When you begin training, dog training aids are a great way to get started. Crates are a fantastic way to allow your dog to feel safe, and although it may seem like a cage to us, to a dog it actually makes them feel more secure. A crate is one training aid you won’t want to be without.

The other aid you wont want to be without is treats. Find out what your puppy loves best, and then give it to him for doing good things! Nothing is more effective.

Most of all enjoy it – these first few months a magical time and allow you to buuild a lifelong bond with your dog.

Normally puppies learn bite inhibition by playing with their siblings. If the puppy bites too hard while playing then the other puppies will let it know with a high pitched yelp or cry. This helps the dog o understand when it is biting too hard.

This is why puppies naturally mouth or gently bite when they are young as it is a natural thing for them to do. Because of this it’s very important to never punish your puppy for mouthing. Instead use it as a tool to teach puppy bite inhibition.

How To Train Your Puppy In Bite Inhibition

The best way to train your puppy in bite inhibition is to act like its siblings would. So if he bites you, make a high pitched “oww” sound and then walk away. This teaches the puppy that it has bitten too hard, and also that biting won’t get attention. Make sure the sound you make is short and sharp and that you walk away from the puppy immediately so it knows why you are ignoring it.

Keep repeating this until your puppy learns that biting isn’t the right thing to do.

You should perform bite inhibition training even when the puppy doesn’t bite hard enough to hurt. A well trained dog will never bite, even playfully, so it’s best to try to train the dog that it is wrong for its teeth to make contact with human skin – even in a playful way.

Bite Inhibition Tips

• Playing with your puppy is a great way to train bite inhibition. When the puppy goes to bite you will walk away, letting it know that play time has stopped. Before long the puppy will associate the end of play time with biting and won’t bite anymore.
• Punishing your dog or losing patience will only hinder your training efforts. Remember that puppies naturally learn through biting and mouthing, you just need to train them to be able to control it.

If your dog isn’t a puppy but has still not learned bite inhibition it is possible to train it, but it will take more time and patience.

There are many places you can buy a dog and a lot of them provide a great service and wonderful dogs, but it’s important to make sure your breeder cares about the dogs it sells rather than just using them as a money spinner.

Once you’ve decided which types of dog you want to get it will narrow down your search considerable. Try talking to a few reputable breeders who specialise in your breed. You can either find them through dog welfare organisations or online. If you are looking for an adult dog then consider visiting some of the local shelters.

Should I Buy Dogs From The Internet?

For various reasons it is probably not a good idea to buy a dog from the internet. You should always meet with the current owner and see the dog before committing.

A Breeder Is Selling Lots Of Litters – Is This A Good Or Bad Thing?

While some might say that if a breeder has lots of litters it is likely to be experienced, it can also show that they are just in it for the money. Be careful with these kind of breeders and make sure the dog you are buying is healthy.

A Breeder Won’t Let Me See The Dog, Is This Normal?

All good breeders will encourage prospective owners to meet their puppies. If they care about their dogs then they will want to know they are going to good homes. Good breeders will also know lots about the breed of dog they are selling, so don’t be afraid of asking questions.

Some breeders also try to pass off mixed breed dogs as pure-bred, so be extremely cautious if a breeder won’t let you see the dog first.

Do Shelter Dogs Make Good Pets?

Many dogs from shelters can make wonderful pets, but they are likely to be more nervous than other dogs because of their time confined in the shelter.

Hi Richard, is there a “best” time to get a dog? If so when is it? I’m thinking of getting a dog over Christmas but have heard lots of bad things about this.

Allen

In most cases there is not a general “best” time of year to get a new dog – it depends on your own situation.

When your dog is a puppy it requris the most attention, so you should try to get it when you have the most free time to devote to it. This can help with establishing a training routine and building a bond with the puppy.

I’d advise against getting a puppy at Christmas or any other big holiday though. Although we all enjoy Christmas, it can be a more stressful time than we realise. This is definitely not the right state of mind to be in when you get a new dog.

Hope that helps!

Some of the basic questions you should ask yourself when thinking about getting a dog are:

• Does your work or lifestyle allow you to give them time needed to a dog?
• Do you have enough money to support a dog?
• In ten years time, will you still be able to care for a dog properly?

The first point it probably the most important. A new dog needs lots of love and attention if it is to be happy. Do you have enough time to feed, exercise and train a dog? Not to mention spending time with it generally to form a strong bond. Dogs are sociable animals and hate to be on their own, so if your lifestyle means you won’t spend much time with the dog it may not be a good idea to get one.

Most new owners also don’t fully realise the financial cost of owning a dog. When doing the maths to see whether you have the money available you need to think about food, grooming costs, training equipment, toys and medical costs. Generally a dog will end up costing more than you budgeted for because of the small things like leads and toys, so make sure you remember that.

The last one is especially hard to answer as who really knows where they will be in ten years time? A lot can change in a decade, but it is important to consider that a new dog is likely to live for at least this long.

Training a dog can often be frustrating – not to mention tiring! However it is essential if you want your dog’s life to be a happy and fulfilled one.  Training should start as soon as possible and should be a daily event. If you don’t think you’ll have enough time to train or exercise your dog each and every day then that could be a problem.

Having a dog is great most of the time, but you must be prepared for the occasional inconveniences. They can be fantastic pets and wonderful companions but as an owner you must be willing to accept responsibility for the dog – through good and bad times.

All dogs – especially when they’re puppies – have a lot of energy which can get them into some dangerous situations sometimes! Try to think of your puppy as a human toddler – very inquisitive and full of energy.

Potential Hazards Outdoors

• When your dog is a puppy it should never be left outside unsupervised. Always make sure that you have a securely fenced off area for your dog to go in – you never know when a dog could get the urge to roam.
• If you have even a small pond it should be fenced off before the dog or puppy is allowed outside.
• Small, sharp objects can be a major danger to dogs as they tend to try and eat most things! Before you let your dog out for the first time you should check around the garden for anything that might be harmful.

Potential Indoor Hazards

• Like you would for small children, keep all medicines out of reach and secure.
• Be careful when your dog goes under the table when you’re eating. Apart from it being a nuisance, it’s very easy to forget the dog is there and lean back on the chair, only to come back down right on the dog.
• Make sure all small objects are kept well away from the dog at all times.
• Make sure the house is secure when you can’t see the dog. That means windows, doors and even cat flaps.
• Don’t feed your dog any human food unless you are absolutely sure it is safe for the dog to do so.
• If you have to leave your dog unsupervised for any length of time make sure it is in a secure place.
• Stairs can be dangerous, so make sure they are properly closed off with a gate. Especially when your pet is still a puppy.

These are just some of the potential hazards in the average home, but if you really want to make a secure and safe environment for your dog you need to regularly check for any new dangers.

This is a big question and shouldn’t be answered lightly. All breeds of dogs can take up a large part of your time. They need exercising, feeding, health care and not to mention a large amount of love and attention. Getting a brand new puppy can be even more time consuming as it involves a lot of training.
Until you’ve had experience living with a dog this can be a difficult question to answer, but there are a few general guidelines you can follow.

• Aim to put aside at least an hour a day to exercise the dog no matter which breed you get. The dog might need even longer than that if it is a large energetic breed.
• When you first get the puppy you should be aiming to do around half an hour training a day (split up into shorter periods).
• Every so often your dog will need to be taken to the vet which can take an hour or more.
• You should also remember that when you’re not around your dog will miss you! There isn’t much point getting a dog if you can’t spend any real time with it after all, so make sure you have enough spare time during the day to spend with the dog.

Spending time having fun with your dog is the best reason of all to get a new puppy, so if you have a busy schedule you should think carefully about whether you can devote enough time to your new pet.

2. Is my house big enough for a dog?

This is often overlooked, but dogs take up a lot of space! If you already have a cramped house getting a dog is definitely not going to help the situation.

This is where the right breed choice comes into play. It’s obvious that bigger dogs need more room in the house to be able to stretch their legs, so if you have a smaller house a smaller breed would be best. Of course if your house is overcrowded already then you’ll need to consider whether it is fair on the dog to keep it cooped up – and whether your family will be able to cope!

3. Can I afford a dog?

Another big consideration is whether you can financially support a dog on top of all your other commitments. It’s easy to underestimate how much a dog really costs, so here are a few of the things you’ll need to pay for if you get a new puppy.

• Dog Food
• Health Care
• Training Classes
• Toys and Equipment (i.e. leads, bowls, crates etc)
• Grooming (if required for your dog)

These can add up to a lot of money over time, so you need to be 100% sure you have the money available to care for a dog before you commit.

4. What do I want from a dog?

This is something only you can answer, but you should consider it carefully as it will affect which breed you get. There are many questions that you need to answer yourself personally. For example, do you have young children so need a small dog? Are you living in a flat? Do you live in the city or near woodland? Have you had experience training a dog or do you need one that is intelligent and easier to train? Do you have to have a pure bred? Do you want a house dog? Do you want your dog for protection?

Getting a new puppy is a wonderful time as long as you make sure you are absolutely ready for a pet in your life. I think that the love, effort and care you put into a dog is more than worth the reward you get form building up a wonderful relationship with your pet. However if you aren’t 100% sure you can support a dog then it could spell disaster for both you and the puppy. Try to answer the above choosing a puppy quiz honestly so you can gauge how ready you are to get a new puppy.

If your dog isn’t properly trained in the basics, that it can be more than annoyance and turn into a safety hazard. For example, if you are out on a walk you need to be 100% certain that your dog will come to you should anything unexpected happen.

In general, teaching a dog follows the same outline with only the details changed depending on what you want to teach the dog. Below are instructions for training your dog to sit, but you can adapt them to whatever command or trick you wish.

So here is how to train a puppy to sit:

1. First of all, you need to set the right environment to teach your dog. Try to have training sessions while your dog is hungry so it will be more receptive to the treats you’ll be using as rewards. Also make sure your puppy isn’t tired or it won’t be able to learn as effectively.

2. Now onto the actual training. Hold a treat in your hand so it is visible to the dog and then slowly raise it upwards. At first your dog will try to look up, and then it will sit so it can jeep its eyes on the treat.

3. As soon as the dog sits issue the “sit” command. With practice, the dog should associate the act of sitting with the right command.

4. Repeat this several times then have a break. New puppies have notoriously short attention spans, and over training will provide poor results. As the puppy gets more confident try issuing the “sit” command without moving the treat.

Before long your puppy will associate the command with the action. The next step is to practice it in an environment where there are distractions, so that you know that when you’re really need your dog to be obedient it will be.

Training your puppy to sit should not be a chore for you or the puppy. Think of your puppy like a small child, and try to make training sessions fun. You’ll find you get much better results this way.

Puppy Growth Rate Is Breed Dependant

It goes without saying that some breeds grow up faster than others. Smaller breeds tend to grow up faster and become adults after around one to one and a half years. This can vary with individual breed though. The bigger dogs aren’t fully matured for around 2 years in some cases, and can continue to grow throughout their growth.

How Can I Tell When A Puppy Is Fully Grown?

There is no exact time when a puppy officially becomes an adult, just like there is no real time when you can say a human child becomes an adult (emotionally and physically anyway). Every puppy is different.

You should start switching from puppy to adult dog food at around the one year mark for smaller dogs. For bigger dogs you can wait a bit longer to make sure it is still getting the nutrition it needs for the quick growth it is experiencing.

When you first get a puppy, knowing your puppy growth rate is not something that most owners think about. With bigger dogs especially though you need to be able to gauge at least approximately how fast a big the dog will get so you can plan to have your home ready and suitable in time.

Some things you should consider before getting a puppy include:

• How fast will the puppy grow up and how big will it get? Don’t make the mistake of getting a cute and small puppy without realising that it is a large dog when fully grown and your house isn’t big enough.
• Can I provide the exercise the puppy needs while it is growing up?
• Will I be able to give the puppy the love and attention required?

There are some simple steps you can take to makes sure your Chihuahua is as health as possible. First of all, you should always get advice from your vet about the health of your dog and what can be done to keep it healthy. Your vet will be able to advise you on how best to care for any breed of dog.

Secondly, just like any other breed of dog regular exercise is vital if you want to keep your pet healthy. Some Chihuahua owners make the mistake of thinking that because the dog is so small that it won’t need as much exercise. You should always try to give a Chihuahua daily walks to keep it fit and healthy. Unfortunately many Chihuahuas end up cooped up inside small apartments or houses without much exercise which is one of the main reasons for ill health.

Because of their size Chihuahuas can be more affected by dangerous substances than other breeds of dogs, so you need to take special care in what you leave lying around the house. On a similar note, because of their small size they are more susceptible to being accidentally “run over” by people running through the house, so if you have children around make sure they are aware of the dog and take care not to tread on it.

Potty training is extremely important because Chihuahuas often spend even more time indoors than other dogs. You can find out more about house training here.

Like any other dog, Chihuahuas needs to socialise with other dogs if they are to me non-aggressive. From a young age (and when it is safe to do so) you should allow your pet to meet other dogs, but you’ll need to be more careful than usual because of the size of your dog.

The most important thing to remember is that Chihuahuas are like any other dog in many ways. As long as you give them exercise, feed them healthy and nutritious food and take them to the vets whenever necessary they are likely to have a long and healthy life. Knowing how to raise Chihuahua puppies is largely the same as any other dog, with a few exceptions as listed above.