A New Puppy for the Household

WHAT DOES IT IMPLY?
Positive conditioning and repetition (patience?). These are the main precepts in training a puppy to adapt to the conditions and goals you establish for his/her.

• By positive conditioning I mean rewarding good behaviour and avoiding physical punishment which only induces fear.
  
• Housebreaking.
  - Walks or outside every 1 to 2 hours in the daytime and as required at night.
  - The urge to “do its business” is at its peak after eating/drinking/playing or sleeping  (important to offer the puppy food at fixed times of day).
  - Accustom your puppy to void/defecate in the same place associating the spot with a consistent word or phrase such as “do it here” or “expresso”.  If successful, lavish him with praise.
  - If he voids/eliminates in an inappropriate place use a firm “NO” and make no fuss about cleaning up – he can interpret this as a way of gaining attention.
  - A “house of his own”, “his den” (crate, box, transport kennel, etc.) in which he has been trained to sleep is useful when the pup has to be left alone because they normally avoid soiling where they sleep and he can be kept in the kennel for up to 8 hours.  A “kennel” provides your puppy with a sense of security and protects him while you are out of the house.  (Remember toddlers explore with hands and mouth, puppies only with their mouths).
  
• Manners and obedience.
  - Discourage chewing inappropriate objects with a firm “NO”, and provide him with a chewy toy – preferably not leather as he can associate the toy with slippers and shoes around the house.
  - Avoid behaviour that encourages games with his mouth- tug o’ war, etc. as this can condition him to bite later on.
  - My personal recommendation is to enrol in an obedience course in which the owner is ever present.