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Puppy Tips
Click on one of these topics to view some of our tips:
Note: The tips listed here are just some of the ways that we have found helpful for us to deal with some of the actions that occur during the course of a dog's development. They may not be suited for every dog, or every person. If you have a severe situation, please consult a professional trainer.
Aggression:
It is rare to see a very young puppy displaying aggression. In most cases, this is not truly aggression, but it is instead a puppy who is nervous about their new home/situation, and is being self protective by trying to appear big bad and mean to keep what is scaring him/her at "arms length"
If your new puppy is displaying these traits, please contact your breeder immediately to help get puppy back on track and developing the right direction. Do not force puppy into scary situations, make sure that they are feeling secure at all times, and let them think about it and come to it on their own. Calm quiet rewards for bravery speak volumes.
On the other hand..........if it really is aggression, call your breeder to help you through this. Even though most puppies will not display aggression towards their new family at all, here are some points to think about with your puppy that may help to relieve or prevent an aggressive display:
1) If your puppy has shown aggression, having it sit and lay with you in your bed, or on the couch is saying that it has equal ranking and privledges as you. Make it a bed on the floor.
2) Do you get down onto the floor to play with puppy? If so, are you laying on your back and having puppy crawl on top of you. That is the body language for saying that you are submissive and he is dominant. Make sure if you play on the floor in such a manner, that you end your play sessions with puppy on the floor and you above him.
3) If puppy shows food aggression:
#1 make sure there is not food down at all times.
#2 when you feed puppy, touch his food. If he growls or shows aggression, Say "NO!", take food away and wait a while. Put the empty bowl on the floor and fill one kibble at a time by hand so that puppy learns that it is the hand that provides the goodies. Repeat this until he allows you to touch his food without aggression.
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Barking:
As with many breeds, the cattle dog is a vocal breed. He is very protective of his house and family, and will not hesitate to let strangers know this. Let your puppy know from day one that barking excessively is not acceptable. When your puppy starts to bark excessively, simply hold his mouth shut gently but firmly. While holding the mouth, say "quiet....quiet....quiet..." until puppy is quiet. Once puppy is quiet (not a moment before), release him and praise him for being quiet. Make sure you have a lot of patience with your puppy, and do not get upset with him, and do not swat his nose for barking. This will lead to a dog that cowers away from you.
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Cats:
One of the most common introduction problems with dogs is cats. I mean...what dog, or puppy, doesn't just want to chase those puffed up things all around the house?
Our puppies are raised with our cat, and learn from birth that cats are just another member of the family. If you have cats, who are not used to dogs, bringing in a puppy should be a lot of fun.
My suggestion for bringing in a new puppy to a household of cats is to just let them figure each other out. At this age, the cats can avoid the puppy rather well, and can get up high where the pup just can't get to yet, but they can observe the puppy. When puppy goes to bark at the cat, say "No...quiet!" Eventually, they will just get used to each other and forget about it.
For a larger pup, or an adult dog, I have in the past, kept the dog on a leash in the house to prevent the chase from starting up. Again...you will have to closely supervise that nothing gets out of hand, but all will soon be normal again. Like any other new thing, it is your job to show by training and example what is acceptable and what is not.
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Chewing:
All puppies need to chew. Just like a teething child, they are working in their new teeth, and it helps their gums feel better to chew.
To prevent your puppy from "teething" on your furniture, clothing, shoes, etc., give him appropriate chew items. We have found what works the best is a toybox full of dog chew toys - ours really like the squeak-toy animals with rope arms and rope hair. All of the dogs know that they are allowed to take out as many toys as they want and do whatever they would like with them.
If puppy should attempt to chew on an inappropriate item, simply tap the item, say no (firmly, not harshly) and hand the puppy an appropriate item. This will take no time at all to convey your meaning. Occasionally you will have to remind puppy what is toy and what is not, but all should go well.
Variety is important in keeping puppy's attention. Also...pick out toys that puppy can do whatever he wants to the toy without any danger to puppy. This will prevent you from having to tell puppy how to play with the toy, since it's no fun if they can't do it their own way.
And should you find out how to get them to put all their toys away when they are done, please let me know!
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Crate Training:
Your cattle dog's crate will be an important part of his life. He must be comfortable with the crate, and be able to be in the crate for extended periods of time without throwing a fit. You will appreciate the importance of a crate trained dog when it is time to travel, go to the vet, or go to the show. (or when you just want a peaceful night's sleep)
Each of our dogs have their own crate. It is not only a safe place for them during transport, it is their night time bed. We like to bring our dogs in at night, and do not want to have to worry about them chewing through electrical cords, or having accidents in the house while we are asleep.
The crate also fills the dog's natural instinct to "den". It is not a claustrophobic issue for them, it is instead, a security zone. They know that the crate is their own personal space and their bed, and once they get past the initial puppy phase of them wanting to be out with you and playing, they are very happy with their crate.
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Digging:
All dogs dig. All dogs are going to dig no matter what you tell them.
Make a definite divider between flower beds and their area (small fences work great). Give them a designated place to dig. If you want them to actually dig there, make it appealing. Under a tree or up against the house where it is cool are some of the best choices. Wherever it is, think about mixing in some sand to keep it from packing down and losing interest. Bury some dog cookies in it to give them something to hunt for.
Bottom line...the more they like their dig area, the more they will not be tempted by your flowers. After all - YOU dig there.
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Feeding:
Up to 3 months of age, puppy will normally eat about four times per day.
3 to 6 months, decrease feedings to three times per day.
6 to 12 months, begin feeding twice per day, which should be their schedule for the remainder of their life.
Do your homework on the food you choose. There are many good choices out there, as well as many not so good choices. Compare dog food labels, and research what the ingredients really are.
We suggest going with the food that gives you the results that you are the happiest with. As long as it is a high quality food, and it keeps your puppy healthy and happy, that is what is important.
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Furniture:
If you do not want a dog that jumps up on the furniture, do not allow the puppy to be up on the furniture unless he is in your arms or on your lap. Make sure you put an end to this practice, as well, before puppy becomes too big, or before it becomes too much of a habit for puppy. He is perfectly comfortable on the floor, no matter how much of a sad puppy face he gives you.
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Horses:
Nothing is more enjoyable than to take our dogs with us on a ride. They have learned from the start that they are not allowed to work the horses, or bark at them. We go to the point to make sure that they travel in front of us, so that they are not tempted to nip a heel.
ACDs should never be allowed to work horses. They cannot differentiate between when it is acceptable to work the horse and when it is not. It is extremely dangerous to both rider and dog if the dog should try to work the horse while you are riding. Being thrown from a bucking or bolting horse can lead to serious injury, even death. One square kick from a horse can render a crippling or fatal blow to a dog.
It is for this reason that the dalmation was originally introduced in the making of this breed. Dalmations have a natural affinity for horses, and it was hoped that it would lead to a dog who would not go after their horses.
Make it very clear to puppy from day one...."No Horses!" In time they will learn this phrase. Occasionally a running horse is just too much of a temptation, and they will need reminding. Watch young pups closely, as they can be injured easily. Make sure you make your introductions well, and that each gets to spend a lot of time with the other and that all curiosities are filled. The more time puppy spends around the horses in a controlled environment, the more he will learn what is acceptable and what is not.
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House Training:
House training can be a very frustrating time for you and a very confusing time for puppy. Above all else....be patient and kind. Never lose your patience with puppy, and do not be too harsh for accidents. Every puppy will have accidents. Just like every child in potty training. It is just part of the normal process of house training. It is your job to try to stay one or two steps ahead and prevent as many accidents as possible, to lower the amount of confusion for puppy.
First off...get a good carpet cleanser and odor eliminator - you'll need it.
The most important key to housetraining is CLOSE attention to exactly how your puppy is behaving. If you are not able to give this close attention, do not leave puppy on the floor un-attended.
Take the puppy directly outside at peak times:
* when puppy first wakes
* immediately after drinking or eating
* after he's been held for a while and is being put down
* when he starts to show less interest in play
If you see these actions occurring, take puppy outside NOW. However, do not rely on, or wait until you see these moments. If it has been a while since the last time you went outside, go out and try. It's much better to go outside more than what is needed, than not enough. You will soon learn how often your puppy has to go, and will start to expect it.
When you take puppy outside - pick a word (we use "go potty") for your command to relieve himself. I take puppy outside, put it in the potty area, and repeat "go potty...go potty...go potty...go potty..." until the puppy does just that. You will find that each time, you have to say it fewer times until they will go on command when you first say it.
For just this reason, we NEVER ask the puppy when they are in the house if they have to "go potty" We ask them if they have to go "outside". These dogs are very intelligent, and they know from a very early age the difference between the two words.
If your puppy has an accident in the house - If you didn't see it happen, do not try to correct the problem. You must catch it either while it happens, or immediately after.
If you catch the accident in progress - take the puppy to the accident immediately. Hold puppy directly in front of the accident, but DO NOT RUB HIS NOSE IN IT, and DO NOT SCOLD (remember - he doesn't fully understand all of this, he doesn't yet know how to ask to go outside, and he just can't hold it that long. It is your job to teach, not his - be patient). Point to the accident. In a dis-satisfied, but NOT MAD tone, Say "No potty in the house" repeat once only. Take puppy immediately outside. Say "go potty... go potty... go potty..." up to 4 or 5 times. Puppy should be empty, having just had his accident, but if puppy actually potties again, praise him lavishly!!! "good potty! good potty!"
(The more you use your chosen words for different items, the more he will recognize them, and he will have no trouble learning these phrases quickly.) Make a mental note of the situation and timing of all accidents, so that you can better prevent them in the future, and make sure you thoroughly clean all accident sites with an enzyme cleaner / odor eliminator to remove the stain and temptation to repeat soiling in that spot.
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Jumping Up:
This is not an acceptable behavior no matter what the circumstances.
No one wants a dog's dirty feet on them, and if you allow it when it's a cute little puppy that just can't reach, then you will have no control over it when it is a big dog that has just run through the puddle and jumped on your visitor in the nice clothes.
The first time puppy jumps up, say "No! OFF!" and raise your knee to make puppy get off you. You don't need to be too forceful with the knee raise, you will see what level is appropriate to maintain puppy staying off of you. Repeat this EVERY TIME puppy attempts to jump up. Make sure that other family members and visitors do this as well so that puppy does not get the idea that he can get away with it with someone else.
Note: bending over to remove puppy from jumping up on you will reinforce his desire to jump, as it made you lean toward him.
If puppy is just not getting it, try putting a leash on him, and stepping on the leash so that he can sit or stand, but not jump up. Just sit like that for a while, so that he gets the idea that he is restrained from jumping up while he is around people.
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Leash Training:
Leash training can be very confusing to a young puppy. Their natural instinct when something is "caught" around them is to pull back and get out of it. When it doesn't give, they keep pulling.
We get a good buckle collar and a light Flexi lead, and just walk away from them. They don't want to be left, and since there is no force on the lead, they don't fight it and come along. We do NOT recommend Flexi-leads for your only leash unless you use that lock button on them to make them a standard close lead. Using a Flexi lead as your only leash will lead to a dog that is used to pulling on the lead to get that 16' radius of freedom to do what they want.
Once they've gotten a week or so of loose lead walks under their belt, we take a standard 6' leash that has been through puppy training before (usually chewed) and hook them to a solid object where we can sit nearby for comfort (leg of a coffee table works well). We then let puppy figure out just what their limits are when it comes to a leash. They will pull and pull and make all sorts of protests, but will eventually give in and give up.
Once they stop protesting the restraint of the leash, go to puppy, praise him lavishly, and remove the leash. End of that day's session.
Once puppy has learned that the leash is stronger, put it on him and attempt to lead him around with it. Start out just like you did with the Flexi lead, and just walk away slowly - puppy should come right along. He will probably hit the end of the lead a couple times and have a little temper tantrum - just be calming and let him work it out. Then begin again.
Make your sessions short and always end on a good note. Making a game out of it will help to keep puppy's interest, and in no time at all puppy will be coming right along with you like a seasoned pro.
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NILIF
NILIF stands for Noting In Life Is Free. The NILIF program is an accepted standard in dog training/behavior but it is not, and is not intended to be, a substitute for an in-person, professional evaluation of your dog's behavior. This technique is intended for dogs in good health and of sound mind and stable temperament.
Check out these links for further information:
www.k9deb.com/nilif.htm
www.greyhoundlist.org/nothing_is_free.htm
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Obedience Training:
Obedience is the key to all else you do with your dog.
An obedient dog is a source of pride and joy, as well as a major step in prevention of possible behavioral problems such as aggression.
Never underestimate the importance of obedience training. If your dog has not had its obedience training, do not attempt to do other advanced training, until you have the obedience mastered. No other training is as important as obedience.
If you are not comfortable doing your own obedience training, contact your local dog groups, vet or humane societies. They will have many resources for puppy kindergarten, as well as adult obedience classes.
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Socialization:
Socialization is the process of teaching your puppy its place and role in society. This includes socialization with other animals as well as other people and places.
Between the ages of 7 weeks to 9 months, your puppy goes through a socialization period that will permanently shape its personality and the way it handles new situations and people as an adult. It is absolutely critical that you properly socialize your cattle dog during this time.
A cattle dog cannot know how to react to social situations if you do not properly socialize it. Take the puppy EVERYWHERE you possibly can, and teach it how to act and react in social situations. When people come up and say "oh what a cute puppy" encourage them to interact with the puppy and vise-versa. Always supervise this interaction, as this is indeed a form of training. Pay close attention when socializing with children, to make sure both puppy and children are interacting properly with each other, so you do not have a bad child experience for your puppy, or vise versa.
Puppy kindergarten classes, doggy daycare, and dog parks are an excellent place to socialize with both people and other dogs. Don’t forget to socialize puppy with other dogs, so that they will know how to interact with strange dogs later in life, rather in a show ring, a park, store, or just passing on the street. Home Depot, Lowe's, PetSmart, PetCo are all stores that welcome leashed and mannered pets. Take them in and say hi to everyone!
With proper socialization, your reward will be a socially confident and stable dog that you can take into any situation, and know that they know their place and role in society, and will be the perfect little cattle dog.
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Skunks:
Ringo, on several occasions, brought one of these little beauties either up onto the porch, or into the bed of the truck. We so appreciated his little gifts, let me tell you!
If your dog so graces you with these gifts, all I can say is here is a wonderful home remedy:
Mix baking soda, peroxide, and liquid dish soap. It neutralizes the odor quite well, and wow does it clean in the process! It actually works better than the store bought skunk remedies that we have tried.
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