How to moderate your puppy’s play. Grab the best treats you can think of; roast beef, a bit of chicken, something special and different. Let your puppy begin to play with another. Observe how stimulated and energetic their play becomes. Before things get too over the top, stop them show them each the treat, have them come and sit in front […]
Dog Training
Game on – Trade Ya!
Here is a game you can play with a younger puppy to teach him to release things into your hand or simply drop them on the floor. I like to start with this game as young puppies (8 – 12 weeks old) have little impulse control and will find it difficult to let go of […]
To Punish, Or not to Punish Your Puppy
The use of punishment with a puppy has diminished sharply among professional trainers. And yet there are still some who use it. I must admit, this mystifies me. Without delving too deeply, the definition of punishment includes the use of something aversive, like force, coercion, or physical correction to change an animal’s behavior. Methods used […]
The Joys of Jumping, Barking, Chewing, Lunging, and Chasing. And What to Do About It.
Why does my puppy jump on me, lunge at other dogs, chase the kids, ignore me, chew on furniture, bark nonstop? And what do I do? Before we begin, it is important to keep a few things in mind: In puppies, we are dealing with a baby mind, one that is distractible, impetuous, lacks impulse control, […]
When Puppies Growl – Recognizing Distress
Augie’s Story: A few months ago one of our puppy parents took Augie, their 13 week old doodle puppy to meet a neighbor’s six month old lab puppy. Augie was in the Jumpstart Program at the time and was doing well. He learned quickly, was gregarious, and enjoyed interacting with all the puppies. So far […]
Roughhousing vs Play – When Puppies Learn How to Fight
When we allow puppies to roughhouse with each other, especially with larger puppies they quickly move from lighthearted play to sparring and mock battle. What they are doing is reverting/regressing to sibling behaviors that encourage competition and bringing down one’s opponent. What’s Love Got to Do with It? If you’ve ever seen sibling puppies interact […]
