Caring for your Doodle
Your First Few Days
Puppy's First Night
When your puppy first gets to their new home, show him to their toilet area and allow him to have a bit of a walk around. Then, put him inside their crate for some quiet time. There they will feel safe and will be able to look around their new surroundings without feeling overwhelmed with new people or other pets.
At night, keep the puppy in their crate next to your bed for the first week or two. He will feel secure in their own area and you can sleep with the knowledge that the puppy isn’t getting up to mischief. Give him a chew toy and a familiar smelling towel or blanket and every now and then, hang your arm over the bed so he can smell and lick your fingers until they falls asleep.
If your puppy will sleep in another room, give him a night light and a ticking clock or soft music. On the first night, they will be likely to cry as they misses their mates.
Most puppies will need to be taken outside during the night and again early in the morning. If possible, set your alarm so that you wake up at the same time allowing the puppy to learn their night time toilet routine and reduce the incidence of soiling the bedding.
Socialising
Socialising is the time during which a puppy develops relationships with other people and animals in its environment and allows it to get used to household noises and activities such as vacuum cleaners, music and car travel.
Once you puppy has been vaccinated and is used to being on a lead, put him in lots of different situations and introduce him to other animals (including cats, rabbits, birds and guinea pigs) making sure that all the animals are safe. Visit parks, lakes and festivals and even bring him in to your local pet store where they will be spoilt rotten and learn to be in a different environment without being shy or fearful.
Housetraining
To teach your puppy the right way to relieve himself, establish a place outside where they can go to the toilet. Clip their leash on to their collar and take them to the spot and use a command like “go potty” or “go toilet”. Repeat this often until the puppy relieves himself and then praise them for doing what you asked. This might take a little patience so don’t get frustrated or angry.
Take the puppy back inside for food and water and about 15 minutes after they finished eating, take him outside again and repeat the procedure. Always take the puppy to their toilet place after a meal until they begin to go there themselves.
Even well-trained puppies have accidents. Clean the area with a pet odour neutraliser so the puppy won’t be tempted to go there again.
If housetraining is proving difficult, a possible reason is that the puppy was given too much freedom too soon and so you will need to go back to the training steps. If the puppy is soiling their crate at night, remove the food and water as they may be filling up on it and be forced to relieve himself even if they doesn’t want to. A change in diet, late-night snacks and not enough exercise can also lead to accidents.
Sleeping
The temptation might be there to let your puppy sleep on your own bed but it is important to realise that this is forming a habit that will last a life time. If you are happy for him to sleep there when they are an adult then this is not a problem but it may be best to consider other options whilst they are still young. These might be sleeping next to your bed, in another room or perhaps even under a sheltered patio as they get older.
Before going shopping for a bed, decide where your puppy will be sleeping. Dog bedding is available with many different features to suit the size, breed and living arrangements of your puppy.
There are very beautiful yet practical beds available that will suit the décor of most homes and provide a comfy place for your puppy to sleep. Those with washable covers are particularly useful and choose one that has plenty of padding to provide good insulation from the floor. Some beds are raised up off the floor which is perfect if puppies sleep on concrete or cold tiles. Always make sure that your puppy has a familiar blanket or one of your old jumpers in their bed and perhaps their favourite toy to cuddle up with.
Puppy Training
Dogs were once pack animals where everyone in the pack knew their place and there was just one alpha dog, or leader. For your puppy, your family is the pack and you need to be the leader. Your puppy will be perfectly happy with this arrangement, especially if it starts within the first few days of them arriving at their new home.
Training can start as early as seven weeks of age so there’s no time to waste. Before you can do anything else, they need to know their name so that you can get their attention. This is simply a process of saying their name and giving them a food reward when they look up or moves towards you. If they are not responding, put a piece of food in front of their nose and move it around until you get their attention. Say their name again and give them the treat as soon as they show some sort of recognition.
Be Consistent
Be consistent with housetraining and discipline and don’t allow your puppy to do things such as get up on the couch or chew on something just because they are little and cute if you won’t want them to do the same things when they are an adult. Remember the proverb that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
Set a schedule for your puppy and be consistent. Feed them and ensure that they go to bed at the same time and in the same place every day. Have a routine for taking them to the toilet, training sessions and grooming time. Ensure that the whole family understands and keeps the puppy on the routine.
Start early
There is almost nothing cuter than a puppy barking but this can form a bad habit for when they get older. Their bark might have an important message but if there is no good reason for it, lower your voice and say “quiet”. Praise them when they quiet down. If they ignore you, clip a lead to their collar and repeat “quiet” and when they looks at you, praise and tell them to sit (help them if you need to). If this doesn’t work, use a “clicker” near and say “quiet” in a firm voice.
The old adage of ‘You can’t teach old dogs’ new tricks!’ holds true, so start training your puppy early. Socialising your puppy with others teaches them manners, and setting early expectations for your puppy will set them up for a lifetime of success.
This will startle them and is sure to get their attention. If it continues, repeat the clicking and the command. Always offer a treat and praise to reinforce the good behaviour.
It is not surprising for a puppy to cry when you leave the home but they will learn to be comfortable with their own company and will realise that even when you leave, you always come home. Establish a routine such as giving them a pat and a treat before you leave the home but don’t make it into a big production where they get excited just before you leave. At first, make your absences very short, starting with just a few minutes and then building up to a couple of hours. When you return to the home, wait until they are quiet and relaxed and then casually walk in and praise them for being calm.
Exercise
Exercise is important for puppies. It keeps them mentally stimulated and will make them less likely to be destructive when left on their own. Plenty of play with toys is a great way to provide exercise as well as a little run around the backyard and later a walk down the street. Training sessions will also help the puppy to burn off some energy and they will love the time together.
Getting them out and about on the lead early gives rise to good manners. Ensure that your dog has been fully vaccinated prior to commencing out of home excursions.
Puppy Schools
Puppy classes provide your puppy with an opportunity to meet friends and learn the skills of socialising but more importantly, will give you the skills to train them to have good manners, to walk on a lead and to understand important commands such as “sit” and “stay”. Puppy classes provide the foundations for a well-behaved dog that will give you many years of pleasure and happy experiences.