December 5, 2009

Reasons and Fixes For Puppy Chewing

puppy Chewing

Puppy chewing is a problem that plagues many pet owners. A lot of people think their puppy is just bad. Some even go so far as to say they have a “devil dog” or that the dog goes out of its way to destroy the house. That’s not usually the case, though.

Have you ever thought about why puppies bite? There are a lot of reasons for it, but none of them have to do with demonic possession. When you understand why puppy chewing happens, it will help you to control your own puppy’s chewing. So, let’s look at some of the top reasons for it.

Aggression or Fear:

One of the big reasons that puppies chew things is because they are aggressive or fearful. That can come from abuse, improper socialization or being taken from their mothers too soon. It can also happen just because of inexperience, though. For a puppy, the world is a huge place. So, if he or she hasn’t seen certain things before, especially big things, they can be easily scared.

Separation Anxiety:

Separation anxiety chewing is also one of the worst sorts of puppy chewing. Puppies, again, are new to the world. So, they’re easily spooked. They also get very attached to their owners. So, if you leave your pup alone for too long, they’re likely to get upset or nervous and start chewing various objects in the house.

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December 4, 2009

The Ins and Outs of Housebreaking a Puppy

Housebreaking_Puppy

Whether you’ve decided to get a new puppy or already gone out and gotten one, there are a lot of things that you need to know, as new puppy owners. One of those things is how to go about housebreaking a puppy. After all, the vast majority of dogs, at least in the USA, grow and live mainly in the house with people as companions. If your puppy goes anywhere it wants to, it can make living in your house very unpleasant for both you and your pet.

Punishment:

When it comes to housebreaking, what not to do is more important than what to do. One of the common mistakes that people make in house training a puppy is punishment. If you come home to find an accident on the floor, your instinct is to find the dog, shove his or her nose in it and start yelling. Not only is that cruel and useless, even if you catch the dog in the act, but it’s too late if you don’t see the puppy actually have the accident. Puppies have a short attention span and won’t understand what they’re being punished for, even if there’s only a few minutes between accident and punishment.

Your Puppy’s Training Tool:

A much better way to handle accidents in the home is through a system of positive reinforcement. That is, you should ignore the puppy when he or she has accidents, but reward them with something they enjoy when they go to the bathroom outdoors. Each puppy is different. Some puppies like food. Some like squeaky toys. Some like balls or stuffed animals. Once you find something your puppy likes, use that thing as their training tool/reward system.

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