Tag-Archive for » Puppy Kindergarten «

How to Choose a Puppy from a Shelter

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
22
Mar 2010

Rescue a Puppy, Adopt

Puppies left in shelters have been abandoned, left behind, and sometimes abused by prior owners.  Maybe the puppy was a victim of a puppy mill or left to fend for him/her self on the street.  Thus, why not adopt the puppy into your loving, healthy, happy home ensuring a wonderful experience for you and your family?  Adopting a puppy is a mutually beneficial experience.  You just need to be sure to pick the right puppy.

Think about Dog Size

Puppies are adorable.  There is no question about it.  But you need to think about what type of adult dog are you looking for and able to accommodate into your lovely home.  Are you looking for a jogging companion or a family friendly dog?  This may be tricky if the breed of the dog is unknown. However, look at the puppy’s paws.  The size of the paws tells how big the pup will grow up to be.  Ask the shelter volunteers if they know the breed.  Find out if the pup is friendly around kids and other adults.  Do you already have pets in the home?  Discover if the pup is friendly with other animals in the shelter.  All of these questions will help guide you into finding the right dog for you.

Evaluate Puppy Personality

Take the pup outside of the kennel into a space allowed to visit with the pup at the shelter.  Try different tests to find out the pup’s personality.  For instance, pick up the puppy in your arms, cradle the pup in same manner as you hold a baby and see if the pup relaxes.  Is the pup struggling to jump out of your arms?  If so, then the pup may need additional training, which is simple when working with a Florida dog training professional.  If the dog relaxes in your arms, then the pup is familiar with being held and may be a quick study when it comes to puppy preschool classes.

Talk to a k9 obedience training professional before adopting.  He/she will be able to guide you in the right direction.

Category: Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment

How Puppies Learn Not to Bite

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
05
Mar 2010

Why do Puppies Bite?

Puppies naturally use their mouth to chew, play, and explore different objects, including your shoes.  But how do you teach a puppy not to bite?  How do dogs learn to control what is called, mouthy behavior?  It is part of the natural process of a puppy growing up to discover not to bite and it starts with learning from socializing with other dogs and people.

Playtime Teaches Puppies Proper Biting Behavior

If you watch two puppies play they wrestle, chase, and nip at one another.  It is endearing to watch, but if you pay close attention there are dog rules to the socializing.  For instance, no pup bites another pup too hard causing harm during play.  If it does occur, a dog will signify to lower the strength of the bite via a yelp.  It is a sign for the other dog to pay attention and decrease the aggressive behavior.  Afterwards, dogs naturally separate.  Take a breather.  Then find their way back to fooling around with one another.  This encounter is a lesson on how a human may teach a pup not to bite.

How to Teach Your Dog Not to Bite

With the pup scenario above, a bitten pup yelps alarming the other dog to stop with the biting practices.  When you are playing with your own dog, utilize the same technique during playtime.

For instance, every time you play with your pup, and the pup bites your skin too hard, yelp.  Make a noise.  Stop play.  Then, resume play after a few moments.  Repeat the exact action until your dog learns this behavior is not acceptable.  The dog will interpret the halt in play as he/she did something wrong.  The method works.  Your dog learns quickly.  It is solely a matter of remaining consistent on your part.

To learn more about how to teach your puppy not to bite with positive reinforcement check out puppy preschool and puppy kindergarten classes today.

Category: Florida Dog Training, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , , , , ,  Leave a Comment

Training a Puppy to Walk on a Leash

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
25
Jan 2010

puppy-on-leash-trainingTeaching a puppy to walk on a leash is not that difficult.  It just takes patience and lots or persistence.  If you teach your puppy how to walk properly on a leash from a young age, then it will keep your dog safe while on walks and makes it an enjoyable experience for the both of you to share.

Familiarize Your Puppy to Wearing a Collar

A puppy has no clue regarding the correct way to respond to a collar.  Thus, introduce the idea of wearing a collar from the very beginning.  A good way to do this is while the puppy is eating, slide a collar on.  The puppy will be distracted making this an ideal time.  Once the puppy does realize what you have done, it will probably try to rub it off by sliding itself against the floor or scratch it off.  It is important not to take it off.  It needs to get used to the idea of a collar on so it becomes second nature.

Introduce the Leash

Once your puppy is comfortable and happy wearing a collar, then it is time to clip on a leash.  It is not necessary to use a heavy-duty leash on your puppy at this time.  Choose a lightweight, thin leash.  And once the leash is clipped on allow the puppy to walk around with it.  As a result, the puppy will be accommodating when it is time to put on the leash later.

These are only the first steps to teaching a puppy to walk on a leash.  To find out how to implement the rest just check out a puppy preschool or a puppy kindergarten near you.

Category: Florida Dog Training  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment

What to Expect in Puppy Kindergarten

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
18
Jan 2010

Puppies are adorable, loving, and fun.  Nevertheless, puppies need guidance just as people do and puppy kindergarten is created to teach basics allowing you, and your puppy to live a happy and healthy life.

Introducing Play Time

During puppy kindergarten, one of the lessons is to socialize your puppy with others.  The pup gets a chance to interact with other pups, play with them, and learn what is accepted and what is not.  It is to ensure your puppy is comfortable in different situations with other animals around and it does not become a concern when the puppy grows into a dog.  For if the puppy is not accustom to other dogs, then the personality may evolve into an aggressive, or timid, dog causing problems down the road.

Learn the Basics

A puppy’s attention span is limited.  A reputable, experienced puppy kindergarten keeps this natural development in mind when designing the class.  Look for a class that is a mix of socialization, bonding and instruction.  Within the lesson, your puppy shall learn the basics.  Some of the basics include, yet, not limited to, sit, stay, and walk on a leash.  The puppy learns how to control enthusiasm during appropriate times.  For instance, if you have company over, the puppy may have the instinct to jump on your company’s lap to engage in play or bite on the person’s shoelaces.  The puppy learns how to curb the excitement and release it at proper times through positive reinforcement.

Be Reasonable

Do not put too many expectations during your puppy’s beginning growth phase.  Your puppy will need lots of love, attention and amusement.  Just keep in mind, a puppy needs to revisit these lessons throughout its entire lifespan.  So continue with these lessons with Florida dog training courses.

Category: Florida Dog Training, Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Kindergarten  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
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