You have just received a bright, new addition to your family, a AKS Labrador puppy. Here are a few pointers
to help you care for your puppy and begin to teach him proper manners.
1st, when you first get your new puppy home its totaly normal for some pups to be shy, lethargic, sleep allot and
have loose stools, this should last no more than 24-48 hours, this is caused by stress from leaving there litter mates and
being in a new environment.
Puppies are going to cry allot the first week & have accidents until they get use to your schedule. They are just like a newborn
baby.
New owners often read that a towel or shirt that has the pups littermates/moms scent on it will help calm
the puppy for the first nights there in there new home, this does not work, the puppy is going to cry/wine/stress
regardless (TRUST ME) :)
Your puppy has had his first set of vaccinations and a health exams by our vet. Please consult your veterinarian
for his advice on a vaccination program. We recommend that the pup have at least three boosters and a Rabies vaccine. You
should also have the Bordetella vaccination done if you will be kenneling your dog.
Your new puppy needs to be seen by your vet within three days of purchase.
At the time of pickup your puppy is eating 2 meals per day early am, and evening around 5:30pm-6:30pm. Give the puppy
about 20 minutes to eat then pickup. Make sure to increase the amount as he grows. By 8 months at which once a day is fine.
Fresh drinking water should be available.
You can keep your puppy on the puppy food until about 10 months. At this age the bones of the puppy really grow.
In order to help prevent bone and joint problems it is important that this growth period take it’s time. Once
your puppy has reached his full height at about 10-12 months you can start feeding a complete adult diet. It is extremely
important that you do not allow your puppy to become overweight.
House training and crate training go hand in hand. Your puppy should learn to sleep in his crate through the night
and during daytime naps. Make sure the puppy has done all of his business before bedtime. He should be able to sleep through
most of the night. If he wakes at 1 AM you should probably leave him alone, if he messes it can always be cleaned up in the
morning. If he starts crying at 5 AM you should take this call seriously and take the puppy outside. If you start getting
up at 1 AM it will become a habit for the pup. The pup will probably cry for a while the first few nights but be patient and
PLUG your ears. We found the best thing was to cover the crate with a blanket so he feels more secure and to play the radio.
It will get better, honestly. Puppies do not want to mess in their bed so if you start with a large crate it is best to block
off part of it so they can’t mess in one end and sleep in the other.
When you put the puppy outside to the bathroom you MUST go outside with him. The first reason is in order to praise
the pup when he goes; the second is that if he’s out by himself he’ll just want back in with you. Instead of doing
his business outside he’ll be at the door crying and when you let him in he’ll remember that he had to go and
have an accident.
After his initial trip outside the puppy will want to eat and play. Another trip outside would be appropriate about
every 20-30 minutes during his wake period. You will soon learn the signals of a puppy that needs to go and it won’t
need to be so often. When the puppy starts to get drowsy put him back in the crate for a nap and start the process all over.
At this point it seems like a lot of work but it will be worth it and it’s a lot easier than the old paper method. You
will notice that the puppy will go into his crate himself when he’s sleepy before too long.
DO NOT PLAY TUG OF WAR. This is the worst game ever invented to play with a dog. It teaches the animal to struggle
against you and that there must be a winner. Labs love to retrieve so play fetch games. A training bumper, tennis ball or
old socks are best. Teach your pup to give instead of trying to pull it away. If he doesn’t want to bring it back try
running away or hiding but DO NOT chase him. If you start to chase it becomes a game and teaching the pup to COME becomes
impossible.
We recommend that between 10 and 12 weeks you have the puppy wear his nylon collar and drag a 6-foot leash wherever
he goes. This way when you call him and he turns to scoot the other way you can stomp on the leash and get him back to you.
By doing this exercise at this age you will teach the pup respect and the beginnings of coming when he’s called. You
cannot do this exercise at a later age because they quickly figure out when the leash is on. You will never be able to have
the same effect with this lesson as you will now. Be sure to take the leash off when the pup is in the crate or when the pup
is not being supervised. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND HARNESSES!
Training:
Training your new puppy should start at day one, letting him know his boundaries, house breaking, learning what "NO" means,
starting on easy obedience commands (Sit, Here, Down, Kennel) using praise and a small treat occasionally, Once your
puppy has mastered these commands, treats should be taken away. Your puppy needs to work for you, The Master, NOT
A TREAT!
I'm not saying never to give your pup treats, just give on special occasions
or during training sessions from 7-12 weeks of age!
Using
Treats + Extreme Spoiling =
A Half Trained Dog
Contrary to popular belief, relying heavily on treats gets you
quick, but short-lived results. Not thousands, but millions around the world have fallen for this theory.
Would you rather train your dog
by your Praise, Leadership, Technique and Psychology or bribe it nonstop with cheese, hot dogs, bacon
strips and beef jerky?
Flaws of Using Treats with
Your Dog:
* Your dog will only listen to you when you are actually “holding”
a treat.
* You will gain your dog’s love, but rarely his respect. Hint: You need
both.
* You are asked to literally starve
your poor dog so he obeys the commands while training.
* You will spoil your dog. Spoiled dogs often turn on other dogs and people.
* You won’t always have a pouch of hot dogs or your clicker with you 24/7.
* You are unknowingly making your dog bossy, feisty and demanding.
* You’ll end up holding your fingers together hoping to
trick your smart dog.
* Your dog will ignore even his favorite treats around cats, dogs or your guests.
* Your dog could get sick, fat, or have explosive diarrhea from so many tidbits.
* You’ll confuse and disappoint your doggie when you finally STOP using
treats.
* Your dog will figure out that he HAS a choice and take his sweet time
responding.
* You are told to have your dog look at you first. This always stalls
the training.
* Your dog may get worse or even go nuts as soon as he sees or smells any
treat.
* Your dog will obey based on what type of treats you have in your
hand/pouch.
* Your dog might start to beg at the table or even worse, get in the habit of
counter-surfing and literally stealing food of your plate.
* Your book/trainer tells you to make sure you never run out of treats;
but as soon as your dog gets full, he could stop responding to you altogether. (This usually
happens in group classes or with dogs that have little or no appetite. And it doesn't even matter even if
you made sure to cut those yummy treats in small pieces.)
* You’ll make your dog so demanding that he’ll keep on barking, jumping,
whimpering and nudging at your hands until you toss him some yummy treats or whatever you
happen to be munching on.
REALITY CHECK: Would
you still work for your company if they stopped paying you? Then how can you expect the same
from your dog? And when you really think about it, your dog should sit, stay or lie down because
of your love and leadership, not because of cut-up hot dogs. It’s the same mentality and principle
of how we were raised. We followed directions because of the respect we had
for our parents and the fact that they were the "providers." Again, I said the provider—NOT the
"briber."
Alternatives to food rewards - Dogs respond well
to many rewards that do not include food. They are social animals and openly seek our attention and approval. That being the
case, why not substitute non-food rewards instead of the doggie treats when training your dog? Here are some things to try.
- Play
- Instead of keeping the treat jar close at hand, keep a toy or a stick. Most dogs love to play fetch, and it gives them much
needed exercise in the process.
- Touch - Petting your dog, scratching him behind the ears, or giving him an
energetic belly rub will be appreciated well beyond a quick treat. It also helps you bond with your dog and create that special
relationship that we all value so dearly.
- Praise - Dogs love to please us, and when we praise them, they
know they have done well. Sometimes all it takes is an enthusiastic "atta-boy" to get their eyes shining and tails wagging.
- Grab the leash - Most dogs love to go on walks. Mine get hyper-excited anytime they see me touch their leashes.
Reward good behavior with a walk around the block or trip to the dog park.
- Customize the reward to your dog
- Every dog is different and each has his favorite things. Capitalize on what makes him happiest and use that activity as
his reward for good behavior.