How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend

by Monks of New Skete

  One cardinal rule of puppy training: never lose your temper. These exercises are meant to be fun for both you and your puppy.

  Naming the Pup

  In general, we try to name our pups with short, two-syllable names. Names that end on soft a or hard o are excellent (Sarah, Bosco, Sandra, Laika, Elko, and so forth). Though there is nothing wrong with the traditional Spot, we have had quicker responses from puppies with two-syllable names. Do not use names that rhyme with or sound like obedience commands. Remember that "cute" names may sound quaint on puppies (Cupcake, Huggy, Baby, and the like) but lose their charm when the dog is older. Joke names or names that emphasize a physical characteristic of the breed or individual dog are a matter of personal taste, but generally we recommend against them. Dogs are remarkably sensitive, and often seem to intuit when they are the butt of sarcasm. We also know some city dwellers who have deliberately named their dogs with macho-sounding names in order to increase their protection value (Chopper, Rip, Lance, and Wolf). Again, you have to live with your dog's name.

  Once you know your dog, you can even change it. We knew two German shepherd owners who owned dogs with the innocent names of Dagmar and Cain — not exactly terrifying call names. The dogs themselves were mild mannered and easygoing. But when suspicious-looking persons were seen around the home, the owners would call the dogs by shouting, "Killer and Fang, come here quickly!" It proved to be very effective.

  Your main concern should be to choose a name that the dog can hear and understand easily, one that complements the dog's breed and personality.

  Coming When Called

  First, the pup must learn her name. Say it often, especially when you catch the pup looking at you. A good exercise to help imprint the name quickly is to practice calling the pup back and forth between handlers. At first, leave only about five or six feet between the two handlers. Lengthen this space as the pup becomes more consistent.

  Call the puppy between two handlers. Open your arms wide to receive the pup as you squat or kneel down.

  You can use a long leash to guide the puppy between two or three people. After the puppy comes to you, throw the leash to the next person before he calls the puppy in.

  Call the puppy in a light, happy tone of voice, and when the puppy comes to you, praise her exuberantly. You can also use a treat to enhance the motivation. You should be on your knees when you call the pup. Your arms should be open wide, to help "funnel" the pup toward you. If your pup does not wag her tail and have a happy look in her eye when coming to you, perhaps you're not using enough animation and lilt to your voice when you call her name. Don't take it personally if a pup is slow coming to you. Continue calling the puppy and give her encouragement the minute she starts to move toward you. Keep calling if the pup doesn't come. She may be confused. Pat the ground hard, click your fingers, clap your hands, or jingle a set of keys. When the pup comes to you, praise her physically and verbally. Face the puppy toward the other handler to prepare her to return. A helpful strategy is to gently restrain the pup as the other handler calls her enthusiastically. The pup will start to protest and try valiantly to respond to the recall. Let go of the pup, and when she runs to the other handler, have him give the pup a treat and praise her enthusiastically.

  If your pup is coming pertly between two handlers, you can go to circle-come work. Add another handler, and space yourselves about five feet apart. Attach a light lead to the pup's collar, have one of the partners call the pup, then toss the end of the leash to him. If the pup does not come quickly, have that partner give the leash a light tug to initiate the recall. Usually one tug is sufficient; however, if the pup stops, tug again as necessary. Don't pull the pup. You want the pup to make the decision to come. Have the pup sit in front of you when she comes. Some pups may jump up and paw each handler. Do not discipline this behavior, but gently ease the puppy to a sitting position and continue praising her. Remember, no punishment should ever be connected with the action of coming. Continue having the puppy called around the circle. Puppy call-in sessions should each last five or ten minutes until the pup is five months old. After that, sessions can be extended. End your call-in sessions with some play. Leave the leash on during the play period. Doing so helps the pup to feel comfortable with the leash on and to associate wearing it with pleasant experiences, not just "work."

  When you call your pup, use the dog's name and the word come. Do not use more than one name, and do not use affectionate nicknames. The more you work on a prompt recall in your dog's early days, the fewer recall problems you will have later on. Almost every dog has on occasion failed to come when called, but puppies who have experienced coming when called as a happy experience early in life tend to have a better attitude toward the recall later.

  Following

  Teaching your pup to look to you as a humane leader is important from the very start. During the first couple of weeks the new puppy owner should have an off-lead follow session with the pup once a day, for ten to twenty minutes.*Take the pup alone to an area where there are few distractions. Set the pup down and slowly walk away, keeping the pup's attention by talking in an encouraging, animated tone. Say the pup's name frequently. Stop every so often, crouch down, and praise the pup. Then rise and begin walking again. Make plenty of turns in your follow session. Trace a figure eight every so often. Most puppies, from the fourth week on, naturally follow a moving human being in much the same way as they would tag along with their mother. Often no coaxing is necessary, and the puppy may even be underfoot. This is fine — the point is to keep the pup with you, as near as possible. You may want to use a set of keys, hand clap, squeak toy, or whistle to help orient the pup to you. Don't use food for this exercise. Keep moving away in one direction steadily and you'll find the pup trotting after you. This helps get the pup's attention in a natural way.

  Although this session might become boring in time and seem uneventful, keep it up for at least three weeks after you get your new pup. Doing so helps build rapport in several ways. It helps the pup recognize you as leader, the one to follow. The pup's being comfortable and happy when following you will help eliminate recall problems in the coming months, when your puppy will enter a more independent stage and be more easily attracted away from you.

  Leash Work

  Leash work can begin as early as six or seven weeks of age. The revealing term leash-breaking, often used by trainers to explain how a puppy should be introduced to the leash, is unfortunate, since there should be no "breaking" of the pup involved. If you practice the following exercises, leash work follows more easily. First, accustom your pup to wearing a collar. Use a flat leather buckle collar if possible. As you hold the pup in your arms, put the collar on snug once or twice a day, to get the pup used to the feel of the collar on her neck.

  Start familiarizing your pup to walking on a leash by attaching a light leash to her collar and letting her drag it along on a normal

  Keep holding the leash up high in early leash training.

  Call the pup toward you with a gentle tug on the leash. Use a pleasant voice so that the pup comes and gets used to a leash.

  follow session. Don't use heavy metal leashes on puppies. After the dragging phase, the trick is to attach the leash and begin walking without the pup's knowing it is on. As you pet the pup, snap on your lead. Begin to walk, and hold the lead almost straight up, out of the pup's way, and don't apply any pressure to the lead. At some point, the pup will stop and feel the lead. Don't pull the pup along. Stop, bend over, and say, "Okay, Sasha, let's go!" Use the same animated tone of voice you have used in your follow sessions. If the pup balks, stop for a minute and reassure her. Some pups brace themselves dramatically and become quite vocal. They are usually pups who have had trouble sticking close on the follow exercises. You need to tug the lead gently and encourage the pup until she decides to come along. Some researchers have found that males tend to be more feisty on initial leash work, running ahead and vocalizing when they hit the end of the leash. Whateve
r the reaction, get the pup focused on you and begin again. Make your first sessions short, and try to end on a happy note. Leave the leash on and have a play session with the puppy.

  Now move to the next level, using a retractable leash. This is an excellent device to get your pup used to the feel of the leash without any compulsion. The pup learns to be comfortable walking on leash and to handle an occasional light tug without feeling the constant pressure of the leash on her neck. As soon as the pup shows any resistance, simply release the pressure on the leash and pat the side of your leg encouragingly as you call your pup. Before you know it, your pup will be walking with you in a relaxed manner.

  As soon as the pup is comfortable walking with you, tie the leash to your belt loop and have the pup follow you around the house naturally throughout the day. This is an excellent bonding formula and reinforces the initial adjustment to the leash.

  Teaching the Sit

  Puppies should be taught to sit using a nonphysical technique, employing treats or some other object of attraction. First, get your pup's attention by showing him a small treat, holding it a little above eye level just in front of him. As he looks at your hand, raise it slightly over his head as you say, "Sit." Most likely the pup's rear will go down

  Use the pup's natural energy and curiosity to guide him to sit on command.

  simultaneously. Praise the dog gently until he is fully seated, and then give him the treat. If the pup does not sit the first time, try again. If the puppy is simply looking up and not sitting, repeat the procedure, and with your other hand, lean over and lightly touch the pup's rump. As the pup sits, give him the treat. We have found this method of teaching the sit to be faster and gentler than leash and training-collar methods. After the puppy sits, keep him in place as you praise him.

  Practice having your dog sit five times in a row per session, and have a session at least once a day for a week. Also, take advantage of daily feeding times to have your pup sit for his food using the same technique. As you see that your pup has mastered the command, start weaning him away from the treat by giving the treat every other time, while continuing to praise him. This quickly allows you to give a treat to your pup randomly. He doesn't know when and if the treat will come, an important incentive to keep listening to you.

  Teaching the Down

  Like the puppy sit, the puppy down is best taught with a minimum of force and compulsion. Since the pup already knows how to lie down, what you are teaching him is when to lie down. To aid in teaching this exercise, use a treat, ball, or other some other toy the pup likes. Start with the pup in a sit. It is easier for a dog to lie down from a sitting position than from a standing one. Show the pup the treat, and as he focuses on it, lower it directly to the ground about six inches in front of his feet. As you do so, give the command "down." As the pup lowers his head for the treat, praise the pup gently, repeating, "Down," if necessary.

  If your pup is a little older (sixteen weeks), crouch down with him to your left as he sits. Put several fingers of your left hand under his collar along the side of his neck. With a treat in your right hand, show it to him by moving your hand directly in front of him and then lowering it straight down to the ground, applying very gentle downward pressure on the collar as you do so. Your pup will follow the treat down. When he is in the down position, praise him and give him the treat. Keep your left hand in the collar as you continue to praise him so that the pup learns not to get up immediately. As with sit, practice the down in sets of five at least once a day for a week or two and gradually wean him off the treats, as you did with the sit.

  Following these guidelines allows the pup to learn the down in a low-key, nonthreatening way. Most puppies respond well to this method. As the pup shows understanding, you can begin to extend the length of the down by practicing in everyday situations. Always keep it positive and upbeat. Bear in mind that the physical methods described for older dogs in this book are not recommended for puppies, because they involve firmer body contact and corrections. Never try to train a puppy to lie down using the "pulley" method of stepping on the leash and forcing the dog down.

  As with teaching the sit, limit puppy down sessions to five or six repetitions. One session in the morning and one in the evening is sensible.

  Tethering the Pup at Night

  The best place for a puppy to sleep is the floor at the foot of your bed. Avoid socially isolating the puppy at night. For the first few nights, an

  Lower your hand to the ground to teach the puppy the down.

  The pup will follow your hand down; as he does so, say, "Down," and praise him.

  old sheet or blanket folded up next to your bed works well. You can also use a cardboard box with low sides to create a comfortable, denlike resting place. If a breeder has already accustomed a pup to a shipping or open-wire crate, you may wish to use it; other owners prefer to tether their pups for the night. Tethering can help prevent overnight accidents (since most puppies do not soil their immediate area) and curb destructive chewing. The tether can be quite short at first — a foot or two will do. Use a metal tether. The puppy could chew on any other material and eventually free himself, possibly in the middle of the night. The pup will probably fight the tether the first night. Reassure him without coddling him. You might try attaching the pup before you actually turn out the lights, to let the pup get used to the tether while you read. Above all, don't give in and release him. Some initial whining and protest is inevitable. The pup will settle down eventually.

  Attach the end of the tether to a strong, immovable object, such as the leg of the bed itself. Make sure that the tether cannot break and that it is not attached to an object that can be pulled away by the pup. Puppies are strong little critters when they want to be. One man attached his puppy to a hamper on wheels and retired for the night. About three in the morning the puppy pulled the hamper to the top of the stairs and sent the hamper and himself crashing to the bottom. We heard about the incident when the owner later brought the puppy to us to learn how to climb stairs, a skill he had not yet acquired. A little research pinpointed why the dog had such an aversion to stairs.

  In general, our practice is to keep our pups tethered or confined at night until two objectives are accomplished. First, the pup must be fully housebroken. Second, all chewing, digging, and other puppy mischief must have ceased. Only then do we allow the pup freedom in our bedrooms at night.

  Behavior at Night

  Since our monastic bedroom section is in the cloister, where silence is required, no puppy yodeling or barking is allowed. Since dogs naturally bark at suspicious noises or the sound of an intruder, you don't have to encourage alarm barking at night. If the pup starts to carry on, simply shush her after a few seconds. Chapter 20, "Where Is Your Dog This Evening?" describes "bedroom etiquette" for adult canines, which applies to puppies as well, but there are some exceptions. If your pup pipes up during the night, she could be telling you that she needs to go out. Young puppies who are not fully housebroken need a trip out approximately every four hours. As the pup matures, after twelve weeks of age, she should be able to pass a night of eight hours' duration without needing to go out, assuming she has not been fed or given water near bedtime. Many a pup owner gets into the "three A.M. trip outdoors" ritual needlessly. The pup whines, the owner gets up and takes her out. But if you have recently let the pup out and are sure she is "empty" or relatively so, shush her with a sharp "No, go back to sleep." Don't become a doorman for the pup. At some point, the pup must learn control. If there is an accident, don't panic (see below, "Asking to Go Out").

  When you tether or crate your pup for the night, provide her with some toys and chewables. Remove food and water. If you are housebreaking the pup, remove water at least four hours prior to retiring and feed the puppy her third meal late in the afternoon. This early feeding gives the pup time to eliminate before settling down for the night. Additionally, most pups can move from three to two meals per day between sixteen and twenty weeks of age, wh
ich also helps stop the need for a late-night potty break.

  Using a Dog Crate

  A dog crate can help you train a puppy in a variety of ways. Dogs are basically den animals, and a crate approximates the den of their wolf ancestors. Crates are not cruel or inhumane, as long as they have ample room and are not used as punishment. We have found that dogs enjoy them. To use an analogy, many parents consider a child's playpen invaluable. We prefer airline shipping crates made of molded plastic with metal doors. They are safe and comfortable, and provide a secure denlike atmosphere for your pup while letting him see out of all sides. They are also easily cleaned if your pup ever vomits or has an accident in it. Open-air metal crates, though collapsible and convenient, have sharp edges that a pup could get a collar caught on. They also are not as denlike as the shipping crate. If you use an open-air crate and your pup doesn't seem relaxed, cover the three sides and top with a blanket.

  Dogs and pups easily adapt to their own den/crate at night or for a few hours during the day.

  It is a good idea to accustom your pup to the crate early on. Begin by allowing him to investigate the crate without closing the door. Give him a treat and praise him warmly if he goes in. If the treat does not induce him to investigate, put him in and give him the treat. Do this several times till he feels relaxed about going into the crate. Next, have him go into the crate and close the door for a brief period as you remain close by. Offer him a treat. Give him a favorite toy. Work up to the point at which the pup can stay a couple of minutes without protest. Use a treat as a reward. Finally, make the transition to feeding the pup in his crate, which deepens the positive association with the crate and lets you gradually increase the length of time the pup can stay in the crate on a day-to-day basis. Just remember that the pup will need to go out to relieve himself soon after eating. Many owners take the precaution of removing their dog's collar during the time in the crate, to prevent any possibility of it getting caught.