Discover training opportunities in everyday moments, prevent door dashing, make informed decisions about spay/neuter, and using gates to stop the jumping.
Your puppy is hitting the big 21-week milestone, and it's time to crack open the treat jar and celebrate this mini canine coming of age. At this stage, get ready for pre-teen puppy behavior, complete with bursts of energy and selective listening. While this can be a bit frustrating, it's important to remember that it's a natural part of growing up. Stick with it!
Enjoy these last few weeks of true puppyhood, as full-blown adolescence is coming soon. In this installment, we've got some tips on how to teach good puppy manners all day long, along with how to manage your pup's increasing urge to door dash and explore. Let's check it out!
This week's focus:
Socializing older puppies
Finding training opportunities throughout the day
Preventing door dashing
When to consider spay/neuter
Why mother nature makes bad toys
Using gates to stop puppy jumping, and more
Remedial Socialization
If you just brought your puppy home or missed out on their early socialization period – which happens between 8 and 16 weeks old – it's not too late! It's important to continue proactively exposing your puppy to positive experiences to help them learn how to navigate the big wide world. Go slow and take care not to overwhelm your puppy.
Dog parks can be a free-for-all and overwhelming for some pups, but they can also be a great way for apartment dwellers to provide exercise and socialization opportunities for their pups. It's all about knowing what's best for your dog.
Many trainers recommend not taking your dog to the dog park until at least 6 months of age, if not later, to allow time to practice appropriate play and communication in more controlled settings, like puppy play groups or play dates with just one or two other dogs.
Dog parks are NOT for initial socialization — that often backfires. They can be good for maintaining socialization through adolescence and into adulthood.
Follow your gut. If the vibe at the dog park feels off or if there's a dog present that you know will trigger your dog or doesn't match their playstyle, simply leave and return later.
Your pup is always learning, whether you're actively training or not! The most effective puppy training includes management to prevent undesired behaviors from being practiced and then training in small "bite-sized" training sessions, just a couple of minutes at a time, multiple times throughout the day. That way, a puppy's attention span (roughly equivalent to that of a gnat's) won't burn out mid-session.
Want to know a secret? When teaching a dog different training skills, professional trainers are following a pretty set "equation." They follow the same steps to teach most new behaviors. If you learn this equation, it becomes easy for you to train your dog to do ANYTHING!
Bolting out the door is a scary event! Your puppy could take off and get lost or get hit by a passing car. Focus on teaching your puppy how to wait for permission before going out open doors by reinforcing them for a sit-stay at doorways.
Making the choice to spay or neuter early or wait until your dog is older is truly a personal decision dependent on many factors. There isn't a "one-size-fits-all" approach that can be used.
Some things that need to be considered when making the decision are the size, sex, and age of your dog, their breed, temperament, their intended purpose (e.g., a working dog), and their general health. Consult with your veterinarian for the best time to spay or neuter.
If you are not bathing your dog more than once a month and only use a soap-free gentle shampoo, conditioner is generally not necessary. Conditioner should be used when frequent bathing is necessary, or your dog has dry, flaky, or itchy skin.
Playing a game of fetch may sound like it's something a dog comes pre-programmed to know how to do. Actually, many dogs don't get the whole "chase the ball, grab the ball, bring back the ball" routine.
But you can teach them how to play fetch with you by making a big deal about bringing the toy back to you. Start easy, and remember that your excitement and energy will help increase your puppy's excitement about fetch. Bonus: you can teach fetch indoors!
Sticks and stones can do more harm than just break bones. Dogs may love to play fetch, but real sticks and branches are not the ideal toy to use. Sticks can be a choke hazard since they can break apart easily and if swallowed can cause a hole in the intestines. They have punctured dogs in horrible ways when tossed and landed on.
If your dog eats stones and rocks, they do not pass easily through the gastrointestinal tract and can cause a blockage that can result in the need for surgery.
A keto diet may work great for you but it poses some hazards to your pet. Keto diets use high-fat, low-carb foods. High-fat diets put dogs at risk of weight gain and pancreatitis. Some of the commonly used food items contain the sugar substitute xylitol, which is highly toxic to dogs. Also, some of the foods typically eaten on the diet, such as macadamia nuts or chocolate, are also toxic to dogs.
We've reviewed products for safety, efficacy, and durability. What we recommend is veterinary and behavior-approved.
Use Gates to Stop Jumping
You may wonder how to prevent your pup from bulldozing you over when you walk in the door. A gate will do the trick!
If your puppy is behind a gate, then they can't be jumping on you at the same time. This way they aren't getting reinforced for jumping and you have a moment to collect yourself before asking them to sit for attention. There are even free standing gates for hard-to-fit doorways or entryways.
Finding it hard to juggle the leash, treats, portable water bowl, and more while out with your puppy? Whether on a walk or going to training class, having the right gear makes training and managing your puppy easier and safer.
