How to raise a polite pooch
Being left alone
Young puppies may not be used to spending time on their own after so much company during lockdown. Start now to teach them that being on their own is a normal and positive part of life. To do this:
Make sure your puppy has a comfy bed or den, where they can relax, and give them something fun to keep busy, like a long-lasting treat or puzzle toy.
Start to move away from them whilst they are settled: only move as far as you can without them becoming worried and trying to follow you. Go back and reward them for staying calm. If they have got worried or tried to follow, then start again but move less far away. Once the puppy is relaxed with this you can start to build up to taking more steps away, being in a different room and then leaving the house.
The key to success is progressing slowly – always only increase the distance and time away for which your puppy stays relaxed. Any signs of distress, and you’ve progressed too fast and need to go back a stage.
Teaching a puppy to be left alone positively from the start is much easier than treating established anxiety problems. So putting some time in now to get your puppy relaxed when left will save you both a lot of work and worry later in life.
Meeting and greeting other people
It’s really useful to train your puppy to stay calm when visitors come to the door or into your house, as well as meeting people on walks. In both cases, it is important to build up new experiences slowly, so your pup learns to be calm and relaxed. Reward them when they are quiet and relaxed.
Teaching your pup to go to their bed in a different part of the house when they hear the doorbell can make greeting visitors easier.
Ensure your puppy has their own safe space to retreat to when you have visitors, remembering that they can find excitable human noises worrying (as, no doubt, you’ll be excited to see your friends and family after a long time!).
Always remember to wash your hands regularly before and after interacting with your dog and ask your guests to do the same. A dog’s coat, lead, toys etc, could carry coronavirus just like any other surface.
Do not be afraid to ask people not to pet your puppy if he or she is worried, don’t feel comfortable or if your dog needs more space.
Out and about with your dog
If your puppy hasn’t been out in the car much, if at all, in the past few months, get them used to travelling by carefully introducing them to the car and their travel harness or crate. Use lots of tasty treats to reward them.
Teach your puppy to feel comfortable seeing people in facemasks, particularly on public transport.
Homeworking
If you’re working from home on a longer term basis, it’s especially important for an excitable puppy to learn to relax, lie down, and have time on their own when you’re busy on phone calls or video meetings.
Start training at times when your puppy is more likely to be already relaxing. You’ll know your dog is truly settled when they lie down, not asking for attention, and not easily distracted by what’s going on around them.
To begin with, sit quietly on a chair with your dog lay on a blanket on the floor. Drop tiny bite size treats to your dog as a reward for settling down on the blanket. Don’t say anything to your dog whilst doing this. Gradually only reward more relaxed behaviours.
You can then start to increase the amount of time they must be settled before you reward them.