Puppy Diaries #3. Caring For and Training Our New Pup
Puppy Diaries #3. Caring
For and Training Our New Pup
Dear Diary,
Sommer has
been home for a few weeks and we’re getting into a groove – she’s teaching me
as much as I’m teaching her! I’m noticing a distinct rhythm to our days. The
schedule revolves around eating, playing, exercising, chewing (with any luck,
on a bully stick and not the furniture or carpet), peeing, pooping, and napping
– lots of pup naps! What a relief it was, after a couple of weeks at home, she
finally started sleeping a seven-hour stretch at night. Getting sleep helped my
mood considerably! Potty accidents are still a problem, and I try not to lose
patience with her as well as myself. I know that when she has an accident, it’s
my fault for not paying attention to how long it’s been since she last went
out. But in my defense, it can be hard to keep track of the dog, the kids, my
work, dinner, laundry and every other thing that’s going on in the three-ring
circus we call life. Even with the challenges and occasional frustrations,
there are moments each day that make the hard work and craziness worthwhile,
such as the eager greeting we get not only when we come home from being out,
but when we leave a room and re-enter it two minutes later. There’s nothing
like a puppy’s “welcome home”!
Acclimating
to Life With a Pup
Our first weeks
home with Sommer were a rollercoaster ride – highs, lows and everything in
between. Every morning we’d wake up to her little barks. Something is barking!
What is it? Oh, wait! WE HAVE A PUPPY. Yay! That was certainly a daily high
point that made every morning feel like Christmas morning. Then we’d scramble
downstairs to release her from her crate, and she’d be so excited, she’d pee on
the floor. Ugh. A low point!
We soon learned
though, that in a world of high-tech, there’s was a lot to be said for the
simple pleasures of owning a pup. Cuddling, tossing a ball around the house,
creating homemade obstacle courses (she was surprisingly nimble at Army-crawling under
furniture) became favourite family pastimes, and lured our boys from their
iPads and phones. For our boys, who are ages 12 and 15, Sommer provides a means to release pent-up
energy after school, and an emotional outlet for their love and affection, two
things that can be hard for kids to demonstrate as they get older.
The main
challenge as Sommer acclimated to her new environment, with no littermates and
a new pack leader in me, was sleep. Her first two nights at home were the worst
and were accompanied by loud crying. I gritted my teeth and did not let her out
of her crate, because I felt it would teach her that loud crying would result
in her getting what she wanted. That was one behaviour I did not want to
encourage! It was tough, and I gritted my teeth and had to restrain myself from
running to her crate to pick her up, but we got through it.
In addition to
trying to discourage crying, we also tried hard not to reinforce negative
behaviour by responding to her when she jumped up for attention or nipped. I
made sure that no one in the family petted her, picked her up or paid any
attention to her when she jumped or nipped. A firm “no” and a turned back was
enough to stop her in her tracks. Fortunately, Sommer instinctually needed to
be near me as her pack leader, and any time I rebuffed her for negative
behavior, she quickly corrected in order not to be exiled. It was amazing how
quickly she developed habits, and I tried to make them good ones!
As we acclimated
to each other, I also made an effort to pick up on Sommer’s signals and body
language. What was she trying to tell me? Her pounce-y and bouncy self was
right at home with our family, but if another dog came near, she would jump on
me to be picked up, even when we were in our own yard. Every person on the
planet has something that causes them stress, and apparently, other dogs are
Sommer’s stressor. Ha! So, I signed up for a Puppy Obedience class in order to
socialize her and help her be more accustomed to being around her “peers.”
Caring For Our
Pup
Within a couple
weeks of bringing her home, we were at the vet’s office for vaccinations and a
check-up. Weeks later, on the second visit, she had a couple more vaccinations,
and after I brought her home, she became listless didn’t want to get off the
couch or eat a treat. Alarmed, I called the vet, who directed me to bring her
back for observation and treatment for a reaction to the vaccination.
Sommer was admitted to the animal hospital for a few hours for treatment and
observation. As I handed over my credit card and watched the vet tech carry her
away from me, my stomach was in knots. Fortunately, I’d signed up for pet
insurance, so that was one less worry. Still, I exhaled a huge sigh of relief
when I got the call that she had recovered well and was ready to be picked up.
Routine care
included daily brushing, as a precursor to her
first grooming appointment. As a poodle mix, Sommer has hair which
can mat quickly if not brushed out. We did the occasional bath if she
got muddy from playing outside (baths are not a favourite activity of hers, as
it turns out) and started a routine of daily exercise. Oh, exercise! I soon
discovered that exercise was key to a happy life with a pup. Every time I
became irritated at her for barking, or constantly wanting to go outside, I
realized she hadn’t gotten enough exercise that day. Point taken! We began a
routine of going to the park to run in an enclosed field because at this young age, she
still wasn’t adept at walking on a leash.
Training
Our puppy training and socialization class were one of the best things we did in
Sommer’s first months home. We learned everything from “sit” and “down”
to come when
called, and how to teach her to calm herself when the inevitable puppy energy
got out of hand. Mostly, it was fun to observe other pups and their owners, and
all the different temperaments. We learned how to redirect her away from
destructive chewing with do-it-yourself projects like a paper towel roll,
filled with some treats and sealed with masking tape. We learned the “drop it”
command, by placing a treat on her nose. Worked like a charm every time she
took a sock!
Next Entry: Puppy
Firsts – Summer’s First Firsts
“The Puppy
Diaries” is an ongoing series that explores the journey of pet parenthood, from
making the decision to get a puppy, to bringing a puppy home, to the joys and
struggles of training, and beyond. Laura Tiebert is an experienced
nonfiction writer and first-time puppy parent who lives in Minnesota with her
husband, two sons and a new puppy.
Are you puppy
crazy or considering adding a puppy to your family? Sign up for our Puppy
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My Top Tips: 8-12 Weeks: What to Expect When Acclimating to
and Caring For Your Young Pup
- During this age span, your pup is still in the process of being
housebroken. Keep to a predictable schedule to ensure your success! Your
pup will be able to hold her bladder about four hours, meaning you need to
take her out at least that often (and perhaps much sooner, if she’s
recently been eating or drinking).
- Her daily focus remains eating, drinking, sleeping, eliminating and
playing. She will sleep about 18-20 hours a day.
- Pups this age have their baby teeth but will begin to lose them
soon, to be replaced by their adult teeth. The teething process will drive
an even greater need to chew, so as your pup enters this age, make sure to
have lots of safe chewing toys available.
- Make sure to stay on the schedule of vaccinations recommended by
your vet, and give heartworm and flea/tick medication as directed.
- Join a puppy training class and practice at home daily. Pups thrive
on the mental stimulation of working together on training, and the praise
they receive for a job well done will build their confidence and your bond
together.
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