Six common puppy problems
1: Leave it!
Some people get quite frustrated when their puppy won’t release an object, especially if it is something that they shouldn’t really have in the first place, such as their owner’s shoe, or a child’s favourite toy. Of course, it is easy to advise everyone to tidy away any items they don’t want the puppy to get hold of, but, in practical terms, this is not always feasible or possible.
Teaching your puppy the leave command will help him to develop some self-control in other areas of his life, which can be very useful. To begin, hold a low-value treat, such as kibble, in one hand, and a high-value treat, such as a piece of chicken or cheese, in the other, which is hidden behind your back. Hold the hand with the kibble in above your dog’s head, and wait quietly while he investigates your hand with his nose or his paws. Don’t let him have the kibble, but the second he looks away, reward him by giving him the high-value treat from behind your back. Repeat several times, gradually building in the word ‘Leave’ as you present your hand, and rewarding your dog for looking away from it. You can start to move your treat hand closer to your puppy’s nose and repeat the process. Once he understands the concept, you can begin to make things more challenging by keeping him on a lead and putting a handful of treats on the floor, covering them
2: TOILET TRAINING
with your hand, and rewarding him with a treat from the pile when he looks away from them. You can also encourage your dog to leave something, such as a ball or a favourite toy, by putting an identical ball or toy in your back pocket and offering it as a swap. When your dog runs up to you, with the ball in his mouth, simply remove the identical one from your pocket, and get his attention by throwing it up in the air and catching it. You can also pretend to throw it, but don’t actually release it until the dog has dropped the ball he is holding. Once he has released the toy, you can throw the identical one for him, and build in the leave command, so that he begins to understand that letting go of an object doesn’t mean the end of fun, but is a signal that the game will continue.
Teaching a puppy to be house-trained takes a lot of time and patience, and the key to success is to provide plenty of opportunities for him to toilet in the right place.
Keep taking your puppy outside regularly, particularly after he wakes from a nap, or has had something to eat. Be very quiet and boring as you stand with him, and wait until he goes to the toilet. Give your puppy lots of praise when he does go, and never tell him off for getting things wrong, as it just means you weren’t quick enough in taking him outside.
If your puppy seems to be toileting very frequently, and is drinking a lot, or you don’t seem to be able to create positive associations with toileting outdoors, then it is probably worth taking him for a check-up at the vet’s to see if there’s a medical cause, and to seek further advice.