Hello! How are you this week? We are enjoying our last week of summer before school starts at our house. We have two more soccer tournaments, family BBQs, trail walks and a day at the lake planned - hope you are getting done what you want to do as well! We’ve also had several dog play dates, Koda stayed with us for a few nights and some jeep rides to make sure Baxter is enjoying his summer time too!
As we head back into a routine of a new school year, many families are starting their puppy training journey. I like to revisit the basics for anyone finding themselves in that situation AND for those needing a good reminder or refresher if you will.
Here at Baxter and Bella we’ve helped thousands of families train their own dogs. We get a lot of emails and do a lot of one-on-one coaching sessions. In those experiences, I’ve recognized three common mistakes families make when getting a new dog and I wanted to take time on the podcast today to share those in order to help more people not make those same mistakes.
Do you have any guesses as to what they are? I’m curious what you would say given your experience? Or wild guesses if you are new to this whole dog thing. Before we dive into it, I do want to add the clause that I completely think making mistakes is 100% okay. In fact, we learn more by making mistakes than we would have if we had done everything perfectly. So please don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself making the mistakes we are talking about today. Instead, recognize we are all learning and from that journey comes growth!
First, people tend to wait for their dog to do something they don’t like, then do something about it. They wait for their puppy to bite, then want it to stop. They wait for their puppy to jump, then want the dog to not jump. They wait for the puppy to bark and then - yes you guessed it - want the barking to stop. Think about that for a minute. Saying it like that does tend to make it seem kind of silly. I know in real life, it is not always simple but what if, what if we prevented the biting, barking and jumping by teaching our dog what to do instead BEFORE they bite, bark or jump?
Hear me out. I know my puppy will most likely jump on me and then start biting my ankles when they get to me. I see them running at me. Option A, I can wait for them to do those things or option B, I can put a target hand out in front of them before they get to me, lure them into a sit, mark YES and pay them! Then keep their brain busy on simple tasks. Take a step away, repeat the target hand, mark YES for another sit and repeat. Lure them into a down, mark yes and pay them. Lure them into a spin, mark YES and pay them. Lure them into their play pen and give them a chew. Close the gate and now you just spent 1-2 minutes of good training and it’s chewtime. No biting, barking or jumping occurred. This does take thought, effort and a bit of planning. Notice I didn’t have time to go get food rewards, I already had them on me in a pouch, fanny pack or pocket.
90% of the time, do your best to prevent unwanted behavior by noticing what your dog is likely to do and interrupting it BEFORE it happens with something better. Teach your dog what you want them to do, mark yes and pay them well! What gets rewarded gets repeated.
It is common for new dog owners to say NO more than they say YES. Imagine I invite you over to my house to play games. Immediately as you walk in I’m telling you no, you can’t sit there. No, don't put your shoes there. No, that’s not your set of cards. How much fun are you having? Would you want to come back? Isn’t telling you no over and over again annoyingly frustrating? What CAN you do? I’m sure that is what you are wondering.
It is the same with our dogs. A puppy who hears no all day long gets pretty frustrated and they aren’t as willing to cooperate with you. Try recognizing the good things they do, marking YES and rewarding them for it! Those behaviors will get repeated. If it seems like your puppy doesn’t choose good behavior very often, teach them! Show them what works to get a YES! Teach them what they CAN do and make it worth it to them. Remember they are a dog and only know natural dog behavior which includes biting, barking and jumping. Educate them on what works for you and them!
The second mistake we commonly see is giving TOO much space or freedom. Accidents are bound to happen but we can do a lot to minimize them and set our dogs up for success. A few things we can do right away are shrink our dog’s living space, help them find the exit regularly, and supervise more closely. Set timers to remind you to take potty breaks often.
Use baby gates, pens and crates to prevent accidents on your living room carpet or dining room rug. We see families letting their puppies run around the house and then they find accidents in the back bedroom or behind the furniture. Close all bedroom and bathroom doors for now. Use the pen as a pen, or open it up and use it as a large gate for an open floor plan! Be creative - find a way to shrink your puppy’s living space and only increase it one room at a time, when your puppy is regularly finding the exit and having zero accidents for at least a week in their current living space. It helps to watch your puppy like a hawk when they are out playing and get them to the exit as soon as they start circling or excessively sniffing the floor. It takes some time, but pay attention to your puppy’s potty habits. You’ll start to notice their body signals that they need to go.
Housetraining is about consistency, patience and persistence. Don’t slack off too soon. Keep at it and you’ll have a well-housetrained dog who lives in your home accident free for the rest of their lives. I promise the initial time invested is worth it. Use the crate for times when you cannot supervise or need a break! We help dogs LOVE their crates - it is their bedroom where their favorite things are! Crates help prevent accidents and encourage your dog to hold it until it’s time for a potty break.
Finally, many new dog families lack structure and are not giving their dogs enough rest during the day. Puppies need a lot of sleep at night but also during the day! Use the crate or pen to give your puppy regular naps and you will have a much happier, less crazy dog. When you are ready for them to come out of their crate or pen, have a plan in place. What are you going to work on? What are you going to play? Keep the training or play session short, 5-15 minutes, then it is down time again. Teach this concept to your kids as well. Structured time together and plenty of rest between makes for a more calm, cooperative puppy.
So to recap, don’t wait for the unwanted behavior to happen. Anticipate it, then interrupt before it happens and teach your dog what to do instead! Say YES way more often than you say NO. If you find you are saying NO more often, recognize you are waiting too long - be proactive and help your dog make the right choice earlier! Second, start with a small living space and only open up a new room as your dog is successful at going potty outside from their current living space. Be patient! Don’t speed this process up or more accidents are bound to occur. Help your dog be successful! Finally, don’t be afraid to structure their day. Set up a routine and include plenty of downtime! Naps are important! Use a crate or pen to make sure your dog is getting enough rest so they can think clearly and be the best they can be.
