The phone has been ringing nonstop at Dog Training Elite in Colorado Springs since reopening after the holidays, with new dog owners scrambling to find answers to questions about their latest family members.
Lucas Martin, branch manager for the local dog training center, said interest in training typically picks up around the middle of January, with many people welcoming new puppies for Christmas.
Martin, who specializes in service dog training, said concerns from new puppy parents vary based on if they have a dog.
Those who have a dog often share concerns over how their older dog is reacting to having a new sibling in the house. Common issues include a house-trained dog suddenly having accidents inside and an adult dog playing too rough with the puppy, he said.
“It’s super, super common — there’s a new baby in the house, the social order has kind of been upset,” he said.
“They get jealous, very similar to when a new human baby is born and they have older siblings.”
Puppy parents who don’t have another dog — and even those who do — often have lots of questions about nipping, housebreaking and training. Martin, who has an 8-week-old pup, offered some tips to address these concerns.
Nipping/teething
Puppy teeth can be sharp — like little razors. The best way to nip teething in the bud is to redirect your pup to a toy. Martin recommends puppy-safe chew toys, and advises against something like antlers, which their teeth aren’t prepared for.
“You don’t want to encourage them to teeth on you,” he said. “Redirecting is huge, being able to give them a different type of toy that (is) safe for them to chew on.”
The “puppy yelp” is also a useful tool to communicate to your pup that they shouldn’t chew on you or certain objects. You can do so by letting out a loud, high-pitched yelp or “ouch,” which teaches the pup boundaries.
“The puppy yelp is also extremely useful because it speaks directly to what the puppy understands,” Martin said. “You want to be dramatic. When puppies play with each other and other dogs, that’s how they tell each other, ‘Hey, that’s too hard.’”
Housebreaking
Housebreaking can be one of the most difficult parts of having a pet — it even drives Martin crazy. His biggest tip: Get them used to going outside.
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Martin suggests setting a timer for every 30 minutes as a reminder to take them out. And every time you let them out of the crate, you should go directly outside.
“The big thing to keep in mind is always how old is your dog,” he said. “Give yourself some grace if you’re housebreaking a puppy who’s 10 weeks old and are having a hard time with it. They are very, very young and it’s totally normal that they’re going to struggle. Keep at it.”
Once they’re out, and they start doing their business, Martin says throw a party — show them you’re excited and give them treats.
“I always tell people throw a party the second your dog is peeing, even if it’s in the middle of them peeing,” he said. “You just want to get as exciting as possible, because they’re going to want to repeat that and get all of that praise.”
On the flip side, Martin said, never punish a pup for going inside. “Don’t punish your dog if they do go in the house, especially as a puppy. They’re not going to know what you’re saying. It doesn’t work like that for their brain,” he said.
Training
Training approaches vary depending on the age of the dog, Martin said. He suggests the first command they learn is sit, which can help calm a puppy down and teach them discipline.
For dogs under 4 months old, treats are the way to go. Puppies might need a slower approach to training, because although they learn quickly, they get distracted easily.
To teach your pup to sit, take a treat and hold it above their nose, out of their reach. Slowly move your hand back toward their head, which will lead them to sit in order to follow the treat.
Once they hit the ground, give them the treat and praise.
“It’s a good one for puppies because it can help them learn how to settle down,” he said. “It can just make the overall craziness of a puppy more manageable.”
One final piece of advice Martin had to offer for those with a new dog is simply to practice patience.
“They are trying their best, and what they care about the most, especially if you’re doing the training right, is making their person happy,” he said.
“So when they don’t understand it, there is absolutely no need to get angry — just be patient.”
