BY STEVE BETTCHER, IACP CDT

2011 THE DOG SQUAD

Secrets to turning your puppy into a good dog.
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"Steve has been a great resource for our clients with
puppy behavioral problems, especially in their unique
home environment. His one on one professional
evaluation, training, and follow through is excellent.
Steve worked with a puppy my family adopted with
some specific problem issues and the positive results
were dramatic and ongoing.
Your Puppy Pre-School booklet is great and i can see
how much work you put into it!"

ROBERT A. HILL, DVM
Hill's Veterinary Hospital, Castro Valley, CA.
"I have known Steve Bettcher professionally for over
10 years. As someone who works daily with profes-
sional dog trainers around the United States, I'm
continuously impressed with Steve's training program,
and his attention to detail.
This informative booklet only cements those
feelings.Anyone following its advise is assured of
starting their puppy down the right path to life-long
behavioral wellness."
JOHN VAN OLDEN,
President Canine Trade Group

"Steve has put together a handy booklet with much of
the information you need to get your pup off on the
right paw. From housebreaking to beginning obedience
training, you'll find answers that teach you the way to a
well mannered furry friend."
ROBIN MACFARLANE,
IACP Certified Dog Trainer
Owner of That's My Dog, Dubuque IA
www.thatsmydog.com.

TABLE BF IBXTEXTS
IHAPTER I .............................2
Housebreaking your Puppy
IHAPTER II ............................8
Using a Crate for House Training
your Puppy Cruel or Humane?
IHAPTER III .........................10
Puppy Socialization and
Desensitization Training
IHAPTER IY..........................14
Puppy Biting and Mouthing
IHAPTER Y...........................11
Puppy Obedience Training
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P A B E 4
STRIITIRE
The quickest way to house train a pup-
py is to set the puppy up for success
by preventing accidents from happen-
ing. By taking control of the puppys
structure and schedule we can shape
the dogs preference to go potty where
and when we want them to. There are
four training aids that will help you es-
tablish the proper structure for a pup-
py. A crate, an exercise pen, a leash,
and a 10 foot tether.
IRATE
Dogs instinctually want to keep their
dens clean and would prefer to elimi-
nate away from where they sleep
and eat. This is why a crate
is such a valuable training
tool for housebreaking your
puppy.
Because of this strong
motivating drive we can
use the crate to pre-
vent accidents from
happening and use it
to shape the puppys
elimination preferences.
EXERIISE PEX
A Dog Exercise Pen is a great way to
contain your puppy while allowing him
some freedom outside the crate. Dog
exercise pens for containing your pet
indoors or out are available in a variety
of heights and fnishes. Exercise pens
consist of interlocking panels allowing
for easy adjustment of size and con-
fguration and providing portability. It is
possible to purchase two and put them
together to make an even larger pen.
If a puppy has to be left alone for more
than 3 to 4 hours then the exercise
pen is a better option than leaving the
puppy in a closed crate. If the puppy is
too young we do not want to leave the
puppy in the crate for a longer period
than they can control their bladder. In
the exercise pen you can put the dogs
crate or a bed, his toys and water if
you need to leave for an extended pe-
riod of time.
Expect that you might have acci-
dents in the exercise pen area so
do not put the pen on carpet or
fooring that is hard to clean. Do
not scold the puppy for eliminat-
ing in the pen area.
I HA P T E R I
Housebreaking your Puppy
The keys to successfully house training a puppy are structure,
schedule and vigilance with a dash of patience
The Guiding Principle
"DO NOT LET YOUR DOG GO POOTY IN THE HOUSE!
Thats it in a nutshell. If you prevent accidents from happening
you are 90% on the road to success.
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P A B E
LEASH
Puppies should always be on a leash
and always in sight of the owner(s).
The biggest mistake owners make is
letting their puppy run freely around
the house inviting accidents to happen
when out of their sight. Prevention is
the most important factor in successful
housebreaking. When the puppy cant
be supervised then it should be in its
crate or exercise pen. Also, puppies
should not be left unattended outside in
the yard. There are too many things the
puppy can get into and you do not want
to come home to dug up plants, a de-
stroyed sprinkling system and chewed
up lawn furniture.
10 FBBT TETHER.
If you have a designated area that you
want your puppy to eliminate in you
can use a 10 tether to keep your dog
in that area while it is supposed to do
its business. Take your puppy out to the
designated potty area on a leash then
attach him to the tether. Let the puppy
sniff around and explore the area.
It is helpful to scent the area with the
puppys urine or feces. You can bring
out a soiled newspaper or one of his
droppings to help him get the idea that
this is where he should go. You should
give your puppy at least 15 minutes to
do his or her business. If you form this
habit early you will have trained your
dog to go in a specifc spot and she/he
will more than likely continue to go in
this area even without the tether.
While at the potty area start giving your
puppy a command such as Go Potty,
"Do your Business", "Hurry Up", or
whatever command you want to use.
This will come in handy later when you
need to get your puppy to go on com-
mand. When the puppy is eliminating
repeat the command and then give
the dog a treat and lots of praise. You
should give your puppy at least 15 min-
utes to complete his or her business. If
the puppy does not go then return the
dog to the crate with the door closed
and come back in about 10 to 15 min-
utes. Then try again. Repeat this pro-
cess until the puppy eliminates.
SIHEBILE
A schedule includes times for feed-
ing, potty, play and exercise, rest, and
bed time. The schedule should start as
soon as the puppy arrives home on his/
her frst day. When the puppy arrives
home take him/her to the designated
potty area immediately. Let the puppy
sniff around for awhile. Usually the
puppy will do its frst elimination here.
Praise the puppy when he/she does its
business for the frst time. From now
on this will be the spot we always take
the dog for potty. If we do this early on
and consistently stick to this area then
the puppy will most likely continue to
choose this spot over your patio or rose
bushes.
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P A B E
An eight week old puppy is going to have
to urinate every 1 to 2 hours so you will
need to be diligent. As the puppy gets
older you can start stretching this sched-
ule out every 2 to 3 hours, then 4 hours
and so on even up to 8 hours or more.
A puppy that is less than 12 weeks old
may not be able to go through a full night
without a potty break but by the age of 3
to 4 months most puppies can sleep for
eight hours without needing to eliminate.
Puppies will generally have 3 to 4 bowel
movements per day depending on their
feeding schedule. In order to control the
puppys elimination schedule it is best to
feed the puppy 2 or 3 times a day at a
fxed time. Free feeding does not allow
you to control when the puppy eats there-
fore when the dog needs to potty. Some
breeds require more frequent feedings
so you should consult with your veteri-
narian and/or breeder on how much and
when to feed your puppy.
Puppies also need a lot of water but hav-
ing total free access to water can cause
havoc in your housebreaking efforts. In
general you should give the puppy free
access to water outside, near its elimina-
tion area. Most of the time when a puppy
drinks it will immediately urinate. Monitor
how much the puppy drinks during the
day and pick up the water a couple of
hours before bedtime so you dont cause
the puppy to have an accident during
the night in its crate. It is important that
puppies get enough water so do not limit
water just to prevent accidents. You can
prevent accidents by taking the puppy
out, and watching for the signs that he
needs to go.
A TYPICAL SCHEDULE
FOR AN
8 WEEK OLD PUPPY
IS AS FOLLOWS:

:00 AH
Potty, food, water, exercise/play for
30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
10:00 AH
Potty, water, exercise/play for
30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
12:00 PH
Potty, food, water, exercise/play for
30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
2:00 PH
Potty, water, exercise/play for
30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
:00 PH
Potty, food, water, exercise/play for
30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
1:00 PH
Potty, last water, exercise/play for
30 minutes, crate or exercise pen.
11:00 PH
Potty, Bedtime/crate.
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P A B E 1
You might have to get up in the mid-
dle of the night with an eight week old
puppy but this should not last for more
than a couple of weeks at the most, so
take heart. You will get through it. If the
puppy is waking you up at 4 am then
put the puppy to bed later and then
each morning stretch the time that
you get up by 10 to 15 minutes before
letting her out to go potty. You will in
a very short time stretch the time to
a normal night`s sleep. If the puppy
needs to potty before it is your time
to get up always put her back into the
crate after she does her business and
then go back to bed. Do not change
your schedule and start paying atten-
tion to the puppy when she asks to be
let out or when she just wants atten-
tion. If the puppy is just bored and is
crying to get out of the crate then you
will need to ignore her. Otherwise you
will have a dog that wants to get up
and go before you want to and before
you know it you will have a dog that is
dictating your schedule.
This schedule is only a guideline. You
might have to adjust it based on your
puppy and your real life schedule. Ev-
ery dog is different and you have to
adjust accordingly. As the puppy gets
older you can start spreading out the
times and cut down on the number of
feedings and potty breaks when ap-
propriate.
Try to stick to your schedule but there
are times when you may have to vary
it. Your puppy may not always follow
it as planned for a variety of reasons.
Puppies do get sick and when this
happens you will have to throw the
schedule out.
PREIIRSBRS
TB PIPPY
ELIHIXATIBX
1.AFTER EATIXB AXB BRIXRIXB:
Puppies tend to eliminate after eating
and drinking. This is why we should
strictly schedule food and water intake.
2. AFTER SLEEP: Puppies eliminate
after waking up. This we can schedule
easily.
3. AFTER PLAY AXB EXERIISE:
Puppies tend to eliminate after play
and exercise. If we remember this we
can anticipate when the puppy will
need to eliminate and avoid accidents.
4. YISIAL SIBXS: The puppy will
also give us signs such as whimper-
ing in the crate, moving in a circle and
sniffng, moving purposely to a door
leading outside or barking at us. Look
for these signs and reward the puppy
when it results in elimination outside.
THE XB FREE RBAHIXB RILE
There are only three places the pup-
py can be during this period of house
training.
1. LEASH: She can be with us while
on a leash or on a tie-out.
2. IRATE: She can be in the crate
sleeping. Puppies should have some
crate time during the day. Puppies
generally need several rest periods
per day and they need a lot of sleep.
You can safely confne your puppy to
its crate 2 to 3 hours at a time a couple
of times each day.
4
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P A B E 8
3. EXERIISE PEX: If you are going to
have to leave the puppy for more than
2 or 3 hours then I would recommend
leaving the puppy in the exercise pen
with the crate door open. Remember
do not punish the puppy if she has ac-
cidents in the exercise pen.
PIXISHHEXT FBR AIIIBEXTS
What do we do if the puppy has ac-
cidents outside the exercise pen in
our house? Most trainers today agree
that punishing the dog after the fact is
not effective. Excessive punishment
should be avoided. Punishment caus-
ing the puppy signifcant discomfort or
fear could cause it to overly generalize
the event thereby not only inhibiting
elimination in the house but reducing
the puppys willingness to eliminate
outdoors in the owners presence.
Dog trainers have varying views on
how to correct the puppy when it has
accidents and it can be confusing to the
dog owner. We dont think that there is
a black and white answer to this. You
need to use what works for your puppy.
It is imperative to understand that dogs
live in the here-and-now and can only
connect punishment to what they are
currently doing and not to the past.
The only time we can effectively pun-
ish our puppy is when he/she is in the
act of eliminating because then the dog
immediately associates the correction
with his/her misdeed. However, taking
a puppy to his/her mess and rubbing its
nose in it is not a humane or effective
approach. Disrupter type of stimulation
is more effective and appropriate, such
as a loud noise or shout. If the puppy
starts to eliminate in front of you say
No loudly and then scoop him up and
immediately take the puppy to his elim-
ination area. At this point be neutral
and calm and do not scold the puppy
or show any anger. If he fnishes his
business then lavish him with praise by
saying, "GOOD DOG! GOOD POTTY!
or whatever positive word you choose
to use.
What if you live in an apartment and
your dog does not have access to a
doggie door or a yard? In these cases
you might have to use Puppy Pads,
newspapers or a litter box. Each one
of these options has their draw backs
because a puppy that uses these for
potty may never be fully housebroken.
Dogs that have been trained on news-
paper or pads never seem to grasp the
idea that it is not okay to eliminate in
the house.
Here is a web article on how to litter
box train your dog:
http://kturby.com/litter/litter.htm
ILEAXIXB IP
AFTER YBIR BBB.
It is important to clean up immediately
when your puppy has an accident es-
pecially if the puppy has an accident in
its crate. The puppy will be attracted to
the smell and may continue to revisit
the same spot(s) if the smell remains.
Use an enzyme cleaner such as Na-
tures Miracle to clean up accidents.
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P A B E 9
biggest mistakes
owners make when
house training
their puppy.
1. Not using a crate
2. Allowing free roaming
3. Inconsistent elimination
and feeding schedule
4. Punishing the puppy after the
fact and too harshly.
WHEX WILL HY PIPPY BR
BBB BE TRISTWBRTHY?
As a general rule you can give your
puppy more freedom in the house
when your puppy is a least 6 to 8
months of age and has had no acci-
dents in the house for at least a month
or two. However, you should still
go slow and give freedom when it is
earned and always back up a step or
two if you have an accident.
Dont Rush the Process
4
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P A B E 1 0
I HA P T E R I I
Using a Crate for House Training your Puppy
Cruel or Humane?
When potty training a puppy a crate is
an essential tool. Today most profes-
sional dog trainers and veterinarians
recommend a crate for housebreaking
a puppy. The crate is the most effec-
tive and humane training tool available
for potty training a puppy. We as hu-
mans value our freedom and tend to
project our human feelings onto our
pets which results in the unfortunate
conclusion by some that crate training
is cruel. However, most puppies and
dogs look favorably upon a crate, es-
pecially when it is properly introduced
and judiciously used.
The puppy sees the kennel in a totally
different way and will instinctually seek
out a den for comfort and safety. The
dog crate may be a cage to us but to
the puppy it is his cozy den. If you ob-
serve puppies in the home they will try
to fnd small spaces to curl up in, like
going under tables, desks or even un-
der beds to seek comfort and safety.
Their ancestors, the wolf, live in under
ground dens that protect them from the
elements and predators. Dogs have
this same natural denning instinct.
Today more people are aware of the
benefts of using a crate when house
training a puppy or even an older dog.
The premise is that a dog or puppy will
not eliminate where they sleep. If we
use of the crate, follow a consistent
feeding routine and potty schedule we
can teach the puppy where and when
it should eliminate making the process
of housebreaking happen quickly and
painlessly.
There are other benefts to crate train-
ing your puppy at an early age. The
crate can also be used to teach a pup-
py to be calm in the owners absence.
For example: If your dog or puppy
starts barking or crying when you
leave, you can use the crate to teach
him to be calm while you are at home.
Once theres a pattern of calm behav-
ior when you are at home you can start
leaving for short periods of time. Then
extend the time as your puppy learns
how to handle your absence. Eventu-
ally the goal would be to wean your
puppy away from the kennel when the
dog has demonstrated that he or she
can be trusted. This might take up to
a year depending on your dog. Re-
member that the crate is not a puppy
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P A B E 1 1
I HA P T E R I I
Using a Crate for House Training your Puppy
Cruel or Humane?
prison and should not be used as pun-
ishment. If you work during the day it
is not advisable to leave your puppy in
the crate all day.
A good dog trainer can coach you
through this process and also help you
recognize any early signs of anxiety
or serious canine behavior problems
that might be developing. Setting up
a puppy training program and puppy
safe environment in the right way can
go a long way to preventing future dog
behavior problems.
Kennels can also be used as a man-
agement tool for training dogs suffer-
ing from separation anxiety or other
behavior problems. (This is the term
for dogs that engage in destructive
behavior when their owners are away.)
Rather than letting the dog destroy his
home or yard we can teach the dog to
be calm in a confned space while we
are away. The crate, if proper training
is used with it, can have a calming ef-
fect on the dog, keeping him from act-
ing out because of the anxiety associ-
ated with the owners absence.
A crate is an excellent dog and puppy
training tool, but it should not be over
used or become a substitute for good
dog training. Over use can damage
your dog or puppy psychologically.
Putting the dog into the kennel when
you are frustrated or angry may solve
the immediate problem, but in the
long run you need to also teach your
puppy some self control and manners.
Along with exercise, training, play and
affection the crate should be part of
your puppy`s daily routine. If you fnd
yourself using the crate too much you
may need help from a professional dog
trainer to help you better manage your
puppys bad behavior.
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P A B E 1 2
There are many dog trainers and dog
books that stress the importance of
Puppy Socialization. Puppy Socializa-
tion is a broad term that applies to a
range of puppy training methods and
obedience techniques that have little
to do with Puppy Socialization. By the
time you bring your puppy home he/
she has most likely been properly so-
cialized through the interactions with
his/her littermates, the next step is
not more socialization, but rather ex-
posure to a variety of real world situ-
ations such as introducing your puppy
to adults, kids, the car, the vet, appli-
ances such as a vacuum, shapes,
sounds, and different environments.
This process is commonly referred to
as Puppy Desensitization.
The AVSAB (American Veterinary So-
ciety of Animal Behavior) believes pup-
pies should start puppy socialization
classes as early as 7 to 8 weeks, even
before they are fully vaccinated. Their
position paper can be downloaded at
http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabon-
line/images/stories/Position_State-
ments/puppy%20socialization.pdf
Socialization is the developmental
phase between 3 weeks and 12 weeks
that a puppy goes through when they
play with their litter mates. During
this phase the puppy learns proper
body language and social hierarchies
that are an important part of being a
dog. Socialization really only involves
the dogs interactions with its own lit-
ter mates and does not accustom the
puppy to the real world such as people,
loud noises and how to behave politely
around strange dogs. Pack behavior
is one of most basic things the puppy
learns during this crucial socializa-
tion period. However, a puppy who
learns early to dominate his or her litter
mates may continue exhibit dominant
behavior around strange dogs, this be-
havior may seem inappropriate, but is
completely in line with what the puppy
learned early on.
The importance of Socialization can-
not be downplayed. When getting your
puppy from a breeder fnd out how the
puppy has interacted with other dogs
and people. It is extremely important
not to get your puppy too early. Pup-
I HA P T E R I I 1
Puppy Socialization and
Desensitization Training
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P A B E 1 3
I HA P T E R I I 1
Puppy Socialization and
Desensitization Training
pies that are homed
before 8 weeks do not
get proper socialization
with their litter mates
and may develop be-
havior problems later
in life as a result of
this. The distinction
between Socialization and Desensi-
tization is an important one because
Desensitization demands that you as
an owner take an active role in control-
ling your puppys experience in new
situations and environments.
Exposing your puppy to the world
teaches him/her what to expect in
certain situations and what you ex-
pect them to do. Desensitization takes
place when we introduce the puppy to
a variety of people, places, and ani-
mals and teach them how they should
behave.
During this period of desensitization
take your puppy to a variety of plac-
es to meet as many people as pos-
sible and to meet other animals such
as dogs, cats, horses and cows; and
continue to do this over the lifetime of
your dog. Repetition and continuing
exposure are important. When frst
introducing your puppy to these new
things and places it is very important to
avoid frightening experiences. When
introducing your dog to a strange dog,
make sure that the dog is friendly be-
fore exposing your dog to a potential
attack which could traumatize your
puppy and develop into dog aggres-
sion later in the dogs life. When intro-
ducing your dog to children you should
carefully instruct the children on how
to behave and how to meet the dog.
Do not simply throw your puppy into a
group of screaming, jumping, or fast
playing children. This might terrify your
puppy. If your puppy
is frightened then the
experience may form
negative associations
and reactions in your
puppys mind.
You should desensitize
your puppy slowly in gradual steps.
Having some basic obedience before
you begin is helpful so that you have
some ability to control your puppys fo-
cus and reactions to stress and distrac-
tions. Begin in a safe and controlled
environment so that if something goes
wrong or if the puppy displays fear or
other inappropriate responses you can
take charge and calm the puppy. Ba-
sic obedience will help your puppy feel
more confdent because he or she can
focus on you and a command and not
the environmental stressor. The puppy
will feel less anxious and will defer to
you as its leader.
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P A B E 1 4
Your puppy is very sensitive to how
you respond to situations and will pick
up on your anxiety, fear and emotional
responses. Staying calm and cool in
new situations is very important. For
example, if you become tense and ner-
vous when introducing your puppy to
a strange dog your puppy might think
that you are afraid of the new dog.
Sensing your fear your puppy might
become aggressive or fearful thinking
it should protect you. On the other
hand, if you praise and coddle your
puppy every time it runs and hides in
fear of something, you may uninten-
tionally encourage its fearful behavior.
Codling your puppy with praise and re-
assurance may inadvertently reinforce
the unwanted behavior, setting up a
pattern that may continue in the future
with every similar situation.
The key to successful puppy training
and desensitization is to be aware of
your own feelings and behavior and
know exactly what actions you desire
of your puppy and how to reinforce
his/her best behavior. In order to en-
courage your puppy to be calm around
other non-aggressive dogs teach your
dog a sit command while another dog
is passing. If your puppy acts aggres-
sive or inappropriately let your dog
know that this is unacceptable behav-
ior with a light leash correction and a
sharp No or Leave-it. Teach your
puppy to focus on you when distracted
by other dogs or animals.
Here are some
suggestions
on what to expose
your puppy to:
RIBS: Make sure that the children
are instructed to be gentle and friend-
ly in order to make the experience a
pleasant one for your puppy and the
children. Remember that puppies
between 6 to 10 weeks of age fear im-
print so we do not want to make this a
frightening or bad experience for either
your dog or the children.
IAR RIBES: in order to make sure
that the puppy does not associate bad
endings to car trips such as going to
the vet or the groomer, drive him to the
pet store, to a fun place, to visit his fa-
vorite playmate, etc.

HEET BTHER PIPPIES AXB
HEALTHY FRIEXBLY BBBS: and
healthy friendly dogs: You want your
puppy to associate with a variety of
dogs. Choose friends who may have
varied dogs such as big ones, small
ones, older ones etc. Join a puppy so-
cial class.
THE YET: BB TB YBIR YET
JIST TB YISIT.The staff will give
him/her treats and love. Do this sev-
eral times without having any proce-
dures done. If done properly your dog
will never hate going to the Vet.
PET STBRES: Go to all your local pet
stores and take advantage of meeting
people and other dogs and even other
animals. Pet stores welcome your
puppy and even encourage it.
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P A B E 1
BPEX SHBPPIXB HALLS:
There are a lot of shopping areas that
allow dogs that are well behaved and
mannered. This is a fun and great way
to get your puppy desensitized to peo-
ple, noises and distractions.
BITBBBR RESTAIRAXTS:
There is nothing more enjoyable than
having your dog at your feet relaxing
while you have your caf latte or glass
of wine while watching the world go
by. That is if your dog is relaxed and
friendly with strangers and other dogs.
BEAIHESfLARESfPBBLS:
Introduce your puppy to water at their
own pace. Do not force them into the
water before they are ready. You can
encourage your puppy to follow you
into the water by playing games and
using treats but be sure that you go in
small steps and make it positive. Some
puppies will just jump right in and oth-
ers may take their time but most dogs
enjoy romping through the water and
may even take to swimming a few laps
On a fnal note make sure to keep
an eye out for stress on the puppys
part during any of these experiences.
Make them feel safe and dont over-
whelm them with new experiences.
If you keep the experiences positive
your puppy should grow up to be a
healthy and happy companion for life,
a dog you can take anywhere and be
proud of.
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P A B E 1
Puppy mouthing is the most common
puppy problem and concern that we
hear about at The Dog Squad. Most
new puppy owners have a diffcult time
understanding and dealing with this
very normal puppy behavior. Puppy
Play-fghting and Play-biting are natu-
ral and a necessary part of a puppys
developmental process.
Teaching a puppy to inhibit the force
of his biting is something we need to
do before the puppy develops strong
jaws and the ability to bite with damag-
ing force. A puppys bite though painful
seldom causes major damage. Be-
cause we want the puppy to learn how
to inhibit his biting we do not want to
forbid all play-biting. The puppy needs
to learn that if the biting inficts pain
then the interaction with us will stop.
The puppy can learn to restrain its bite
in order to keep our attention and com-
panionship.
Why does a puppy want to use our
hands as pin cushions? Puppy mouth-
ing and biting are natural self reward-
ing behaviors, in that they relieve some
discomfort associated with the puppys
teething. And because your puppy
doesnt have hands he explores his
world with his mouth. This is why pup-
pies put everything they can into their
mouths. They are exploring and dis-
covering what their world is made of,
whats good to eat, whats fun to chew,
etc. Biting or mouthing can be stimu-
lating and fun for your puppy. Owners
often have a tendency to make it even
more fun through ineffective efforts
to stop the puppy from biting. Such
as pushing the puppy away, yelling,
spanking or swatting him. These ac-
tions by the owner may not be viewed
as punishment by the puppy and can
actually be more rewarding making the
dogs behavior even worse.
Lets explore the game of reinforcing
unwanted dog and puppy behaviors
like play biting and mouthing. If my pup-
py comes to me and starts to chew on
my hands or feet my natural response
would be to take my hands away from
the dog. The quick movement causes
the puppy to lunge at them making it
even more fun than when he was just
chewing on them. This is where the
problem usually starts. If you can`t take
your hands away and you dont want to
get chewed on, what do you do?
There are many things that puppy own-
ers do that inadvertently reinforce bad
dog behavior. The owners of course do
not do this intentionally, but fnd them-
selves reacting out of frustration to the
I HA P T E R I Y
Puppy Biting and Mouthing
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P A B E 1 1
I HA P T E R I Y
Puppy Biting and Mouthing
puppy in ways that are ineffectual and
counter productive to the puppys nat-
ural development.
As an example when the puppy starts
to bite us we may try to pacify him by
petting. The puppy quickly realizes that
by biting us he or she can get us to pet
him. Petting unintentionally becomes
positive reinforcement for more biting.
One solution here is to teach the
puppy bite inhibition by using a com-
mand word to get him to stop biting
us. The command word can be, No,
Off or Leave it, but they all mean the
same thing. How we teach the puppy
to understand these commands de-
pends on the dogs temperament and
how much the puppy wants or needs
to chew.
Some common dog and puppy train-
ing methods for teaching bite inhibition
are: using a squirt bottle or something
to spray in the puppys mouth like Bit-
ter Apple (which is sold in pet stores),
a can flled with pennies that makes a
loud noise for the purpose of startling
the puppy, holding the puppys muzzle
while saying No Bite. While these
techniques may stop the biting for a
short while they are often times only
quick fxes and may stop working over
time.
There is a downside to using some
of these methods, for example loud
noises can make a dog afraid of any
sudden and unexpected noise which
can be more harmful to the puppys
normal development. Using a squirt
bottle may make a puppy afraid of wa-
ter or jumpy when she sees someone
pick up something similar to a squirt
bottle. In general, if the methods are
too negative they can make the puppy
fearful of its owners and other people.
We would rather see a puppy coming
to its owner without hesitation and not
worrying about punishment. If every
time a puppy came to its owner he or
she was sprayed with water or had bit-
ter apple sprayed into his/her mouth
the dog may want to avoid the owner
altogether.
There is a more gentle physical re-
straining technique that calmly gets
the puppy to stop biting, while still look-
ing to its owner as the leader he or she
wants to follow. The following training
technique is best used with puppies
from 8 to 16 weeks of age. When using
this training method it is a good idea to
have a leash on your puppy. The leash
will give you better control of your pup-
py so that if he tries to run away or play
you can immediately get control. The
leash should not be used to correct the
puppys behavior it is only used as a
gentle restraint.
When the puppy starts biting you
should gently but frmly get a hold of
the puppy and kneel down on the foor.
Turn the puppy away from you and po-
sition him between your knees so he
cannot squeeze out from the rear or
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P A B E 1 8
sides. Then with one hand gently but
frmly hold the puppy`s muzzle closed
while the other hand acts as a head
rest so he cant pull his head back from
your grip. While holding the puppy re-
peat in a low calm voice the command
word you have chosen such as No or
Off. Repeat the command or talk the
dog down as you keep him from biting
you. Because you are physically show-
ing the dog what you want him/her to
do, i.e. No Bite, while you repeat the
command the dog will learn to associ-
ate that word with being calm and not
biting. Note that we want to see the
puppy give some type of signal that
he/she has resigned to not continue
biting. This signal may be a sigh or a
relaxed look in the eyes as opposed to
fghting and wiggling to get free to start
the game again.
Puppies and dogs learn best through
the use of calm assertiveness. We
dont have to yell at them, hit them or
be harsh. We can teach a puppy to not
bite us and to be well mannered with-
out overly harsh and punitive methods.
Using proper discipline that is fair and
consistent along with positive rein-
forcement establishes a bond of trust
with the dog and the owner. Dogs and
puppies crave structure and boundar-
ies and prefer to follow strong, fair and
consistent owners.
I HA P T E R Y
Puppy Obedience Training
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P A B E 1 9
SETTIXB THE BRBIXB WBRR
Training your puppy takes focus, pa-
tience and a positive attitude. If you
are distracted the puppy will also be
distracted and unmotivated to work
with you. If you are going to use physi-
cal praise be sure you are able to give
your dog honest and sincere praise.
On days that youve had a tough time
at work or youre distracted by other
things it may be better to wait until you
are in a better frame of mind to train
your dog.
When teaching a puppy an obedience
command we want to introduce that
command in a positive context. Dur-
ing puppy training it is a good idea to
try a variety of lures such as treats,
toys, praise and petting. Every dog
is different in how it might respond to
a lure or positive reinforcement. Find
your puppys favorite thing to work for
but remember that if you use the same
thing over and over again your puppy
may become uninterested in it.
You need to have good equipment on
your dog. That means a good leash
and a snug ftting collar, so your dog
wont be able to wiggle out of its les-
son. Also, if you are using treats as
rewards purchase a hip bag (also
know as a "bait bag"). It will make it
easier to dispense the treats without
loosing momentum.
Puppies are naturally inquisitive and
want to explore all the scents, sounds
and objects around them. Puppies
want to pick up things, chew on your
shoes and furniture and dont know
that its not all right to go potty on your
favorite rug. Preventing your dog
from roaming and doing as it pleases
will help establish you as the leader
and help your puppy understand its
boundaries at the same time building
a stronger bond with you.
The easiest way to achieve this is to
put your puppy on a leash and sim-
ply attach the leash to your belt. The
puppy will have no other choice but to
follow you. This exercise will do two
things: get your dog used to a leash
and walking with you and keeping
him/her out of trouble.
PIPPY LEASH TRAIXIXB
ntroduce your puppy to its leash slow-
ly. Some puppies will balk at having a
collar or leash on, and their initial re-
actions might be fearful and resistant
to walking with you. It is best not to
force the issue in the beginning. Make
I HA P T E R Y
Puppy Obedience Training
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P A B E 2 0
the process gradual over a
period of a few days to a
week. Done in a slow and
positive way the leash will
become a way to bond and
communicate with your
puppy and not an instru-
ment of compulsion.
Begin with a collar. Have
your puppy wear its new
collar for a couple of days
before attaching a leash to it. Dont
be concerned if your puppy scratches
at it or tries to remove the collar. Your
puppy will adjust to it very quickly and
forget that he/she is even wearing it.
Once the puppy is used to the collar
introducing the leash is easy.
At frst attach the leash to your puppy`s
collar and let her/him drag it around
while getting used to some minor pres-
sure on her neck. Follow your pup as
she walks around and gently pick up
the leash while talking to your puppy
in an encouraging and positive way.
After your puppy seems comfortable
with the leash while you are following
her/him reverse the role and get your
puppy to follow you. As your puppy
moves away from you get your puppys
attention by clapping your hands and
praising her/him enthusiastically. If
the puppy balks at coming and starts
to play tug-of-war crouch down with
your arms extended open and call in
a pleasant enthusiastic voice using the
puppys name and the word Come.
At this point, do not force the puppy
to come because this could cause the
puppy to resist even more.
In addition to introducing your puppy to
a leash and Come you should start
teaching the dog a "Sit" and "Down"
command.
PIPPY TRAIXIXB
"SIT" IBHHAXB
The "Sit" Command is
the most basic command
you can teach your puppy
and the building block to
teaching your dog how
to behave well. The "Sit"
position is so widely used
that it is almost always
in a dogs repertoire of
commands; even dogs with very lim-
ited obedience work will usually have
learned this command. Some owners
teach their dogs to sit before meals,
before going out of the house or com-
ing in and at every street corner. This
simple command teaches the dog to
work with his or her owner in a positive
and constructive manner.
To start you need a leash and collar.
You will use a food reward and physi-
cal praise interchangeably during the
teaching process. Give your dog a
command to "Sit", then gently but frm-
ly press her/his rear end down into a
sit position. Try not too push too hard
or too fast because that may cause
your dog to resist more. You want to be
as gentle as you can while still using
enough pressure to get the job done.
Now that you have your dog in position
you can reward your puppy with praise
and a small treat. Do not over do the
praise. If you show too much enthusi-
asm you can overly excite your dog to
the point that the dog wants to get up
and wiggle around. If the puppy does
get up due to too much excitement,
you will simply re-issue the command
and repeat the process.
When using a treat to lure a dog into
a command be aware that you should
fade its use as quickly as possible.
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P A B E 2 1
You will fnd that many
dogs suffer from poor
performance because
they are looking for
the treat before doing
the command.
When this process is
done a few times each
day your dog will soon
learn to sit without you
needing to push his/
her rear end down. After a few days
your dog will have a more solid un-
derstanding of the command and will
comply more readily. When your dog
has mastered this command in the
house and in the yard you can then
start practicing in more distracting ar-
eas like in your neighborhood and at
the local park. With the right amount
of practice your dog will soon be sitting
on command regardless of location or
distraction.
PIPPY TRAIXIXB
"BBWX" IBHHAXB
When training your dog to do a Down
command, be aware that not all dogs
are eager to comply and some can
be willfully resistant. For a dog, being
placed into a down can be a very vul-
nerable and submissive position. So
be patient, stay positive and upbeat
during the training process.
Since your dog won`t know what to do
when you give it a Down command
you will start the process by showing
him what you want by physically plac-
ing him into a down position. Kneel
down beside your puppy and put frm
steady pressure downward on the
dogs leash and collar. While doing this
give the command Down repeatedly
in a calm voice. If your dog lies down
at this time then praise
him/her appropriately,
Good Down or Good
Dog". It is not always
that easy, so you may
need to work some
more on getting your
pooch down. While still
keeping pressure on
the collar place your
other hand on the top
of your dogs shoulder
blades. While pulling the leash down-
ward put steady and slow pressure
on the dogs shoulders until your dog
goes down. Praise and pet your puppy
appropriately when he/she is in the
down position. If you are using treats
you want to present it at foor level so
our dog is encouraged to remain on
the foor. If we are using praise then be
sincere and calm at the same time. You
dont want to get your dog too excited
with over the top enthusiastic praise.
With repeated practice sessions your
dog will soon be able to do the Down
without your physical assistance.
PIPPY TRAIXIXB -
"STAY" IBHHAXB
For many people teaching their puppy
and dog to stay is a real challenge.
When teaching any command or trick
to your dog break it down into small
steps and build it slowly.
The "Stay" is really an unnecessary
command since it can be implied with
the "Sit", "Down" or "Place" commands.
If you ask your dog to "Sit" you are ask-
ing the dog to "Sit" and to continue to
"Sit" until released, making a "Stay" re-
dundant. If you want to add the "Stay",
do so but we feel it is clearer and eas-
ier for the dog to understand one com-
mand. For example if you command
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P A B E 2 2
your dog to "Sit" and she stands just
repeat the command, "Sit". You don`t
have to say "Stay" or "No", just com-
mand "Sit". This is a much clearer way
of communicating what you want your
dog to do.
When breaking down a "Stay", there
are four essential building blocks that
are necessary to accomplish the de-
sired result.
1.TEAIH THE BESIREB
IBHHAXB PBSITIBX
(examples -. Sit, Down or Place)
2.TIHE: This is the time your dog can
stay in the desired Command Position.
3.BISTAXIE: This is the distance
you can move away from your dog
while the dog stays in a Command Po-
sition.
4.BISTRAITIBXS: This is the addi-
tion of distractions such as other dogs,
squirrels, cats, balls, toys, noises, etc.
With that being said, the overall learn-
ing process is to put your dog on a
leash at your heel side; give the de-
sired Command Position - e.g. "Sit",
then pivot in front, fac-
ing your dog just a few
feet away. Stand still
and count silently to 5,
then move back to heel
position and praise your
dog. Move your dog into
a heel then stop and sit
your dog and repeat the
exercise. Add a few sec-
onds each time. Repeat
this until you can reach 2
or more minutes without
your dog moving from
the desired Command Position . When
you have achieved 2 minutes then
start adding Distance a foot at a time.
As you add Distance you may have to
cut back on the Time. The frst time you
get to the end of your leash you may
have to cut your Time to 30 seconds
or less. Cut the Time as you add Dis-
tance and once you can get to the end
of your leash then start adding Time
again. When you can get 2 or more
minutes at the end of a 6 foot leash
then you can start adding Distractions.
However, when you add Distractions
you might have to cut both Time and
Distance and then start the process
of rebuilding. At any point during this
process if your dog has problems with
staying in the Command Position, then
back up one step or two and start re-
building. Sometimes you might have
to go all the way back to the begin-
ning but the rebuilding process usually
takes only a few repeats to get back to
where you were.
The process in a nutshell is as follows:
Teach the desired Command Posi-
tion. Then Increase Time, then Dis-
tance, and fnally add Distractions as
appropriate. As you add one variable
decrease the other until you can do all
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P A B E 2 3
three while retaining the
original desired Com-
mand Position.
Sessions should be
short, about 10 to 15
minutes and repeated
multiple times through-
out the day. If you stick
with this process you
should have the foun-
dation for maintaining
a desired Command
Position (e.g. "Stay")
within a few weeks.
PIPPY TRAIXIXB
"IBHE" IBHHAXB
A Flexi Lead (Retractable leash) is a
great tool for teaching puppies to come
when called. We only recommend the
Flexi Brand. For small puppies 10 lbs
and under (toys and small breeds) we
recommend The Flexi Classic Long 1
(Up to 26lbs - cord/23 Ft.) and for me-
dium to large breeds we recommend
the Flexi Classic Long 2 (Up to 44 lbs.-
cord/23 Ft.)
A Flexi-lead should not be used for
walking puppies or dogs. It gives dogs
too much freedom and does not teach
proper leash behavior. It also can be a
safety hazard if you do not use it prop-
erly.
Be sure to read the Flexi instructions
carefully before using and be aware
of the safety hazards and pre-
cautions that need to be
followed when
using the
Flexi or any other retractable
leashes.
A Flexi is a great tool for
teaching puppies the come
command because it allows
the puppy to move freely
away from you without it
feeling the pressure of the
leash.
To begin the training ses-
sion, have the following
items: a treat bag, treats
(we recommend soft treats
like Zukes which are pre cut
into very small pieces and are not junk
food), and a fat collar. Clip the treat
bag on your belt. Start your sessions
in a distraction free area such as your
back yard.
Start the lesson by letting your puppy
wander away from you. When the dog
is about six feet away call the dog us-
ing his/her name and the "Come" com-
mand, e.g.- . "Dolly Come". Have the
treat in your dominant hand and hold it
at the puppys eye level as a target. As
the puppy comes to your hand release
it into her/his mouth and praise, "Good
Dog". If the puppy does not respond
and continues to move away from you,
press the brake button on the Flexi, re-
peat the come command and pull the
locked Flexi towards you then instantly
release the brake button as the puppy
moves towards you, letting the line reel
itself in. The puppy should stop and
show commitment to coming to you.
While holding the treat in your right
hand at the puppys eye level lure the
puppy to you. When the puppy reaches
you, then treat and praise your puppy.
Next, give the puppy a release com-
mand such as "OK", "Be Free", "Go
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P A B E 2 4
On or whatever you want to use. Let
the puppy move further out each time
and repeat the exercise. If the puppy
turns and comes to you without hesita-
tion then you do not need to lock and
pull the Flexi. If the puppy does not
come then Lock, Pull and Release
the Flexi as the puppy starts moving
to you.
You do not want to create slack in the
line. This can cause injury to you and
your dog. If by chance you do create
slack in the line then lock the Flexi and
remove the line from the dogs collar.
Then, while holding the clip that at-
taches to the collar, let the line reel in
slowly.
During the frst week of exercises treat
the puppy every time the dog Comes
to you, even when you have to force
and pull the puppy to you. Starting
the second week treat every 2nd or
3rd time. During the third week start
treating intermittently. As the puppy
starts to respond to the Come com-
mand more reliably start doing these
exercises with higher distractions and
in environments that compete for the
dogs attention.
Another refnement to add to this ex-
ercise is to randomly put your hand
into the puppys collar when the puppy
comes to you. While giving the treat
hold the puppys collar so that you
condition the puppy to let you control
him/her without protest. Too often dogs
learn to come to their owners, take the
treat and run. By conditioning the dog
to letting you control him/her by put-
ting your hand into his collar you can
prevent this from becoming an issue or
game later on
Puppy training is different in tone than
formal obedience training. A young
puppy may not be mature enough to
handle the stress brought on by over
bearing or compulsory obedience
training. Dont make the mistake of be-
ing overly dominate or heavy-handed
with a puppy otherwise you might cre-
ate a pup that is passively submissive,
lacking in self-confdence and fearful.
Most puppies need a more patient ap-
proach, one stressing encouragement
and praise.
In puppy training we are less con-
cerned about precise responses to
commands but in building and nur-
turing character traits such as: atten-
tiveness, playfulness, curiosity, con-
fdence, and of course respect for its
pack leaders. By keeping your focus
on making the training sessions pleas-
ant and fun for you and your puppy you
will be laying a solid foundation that
will prepare your puppy for formal and
advanced obedience.
Puppies Need Encouragement and Praise
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P A B E 2

Author, Steve Bettcher had his frst
dog at the age of four and his dream,
as a fve year old, was to become an
animal trainer. As a college student
he trained Seals for Stanford Re-
search.
Steve now has more than 15 years of
dog training experience in both obedi-
ence and agility. Two of his own dogs
won three National Agility Champion-
ships and earned NADAC Agility Trial
Championships. He has volunteered
at the Oakland Animal Shelter help-
ing with adoptions and training of
dogs. He is a Certifed Dog Trainer,
International Association of Canine
Professional, a Certifed Remote Col-
lar Specialist and an AKC Canine
Good Citizen Evaluator.
Steve has both a BA degree in
Psychology and a MS in Counseling.

Steve and his 1st dog, Penny
Steve with dogs from his
Walnut Creek class
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