The American Kennel Club's Train Your Puppy Right E-Book

American Kennel Club

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 226

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Create the perfect training environment for your puppy with these simple steps! The American Kennel Club (AKC) is much more than just a few events that showcase the most skilled canines in the country. The AKC offers advice on everything from feeding and training your dog to caring for them throughout their lives. They have taken that know-how and put it into a puppy training manual that emphasizes common sense caring for puppies from before the dog arrives at its new home through its exciting and high-energy puppyhood. Whether dog owners are new and just learning the ropes of training a puppy or experienced owners that need a "tune-up" in all things puppy, Train Your Puppy Right offers something for everyone. For new dog owners, the book is a must. It shows how to best prepare the living space for the new pet as well as several "life skills" every dog owner should know and practice. These include: *How to prepare your home into a puppy-proof living space before the new arrival gets into everything *How to create a safe, inviting, and comfortable living area that your puppy can thrive and grow in *How to introduce the puppy to the "rest of the family," including other pets and children *How to feed the puppy and what types of food it needs to grow up healthy and strong *Puppy grooming techniques to ensure comfort and promote good health *Simple yet complex training techniques *Advice on curbing unwanted or self-destructive behavior *Advice on troubleshooting common behavioral problems with your puppy *How to prepare the puppy for vet visits. For experienced owners, the book offers reminders of how to best position the puppy and the owners for success. As with children, raising a puppy often requires remembering the things you already know or have experienced, which makes The American Kennel Club's Train Your Puppy Right invaluable even to seasoned pros at dog training. There is not much a puppy can do that this book does not cover. Perhaps best of all, though, is that the book is not overcomplicated. The advice is easy to digest, and the various strategies, tactics, and tricks included are presented in simple language with easy-to-follow instructions. If you are looking for the easiest and most effective way to train your puppy, The American Kennel Club's Train Your Puppy Right is the book you need today. About the American Kennel Club: The organization was founded in 1884 and registers over one million dogs each year. The club sponsors over 22,000 events each year, including confirmation shows, agility events, obedience trials, and hunting and field competitions.

Leseprobe

Lead Editor: Amy Deputato

Copyeditor: Karen Julian

Consulting Editors: Babette Haggerty and Andrew DePrisco

Art Director: Cindy Kassebaum

Production Manager: Laurie Panaggio

Production Supervisor: Jessica Jaensch

Production Coordinator: Leah Rosalez

Book Project Specialist: Karen Julian

Vice President, Chief Content Officer: June Kikuchi

Vice President, Kennel Club Books: Andrew DePrisco

I-5 Press: Jennifer Calvert, Amy Deputato, Karen Julian, Jarelle S. Stein

American Kennel Club: Cynthia Beagles, Mary Burch, Aliza Burns, Gina DiNardo, Rebecca Mercer, Lisa Peterson, Daphna Straus, Dennis B. Sprung

Photographs by: ©AKC/Russell Bianca: 4; ©AKC/Lisa Croft-Elliott: 137; Alamy: 10; Gina Cioli/I-5 Studio: title page, 6, 14, 54, 56, 103; Mary Anne Coleman: 87 (bottom); Carolyn C. Corbett: 86 (bottom right); Penny DiLoreto (Puppies Dot Com): 87 (top); Shirley Fernandez (Fox Hill Photo): 11; Isabelle Francais: 7, 13, 18, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 23, 33, 34, 35, 37, 41, 42, 53, 70, 72, 80, 81, 90, 91, 92, 98, 111, 122, 126, 129, 131, 141, 146, 149, 150; Tammy Hagen: 86 (bottom left); Jane Hufstader: 86 (top); Daniel Johnson (Fox Hill Photo): 44, 65, 71. 76, 78, 102, 106, 107, 119, 121, 123, 124, 127; Paulette Johnson (Fox Hill Photo): 58, 108, 117; Mark Raycroft: 9, 43, 63, 101, 133, 135, 138; Jerry Shulman: 66; Shutterstock: cover, cover inset, back cover (both), contents page, 8, 12, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 38, 40, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 52, 57, 61, 62, 64, 67, 68, 73, 74, 75, 77, 85, 88, 93, 96, 97, 100, 110, 112, 113, 114, 116, 118, 130, 132, 134, 136, 142, 143, 144, 145, 148, 151; Connie Summers (Fox Hill Photo): 55; Connie Summers and Paulette Johnson (Fox Hill Photo): 83, 89, 95, 128

Copyright © 2012 The American Kennel Club and I-5 Press™

I-5 Press™ A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC™ 3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618, USAwww.facebook.com/i5presswww.i5publishing.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of I-5 Press™, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The American Kennel Club’s train your puppy right.

      p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN 978-1-935484-90-5

  eISBN 978-1-620080-17-7

1. Puppies--Training. I. American Kennel Club.

  SF431.A4364 2012

  636.7’07--dc23

2012009035

Printed and bound in the United States

15 14 13 12         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Contents

A LETTER FROM AKC PRESIDENT/CEO DENNIS B. SPRUNG

INTRODUCTION: Yes, There’s a Right Way!

CHAPTER 1: A Puppy of Your Own

CHAPTER 2: A Puppy in Your Home

CHAPTER 3: The Social Puppy

CHAPTER 4: House-Training Your Puppy

CHAPTER 5: First Lessons for the Young Dog

CHAPTER 6: Good Manners and Responsible Ownership

CHAPTER 7: Common Puppy Problems

CHAPTER 8: Training and Communication

CHAPTER 9: Obedience Skills

CHAPTER 10: Activities to Enjoy with Your Dog

Resources

AKC President and CEO Dennis B. Sprung and Pomeranian Blue Moon’s Back in the USSR, RN (“Lennon”).

Welcome to The American Kennel Club’s Train Your Puppy Right. Whether you’re a longtime dog owner or you’ve just gotten your very first puppy, we wish you a lifetime of happiness and enjoyment with your new pet.

In this book, you’ll learn about all the fun things you can do with your new dog. The American Kennel Club believes that this book will serve as a useful guide on the lifelong journey you’ll take with your canine companion.

Need help with house-training? Want to prevent chewed furniture? Trying to keep your new puppy from jumping on your houseguests? Train Your Puppy Right will provide the training tips and socialization skills that will get your dog off to a good start.

We also encourage you to find an AKC club that offers training classes in your area. Many AKC clubs offer classes, ranging from AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy to competitive obedience and agility; you can find clubs at www.akc.org/events/trainingclubs.cfm.

Once you’ve started training, why not try an AKC event? There is something for all dogs and owners, including AKC Rally®, obedience, agility, conformation (dog shows), hunt tests, field trials, and more. Plus, tens of thousands of dogs earn Canine Good Citizen® certification each year by demonstrating their good manners at home and in the community. We invite you and your puppy to become involved in AKC events, too! Learn how at www.akc.org/events.

Finally, we encourage you to connect with other new dog owners on the AKC’s website (www.akc.org), Facebook (www.facebook.com/americankennelclub), and Twitter (@akcdoglovers). Happy training!

Sincerely,

Dennis B. SprungAKC President and CEO

INTRODUCTION

Yes, There’s a Right Way!

As the American Kennel Club slogan says, “We’re more than champion dogs. We’re the dog’s champion.” Promoting responsible dog ownership means helping dog lovers learn the right way to train and care for their dogs. To find the right way, we don’t need to delve into stacks of training books or surf a million dog-related websites on the Internet. We can find all we need to know just by paying attention to the dog in our life, our cherished family companion. When a puppy yips happily, when an adult dog’s eyes glisten with loyalty and trust, and when a senior dog’s tail involuntarily wags when his neck is rubbed, it’s about one thing. Love.

Undeniably, one of the most successful ways to train a dog is with love…and praise, patience, a little know-how, a lot of liver (a.k.a. rewards!), and more praise. In educating your puppy, you are teaching an intelligent, social animal how to please you and how to live among human society. The more a puppy understands what you expect from him, the happier and more secure he will feel and the more perfect will his behavior be!

The American Kennel Club’s Train Your Puppy Right will give you the foundation you need to train your new canine companion to become a happy, self-assured member of your family. Beyond providing chapters on socialization, house-training, and basic obedience cues, this book introduces you to the exciting world of AKC events, such as Rally®, agility, and obedience trials. You will be amazed at the different ways you can become involved with your dog, such as taking an AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® class or trying out the Coursing Ability Test. Maybe you’d like the experience of passing the Canine Good Citizen® test on your way to training for therapy work and receiving the AKC Therapy Dog title. As the “dog’s champion,” the American Kennel Club is dedicated to responsible dog ownership, and that includes providing you and your dog with educational programs, fun activities, and competitive events that will engage your family for years to come.

CHAPTER 1

A Puppy of Your Own

Congrats! You are now—or soon will be—the proud owner of the cutest puppy in the world! Let’s face it, puppies are cute. They require a lot of love, patience, and understanding, just like all babies. Before you chose the breed of dog for you and found the perfect puppy, we hope you did your homework. If you’re an “A” student, then you researched your breed on the AKC website (www.akc.org) and contacted someone from the national parent club to lead you to responsible, reliable breeders in your area. If you’ve found a good breeder and already picked out a puppy, you should be getting regular reports from the breeder about the first weeks of your puppy’s life. Before the puppy is ready to come home with you, the breeder will give you information on his temperament, how he interacts with his siblings, and other tidbits about his personality. You may receive weekly photos of your puppy so you can see how quickly he’s grown from a tiny teddy bear with closed eyes to an irresistible little pup who’s bursting with energy and ready to meet you and see the wonderful world.

A good breeder will help you select the best puppy for you based on your lifestyle, the pups’ personalities, and other important factors to ensure a suitable match.

While You Wait

Most breeders don’t release puppies until they’re eight to twelve weeks of age. The smaller the breed, the more likely the breeder will want to keep the puppies longer. Whether this is your first puppy or your dozenth, it’s hard to bear the anticipation of a new puppy coming home for the first time. You can use this waiting time to do some research on your local doggy professionals. Look into veterinarians, groomers, and puppy classes in your area. Get to know your chosen breed better by picking up a book specifically about your breed if you haven’t already done so. A good breed book can do wonders to acquaint you with the unique characteristics, needs, and personality of your breed. In addition, take this opportunity to look into the different types of sports and hobbies in which you and your dog can participate; some breeds are known to excel in certain areas. This is a great time to attend a dog show or a trial and talk with the participating dog owners. Contact an American Kennel Club-affiliated dog club to discover all the ways that you and your new puppy can get involved; you can find contact information for local clubs on the AKC’s website.

Another way to kill some time (and money) before your puppy comes home is to go shopping! Wandering through a pet superstore is an adventure that every new puppy owner looks forward to. There are lots of great puppy items you’ll want to stock up on ahead of time so that you have everything you need for your puppy’s arrival. Collars, leashes, bowls, and bedding are just a few of the things you can begin looking for. The array of styles, colors, sizes, and innovations in pet products these days can make your puppy-supply shopping spree both exciting and a little overwhelming, not to mention expensive if you’re not careful. However, having everything you need for the puppy’s first week home allows you to enjoy your puppy’s homecoming and not worry about emergency trips to the store for a bag of kibble or rolls of paper towels!

Shopping for Supplies

When you walk into a pet-supply superstore, you will be amazed by all of the products on display. These stores are virtual playgrounds of puppy toys and training equipment with supermarket-length aisles of dog food ranging from basic kibble to refrigerator cases of specialty foods. You’ll find standard collars and leashes, but there are also harnesses, no-jump devices, halters, retractable leads, and a hundred other helpful tools—all to do something as simple as walk your dog! In truth, though, it’s not the leash or collar you use as much as it is how you use them and how well you understand the basic principles of positive training, good socialization, and the importance of a loving, trusting relationship with your best friend.

Crate

More important than any dog bed or comfy pillow, a dog crate is one of the best things you’ll ever purchase for your puppy. Your puppy’s crate will quickly become his home within his home. It is a safe place where your puppy can relax, it helps keep him from getting into trouble around the house, and it is the most effective tool that you can use for house-training. Another important point that many people fail to consider is that if your dog is ever hospitalized or kenneled, he will be crated for his safety, and it will be much less stressful for him if he is already used to a crate. With comfortable bedding and a couple of favorite toys inside, your puppy’s crate will become his very own bedroom.

Choose a crate for your puppy that will still be comfortable for him when he is a fully grown adult.

The two most popular types of crates are the wire crate and the plastic or fiberglass airline-type crate. The wire crate is collapsible and folds flat, making it easy to store or transport when empty, but can be heavier than the airline-style crate. Some people prefer the wire crate because it is more open, allowing the dog to see what is going on around him. A wire crate also often comes with an adjustable divider panel that enables you to make the puppy’s area within the crate smaller while he is little and make it larger it as he grows.

With the best, soft-hearted intentions, many people put small puppies in jumbo crates, but a puppy’s having too much room in a crate can lead to house-training issues. (It’s very easy to sleep in the east wing and poop in the west!) If you prefer the wire crate, an adult-sized crate with a divider panel is a cost-effective choice that should last throughout your dog’s lifetime.

If you purchased your dog from a breeder who is shipping the puppy to you, the puppy will most likely arrive in an appropriately sized airline crate. As long as the crate is not too big, you can use the same crate for house-training. An advantage of the airline-type crate is the fact that you can use it as your dog’s special place and as a house-training tool, and you’ll have it handy should the need arise for you to fly with your dog.

Many people like the airline-type crate because it offers a den-like area, is easy to clean, and doesn’t make as much noise as a wire crate when the dog moves around in it. The ventilated door and panels on the sides of the crate keep the crate cool on warm days. The downside of the airline crate is that, should you decide to stop using it for a period of time, it is not as easy to store as a wire crate. It is recommended that you never get rid of your crate permanently, as you never know when you will need to use it again.

Bedding

During your puppy’s first week at home with you, it’s a great idea to give him a blanket or towel with the scent of his mother and littermates to sleep on (you can ask the breeder for this when you pick up your puppy). This will ease his transition and help him adjust to his new home and crate. Once he settles in and starts sleeping through the night, you can observe the kind of sleeper he is and buy him some bedding based on the sleep position he likes best. Does he curl up in a ball or does he like to spread out?

A bed gives your puppy a cozy place to curl up.

There are many types of beds available. There are fleece mats in different sizes that are designed to fit inside crates perfectly. There are beds that are a bit thicker and resemble big flat pillows; these are great for dogs who like to sprawl out or lie on their sides. The bolster bed, or nest bed, is round like a donut and has an elevated roll around the edge for the dog to rest his head on; this is a good choice for the dog who prefers to curl up.

Grooming Tools

Even if you haven’t purchased a puppy with a big, fluffy coat, such as a Poodle, Bichon Frise, or Samoyed, you will still need to brush your puppy. Dogs with the shortest coats still need to be groomed. There are many types of brushes on the market, and the right brush for your dog depends on his coat type. A pin brush has stiff wire bristles set in a rubber base and is used for single- or double-coated dogs with medium to long coats, such as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Australian Shepherds. The pin brush also works well on fine coats. A slicker brush has softer wire bristles and is great for removing the heavy undercoat on dogs such as Golden Retrievers and German Shepherd Dogs.

For a short-coated breed, such as a Bulldog or Doberman Pinscher, use a soft, short-bristled brush or “hound glove,” which will be gentle on the coat and skin. Because dense, short coats are easy to comb through, it is not necessary to use a heavy brush or long-toothed comb designed for thicker coats; such a brush would be too harsh on the puppy’s skin and coat.

Always keep a flea comb on hand, no matter what type of coat your dog has. A flea comb, which is a small metal comb with very close teeth, will help you find little black specks of “flea dirt,” which is actually dried blood. Fleas move quickly and are difficult to see, so finding the dirt will help you determine their presence. Of course, at the first sign of fleas, you should address the problem.

A slicker brush penetrates thicker coats to get all the way down to the skin and remove dead coat.

Another important grooming tool is a sturdy pair of nail clippers. There are two types of nail clippers made for dogs: scissors-style and guillotine-style. Choose the type that you and your dog are comfortable with. It’s also helpful to have silver nitrate or styptic powder on hand to stop the bleeding in case you clip a nail too short. Another option is a nail grinder, which some dogs prefer.

Bowls

Suppertime is every puppy’s favorite time of day, followed by breakfast time, lunchtime, and afternoon treat time. You’ll need something to serve your puppy’s meals in, and the obvious answer is a bowl. There are dozens of dog-bowl options out there. The most sensible, if not the most attractive, are stainless-steel bowls—they will last almost forever and tend to be the easiest to clean, as they are nonporous and can be sanitized in the dishwasher. Plastic bowls, which come in various shapes, sizes, and depths, are usually less expensive but are not as durable, and they can harbor bacteria as the plastic gets scratched with use. Ceramic or earthenware bowls are very pretty and come in such an array of colors and patterns that you can actually coordinate your puppy’s dishes with your kitchen decor if you like. However, young puppies tend to splash in their water and knock their bowls around, so save the breakable bowls until your pup matures a bit and isn’t as active when eating and drinking.

Collars

Because his collar will mostly likely be your puppy’s only item of clothing, let’s select a collar with an eye on both function and fashion! It is important to have a collar ready for your puppy as soon as he comes home. Puppy collars are like baby clothes—tiny, adorable, and temporary. There are many collars out there, and it is important that your dog always wears at least a basic flat collar to hold his name tag. Your dog’s everyday collar is different from the collar that he will wear for training purposes. The flat collar is the puppy’s daywear and should stay on while the puppy is up and about, while the training collar will be removed after training sessions. For safety’s sake, it’s best to remove the puppy’s collar whenever he’s placed in his crate.

For your dog’s everyday collar, there are two popular types: a nylon collar with a plastic clip or a nylon or leather collar with a metal buckle. You can adjust both types of collars as your puppy grows, but keep in mind that a metal buckle closure is more secure than a plastic clip closure.

Your puppy will also need a training collar; again, the only time that your puppy should wear a training collar is when you are training him and he is under your direct supervision. If you are not practicing obedience skills or teaching him how to walk on leash, be sure to remove the training collar.

The fitted collar (or buckle collar) sits high on a dog’s neck, just below the ears. This is a great training collar for larger and older puppies, six months and up. If you feel behind the puppy’s ears, there is a slight indentation where the collar should sit. It should fit snugly around his neck, so to buy the proper size, measure around your puppy’s neck just behind the ears and add an inch. To adjust the collar to a proper fit, start with the dog facing you and place the collar around your dog’s neck. Make sure that the snap is on your right and the end ring and the sliding ring are on your left. Attach the snap to the sliding ring, not the end ring, leaving about an inch of excess collar.

The slip collar, made of nylon, cotton rope, or leather, can be one of the safest training collars. When a slip collar is used properly, your puppy will not be stressed or uncomfortable, and he will not be able to escape as easily as with other collars. To ensure a proper fit, hold the collar with your left hand so that it hangs down vertically, and take the bottom ring in your right hand. Drop the rope into and through the bottom ring, still holding on to the bottom ring with your right hand. Bring your hands together and hold the rope with the fingers of your right hand; you will see that both rings are together. With both hands on the rope, turn it upside down and turn it around so that you are looking at the collar in the shape of the letter “P” (make sure it’s not a backward “P”). Put the collar on your dog by putting his head through the top of the “P.” This is easy to remember, as “P” stands for puppy!

The martingale collar has also been called the Greyhound collar. This collar tightens around the dog’s neck when either you or the dog pulls on the leash, but it doesn’t break a dog’s coat the way a nylon rope collar can. If you have a frisky dog, putting this collar on in the beginning will be difficult because you put it on over the dog’s head and then adjust the size. Once the collar is on your dog, tighten it so that the two rings do not meet; if they do, the collar is too large. Attach the leash to the top ring, which allows the collar to tighten and release as you’re training.

A head halter, which sits on the dog’s muzzle, can work well with some dogs.

The head halter is more of a management tool than an optimum training tool. Sometimes inexperienced owners or trainers have a hard time fitting head halters correctly, and some dogs have difficulty getting used to the pressure on their muzzles, which can be even more stressful for them than a slip collar.

With a halter, start by making sure that you have the right size and type for your dog. To put it on, have the dog sit in front of you and, with your left hand, place the muzzle piece on first. Hold a treat in your right hand, in front of the muzzle, to encourage your dog to bring his head through the loop and take the treat. Be sure to give him lots of praise as he chews the treat. Next, put the collar part of the halter around the dog’s neck and adjust the size, making sure that it is sitting high on the neck.

If your dog bucks like a bronco, stop and wait until he calms down. This is not the time to soothe him. If he drops to his belly and doesn’t move, just be patient and don’t pull on the leash. Be aware that a dog can slip out of a head halter, and you don’t want a nervous, stressed dog running loose.

Leashes and Lines

Before you start training, get a thin, lightweight leash. Let your puppy get used to the leash by attaching it to his collar so he can drag it around the house while you’re supervising. Also put the leash on for walks to his potty spot, which helps with the beginnings of leash training.

For small-breed puppies, such as Havanese and Chihuahuas, a basic 4-foot-long flat leash is ideal. For larger breeds, such as Golden Retrievers or Vizslas, trainers recommend a 5- or 6-foot-long leash for puppies. Leashes come in different widths, such as 1 inch, ¾ inch, and ½ inch. The ¾-inch width is best, as it is neither too wide nor too narrow for the average hand to grasp firmly and comfortably. Cotton and nylon are popular leash materials; however, leather leashes tend to be much more comfortable in the hand than cotton and nylon, and hemp leashes offer added strength and softness.

A house line is a leash that you want the puppy to wear around the house (under your supervision only). The best house line is a lightweight round nylon lead, about 3 to 4 feet long, no matter your puppy’s breed or size. A round leash will not wrap around the legs of furniture and get stuck the way a flat leash can.

The purpose of the house line is to allow you to stop the puppy from doing something you don’t want him to do, such as taking off with your favorite shoes or grabbing the end of the toilet paper roll and dragging the paper across the house. You can simply grab the leash, bring the puppy toward you, ask for the item by saying “Give,” and then gently remove the item from his mouth. When he releases the item, tell him “Good dog!”

For a strong large-breed puppy, purchase a thick, sturdy leash.

Another benefit of the house line is that if you see the puppy starting to relieve himself in the house, you can easily interrupt his accident by grabbing the line and making a lot of noise as you rush him out the door to finish up. It is more difficult for your puppy to run away from you if he is dragging the line behind him, making it easier for you to grab hold of the line. The ability to catch your puppy in the act and correct him will create consistency in your training.

Identification

Some things never go out of style, and dog tags top this list. Today’s ID tags go way beyond engraved stainless-steel plates. There’s everything from bronze- or gold-plated tags and slide-on tags to designer bone-shaped tags and electronic devices. Whatever style you decide upon, make sure it’s firmly attached to your dog’s everyday collar. You can purchase the tag well in advance of your puppy’s arrival home. For security reasons and to prevent pet theft, don’t put your dog’s name on the tag. It is also recommended that you list just your cell phone number so that someone who finds your dog can reach you even if you are away from home.