Puppy

To understand how a puppy's mind and body work there are a few key things to keep in mind:
Exercise - This is the solution to almost every dilemma of the frustrated puppy owner. Exercise is key to raising a puppy you can live with. Very few animals will exercise themselves. This is an interactive process between the puppy and the owner. Playing fetch, playing tag, leash walking, jogging and playing with toys are all great ways to engage your puppy in activity. This is critically important for puppies which are being crate trained. Remember: a tired puppy is a happy puppy!

Substrate Preference - Think of grass the way you think of cat litter. Cats instinctively have a substrate preference for litter or sand. If only it was that easy with dogs. In New York City, dogs often defecate on concrete, that becomes their substrate preference. In the Midwest, we usually want our dogs to urinate and defecate on grass. The only way for that to happen is for them to have repeated exposure to grass when they also need to "go". Eventually they signal to go outside because they prefer to get out to the grass, not because they fear punishment if they urinate or defecate inside. Remember: your puppy can develop a substrate preference for carpet, tile, linoleum, hardwood...

Maternal Antibodies - If your puppy's mother was vaccinated, she passed this "maternal antibody" on to her offspring across her placenta and through her milk. A puppy is then born with an immune system ready to fight off disease. This protection is completely lost between 6 and 16 weeks of age. We don't know exactly when this happens so your puppy will be vaccinated in a series (every 3 weeks) to give him the best opportunity to develop his own immunity. Most vaccines given while they still are protected with maternal antibodies are not effective. Remember: it's not how many vaccines are given, it's when they are given.

An Unsupervised Puppy is a Puppy in Trouble - Allowing a puppy who isn't completely housebroken to run loose in your house is not fair! The puppy has absolutely no reason not to go to the bathroom, be destructive or otherwise get themselves into heaps of trouble! You cannot expect a puppy to make appropriate decisions without constant supervision. If you find your puppy has had an accident or just chewed up your new shoes and you were in the shower, on the phone or otherwise distracted, it is your fault! Until the puppy has made significant progress in house training, keep them in the crate, on a leash, outside, in your arms or directly in sight at all times.
Time is of the Essence - It seems everyone is short on time. This may be the one thing that you can give your puppy now and expect it to be paid back 100 times. To help your puppy become a good citizen at home and away, you must be willing to invest a significant amount of time interacting and teaching on a daily basis. Make it a priority now and enroll in a socialization class. Have the entire family commit to daily blocks of time to exercise and train the puppy. Embrace this concept and you will not regret it.

There are so many great resources available to make puppyhood a wonderful experience for your and your puppy, you just need to take advantage of them. You will hear us reference these same ideas over and over so feel free to ask questions if you hit a bump in the road.
GOOD LUCK! and remember that a kind word and pat on the head is all the encouragement your puppy needs. When he makes a mistake, figure out WHY and acknowledge that is was probably due to lack of supervision. When he does something right, let him know and chances are he'll try to do it again.
Have Questions?
We are happy to answer your questions or provide additional information.
Give us a call at 816-761-5071 or contact us online.

Happy at the Vet
Links/Resources
Nutrition
Grooming & Boarding
Training
Animal Rehabilitation Center
Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8am - 5pmSaturday & Sunday: CLOSED