This column is written for the Stray Ferret by Kimberley Metcalfe. Kimberley has an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare. Her company Pooches Galore is based in Harrogate and specialises in dog training and resolving canine behavioural problems.
We’ve all heard the saying “a dog is for life, not just for Christmas” and it is one I wholeheartedly believe in. As someone who did get their first-ever dog as a Christmas present after 13 years of begging, a well thought out Christmas present can bring many years of joy and a dog can be both for Christmas and for life.
For many, getting a puppy at any time of the year has taken a lot of forethought whether a Christmas present or not. My job as a trainer is to help you ensure that when your puppy comes home with you, there are many happy years ahead. I have two top tips for a happy life with your puppy:
Management
Management is my number one tip when you bring home a new puppy. If you don’t want them to eat your shoes… put them away! Want them to toilet outside? Watch them like a hawk. Don’t want your new sofa chewing? Shut the door. It is impossible for anyone to train their puppy for every eventuality, so to prevent unwanted behaviours we need to manage situations by setting things up before problems arise.
Training
Secondly you are going to have to invest in a significant amount of training. As a dog trainer, of course I am going to say this! You have to teach your puppy to live in a human world. They don’t know that they can’t toilet in the kitchen and they have to go outside. They don’t know that biting isn’t the best way to get you to engage with them. They don’t know how to walk on a lead. There is such a long list of things to teach them, so work out what is a priority for you.
We also want to train our dogs in a specific way, known as positive reinforcement. This means that we reward the behaviours we like so we see them more and more. Rewarding them for toileting outside, coming back when called, and walking nicely on a lead will encourage all these behaviours. What we don’t want to do is punish our puppies, as they don’t know they are doing something wrong; this will only break down the relationship between you and your new puppy.
My biggest tip for a long and happy life with your puppy is to ask for help from a qualified APDT dog trainer before your problems become too challenging for you. Whether that is someone with you from day one or someone you bring in when you have problems – it is what we are here for!
