The puppy pointer has taken over the cats bed but they are getting on well despite the cat looking somewhat miffed.
Neonatal Period
It is well documented and fully accepted that puppies should not leave their mother and siblings until they are 7/8 weeks old. To take away a puppy before this time will mean that it has not been with it's mother and siblings for enough time to learn many vital lessons.

During this period, pups learns about social interaction, play, and inhibiting aggression, from both the mother and their littermates. Puppies who stay with their mother and littermates during this critical period are generally easier to train, more intelligent, quicker to pick up toilet training and more dog friendly.

This is also the period when Pups learn the most important lesson of their lives, they learn to accept discipline and control. The mother cleans up the nest by eating and drinking the pups faeces and urine. However after three to four weeks when the pups can hear and see she then teaches them to toilet outside the nest using aggressive growls and threats. This of course is the trigger that allows us as owners to train the young dog to be clean in our own homes.

I often see dogs that were Puppy farmed where toilet training is a real problem. These horrific breeders become lazy cannot be bothered to clean up after the pups once the mother has trained them to toilet outside. They then sell them on well before the important seven week watershed. Of course those last couple of weeks with their mother and siblings have an enormous impact on the dogs future adult life. That is why you never ever buy a puppy if you cannot see the mother, whatever story the breeder may tell you.

I personally believe the best time to rehome a pup is seven weeks. This is because from 8 to 10.5 weeks they are in a full blown fear period, therefore the journey and removal from their mother and siblings can be more traumatic during this critical fear period.

Human Socialisation
The first 16 weeks of the puppies life are what is known as the "Human Socialisation Period". This is the time when you need to really introduce your puppy to as many things as possible. Learning at this age is permanent so this is a perfect time to start training.

This is also the ideal time to introduce the puppy to things that will play an important part in his life. The puppy should be handled gently and positively by different people especially children.

You should go to strange places, meet other animals, road noises, trains, buses, and the hustle and bustle of the outdoors. You can also introduce various sounds such as the vacuum cleaner, washing machine, and lawn mower, All these new sounds should be introduced in a positive, non-threatening way. Whatever you do never comfort your puppy if it is startled, frightened, or nervous of any new sound or object. This only acts as a reinforcer for the fear, making the situation far worse.

Vaccinations
You can have your new arrival meet other dogs and cats before your puppy vaccinations are complete, as long as those other animals are vaccinated . Their is a vaccination that allows your dog to be fully covered at about 10.5 weeks.This is called Nobivac D.H.P.P.I/L. Speak to your vet regarding these vaccinations or contact me for further information.

With regard to vaccinations It will depend on your Vet when he or she recommends you can take out your puppy after its final jabs. Some say two weeks, others one week and then again some who may state 48 hours, especially if they have been behaviorally trained. In the end you should take due consideration of the potential risks and any outbreaks of canine diseases in your area and perhaps speak to a number of Vets locally and then make your decision on the information you are given.

Training
Make training fun and enjoyable, don't make it so hard or boring that your dog yawns through the whole lesson.

Begin to teach your puppy to understand sit, come, and down from the day you get her/him. Use toys, treats and chews. Make sure you are controlling the game by taking these items away then giving them back or throwing them for the pup to retrieve.

At the end of the game, make sure that you finish by taking the toy away replacing it with a treat to show he has not lost anything and you have just exchanged the items with something tasty and nice.

This helps to avoid food guarding and possession aggression problems later in life. Discourage bad habits from day one. If your puppy jumps up then discourage him by using saying "off" using body language and a turn of the head away. Most dogs learn to control their bite, by nipping their litter-mates whilst playing.this is called bite inhibition If they bite another puppy too hard, the pup will cry-out and move away. Most puppies when they arrive in our homes for the first time, treat us and our families as play-mates, and may nip bit and lunge at us. By copying the litter-mates behaviour, and crying-out.

No matter how gently your puppy bites you must react as if it has taken a chunk out of you, until the biting is almost like a butterfly landing on your hand. This discourages biting and mouthing in later life. Make sure that your children and any others that visit do not treat the puppy as a play-thing or toy. Teach the children and any other visitor that they must abide by your rules regarding your new arrival.

Socialisation and Training Classes
It is vitally important to socialise your dog at an early age. It is a known fact that socialisation is so vitally important that it almost outweighs all other considerations. The fear of disease or infections has led breeders and owners alike to make the tragic mistake of keeping their puppies isolated until they have completed their vaccinations. By taking this stance they risk ending up with a fearful dogs that may become aggressive or have serious behavioural problems in later life. I allow youngsters on my classes from the age of eight weeks of age, as long as they have their 1st vaccination.

If you wait too long you will have missed the opportunity of allowing your dogs to be able to meet and greet other dogs, children, and strangers. Pups learn this all important lessons up to about 16 weeks of age. Body language plays an important role in this process, this lesson once learned is rarely forgotten. Most importantly pups learn the meeting and greeting techniques from other puppies of a similar age, not so much from adult dogs. Certainly all my classes have all the above. I encourage children to attend and play pass the puppy where everybody gets the chance to handle all the other puppies in a positive and kind way.

Dog Manners
Some people think it is funny to see puppies abusing older dogs. Do not allow your puppy to constantly harass, leap on, and bite other dogs. Do not allow over boisterous very aggression play, If you do not follow this criteria you may find that an adult dog may suddenly snap at your puppy.

This is fairly normal behaviour especially from the older dogs Though most dogs will allow quite a lot of leeway from puppies and their over-boisterous play. You shouldn't chastise the adult dog if it just give a warning growl or a air snap with no connection But if you allow your pup to continually pester after it has been warned then the reprimand from the adult dog may become severe. This could cause your pup to become fearful of other dogs and therefore defensive which could cause fear and aggression problems in later life.

Hindsight
Hindsight is an exact science, foresight rarely is. Set your rules and stick by them, be consistent firm but fair: never let a puppy ignore your commands or do anything you wouldn't want an adult dog to do.

Aggression should also be controlled and checked when it happens. Having said that let me clear up a few misconceptions about what actually constitutes aggression.

If your dog growls at you while you are playing tug of war but not at any other time, then you don't have an aggression problem. It's a play issue. However left unchecked it can lead to aggression in the future.

I do not recommend any games of "tug" with your puppy whatsoever until the muscles in the jaw have matured. The teeth and jaws are very susceptible to misalignment and serious injury with pups under the age of 24 weeks

If your dog growls at you or your children while he is eating, putting on his lead or collar or when you give him a command and a stroke, then you may have an aggression problem. In this case seek professional help.

If the dog nips and bites when young (most do) This does not always mean your pup is aggressive, this is what is called bite inhibition and is an integral part in the young dogs learning curve, so it understands how to inhibit its bite. If this is the only form of aggression then the prognosis is good.

All you need to learn are some positive and negative reinforcement techniques to cure the problem. However, if the dog bites and it is passed the puppy stage, then you may have a much more serious problem which may require professional help.

Biting, for whatever reason, can be a difficult problem to correct especially in later life. Professionally handled it becomes considerably easier than you might think! Left unchecked, it is one of the most serious problem you will have to face with your dog!.

Puppy and Adult Food:
There are currently more foods available for dogs and puppies than you can shake a stick at. Some good, some bad some indifferent and some downright dangerous. I have written an article on food and behaviour please Click Here to read it.

Of all the foods I tested it became apparent that cost and quality do tend to go together, though not in every case, you would be surprised at the some of the brands that do not give real value for money. I believe it is vital that all pups should be given a good start in life and part of that includes a good quality diet.

All my dogs and puppies are being fed on Arden Grange because I trust the food and my dogs love it. They stock both tinned wet food and kibble, their treats are also excellent. You cannot buy Arden Grange in the normal supermarkets and that includes the pet supermarkets, as it does not have the levels of preservatives that would allow it to be stored for years in warehouses. But you can contact Arden Grange for a list of stockist's and most of the smaller pet shops will stock this brand as it is becoming very popular. Click on the logo to go to the site.

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Puppy Classes