Pet Pointers: tips for New Dog Owners

 

National Puppy Day just happened, and I had a chance to interview Elissa Weimer-Sentner from Paw & Order Dog Training about training tips for new dog owners.

What are some things that new puppy owners often overlook?

• A lot of new puppy owners overlook how much time and energy a puppy will require from them.
• Oftentimes, they don't consider what the temperament of the puppy's parents was like. Genetics play a huge role in your dog's adult behavior. When they are puppies, they are adorable and we sometimes get hung up on how cute a dog is vs how the dog will look and act as an adult.
• Vet costs, yearly checkups, Emergency medical costs, food costs, training costs, toys etc. The price of the puppy is actually the cheapest part of owning a dog!
• Leash training - Young puppies are not very coordinated and fast so you can easily grab them when they are off-leash. They tend to want to stick around their humans as well. This leads new owners to not worry about putting a leash on their puppy. However, your puppy will hit a certain stage where it will become more and more curious of the world around them and may run off. It is important to get your puppy used to wearing a leash early on. A leash isn't normal for a dog and it can be extra stressful if your dog does not get used to wearing one early on. 
• New puppy owners sometimes overlook the fact that a puppy has no idea what is right or wrong. Your puppy doesn't know that it isn't okay to pee or poop on your fancy rug, or that he/she shouldn't chew on your shoes. A puppy will do what feels good for them. Pooping and peeing FEELS GOOD! As does chewing on things. Set your puppy up for success and help keep them out of trouble. You wouldn't give your two year old free unsupervised access to your house, would you? No. So do not let your puppy either!

What are some habits that new puppy owners should make sure to nip in the bud right away?

• separation anxiety - Make sure that you give your dog alone time during the day. It is important that your dog gets used to you being away from them even if you are still in the same house. If you only crate your dog when you leave for hours a day, your dog will start to see his/her crate or room as a bad place and it will only mean that you are leaving. You want to make this a positive experience for your pup.  Use the crate during the day and feed your puppy in it as well as give your puppy something fun to chew on that he only has inside the crate. 
• Being rude to other dogs - Do not let your dog be rude to other dogs. Too often I see puppy owners allow their dog to jump all over and bite the tail/ears/legs of older dogs because the dog is young. This puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on the adult dog and can cause the older dog to overcorrect the puppy because the puppy doesn't know how to take the hints of the older dog that it is uncomfortable. If a puppy is not taking hints from the older dog, please step in and remove the puppy from the adult. 
• Chewing on your belongings - Set your puppy up for success like we talked about earlier! Puppy proof your home so that your dog stays safe and can learn good habits. Make sure to give your puppy things that are safe to chew and play with instead of your human things!

How can families find trainers that are a good fit for their families, especially if they're first-time dog owners?

• Reach out to multiple trainers! You want to be comfortable with your trainer's personality and skills. If possible, watch videos posted by the trainers you are looking into as well as read as any reviews as possible! 
• Meet with a trainer and ask lots of questions you may have. Make a list!
• See if that trainer is able to come to your home so that your puppy can train in your actual environment. This also helps YOU be able to see how the training will be done in your own house and neighborhood. This helps tremendously with being easier to follow through with your trainer's instructions. 
• You want a trainer that is a good PEOPLE trainer, not just a good dog trainer. This is YOUR puppy. You have to know how to do the training!  Your puppy may act great for a dog trainer, but not you. This is because your puppy knows that your dog trainer knows what he/she is doing and may try to take advantage of you for not having those skills. A good trainer teaches you those skills for life!

They also shared some information about in-home vs. boarding training.

In-Home Training

1. Dog owners get to be taught how to train the dog and they are the ones to actually do it
2. A good dog trainer will show owners everything they need to know and make sure that they are confident in what they are doing with their dog before they leave each session
3. It is up to dog owners to put in the repetitions and the time for the training
4. Dog owners must be comfortable with sending the trainer updates and keeping open communication so that they can troubleshoot when needed

Board & Train Service

1. Works well for busy dog owners who don’t have time to to devote to putting in the foundation work for training
2. A good b&t program will work on the dog’s socialization skills around other people and dogs
3. A good dog trainer will teach the owner how to continue the training at home in an effective way.

Paw & Order Dog Training was established in 2013 by military police veteran Elissa Weimer-Sentner and has developed it into an established top-tier dog training company with the help of her husband and co-owner, Steve Sentner. They offer programs that are tailored to each individual dog’s needs and focus areas. Paw & Order specializes in all levels of dog training, including puppy training, basic obedience, and intense behavior modification, including working with dogs that have been deemed impossible to train. Paw & Order currently has locations in Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, Washington, Harmony/New Castle, Erie, Westmoreland); Central, Ohio (Columbus); Southwest, Florida (Fort Myers/Naples); Upstate South Carolina; and Houston, TX.