Raise a Balanced Puppy

Puppies require training and correction from their owners to make them good canine citizens in a human world. To raise a balanced dog you need to teach it that you love it but you are also in charge of it. This will require work on the puppy's part but it will also require you to understand your dog and to institute a balanced training program. Balanced training includes using positive reinforcement to promote desired behavior, giving your dog love and affection, and using some correction when needed.[1]

Steps

Forming a Relationship With Your Puppy

  1. Decide whether you have the time to raise a well-balanced puppy. If you plan to get a puppy, ask yourself and your family some questions. Are you all ready to make a commitment? Puppies are a lot of work to train properly. There is housetraining, giving them exercise, teaching them manners, and how to get along with other animals and humans.[2]
    • During the first six months of a puppy’s life it needs constant attention to make it into a great adult dog that is a joy to be around.
    • Do you have enough time on your hands for a dog? Will someone be home most of the day during these first six months to take the puppy out for potty and play breaks every couple of hours? If not, rethink bringing a puppy into your home. Remember, taking care of a young puppy is a full-time job.
    • Consider adopting a older dog instead of a puppy if you don't have enough time to commit to a puppy. Older dogs, while taking some time to incorporate into the family, do not take the 24 hour care that a new puppy does.[3]
  2. Remember that exercise is key. It cannot be stressed enough how important regular daily exercise is to a young puppy. It's the best way to keep your dog calm and it allows you to bond with your dog at the same time. You don't want a puppy bounding all around the house because it doesn't get enough exercise. While there aren’t any hard and fast rules as to amount of exercise here are some guidelines:
    • Puppies younger than two months of age can get their exercise running around the house. From two to three months of age they should have 4-5 short play sessions or walks (around 10 minutes) outside a day. From three to four months this can be increased to 15 minutes. From four to six months they can have 20 minutes of exercise three times a day. After six months the time can gradually be increased. This is all “structured” play time with family members—they will fill in the rest of their time with play with toys, etc.[4]
    • There are many ways you can give your dog the exercise that it needs. You can play ball with it in your backyard or at a dog park. If you like to go for morning runs, your adult dog (older than 18 months) can come with you.
    • Keep in mind that running or jogging for sustained time (longer than 20 minutes) is too much for dogs under 18 months, as their joints and bones are still forming.[5] Walking two or three (or more) times a day is a better option for young (and elderly) dogs.
    • Depending on your puppy's breed, size, and age, the amount of exercise needed will vary.
    • Lack of exercise could lead to aggression later on in the dog's life when it takes its frustration out in negative ways. A bored dog can be a destructive dog and pick up bad habits right away.
  3. Bond with your puppy. You should strive to form a strong bond of love and affection between you and your dog.[6] Your bond will strengthen the relationship and it will help your puppy or dog be happier and balanced.
    • Give your dog as much affection and love as you want! The love you give your dog, and the love you receive in return, is the best part of having a dog.
    • Give your dog affection and love consistently, but do not reward it with praise or affection if it does something that it is not supposed to do. Instead, give it lavishly when it performs a desired behavior. Even a small step in the right direction deserves praise.[7]
    • A little food reward immediately after the desired behavior will also work wonders in reinforcing good behavior and a strong bond.[8]
  4. Have fun with your puppy! Dogs are great to have and they love and deserve a calm, assertive human to play with. Remember, your dog won't be a puppy forever, so while it is make the most of it!
    • Get your family involved. They are part of the “pack” in your puppy’s mind. Make sure that all members of the family play with the puppy. You could even have a set time every day when the whole family plays with the pup.

Training Your Puppy

  1. Set ground rules. You will need to enforce some strong rules with your puppy and you must be consistent all the time when disciplining it. For example, if your dog likes to jump up on you, just push it off, say NO, and walk away. In time, your dog will get the message and won't continue to jump on people.
    • Under no circumstances strike a dog. Doing so will make it resentful of you and may escalate into aggressive (defensive) behavior on your dog’s part .[9]
    • There are any number of bad habits a dog may acquire over a lifetime. These include digging in the yard, barking excessively, begging at the table, counter surfing for food, or destroying things. Do your best to break it of these habits as soon as they crop up.
  2. Communicate with your dog in a way it will understand. Dogs need to learn the family rules, just like any other family member. Unfortunately, human and dog communication can be a difficult thing to understand. Positive reinforcement of good behavior usually works better than trying to dissuade a pup from doing bad things.
    • Many times giving the dog an alternative (such as a special digging spot, a toy or a treat in place of whatever he is chewing on) activity will curb a bad habit.[10] The key is consistency and patience as the dog learns the new, healthier “habit.”
  3. Assert your authority. You can show your puppy or dog that you’re in charge without being a bully, mean or cruel. This isn’t done by hitting or screaming at your dog. This is by demonstrating calm, assertive behavior, which is different from aggressive behavior.[11]
    • If you don’t assert your authority the pup will see the position of leader as unfilled and it will try to take charge by instinct.
    • How do you make sure you're in charge? Act like a confident person; even if you aren’t, it will come with practice. Give off the energy that you are confident; stand tall; take deep, regular breaths; talk in a calm, yet sincere manner.[12] Your puppy or dog will intuitive sense that calm and confident manner and want to please you, its pack leader, and it will follow your lead.
  4. Make sure your dog is calm and submissive before you give it anything. That way, it will learn that the only way it gets what it needs is by being calm and submissive. You'll know when your dog is calm and submissive. Its ears will be back, tail down low and wagging, and its body will be relaxed.
    • There's a difference between scared and submissive. If your dog is scared, its ears will be laid far back, its tail will be between its legs, and it will sometimes cower or shake or be just plain tense.



Tips

  • If it's bad weather outside or for any other reason, you can put your dog on a treadmill. You must slowly introduce it so your dog becomes comfortable with it. If it never does, don't try to force the dog on it. Also, you need to always monitor your dog when they're on the treadmill! You can't just leave it on and leave the room.
  • If you don't have enough time to walk your dog consistently, you can hire a dog walker. However, walking your dog yourself helps your bond grow stronger.

Warnings

  • If your dog does develop major issues that seem beyond your fixing, you can consult a professional animal behaviorist. Seek help from reputable sources, like your local dog trainer, animal vet center, an experienced dog breeder or caretaker, or someone who rehabilitates dogs.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.nitrocanine.com/blog/2015/06/12/in-defense-of-balanced-training/
  2. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/adopt/adoption-tips/questions-ask-yourself-adopting
  3. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/adopt/adoption-tips/top-10-reasons-adopt-older-dog
  4. ↑ http://www.petmd.com/blogs/purelypuppy/2011/june/how_much_exercise_is_too_much_for_my_puppy-11255
  5. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/exercise-dogs
  6. ↑ https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-psychology/exercise-discipline-affection/exercise-discipline-affection
  7. ↑ https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-training/choosing-a-professional-trainer/the-dos-and-donts-of-positive-reinforcement
  8. ↑ http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/dog_training_positive_reinforcement.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
  9. ↑ Herron et al. Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2009; 117 (1-2): 47 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2008.12.011
  10. ↑ http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-to-break-7-common-bad-dog-habits?page=3
  11. ↑ https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-psychology/pack-leader/how-to-be-calm-and-assertive
  12. ↑ http://www.cesarsway.com/dog-training/the-basics/How-to-Be-Calm-and-Assertive
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