teach proper chewing habits. Get your dog used to being alone so he doesn't
chew out of nervousness.
Gradually leave the dog alone for longer periods of time. Don't just leave; say
goodbye in the same way
every time. Both leaving and returning should always be low key.
• Digging
Provide your dog with his own sandbox. Bury toys in it and teach him it's okay to
dig in there. Protect
gardens with chicken wire or plastic fencing.
• Jumping On People
As your dog jumps on you, either back away or turn away, saying nothing. Do this
every time she jumps.
Do not make any eye, voice or physical contact. This is what the dog wants from
you. Only give the dog
attention when all four feet are on the floor.
Go online or visit your local library for information about dog training and
behavior. To find information online,
search for specific terms such as: dog barking, introducing new dog, dog jumping,
dog aggression, etc.
The most important thing to remember about dogs is that they are pack animals,
genetically bred to work, play, eat, and sleep with company. You do your dog a
disservice if you keep him in the backyard alone all or most of the time. A dog
wants to be part of a family!
Teaching your dog to be a well-behaved member of your family will take time, but
will be well-worth it as your dog becomes a beloved friend and companion.
Dogs who are used to being chained can certainly make great house dogs, but
sometimes require additional attention. Be prepared for a dog who is used to
being
outside to act overexcited when first coming inside the house. Don’t give up!
Your dog will calm way down once he his used to being inside. He is just excited
about being in a new place, with new smells and new things to experience.
Housetraining Tips
• Dogs are clean animals and always prefer to keep their home clean. Your dog
wants to do the right thing
once he knows what it is. You must show your dog the preferred spot for
eliminating-outside!
• The best method of house training is the crate method. Buy a pet carrier or
cage only big enough for the
dog to stand up, turn around, and lay down in. This will be the dog's “den” and
sleeping place. It goes
against a dog’s instinct to foul his sleeping place. Even young puppies will try
their best not to go inside
their crate.
• On the dog’s first day home, let him wander in and out of the crate at will. Place
a blanket or towel in the
crate along with some dog treats and toys. Let him get the idea that the kennel is
his own private room.
Put it where it's out of the way, yet where the dog is near the family and can watch
what is going on.
• Young puppies must be taken outside many times a day. Young puppies need
to eliminate within 30
minutes of playing, eating, sleeping, drinking or exercising. Older dogs need to go
out four or more times
daily. Always take the dog to the SAME spot outdoors. The smell will remind him
why he's there.
• When puppy relieves himself outside, PRAISE him, "Good Dog!!” and give him a
treat. Praise for good
behavior is the key to housetraining! A dog will quickly associate going outside
with treats, and will be
eager to relieve himself outside.
• If you're inside and notice the dog starting to sniff and circle, quickly grab him up
or encourage him to go
outside. If you catch him in mid-stream, startle the pup with a noise, and then take
him outside. Stay to
praise him if he finishes.
• What if you notice a mess on the floor but didn’t see your dog do it? Just clean
up the mess without
scolding the dog. Dogs are not able to associate past mistakes with a correction
from you. You must
catch the dog in the act for your correction to be effective. Rubbing the dogs’
nose in the mess or hitting
him with a newspaper will just shame him and lead him to relieve himself in hidden
places inside.
• Use a cleaner that will kill smells and bacteria, such as Simple Green (grocery
stores), Nature’s Miracle
(pet stores), or vinegar and water. If you don’t thoroughly clean up the spot, the
dog might return to that
spot and the smell might make him feel the urge to go inside.
• Remember, dogs don't like to foul their den. At bedtime, take the dog outside
and then lock him in his
crate for the night. He'll make an effort not to foul his bed. Then take him outside
first thing in the morning.
Some young puppies may not have the muscle control to hold it all night and will
have to be taken out
during the night.
• Don’t feed your dog after about 6:00 pm. This will help the dog to make it
through the night with no
accidents.
• Dogs can be left in a crate up to 4-6 hours. Dogs should not be left in a crate for
more than 8 hours. If you
cannot come home during the day while housetraining, consider leaving the dog
outside to prevent
accidents inside.
• Some tips to make housetraining easier: Hang a jingle bell on the door and
jingle it when you take your
dog out to potty. Your dog should learn to ring the bell when he needs to go
outside. Install a dog door.
Dog doors are a wonderful invention! Dogs quickly learn to come and go on their
own. You can buy dog
doors at pet stores and discount stores.
Don’t forget to take your dog on frequent walks!
• Barking
Chained dogs often bark out of frustration and loneliness. Just getting your dog
off the chain will reduce
barking. Some dogs bark more at night. Bringing your dog inside at night should
stop barking entirely!
Dogs who are well-exercised and happy are less likely to bark. Walk your dog and
let him get to know the
neighborhood so he won't feel threatened by it. A tired, happy dog will sleep
instead of bark.
Prevent chronic barking by teaching the word "Quiet." After your dog starts
barking, startle him with a
noise (like calling his name) or by tapping a treat on his nose. When he is silent,
say "Quiet" and reward
him. Then you can use the command "Quiet" to stop barking.
• Begging
Decide at the beginning that no one will feed the dog from the table. Don't allow
guests to break this rule.
Feed the dog before your meal, and he won’t be hungry.
• Biting
Every time puppy bites on your finger say, "Ouch"--not the way a person would
say it, but the way a
puppy would say it...high-pitched and loud. Puppy will think he's hurting you.
Ignore the puppy for a few
minutes afterward. Never grab, squeeze or pop them on the nose. This will
escalate the behavior.
• Destroying Property
Never leave your new dog unconfined when you leave the house. You are asking
for trouble if you let an
untrained dog have full run of the house! A crate, playpen or small room is best.
Privileges are earned
and your new dog must be mature and trained enough to be responsible before
you give him total
freedom. Leave him with plenty of appropriate things to chew on while you are
away.
Provide him with soft and hard rubber chew toys, along with a tug toy or rope and
chew treats. These
should be readily available at all times. Stuff hollow toys with treats and food to
keep their interest and
teach proper chewing habits. Get your dog used to being alone so he doesn't
chew out of nervousness.
Gradually leave the dog alone for longer periods of time. Don't just leave; say
goodbye in the same way
every time. Both leaving and returning should always be low key.
• Digging
Provide your dog with his own sandbox. Bury toys in it and teach him it's okay to
dig in there. Protect
gardens with chicken wire or plastic fencing.
• Jumping On People
As your dog jumps on you, either back away or turn away, saying nothing. Do this
every time she jumps.
Do not make any eye, voice or physical contact. This is what the dog wants from
you. Only give the dog
attention when all four feet are on the floor.
Go online or visit your local library for information about dog training and
behavior. To find information online,
search for specific terms such as: dog barking, introducing new dog, dog jumping,
dog aggression, etc.
The most important thing to remember about dogs is that they are pack animals,
genetically bred to work, play, eat, and sleep with company. You do your dog a
disservice if you keep him in the backyard alone all or most of the time. A dog
wants to be part of a family!
Teaching your dog to be a well-behaved member of your family will take time, but
will be well-worth it as your dog becomes a beloved friend and companion.
Dogs who are used to being chained can certainly make great house dogs, but
sometimes require additional attention. Be prepared for a dog who is used to
being
outside to act overexcited when first coming inside the house. Don’t give up!
Your dog will calm way down once he his used to being inside. He is just excited
about being in a new place, with new smells and new things to experience.
Housetraining Tips
• Dogs are clean animals and always prefer to keep their home clean. Your dog
wants to do the right thing
once he knows what it is. You must show your dog the preferred spot for
eliminating-outside!
• The best method of house training is the crate method. Buy a pet carrier or
cage only big enough for the
dog to stand up, turn around, and lay down in. This will be the dog's “den” and
sleeping place. It goes
against a dog’s instinct to foul his sleeping place. Even young puppies will try
their best not to go inside
their crate.
• On the dog’s first day home, let him wander in and out of the crate at will. Place
a blanket or towel in the
crate along with some dog treats and toys. Let him get the idea that the kennel is
his own private room.
Put it where it's out of the way, yet where the dog is near the family and can watch
what is going on.
• Young puppies must be taken outside many times a day. Young puppies need
to eliminate within 30
minutes of playing, eating, sleeping, drinking or exercising. Older dogs need to go
out four or more times
daily. Always take the dog to the SAME spot outdoors. The smell will remind him
why he's there.
• When puppy relieves himself outside, PRAISE him, "Good Dog!!” and give him a
treat. Praise for good
behavior is the key to housetraining! A dog will quickly associate going outside
with treats, and will be
eager to relieve himself outside.
• If you're inside and notice the dog starting to sniff and circle, quickly grab him up
or encourage him to go
outside. If you catch him in mid-stream, startle the pup with a noise, and then take
him outside. Stay to
praise him if he finishes.
• What if you notice a mess on the floor but didn’t see your dog do it? Just clean
up the mess without
scolding the dog. Dogs are not able to associate past mistakes with a correction
from you. You must
catch the dog in the act for your correction to be effective. Rubbing the dogs’
nose in the mess or hitting
him with a newspaper will just shame him and lead him to relieve himself in hidden
places inside.
• Use a cleaner that will kill smells and bacteria, such as Simple Green (grocery
stores), Nature’s Miracle
(pet stores), or vinegar and water. If you don’t thoroughly clean up the spot, the
dog might return to that
spot and the smell might make him feel the urge to go inside.
• Remember, dogs don't like to foul their den. At bedtime, take the dog outside
and then lock him in his
crate for the night. He'll make an effort not to foul his bed. Then take him outside
first thing in the morning.
Some young puppies may not have the muscle control to hold it all night and will
have to be taken out
during the night.
• Don’t feed your dog after about 6:00 pm. This will help the dog to make it
through the night with no
accidents.
• Dogs can be left in a crate up to 4-6 hours. Dogs should not be left in a crate for
more than 8 hours. If you
cannot come home during the day while housetraining, consider leaving the dog
outside to prevent
accidents inside.
• Some tips to make housetraining easier: Hang a jingle bell on the door and
jingle it when you take your
dog out to potty. Your dog should learn to ring the bell when he needs to go
outside. Install a dog door.
Dog doors are a wonderful invention! Dogs quickly learn to come and go on their
own. You can buy dog
doors at pet stores and discount stores.
Don’t forget to take your dog on frequent walks!
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