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What Is The Right Age To Take A Puppy Home? / How To House Break a Puppy
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Brother's and sister
What is the right age to take a puppy home?
8 weeks is the minimum age pups should leave for new homes. Puppies go through five critical periods...and it's very important that they remain with their mother and littermates until 7-1/2 to 8 weeks of age.
1. During the first 3 weeks of life puppies have next to no mental capacity and their basic needs are provided by their mother. Little or no handling by humans is required (assuming all is well with mother and puppies). But handling at this time will go a long way in development of the pups.
2. About the 4th week puppies become aware of other living beings and have very slight trainability. This is an extremely critical period and puppies should not be removed from their mother or littermates. Introduction to humans should be started--but carefully controlled.
3. Weeks 5 through 7 they begin socialization within the litter and also with humans. At this point they are capable of responding to voices and to recognize people. Training by their mother is in progress and they are becoming aware of the differences between human and canine socialization.
4. During the 8th through 12 weeks puppies are removed from littermates and mother. They require human socialization, love and security. Play with children should be well supervised. They are capable of learning simple training such as Come-Sit-Stay-No. It is important that children or other animals not injure puppy -- either accidentally or maliciously. Introduction to people is important but should be closely supervised. Gradually expose to loud noises such as autos, washing machine, vacuum, etc. Puppy Kindergarten classes during this time are very important.
5. At 13-16 weeks puppy's mental capacity is fully developed and needs experience. During this time puppy needs love, attention, socialization, discipline and security. Puppy will also try to establish itself as the dominant one. Your puppy is now capable of undergoing formal obedience training -- and can adopt a good or bad (positive or negative) attitude about training so please select your trainer with great care! Praise and reward for correct behavioral response will go a long way in training your puppy!
It's really important for a puppy to remain with it's mother and littermates as outlined above. During this time your puppy will learn about pack heirarchy, bite inhibition and proper social behavior within the pack. Taking a puppy home before 7-1/2 to 8 weeks of age really deprives the puppy of much needed training by mom and littermates and will make your job of training much more difficult.
10 Tips for potty training puppies and crate training
House training puppies can be a challenge. Arm yourself with knowledge and odor neutralizer spray and you'll be ready for house breaking your puppy.
Potty training a puppy can be very frustrating. It helps to remember that your puppy is a lot like a human toddler, if it's quiet - worry. Puppies don't know what you expect from them until you properly train them. While potty training your puppy try to keep your temper in check; use patience when dealing with your puppy - it is just a baby after all.
I've outlined 10 tips to use when house training your puppy:
1) Crate Training - Use a crate while potty training your puppy. Your puppy should be in the crate while you are at work, sleeping, or anytime you are not able to watch it. Dogs are den animals so being in a crate is natural for them. Puppies will cry and want to be released at first, but be patient; it will get used to being in the crate and come to enjoy it. Make the crate a happy place, not a punishment. Teach your puppy a command when going in the crate, for example, kennel or go to your room; this will make it easier then trying to force or push the dog into the crate later. Also, dogs are pack animals so it's helpful if you keep the crate in the bedroom where the rest of the "pack" is sleeping. This is a tough one in the beginning because the puppy will cry and you will be tempted to let it out. Tough love, if the puppy is loose in the house then it will have the opportunity to potty anywhere it pleases. Keep the puppy crated at night until it can be trusted in the house. You may have to let the pup outside during the night and during your lunch break during the day. Be prepared to lose some sleep, like I said, it's like having a new baby.
2) Take the puppy to the same area of the yard - Each time your puppy goes outside go with it. Take the puppy on a lead so you can be sure it goes to the same area of the yard each time. This way the puppy can smell itself and know what it's supposed to do. Only give your puppy about 10 minutes to potty, if it doesn't go, then bring it in and put it back in the crate, wait 15 - 30 minutes and take it back outside. Don't let the puppy play until it potties. Playing is a reward, don't reward bad behavior. Puppies are just little kids, they go outside, get excited, and forget why they went outside in the first place. It helps to give a command to potty, that way it learns a little faster what is expected, and later in life, if your running late, you can give the potty command and your dog will potty and be done with it.
3) Praise for going potty outside - When the puppy potties outside - give a treat, play with a favorite toy, say "good boy"; whatever, just make sure that the puppy thinks, "Wow! Going potty outside is loads of fun, I'm going to do this again!"
4) Tether to you while inside - When you are at home, and the puppy is not in the crate, consider using a long lead to tether the puppy to you. If the puppy is loose in the house it can gain the opportunity to sneak off and use the bathroom. The idea in house training is to avoid accidents, the tether works for that purpose.
5) Take the puppy outside immediately - Following meals, drinking, playtime or excitement, when you first get home from work, and first thing in the morning. If the puppy gets excited it may have an accident, avoid the trouble by taking the puppy outside.
6) Take the puppy outside often - Try to take the puppy outside every hour. If your home, why not take the puppy outside for frequent potty breaks; it'll learn that much quicker and you'll avoid accidents, it probably has to "go" anyway.
7) Keep a potty journal - Keep track of how quickly food moves through the puppy. This will help you gage how quickly to get the little puppy out the door following meals.
8) Teach the puppy to let you know when it wants to go outside - Teach the puppy to bark, ring a bell, or scratch the door before going outside. This will help you know when he has to "go". The goal is for the puppy to get to a point where it will alert you as to when it's time for a potty break.
9) Paper training - Using potty pads or newspaper is up to you. Some small breed owners swear by them. Others think they are confusing to the puppy if your ultimate goal is for them to potty outside. It will take longer to house train if you first teach the pup to potty on paper, then turn around and want the pup to potty outside. Some small breed dogs don't like going outside when it is cold or wet so a lot of owners use paper during the winter season.
10) Invest in a good odor neutralizer - Mistakes are going to happen so plan for it. If you see your puppy make the mistake act quickly, say NO or use a penny can to startle the puppy, and run it outside to the potty place. If you didn't see the mistake happen, bite your lip, and clean the mistake. Use an odor neutralizer like Nature's Miracle or Simple Solution - these products neutralize odor instead of covering it up. You don't want the puppy going back to the same spot on your carpet.
House training is only the beginning, start thinking about obedience classes. Yes, you can probably teach your puppy to sit, down, and stay, but socialization is good for the puppy. It needs to learn that it is okay for other people, strangers, to touch its paws and ears.
It should get used to going in the car and entering strange buildings and walking properly on a leash now while it's young; that way a year from now you are not stuck with an ill mannered dog. Puppies are a lot of fun but you'll enjoy the dog more if you train properly now. What is cute on a puppy may not be so cute when it's a 75 pound Labrador - plan for the future. A proper foundation is crucial.
