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Make waiting the hardest part

by | General, Puppies

Four years ago in November, I was sitting with a huge phone book size catalog on my lap in a folding chair. It was a hot, dusty day at the large State Fair arena in Tennessee watching the Australian Shepherd National Specialty Show.

With dirt on the pages, my pencil scratched as I took notes on breed lines, breeders and rescues, carefully watching the dogs in the ring. In between, I talked to owners.

I knew I wanted a puppy that minute and couldn’t wait to hold one in my arms, snuggle and begin our life together, but I also knew I needed to do my homework… especially since I wanted another Aussie. Loving this breed is my “poison”… haha! I used to say to myself, “WHY!? WHY do you have to love this difficult breed!?”

Still… it was SO hard to wait! Can you relate?

But it is so important that you get the right dog for you and that you are the right person for the dog. You’ll hopefully have many years together so get started out right.

Watch this video before you choose your puppy or dog

Get the checklist here

Leave me a comment below and let me know what breed or rescue you are considering.

The Best Christmas Puppy Surprise!

by | General, Puppies

Look on youtube and you’ll find tons of videos showing children and adults opening the huge box with the puppy inside! There are screams and laughter and tears all around and it’s SO EXCITING!!!

…BUT they don’t show you what happens later that day or the next day or the next when the puppy is peeing on things, biting or even growling because it’s become terrified.

Now that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t give a puppy as a big gift. You can.

Just do it right so your child, parent or significant other AND the puppy get off to the best start possible and avoid causing any trauma.

First, make sure a dog is really going to be welcome and planned for in your home. Do you know what characteristics are important to you when choosing a dog? Do you have the time and energy that a puppy needs? Do you have experience raising or owning a dog?

A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that a puppy can make a good idea for a gift…

…IF your loved one would have gotten the puppy anyway…

…AND if you give the puppy in the right way.

So if you think you might go for a puppy as a gift, watch the video below and watch for more videos coming up to help you choose that puppy or dog and for more specifics on what you need to have ready.

Watch the video here

Leave me a comment below if you think you’ll be getting a puppy at holiday time or if you know someone who might do it.

Puppy Biting: The 2 most common reasons for puppy biting!

by | Puppies

When puppies bite, it hurts! Those teeth are sharp and with some puppies, they are relentless. They just won’t give up. As soon as you give them a toy to distract them, their teeth are right back on YOU or your pants or your hair…

Your kids might be so fed up that they say, “Mommy, I hate that puppy! He’s mean!” 

Sigh… this just starts a spiral downward and yet…

…it can be so easy to fix.

Most of the time, your puppy is biting for one of two reasons (and you may find this hard to believe!):

  1. Your puppy is hungry
  2. Your puppy is tired

Watch my youtube video where I explain these two problems further.

What about when it’s not one of these two reason? What if it’s teething or poor bite inhibition or even aggression?

For more on puppy biting, I have another video available and you can find that here: 

The Steps to Manage Puppy Biting So You Can Raise A Dog You Love And Trust

But start with the one on this page – these are the most common reasons that you might be overlooking and both are so easy to fix!

After you watch the video, add a LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to my channel! Then COMMENT below!

Right and Wrong Ways to Socialize Your Puppy

by | Puppies

Puppies need to be exposed to a variety of things early to avoid a fear response later in life. That fear can be immobilizing and/or cause aggression.

But mistakes can be made and then instead of helping, you can make life worse for your puppy and you!

So what is the right way to expose and socialize your puppy? HOW you do it is KEY.

  1. Do as much as you can during:
    • the first 8-12 weeks of age.
    • Second best time is 12-16 weeks old
    • Third best time is before 3 years old
    • Your dog’s lifetime
  2. Go at your puppy’s pace. It’s important to avoid any trauma so if your puppy is showing concern, then that’s enough! Pay attention to your puppy’s body language and also check your own mood because it affects how your puppy responds. Don’t worry about how someone else’s puppy responds – all that matters is how YOUR puppy responds.
  3. CRITICAL: Know that dogs do NOT know that babies are going to grow up and be human like you! Babies smell, sound, move and look different than an adult human. They may as well be a cat! Likewise with toddlers and young children. These are all “separate animals” as far as your dog is concerned so all should be exposed. You may be young but may have children someday. You may be older but may have grandchildren so be prepared. Expose your puppy.
  4. Socialize To Generalize! I coined this phrase to help you remember that when you expose your puppy to, for example, a loud noise, that can generalize to other loud noises. If you can expose your puppy to 100 noises then great BUT it is not necessary. Again, as in #2, go at your puppy’s pace. Puppies need lots of rest so dont’t over do it. The number of things you expose your puppy too is not that important. It’s how that exposure goes.
  5. All 5 senses: Try to socialize for all 5 senses which are touch, sight, sound, taste and smell. Smell? For example to alcohol which is used at the veterinary hospital.
  6. Make exposures positive.
  7. Keep a list and expose more than once if you can.

Watch my youtube video where I explain further how to socialize your puppy.

After you watch the video, add a LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to my channel! Then COMMENT below!

Puppy Potty Training: “My puppy won’t go on the (grass, gravel, mulch, dirt, turf…)”

by | Puppies

Puppies can develop a preference for substrates or surfaces – places and types of materials where they eliminate (potty or poop).

My corgi, Tobias, would only go in a “private” area. He wanted to be hidden in bushes, ground cover or at least off the trail.

When your puppy is young, it’s a great idea to expose them to new types of substrates so they don’t completely develop a preference. That way if they are boarding, traveling with you, going to a dog show, etc., you’ll avoid a problem where you dog will try to “hold it” for days!

At the same time, you don’t want your puppy to think they can go anywhere! So how do you teach your puppy where to go?

Make sure you don’t encourage your puppy to go on any surface that resembles the inside of your house.

For example, if you have wood floors, I’d be pretty cautious about allowing my puppy to go on a wood deck! I’d also avoid any outdoor mats because they are too much like rugs and carpets.

Where they go should be nothing like any surface in your house or you risk confusion.

Watch my youtube video where I explain how to get your puppy to potty on a new substrate.

After you watch the video, add a LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to my channel! Then COMMENT below!

Puppy Potty Training: The Biggest Lie You Might Be Telling Yourself!

by | Puppies

Jenny had the kitchen gated off with the the crate inside and with easy access to a puppy pad. She was also trying to teach her puppy, Max, to go outside.

So why all the accidents? She was super frustrated.

To top it off, the puppy would grab it’s stool and take off!

This is a lot of energy to put into potty training, right? Put that same energy into supervising and you’ll come out ahead… quickly too.

Supervise? Jenny, like most puppy owners I see and students in my classes too… say “Of course I watch my puppy!” She knows to supervise.

But this is actually one of the Biggest Lies people tell themselves. 80%… 90% of the time is not supervision – not enough anyway. You need to supervise 100% of the time. I’ll say it again… 100%!

Yes, it’s a bit of a challenge but you can do it and it’s so worth it.

To learn more and find out a VERY SIMPLE INEXPENSIVE WAY to put this into practice, watch this video and I’ll explain exactly what I mean.

After you watch the video, add a LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to my channel! Then COMMENT below!