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Raising Your Puppy What do I do to keep them clean? How can I take trips with my dog? How can I get them to be good? How do I train the puppy to go outside?
Food Give him a total of about two cups per meal - he may not eat all of it, but he should eat enough for his belly to be rounded. If any is left over, it can be fed to him as part of his next meal. Many puppies like to eat, take a stroll, and then go back to eat. Leave food out for about a half hour to be sure he's finished eating. Feeding at 13 weeks is four times a day, as follows:
Some of his favorite additives are likely to be: canned dog food, liver, chicken liver, chicken or chicken drippings, chopped meat, evaporated milk, scrambled eggs. Eggs (well cooked) are an excellent source of protein for dogs. Yoghurt and cottage cheese are also nutritious. He will probably drop one meal (the late one) by himself between four and five months and may stretch the time between meals. He should go to two meals around six to eight months. Let him decide for himself when to cut back. There's no magic about the timing. You should make meal time interesting to the dog. Some dogs eat well and maintain weight (easy keepers), while others need special encouragement (poor keepers). Since bulldogs should be well padded, but not fat, with no ribs showing, you must to get them to eat enough. Whatever kind of keeper your dog is, mealtime should be fun. Call him as you begin preparing his meal, using the same words each time ("Puppy - dinner time" works fine). Talk to him while you're preparing it. This will get him interested and ready to eat once you put the bowl down. Once your dog has matured, you can switch to a lower calorie food if he has a tendency to gain weight. Our dogs tend to be easy keepers once they have matured. Our dogs eat Purina Pro Plan dog food. He should stay on whatever the breeder has been feeding for a while. Any change should be made slowly to reduce the possibility of diarrhea. An equivalent high digestibility food, like Eukanuba, Iams, or Bil-Jac is preferable. These are available in pet stores and many dogs do well on them. Purina One is available in supermarkets and is as good as the others. Your dog will reach adult weight at about one year of age, but will continue to mature and redistribute the weight long after that. We've had some dogs fully mature at 14-16 months; others were still growing at two years. Some dogs react differently to different dog foods. Experiment, if necessary, to find the right one for your dog. Some dogs get bored with their food after five or six months. If that happens, switch to something else for a while. Some people recommend dog food made without preservatives, like Bil-Jac or Abady. The long term effect of the additives in most dog foods is not well documented. As we are finding out about problems with human foods, we are learning about dog foods. Our dogs have done well on dog foods with the preservatives. It's up to you how conservative you want to be in this. If you must switch foods suddenly, he will probably have loose stools for a few days. If you decide to change his food, do it gradually by mixing the two foods in shifting proportions over the course of a week until he is completely switched over. Water and Ice Water always should be available. Clip-on water bowls are available which attach to the side of crates. In the yard, place a good size bowl in the same spot each time he is out. He will learn about it quickly and will help himself when he wants it. Check it regularly, especially in the summer, to be sure it has water. A heavy bowl, wide at the base, is best since it reduces the likelihood of accidental spillage. We've had dogs who went through periods of having to stand in their water bowls when drinking, so stability counts. You should teach him to eat ice cubes. Start with small broken pieces; eventually he'll eat whole cubes. They consider them a treat, especially when they're hot. They work wonders in cooling off a dog that is overheated and panting and can calm dogs that are over excited. It also keeps the water bowl cool in hot weather. When he begins teething, an Ascriptin (using child dosages from the bottle) and/or a washcloth that has been soaked and frozen will give him some relief from the teething pain.
Playing is not only fun; it teaches useful social and survival skills. It helps form a bond between you and your puppy. Your dog is a pack animal and you and your family members are part of his pack. It is important that he see himself as subordinate to each of the human members of the pack. His early play will teach him this, although he will try to assert his dominance as he gets older, just as teenagers try out the limits of their parents rules. Playing and fun walks on a leash are enough for now. Try to spend at least 15 minutes playing with him actively each day - but don't overdo it. He's growing rapidly and you don't want to put stress on his still-developing bones. At this point he will enjoy lots of active play and may not have the sense to know when to stop. Use common sense - if he looks like he's overdoing it, he probably is. Pick him up and cuddle him while he protests; he will probably fall asleep in your arms quickly. He still takes several longish naps in the morning and afternoon. Walks At about six months he should start regular exercise. Just start taking him for longer walks, gradually building up the distance. Start with about a half mile and gradually build up to about 2 miles a day. The dog should enjoy his walks - go in different directions and give him some time to sniff and explore. He should work towards a 30-45 minute solid trot, but he won't start at that level. Like any exercise program, gradual increase is the key to sound conditioning. Of course, watch out for the summer heat. In the summer walks should be in the early morning or late evening, depending on the temperature and your schedule. If the day is oppressive, skip the walks and play in the air-conditioned house instead. In the winter, again use common sense. If it's too cold for you, it's too cold for him. Salt and chemicals used to melt snow will bother his feet tremendously. They can cause or aggravate interdigital cysts (between his toes), so wash his feet thoroughly if you walk in a salted area. If possible, avoid such areas. Watch him to decide if a coat is necessary. We like them for young dogs, elderly dogs and dogs who aren't feeling quite well. A mature, well-padded Bulldog probably won't want or need one except on the coldest days. Toys and Games Puppies like hard, solid rubber toys and puppy Nylabones. Do not give rawhide toys, soft rubber squeaky toys, or any toy with a squeaker or small part which could be chewed off or dislodged. If you let him play with old socks, he will raid the hamper for the rest of his life. When he's older, he'll swallow the socks whole, certainly making him sick and possibly killing him. In addition, teaching a Bulldog to play pulling games may be fun for only a while. One day you are going to want your dog to release something he's holding and the famous Bulldog grip will not let it go unless he's trained to release as well as pull. This will be especially important if you want to try your hand at obedience showing. Do not give bones of any kind. Bulldogs, even puppies, have especially powerful jaws and can splinter a large bone which will cause severe internal bleeding. Do not teach the dogs to play with sticks - they can splinter even sizeable branches quite easily and can puncture their mouths with splinters. Don't give the dogs old shoes or old clothes to chew - they can't tell what is old from what is new and expensive and your absolute favorite. If you leave shoes around, the puppy will chew them - they prefer to chew expensive shoes when given the choice, although we did have one dog who only ate lifts and heels. Bulldog games generally involve chewing - they will play with chew toys throughout their entire lives. Your puppy likes to chase balls (hard rubber or Nylabone only) or other toys when thrown where he can see them. He doesn't catch them - most Bulldogs aren't too good at that - but he likes running, pouncing, shaking and carrying toys. Most Bulldogs like to play tug-of war - just make sure that you teach the dog to release what's in its mouth on command when it's young or you may have a problem when it's older. Most Bulldogs love wading pools and water. He'll probably like the hose or sprinkler. Just make sure the water is shallow and the puppy can get in and out easily. Supervise - don't let him swim in the lake or river. Even though Bulldogs swim instinctively, they shouldn't be allowed in water that's more than elbow deep unless supervised closely. We've heard of Bulldogs drowning when there was any kind of current or wake from boats. Their heavy breathing makes it easy for them to inhale water. In addition, if they panic, swelling of the throat tissue could result in closing off the airway even if they don't inhale water. If you take him out in a boat, which we don't recommend, a life jacket made for dogs is a necessary safety precaution. Be careful about games near stairs. He may accidentally fall down and injure himself or may decide to explore stair climbing before he is ready. One of the best dogs we've ever owned fractured his shoulder falling down a flight of stairs when he was three months old. Bulldogs can take a lot of pain and not show it, but he could carry the limp with him the rest of his life. You can teach him to climb stairs when he's ready, but you need to supervise him whenever he has access to stairs until he really has it down pat. Again, he has no real fear of falling at this age. Children Bulldogs are generally one of the best breeds with children. Most bulldogs are sturdy and relatively tolerant of poking and prodding compared to other breeds. They are generally very calm animals and seem to like kids. However, this does not mean that young puppies can be turned loose to play with children unsupervised. He's a baby himself now. He doesn't know when to stop playing - he'll play till he drops. They are adorable, but undisciplined. Puppies wrestle, chase, chew on and bite each other when they play - even at this age they have a strong bite and sharp baby teeth. At this age, he hasn't learned the difference between other puppies and people, so he'll play this way with children. This could be threatening to the child, if the puppy is not managed carefully by an adult. Even if you think his behavior is cute now, you won't in another two months - at that point you'll have a much harder time teaching the dog and the nips will turn into real bites. They need to be taught that chewing and biting people is unacceptable. This can be done by sharply saying their name and "NO" when they chew. You can detach the puppy by putting a finger on each side of his mouth in front of where the jaws attach and squeezing progressively less gently until the mouth opens. Another trick is to fold his lip over his teeth. Biting himself a couple of times will prove discouraging. It shouldn't take too long (a week or two) before they learn not to bite. In more difficult cases you can coat your hand or arm with a product like Bitter Apple. The dog will quickly learn that it doesn't taste good when he bites people. This training is best done by an adult. Consistency and firmness are the keys to successful training. A mature, motivated child of 11 or 12 can probably learn to handle the puppy consistently, but younger children should be supervised until they and/or the puppies have developed some self control. Ultimately, your puppy will make a wonderful child's pet, but he has some maturing to do first. In addition, your dog should be taught to permit people, especially children, to take food from his bowl while he is eating. Dogs may be protective of their food and need to learn not to nip or bite. By controlling the situation, you can safely teach your dog to become a good member of your household.
Proper grooming is essential to keep you puppy healthy, free of parasites, and socially acceptable to you and your friends. Most grooming tasks are easy to do and take little time if you perform them at regular intervals. Baths Bulldogs fall into two groups: those who love water and those who can't stand it. Luckily, most Bulldogs love water and can be taught to enjoy the fun of a bath. At this age, it's easiest to bathe him in the kitchen sink. Put a rubber bath mat on the bottom of the sink and use the spray attachment to wash and rinse. Test the temperature often if the temperature tends to very. Keep one arm around him at all times so he can't suddenly climb out. Be very careful of getting soap in his eyes, nose and ears. Mineral oil can be placed in the eye to protect it from accidental soaping. Your dog can be dried with a towel or you can use a hair dryer set at low power and temperature. In warm weather, you can leave the coat slightly damp. In cold weather, do not let your dog go outside until the coat is fully dry. Just like with clothes, darker colors hide the dirt better, so dogs with dark colors are easier to keep clean. Dogs with lots of white look flashy, but they are show dirt easily. We bathe our show dogs once a week - more often in muddy weather. If you're not showing your dog, let common sense be your guide - over bathing can remove natural oils which are necessary for a healthy coat. We use a shampoo for brown and red dogs on the darker ones - there are several available of each type and all are equally good at keeping the coat soft, bright and shiny. Shampoos for white dogs are available for white and light colored dogs, as well as for dogs with white markings. During the spring and summer, we recommend you use a flea and tick shampoo if you're in an area where they are a problem. They don't eliminate fleas completely and are of only some use against ticks on the dog. They can kill adult fleas immediately and make a dramatic difference - both to your dog and to you if its keeps your house from becoming infested. A flea comb and a rubber curry brush will help loosen dead hair and remove dead fleas in the bath. Coat Brush him 2-3 times a week for 10 minutes and he'll always look beautiful. Our dogs seem to love it. If he's shedding, use a rubber curry brush first. Be sure you take the opportunity to inspect him while you're grooming. This is your chance to spot problems before they become serious - cuts, scratches, bare patches, flea bites, or skin conditions are easier to correct before they lead to infections or hair loss. Face His face needs regular care because of its unusual construction. Keep the wrinkles clean - particularly those over the nose. Use a cotton ball dipped in peroxide to clean the wrinkles thoroughly. Then powder the area with corn starch or baby powder to ensure proper drying - of course, be careful to avoid getting powder in your dog's eyes. Depending on the dog, you may need to do this daily or weekly. Food or dirt gets trapped easily in wrinkles, causing discoloration, flaking and dermatitis. Rub his nose two or three times a week with a small amount of Vaseline. This will prevent his nose from getting very dry and hard as he matures. Tear Stains The enzymes in some dog's saliva and tears also cause a reddish or brown discoloration in the wrinkles under their eyes and may extend onto their face. This happens more in some dogs than others, usually the white ones where it shows up more. If your dog is prone to such discoloration, you can reduce it by frequent cleaning, but you probably won't ever get it completely white. That's why regular cleaning is important. The stain can be lessened by bathing the area in a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide. Be careful to keep the peroxide out of the eye. Mineral oil can be put in the eye first to protect the eye. Although its exact cause is unknown, it may be due to a low grade infection of the throat which worked its way up to the tear ducts. Success has been shown with broad spectrum antibiotics like Tetracycline. This works because it reduces the infection and the Tetracyclin is secreted in the tears, combining with the part that causes the stain. However, you don't want to give any long term antibiotic therapy without consulting your Vet and Tetracycline, in particular, is known to stain teeth when given to humans whose bones are still in development. Skin Dermatitis is very common in wrinkles. The symptoms are inflamed, red, angry looking skin - it may be moist. Clean gently and often with a cotton ball soaked in warm water. Dry gently and use Panalog. It should clear up in 4-5 days with this treatment. Acne is quite common in young bulldogs. It's just like people acne. Keep the effected area clean - use peroxide unless it's near the eyes. Ears Clean them once a week using a cotton ball moistened with Listerine. If they look red and sore, put a few drops of Panalog in every day and clean gently until they are back to normal. Bulldogs tend to collect a lot of ear wax, so adjust the schedule to his particular needs. If the ears are red and sore and the Panalog doesn't improve the situation in four or five days, see the Vet - he probably has ear mites. They are easy to deal with, but should be taken care of with medication you'll get from your Vet. If there is a bad smell from the ears or they produce a lot of dark wax, your dog may have ear mites. Your Vet can give you medication to eliminate them quickly. Your dog's ears should be set to conform to the Bulldog Standard. The ears are now set in the proper shape - what are called Rose Ears. Note how the ears fold back on themselves. To ensure that his ears remain the proper shape, you should set them with Duo Surgical Adhesive (or Duo Eyelash Adhesive, which is serviceable but not as good). Place a small amount of the adhesive in the external creases of the ear and hold the ear in place for a few minutes while it sets. Then put adhesive on the tip of the ear and place it where it will naturally fall. Nails Your puppy's nails should be cut once a week. They should be short enough that you don't hear clicking on the bare floor when the dog walks. We find it easier to cut the nail a little at a time, rather than try to lop off all the excess in one pass. Our approach generally avoids cutting the quick, which hurts him and causes bleeding. If you cut the quick, touch the end of the nail with the liquid styptic we gave you - it stops the bleeding fast. It may be easier for one of you to hold him while the other cuts the nails. Putting the dog on his back cuts down resistance - it is a submissive position for a dog. He will probably resist having his nails done - every Bulldog we've had did so to some extent, but so far he's easier to deal with than most. Don't believe him if he wails (but check to see you didn't cut the quick). Some nails are clear, while others are black. With black nails, you will have a hard time knowing when you get close to the quick. Don't worry. Just trim them gradually until you reach a point where a white portion of the central shaft protrudes a bit - this is the outer covering of the quick. You will see dry, horny white when you first cut - this is not the quick. Experience is the best teacher. Tail Bulldog tails are either straight down or twisted and close to the body. The twisted ones predispose the area under them to problems. You must make sure that the area under the tail stays clean and dry. This means that you wash and dry the area under the tail thoroughly with each bath. It's easiest if you just use your hands, but a washcloth will work if you want to use one. Inspect the area under the tail when you dry him. It's possible for him to get dermatitis under his tail just like in the wrinkles. Make sure you check the underside of the tail itself, as well as the part of the body it rests against. Treatment is similar. If it looks red, angry and moist, wash it 2-3 times daily with warm water. Dry the area gently and put Panalog on it. If your dog has diarrhea, make sure to keep the area clean and dry, using Panalog as needed. He will be very sore and may resist, but he needs your help.
Our dogs generally travel well. We take them everywhere in our car when we are away overnight and they are used to traveling long distances to shows. For day trips, you can leave your dog in a safe place within your house without any problems once it's properly trained. Some people don't like traveling with pets and prefer to leave them in a boarding kennel. There is nothing bad about this and your dog won't hate you for leaving him for a short period. As long as you have checked the kennel out in advance and know they can take care of your dog properly, the decision to kennel versus travel with your dog is personal, based on your life-style and needs. Cars They mostly lie on the car seats, sleep in their crates or watch out the windows. However, some dogs experience car sickness and even the hardiest traveler can have an occasional bad day. If you're traveling on vacation or going to a novel, and possibly exciting, situation be prepared: carry water, ice and lemon juice with you. Paper towels, in case of a need for a clean-up, are good to have along. The small Igloo ice chests work well along with a Thermos bottle. Just be sure to supervise the dog well. Some short rides can accustom the dog to the car. They will enjoy going on errands with and will see going out to the car as a fun experience. Our dogs even take us to the car when we go for walks - just to let us know they are willing to go for a ride if we want to take them. Decide where the dog will ride from the beginning. They should not be allowed to climb all over the car. This is dangerous for everyone - it's hard to stop the car when your dogs head is under the break peddle and it's distracting to have your face washed in heavy traffic. Never allow your dog to ride with his head out the window. This can cause eye injuries, many of which are serious, or head injuries, which can be fatal. One other car precaution - NEVER leave your dog in the car with the windows closed when it's warm out. The interior of a car can heat very quickly, even when the outside temperature is in the seventies. Excessive temperatures can lead to heat stroke and death. Planes Bulldogs, except puppies, are too large to travel in the passenger section of airplanes, where all pets must fit into under-the-seat carriers. The only way to transport your dog aboard a plane is in the baggage section. If you can avoid plane travel for your dog, we would recommend it. The stress of plane travel, the chance of dehydration, and the possibility of hyperventilation make plane travel potentially dangerous for Bulldogs. Dogs have died from complications in plane travel. If you decide to take your dog on a plane, there are several precautions you should take. Book a non-stop, direct flight, if possible. The airline will require a sturdy flight carrier designed to their specifications. You should be sure that your dog has water, in a non-spill container and a toy. It is helpful if your vet prescribes a mild tranquilizer for the flight. You should arrive early enough before the flight that you can check your dog in without having to rush, but not too early. The airline will let you know how much time you will need. Most airlines have air-conditioned areas where animals wait before loading. You should see where animals are kept before you choose your airline. Animals are usually loaded last and taken off first to lessen the danger to them. You should pick your dog as quickly as possible when the flight ends. A problem can occur when your dog sits in the hot sun waiting to be loaded or when there is a delay in take-off after loading has been finished. Unfortunately, there is some carelessness and, at times, some unavoidable delay. Although the compartment in which your dog will ride is pressurized on the longer, high altitude flights, the air circulation system is the same as the plane's. It can sometimes get warm and stuffy when the planes back up before take-off. A problem can also arise when the airplane is delayed in landing or diverted to a new airport, resulting in delayed feeding and water replacement. Despite the potential problems, many people don't want to leave their dogs in a kennel and do successfully take them on plane trips with them. Just approach the trip with adequate planning to be sure it's a safe, comfortable ride for your dog. Finding a Place to Stay You can take your dog along on vacation. Many hotels and motels accept guests with pets. All states now permit pets in hotel rooms. Chains publish directories which contain this and other information about their hotels. However, you should check in advance with the specific hotel, since directory information is not perfect. Most hotels which permit pets want them kept in a crate when you're not in the room. This is a good idea for their safety and the safety of the room. You don't want to pay for chewed furniture and you don't want to search for your dog because the maid runs away leaving the door open because he playfully comes bounding over as she enters the room. (I won't even think about your dog getting territorial in the hotel room.) Many campgrounds permit pets and there are directories published for these which are available in most bookstores. As with hotels, check with the campground to see if the policy is still in effect. Traveling by camper with your pet can be enjoyable, just as long as you use common sense. Remember, almost all campgrounds require pets to be on leashes and leash laws vary from state to state. Your pet can generally stay outside your camper in an x-pen, which permits some degree of freedom while containing him. Dangerous Dog Laws Several states and localities are enacting dangerous or vicious dog laws. Some are generic laws which punish bad conduct by the dog. Others are breed-specific legislation which prohibit the ownership of certain breeds or types. The generic laws should pose no problem for the well-behaved traveling dog. Breed-specific laws can be a problem. Breed specific laws do not distinguish between a well behaved dog under it's owners control and an aggressive, uncontrolled dog. If it is the wrong breed, or if the enforcement agent thinks it is the wrong breed, you could have a problem. Many of these laws needlessly target dogs in the bull breeds: e.g., American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Some people have had their well behaving pets seized by overzealous officers. You should check in advance to determine where there are breed-specific laws in the places you will be visiting and should carry copies of the AKC registration listing the dog's breed. You should be aware of the possibility of breed-specific laws being enacted where you live. The AKC and local clubs oppose breed specific laws and are working to eliminate them. You can contact the AKC for more information on this issue.
All pets need to be trained - socialized in living with people. They aren't born knowing what to do; you have to teach them to do what you want. To get your dog to behave the way you want, you have to understand why they behave the way they do. Books like The Koehler Method of Dog Training by William Koehler (Howell Book House, 1962), When Good Dogs Do Bad Things by Mordechi Siegal and Matthew Margolis (Little, Brown & Co, 1986), or Solving Your Dog Problems by Michael Tucker (Howell Book House, 1987) should be helpful to the novice trainer or new dog owner. Your dog's instinct is to please you - after all you are the source of all food, toys and leadership. Improper behavior is frequently caused by poor training, boredom or anxiety. The key to training is consistency. Be consistent in your demands. Don't approve of behavior at one time and disapprove at another. If you don't want your dog jumping on people, you can't let it jump on you because "it's so cute." Your dog needs to know clearly what is you want and what you don't want. Be consistent in your corrections. Use a sharp "No!" when the dog does something wrong. Don't punish him when he has stopped the unwanted behavior - this can make him fearful of you. Reward the proper behavior when it occurs. Make a fuss over him and let him clearly know that you are happy with what he's doing (you do want him to go outside, don't you?). As mentioned above under housebreaking, don't punish your dog for something he did when you weren't there. He won't know why he's being punished and you can't tell him (pushing his face in feces won't work. If someone did that to you, all you would learn is to avoid that person). Punishment works when it occurs at the time of or immediately after the unwanted behavior. Be consistent in your attitude. Don't get upset with your dog and never hit him. A stern tone of voice and a sharp "No!" are enough to let him know your displeasure. Never call your dog and then punish him or do something he doesn't like, for example cutting his nails. If you're going to do something unpleasant, go to him or play with him for a while after he comes to you. He should associate coming to you with enjoyable things or he'll never learn to come properly. If you call your dog to come to you and administer punishment, your dog will learn not to come when called. If he doesn't come quickly, put him on a leash and call him, pulling the leash towards you. When he comes praise him lavishly. Never punish him for finally arriving or he'll associate getting to you with punishment. Be consistent in you reinforcement. Repeat corrections in the same way each time to make learning easier. Destructive chewing, barking or whining are often caused by boredom or anxiety. You can reduce boredom by ensuring that your dog gets plenty of attention when you are home and has several kinds of toys to play with when you are away. You can get your dog used to being alone for prolonged periods without becoming anxious. To do this, you should not make a big deal about leaving. Pay attention to your dog before you go out and leave on a happy note, but without fanfare. Try to leave your pet where the potential for getting into trouble is less - don't put him alone in your room full of delicate antiques.
Many people don't like to paper train their dogs. They like to read the Sunday paper and it's hard to do if it's soggy. If your schedule permits, it is better to train your dog to go outside. Paper training in the house is telling your dog that it is alright to go inside. That's not really what you want, so it is best, if you can, to eliminate that step. If you do paper train, choose a spot in his room where you want the puppy to relieve himself until he is housebroken and put down a thick layer of newspapers. Your puppy's aim is not precise, so cover a fairly large area to give him a chance to do what you want. Don't cover the room with paper or he won't be able to figure out where you want him to go. Most puppies will then choose a favorite spot and use the same area most of the time. You can try to teach him where to go by leaving a sheet of soiled paper on top of the clean paper. Some puppies will insist on using some other spot in the same or another room. Watch the puppy and place him on the correct spot until he uses it consistently. There are many enzymatic scent destroyers available - all clean floors and effectively remove the smell of waste. Your breeder will tell you how well trained your puppy is for his age, but it's best to assume mistakes will happen. By the age most breeders sell dogs, the dog either will try to get outside or use newspapers if he is in the room and can see them. He may not reliably make it from one room to another when he needs to go. His aim is good, but not perfect - sometimes when the front feet are on the paper, his back feet aren't. At this age, he still goes immediately after he wakes up - even if he's only had a nap. He goes shortly after eating - sometimes before he finishes eating - but each time he eats. He will sometimes stop in the middle of vigorous playing and go. Since puppy behavior is relatively consistent in the regard, it is fairly easy to housebreak and/or paper train him in your house. There are three principles that make paper training and housebreaking easy:
Your puppy is old enough to learn to go outside at eight weeks, but will have to be taken out much more frequently than an adult. Depending on the time of year, it may be too cold to housebreak your puppy quickly. A young puppy cannot take extreme temperatures like a mature dog can. Therefore, his time outside in the winter and summer must be shorter than desirable to get quick results. Given their napping and eating cycles, small puppies may have to go outside 8-10 times a day to have no errors. Housebreaking is relatively simple. Pick your dog up and take him outside when you know he will want to go. This means immediately on waking up in the morning - put on your coat and bring the leash to him and put it on before you pick him up. If you walk him to the door or take him to the door and put him down to attach the leash or get your coat, he will inevitably mess on the way or as you put the collar on him. Choose a spot for him to use (sometimes, despite your best efforts, he will choose his own spot) and then take him to the same spot consistently when you housebreak him. Praise him as soon as he uses the correct spot. Be sure that the place is secure and cannot be used or infected by neighborhood dogs. Puppies are potentially at danger of infectious diseases until they have received their full series of shots. Even if other dogs don't walk on your property, heavy rains can wash viruses onto your property, causing potential health problems. Once outside, he should go immediately and you should praise him. Reach down and pet him and get very excited about his success (after all, you are happy, aren't you?). Many dogs move their bowels two or more times on a morning walk, so don't rush him back inside (and don't let him rush you back inside either). Feed him when you get back and take him out within about a half hour of his finishing eating. Praise him each time he goes outside throughout the day. If you work, confine him to a puppy-proof room during the day. He should use newspapers predictably. Remember that urine can soak a lot of paper, so layer it well. At least for the first week or so, confine him to a crate at night. If you walk him after 11:30 P.M., and can walk him before 7:00 A.M. the next morning, he should be able to get through the night without accidents. You won't have to worry about sleeping late; he'll wake you up. If you do oversleep, you may have a mess to clean up. While you are housebreaking him, he should not be allowed to roam unsupervised through the house - he'll not only soil the house, but your training will be less effective since you will be giving him a chance to make mistakes without correction. It will usually be O.K. to let him roam for about 2-3 hours after you walk him since he shouldn't have to go. If you watch him closely, and you're fast, you should be able to catch him before he has an accident - he'll start sniffing, acting agitated and walking fast, often in a circle. You should pick him up quickly and put him on the paper or take him out. If you're not quite fast enough and you catch him in the act, say "no" firmly, pick him up - even if he's still going - and take him to the proper place, where you should praise him for finishing in the right place. Never hit him or punish him for a crime you see - or smell - him commit in the house. You want to encourage your dog to let you know when he has to go, even if there are some accidents. You should correct his behavior when he misbehaves in your presence to let him know what he should be doing. Remember, you are correcting behavior, not punishing. If you come upon an accident after the fact, there's not much you can do but clean up. Even though you know what he did wrong, the puppy cannot make the connection between your anger at what you just stepped in and what he did several minutes or hours before. Punishment won't accomplish anything positive. The last thing you want is your dog thinking that he should find some place to go where you won't notice to avoid punishment. Cleaning up under your bed or in a closet isn't your goal. By the time he's six months old, three walks a day should suffice. Use your own judgment when its safe to stop leaving papers on the floor. Some dogs do fine on two walks a day - you will have to judge yourself whether your dog can get by on two a day. |