Is Your Puppy Naughty?
Your dog is doing the best it can with the information you are providing.” – Unknown
You just got a new puppy, and he feels so out of control…why is he being so naughty? The real question is…
“Can puppies actually be naughty?”
- Is it possible for them to be naughty if they don’t know that what they are doing is wrong?
- Is it possible for them to be naughty if they are simply exploring their new world?
- Is it possible to be naughty when they’re doing what comes naturally?
Just like little children, they are full of energy, curiosity, and they don’t know the rules…they are simply experimenting and having fun.
You can help keep your puppy from becoming a naughty dog…
The best thing you can do for yourself and your pup, is to relax, enjoy and begin training. You either harness your pup’s energy and inquisitiveness, or you will find yourself being very frustrated when your innocent little pup grows up to be a naughty dog.
There are things to watch for that your puppy will naturally do, that you need to train them are unacceptable, “naughty” behaviors.
- Chewing – Puppies actually need to chew on things, the exercise of chewing is good for their gums and their teeth. The problem is, they don’t know the things they should or shouldn’t chew on, so they end up chewing on whatever is available, the legs of furniture, shoes or the kids’ toys. What can you do?
- First of all, make sure your pup has plenty of chew toys available to him.
- While your pup is young, keep him close to you or other members of the house so you are aware if the wrong thing goes in his mouth.
- Keep tempting things off the floor and put away…out of sight, out of mind.
- When you either take the object away or remove the pup from the “scene of the crime”, although you should firmly tell him “No”, don’t get angry.
- Exchange the “wrong” thing with the “right” thing to chew on.
Nipping or Mouthing – One of the main ways your pup will explore his new world is with his mouth. They learn to play with their littermates and other dogs with their mouths. But it’s not ok for your pup to use his mouth to “play maul” with humans. Not only can you get injured by their sharp little teeth, but it’s a dangerous habit for them to take into adulthood. What can you do?
- Without anger in your voice, but loudly, when your puppy begins nipping, gnawing or mouthing you, say “ouch”. It will startle him into stopping, at which point you can tell him no and give him one of his toys to gnaw on.
- Jumping on People – Yes, your pup is simply showing how he is excited to see someone, but it’s something that needs to be corrected from a very young age. The problems are:
- No one likes a dog jumping on them.
- Their claws can scratch you or ruin your clothing.
- They could knock someone over.
- Begging – It won’t take much to teach your pup how to beg…just start giving him tastes of “people food”. Not only is begging a totally irritating habit for your dog to get into, but human food can be very dangerous for him. What can you do?
- Obviously, don’t start feeding him scraps from the table.
- Don’t allow your dog to “hang out” under the table during mealtimes.
- Let dinner guests know that you don’t feed your dog human food.
- During your mealtime you could let your dog eat his food at the same time or play with a favorite toy.
BowWow Fun Towne offers puppy socializing and in home training.
We are experts in dog day care, we care about your dogs and take their health and well-being seriously. Our facility features a full size swimming pool for fun and exercise.
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