LITTLE PUPPIES CAN ONLY “HOLD IT” ABOUT TWO HOURS.

As they get older it is about an hour for every month. Adult dogs can hold it around 9 hours. If you are crate training you need to get them out often enough so they don’t soil the crate. If they sleep in their own waste they no longer have the desire to separate where they live from where they poop and then they will be next to impossible to house train.
Go outside with your puppy and when he goes potty praise lavishly and give a treat. Do not put pup in the yard for a half hour and assume he’s gone. I recommend no free time in the yard until they’ve gone potty outside. After they go potty the leash can come off and they can have playtime in the yard.

WATCH YOUR PUPPY EVERY SECOND THEY ARE UNCONFINED IN THE HOUSE.

It is a wise idea to tether your puppy to you so they can’t sneak away as you glance at the TV or answer the phone. If they start to potty on the rug give them a ?NO!? to startle them and stop the process (don’t yell too loud or you’ll scare the p*$$ out of them) Pick them up and run outside to finish. Whey they go outside praise them wildly and give their favorite reward.

CLEAN UP ALL ACCIDENTS WITH A CLEANER DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE THE ODOR.

If the smell is there the next time the pup sniffs it nature will call before he knows what’s happening. (For this reason it is good to have one “potty spot” outside. When you bring them there the smell will stimulate the process.)

TAKE PUPPY OUTSIDE AT EVERY ACTIVITY TRANSITION.

Chewing, playing, and other activity stimulate the bladder. Take puppy outside after:

• Naps
• Meals
• Playtime (mid playtime if it is long or vigorous)
• Chewing chew toys 

REASON 1 FOR CHEWING: TEETHING

Puppies need to chew in order to teethe and set there new permanent teeth into their jaw. (The teeth are set at about 19 months).

SOLUTION:

1. You must chew toy train your dog. Give your dog appropriate things to chew on as the ONLY options.
   • Marrow bones
   • Frozen raw chicken wings (the bones are just fine as long as the meat is not cooked)
   • Kong toys
   • Nylabones
   • Chilly bones (or a home made version)
   • Ice cubes
2. Puppy-proof your house. Get ?Bitter Apple? for electrical cords, woodwork etc.

REASON 2 FOR CHEWING: LACK OF EXERCISE

Large breed puppies need about 2 hours of aerobic activity a day. If a dog is under exercised they will try to work off some of that energy chewing.

SOLUTION:
Find a way to get your dog a lot of off leash exercise:

• Find a dog park
• Learn lots of indoor games (for example play fetch up and down the stairs)
• Look for activates that mentally stimulate your dog. (This can be exhausting too)
• Learn to play fetch
• Arrange play dates and puppy parties
  (Even if you have a large yard puppies don’t tend to run and exercise themselves when left alone in the yard.)

REASON 3 FOR CHEWING: BOREDOM

If your pup is board he may well decide to pass the time chewing.

SOLUTION:
Find other activities to stimulate your dog and be sure they have plenty of ?good chews? all around:

Stimulation:

• Clicker training
• Kong toys
• Bustercubes
• Planet dog Frisbees

“Good Chews”:

• Nylabones
• Kong toys stuffed with biscuits
• Other stuffed toys
• Ice cubes
• Marrow bone (with some meat left on it)
• Frozen raw chicken wings

To train your dog out of mouthing humans (they will always mouth other dogs when they play, and that’s fine) you must first teach her the strength of her own jaw. In the event she is ever provoked into biting (i.e., the car door slams on her tail) having bite inhibition will limit or prevent any injury.

Step 1:

When your dog mouths you too hard, let out a high pitched yelp or OUCH! This is how littermates communicate to each other when they have mouthed too hard.

If your dog continues to bite stop the playtime. (The natural consequence of playing too rough is no one wants to play with you)

If they continue to mouth at you as you walk away give them a short time out.

Step 2:

When step 1 takes effect your puppy will still be mouthing, she will simply be doing it more softly. At this point yelp or OUCH when she puts any pressure on the skin at all. We want her to believe human flesh is very sensitive.

Step 3:

Teach “Off”. Once puppy is consistently biting with no pressure we can teach her not to bite at all. Teach her the cue word such as “off”.

WHAT IS SOCIALIZATION?

Socialization means getting used to environmental elements through exposure. Have you ever had a Snow White experience where you are out in nature and the birds fly down and land gently on you while you pet the animals of the forest? No? Ok, have you ever had even one wild animal come up and try to make friends with you? Curious and unassuming animals in the wild don’t tend to survive to produce off-spring. On the other hand, an animal freaking out at every rock and tree wouldn’t get too far either.

So, how does the animal determine what is and is not a threat?

The answer is that when the animals are first born there is a window of time where they are more curious and less afraid. We call this a ?socialization window?. This window of time is when they are most easily able to habituate to their environment through exposure. In other words, what the animal is exposed to during the socialization window they tend to accept as a normal, non threatening part of the environment. (Provided they have continued exposure throughout their life, of course.)

WHAT DOES ALL THIS ACADEMIC STUFF MEAN TO THE AVERAGE PUPPY OWNER?

It means if your puppy doesn’t get sufficient exposure to an element of the environment (children, for example) before the socialization window closes, the risk of fear responses (such as aggression) toward children runs higher for your dog as an adult.

To give your dog the best quality of life and get the most from being a dog parent, expose your new puppy to anything and everything. Make certain they have only very positive experiences.

WHY DOES SOCIALIZATION MATTER TO ME?

Socialized dogs feel less stress and anxiety (a plus in and of itself). Stress and anxiety lead to many undesirable behaviors such as:

• Barking
• Digging
• House soiling
• Aggression
• Destructive chewing

Therefore, a well socialized dog is less likely to engage in these behaviors (good for the owners) and, a dog’s quality of life is improved simply by the decreased stress (good for the dog). A dog’s quality of life is improved even more because a well socialized dog can be extended many more privileges and freedoms.

For example, when company with children come to the house, a dog beautifully socialized to children can spend the evening hanging out with the ?pack? rather than locked in a crate or separate room. Well socialized dogs get invited to back yard barbeques, soccer games and all kinds of other fun engagements but under socialized dogs stay at home while their owners have all the fun.

WHAT ABOUT AN OLDER DOG? CAN THEY BE SOCIALIZED?

Yes. It is still a worthwhile endeavor to socialize your older dog. However, your progress will be much slower than with a puppy. Take things very slowly as your dog may have already developed a fear response. Trying to rush the socialization process for an older dog could result in confirming your dog’s suspicion that these things are scary.

NEVER INSIST A DOG APPROACH SOMEONE THEY FIND SCARY.

They may become so afraid they feel they have to bite to protect themselves. Instead, have the stranger throw treats or a toy to the dog. Eventually the dog will understand strangers mean good things.

PLACES TO BRING YOUR DOG FOR SOCIALIZATION:

Where ever you go your puppy will draw a crowd. Being the center of attention may not be your favorite thing, but bite the bullet and do it for your pup!

• The groomer just to get treats
• The vet just to get treats
• City Hall ? Meet all kinds of people including cops in uniform
• Best Buy (hang out in the TV section to expose your dog to socialization and culture all at once)
• Home Depot (let everyone feed and pet the pup)
• Pet supply stores
• Pretty much any store that doesn’t sell food. If they ask you to leave explain that you will have to leave without making your purchase since they don’t welcome your dog.
• Urban Retreat in Uptown
• Friend’s houses
• Dog shows
• Fairs and parades
• Downtown Minneapolis as the crowd from a Vikings game is pouring into the streets
• Walking around the lakes during peak times
• Coffee Shops that welcome dogs
• Keep a running list of dog friendly establishments and patronize them!