Puppies: Basic Obedience

 

Biting

Barking

Chewing

Digging

Jumping Up

Separation Anxiety

Submissive Urination

One of the most important things every dog must learn is that it is never okay to bite a human. In our society, there is a strong possibility that an adult dog who bites a person will have to be destroyed. Proper socialisation with people, other dogs and exposure to a variety of slightly stressful experiences is crucial at an early age. This way your puppy will learn to keep his equilibrium and not resort to biting from fear when he's confronted with unusual situations.

Puppies use their mouths on everything when they are young. When they play together, they bite each other. When one puppy bites another too hard, the victim yelps. Then the first puppy lets go and learns to bite more gently next time. Train your puppy not to bite by yelping when he bites you hard. Then gradually yelp with softer and softer bites. Soon he will learn to control himself so he doesn't damage that unbelievably sensitive human skin. Yelping, combined with gentle but firm scolding, can produce a dog who simply will not bite at all.

Here is another successful approach from Dorothy Mash of Deep Peninsula Dog Training Club in Mountain View, California. Puppies usually bite a hand, arm or leg that is moving. This is a natural expression of their chase instinct (prey drive). Try holding the body part he is biting very still. Then with your free hand, point at him and firmly say "NO". When he releases, praise him and give him a nice treat.

When owners yell at their dogs to be quiet, the dogs think the owners are just joining in the fun. Avoid this by training your dog to bark on command, then training him to be quiet on command. If you catch him barking, praise him and say a command word like "Speak". Encourage and reward him. Make it a game. You can even bark at him if he doesn't get the idea. Over the period of a rowdy bark, suddenly say "Quiet!" and put your finger to your lips. If you surprise him enough, he will stop barking. Get really excited now! Reward him profusely. Practice both sides of the equation and soon your dog will understand what "Quiet" means.

Dogs (especially puppies) need to chew. Always provide a good chew toy for your dog. Praise him for using it. A repellent such as Bitter Apple(TM) can keep him from chewing your furniture when you're not around.

Many dogs love to dig! Digging is instinctive and pleasurable, a way to bury good stuff for later, to find cool earth to lie in, and to build dens. The easiest way to prevent digging is to confine your dog to a run with a cement or other non-diggable floor surface when you cannot supervise him. (It also helps if you don't give him anything to bury when he's in the garden.) Do not leave your digger unattended around freshly tilled and fertilised flower beds or you will be sorry. Some people suggest putting poop in the holes he has already dug, so digging will become an unpleasant experience. This technique may work in some cases, but unfortunately it sometimes causes dogs to become poop eaters! Some people have had success by training their dog to dig in a place reserved just for their digging pleasure, a sandbox or pit about 1 x 2 metres. You can loosen the earth in the area and then bury all kinds of treats there. Praise your dog lavishly for digging them up. Make a game of it! (We tried this, but found that our dog was getting quite dirty and the pit was unsightly. So we trained her to bury her treasures around the edges of our garden by piling up redwood chips on top of them.)

You may think it's cute when a little puppy jumps up to greet you, but when that puppy grows up to be a 70kg dog, or when his paws are muddy, you (and your guests) will not be so happy. Be consistent and start early to train your puppy not to jump up.

If your young puppy jumps up, simply walk backwards. Say "Off" and praise and reward the puppy when all four feet are on the ground. You can also have the dog sit whenever he is greeting newcomers. This way he has an alternative, positive behaviour he can substitute for jumping. If your dog needs more control, put a lead on him for awhile whenever you're expecting company.

Enlist the aid of a friend on weekend afternoons to really cure the problem. Have the friend come to the door over and over again. Instruct the dog to sit each time the friend enters. Reward him for the correct behaviour. Frequent repetition may make this a less exciting experience for your dog and at the same time reinforce correct behaviour enough to help him form a new, positive habit. Do this exercise at least 10 times. 20 is even better!

Dogs are social animals. They prefer having the pack nearby. So many dogs experience separation anxiety when you leave them home alone. They may whine, cry, bark, or become destructive. Often this behaviour can be eliminated by giving the dog proper attention and exercise. Be sure to set aside special quality time to play with and exercise your dog each day. Then don't make a big event of your departure. Just leave quietly. You can also reserve a day or two to work on the problem. Come and go frequently to show your dog that you will always return. This can reassure your pet. If problems persist, consult a professional trainer.

Exciting events trigger a piddling urge in some dogs. This is called submissive urination. Never correct a dog for this problem; scolding only makes the problem worse-the dog becomes even more submissive! Instead, ignore your dog for ten minutes when you first come home or when people come to the door. Let him outside to relieve himself immediately.

We have offered a few suggestions here. If problems persist, consult a knowledgeable professional for help with your particular situation. Though the dog's natural, instinctive behaviours get him into trouble in human society, he can learn to live within our rules. However, we sometimes need to help him adapt!