Your New Puppy: Dog Training and Dog Behavior Lessons to Help You Turn Your New Puppy into a Well-Behaved Dog

A question I get ALL the time is about taking your puppy outside before they are fully vaccinated.  This question usually comes up during potty training but my answer has nothing to do with potty training. In short, your puppy needs to get out and start experiencing the world BEFORE they are fully vaccinated.  I know this can come into direct conflict with your veterinarian’s advice.  I am not telling you to ignore your vet! As the title of this episode suggest it is all about balancing your puppy’s physical health and their behavioral development. In this episode I talk about: What socialization is. What science tells us about when socialization is the most important. Why the advice of “keep your puppy inside until fully vaccinated” is still around even though it’s not what is best for your puppy. Suggestions on how to balance the risks of keeping your puppy physically and mentally healthy. Don’t take my word for it. In the episode, I talk about the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior and their statement on puppy socialization.   Their website is https://avsab.org/ You can get the statement I reference right here or by going directly to their website (which I recommend, they have lots of great information on dog behavior).   ​

We are always told “prepare for emergencies” or “make an emergency preparedness plan.”  The problem is the nature of an emergency is they are unpredictable and the situations are usually not something we expect.  All we can do is do our best to prepare so when it happens we at least have a head start. The type of emergencies I talk about in this episode is any situation where you either, can’t make it back home or you have to leave your home.  Having a dog can make both of these situations even more complicated. When faced with an emergency you will have a lot of things to think about.  Planning ahead can take the stress out of the situation that you are dealing with. In this Episode I walk you through making a list of people, places, and things that you may need in these types of emergencies when it comes to taking care of your dog.  Keep this list in a safe place so it’s ready for you when you need to use it. My hope for you is that this will be the best time you ever wasted.   Links mentioned in this Episode: YNP #014: How to Choose the Right Dog Care – Part One YNP #015: How to Choose the Right Dog Care – Part Two Pet Sitters Now Released: YOUR Perfect Puppy‘s online course

A fenced-in backyard is considered a very valuable resource for a dog owner.  It makes owning, potty training and exercising your dog SO much easier.  Or does it? With anything that makes our lives easier there is always a downside.   I know this, because I share this struggle with you. In this episode I talk about a very recent experience I had with my own dog.  Lucy’s behavior started to worsen out of nowhere and I started to get worried and frustrated all at the same time. Until i realized what was happening.  Lucy was BORED OUT OF HER MIND.  My fenced in backyard allowed me to get lazy and now Lucy and her behavior were showing it. With an acre of room and her sister to play with she had plenty of exercise but was lacking any other stimulation. This is why, fenced in yard or not, it is still important to get into the habit of walking your dog right away. In this episode I share my own struggle and tips on how we can work on it together. Photo by Aaron Bookout on Unsplash  I did take my own advice! Immediately after recording this episode I regretted it ( 😉 not really) because, I had to take my own advice, right?  So even though it looked like this outside: My actual front yard.  I tapped into my inner Jersey girl, toughened up, put on my snow boots, grabbed the girls’ leashes, and went out the door. I’m SO glad I did. Once I was out there and moving, it wasn’t as cold as I thought AND apparently snow changes the smell of everything because the girls acted like they haven’t seen that tree outside a hundred times before.   Leash walking resources https://positively.com/dog-behavior/basic-cues/loose-leash-walking/ ​https://ferndogtraining.com/episode20/

We know that finding the right dog food for our dog is important.  It can also be overwhelming.  Most of us want to be able to walk into a pet store, pick up a bag and make the right decision.  Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. There is a lot of different information out there about which dog food. Deciphering what is true and what is based on common beliefs that may or may not be outdated is next to impossible. To help you out, this in this episode I go over 5 myths associated with commercial dog food.  Most of these myths came from a small amount of truth BUT through a game of telephone, the misconceptions grew.   The worst of it, are some of the dog food companies take advantage of these myths to continue to sell us low-quality food for our pets. The 5 Dog Food Myths (and what the truth is) #1: Find a dog food your dog likes and stick with it. (not always) #2: Dog food has a long shelf life (sorta) #3: Grain-free means low carb (nope) #4: Higher price means higher quality (not even close) #5: The first ingredient should be meat (Yes! But that’s not the whole story) Decoding Pet Food Labels Free 5-day course delivered to your inbox. As mentioned in this episode I have a FREE dog food label mini-course! It’s a 5-day video series that goes through all the different parts of the label, from the description on the front to the ingredient list on the back.  Ready to learn more about the food you are feeding your pet? Sign up below to receive this FREE series.  You can also learn more about what’s inside the lessons here.  [tcb-script src=”https://playtimepaws.mykajabi.com/forms/159494/embed.js”][/tcb-script]

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – Benjamin Franklin The best way to stop your dog from jumping up on people is not to allow him from to do it from day one. The best way to stop your dog from sleeping on the bed with you is to teach him to sleep in his own bed from day one. I know, it sounds so simple. When your dog is a puppy it’s easy to let him jump because at that point it’s cute, not annoying. And right now he doesn’t take up that much room in the bed. It is so easy to let certain behaviors happen when they are small and cute but we end up having to fix bad habits later In this Episode, I talk about using preventive training and house rules to think ahead and make training easier. Biggest takeaway Ask yourself and your family the following questions and start enforcing the house rules from day one. Will this behavior be appropriate in the future? Will this behavior be appropriate when our puppy is full grown? Will this behavior be appropriate with small children, grandma, guests, etc? It can be tough to enforce these rules when all you want to do is play and snuggle and give your puppy whatever they want, but I promise you, your family AND your puppy will thank you for it. Resources Mentioned in the Episode Episode #008: When your Dog Jumps: How to Prevent and Correct Jumping up on People Photo by Tim Trad on Unsplash

Welcome to Part Two of the two-part series on helping you find the right dog care for you.  In part one (Episode #14) I talked all about facilities.  In this episode I talk about Pet Sitters. Who will take care of your dog when you can’t is a very common concern for most dog owners.  With good reason.  There is a high level of trust that has to happen for you to feel comfortable to leave your dog in someone else’s hands.   Good news is there are a lot of options out there nowadays.  The bad news is there is a lot of options out there nowadays. There are a few things to consider when deciding which option is right for you and your dog.  Remember that your comfort is just as important as your dog’s comfort.  If you are nervous about leaving your dog then your dog will be nervous about being left.   Even if you are clear about which service you want, now you have to find the place or person you trust.  The only way to really do that is to talk to them and ask lots of questions.  Remember this is your dog you will be leaving with them, don’t be shy about getting all the information you can. In this episode I talk about your different options when considering a pet sitter.   Most pet sitters will do home visits.  Home visits are where the sitter comes and takes care of your dog while he stays in his home environment.  Some pet sitters will even take your dog into their home and stay while you are away. In this episode I talk about both options plus how to find the pet sitter that is right for you and your dog including: Decide on what your priorities are Do your research Call and ask questions Schedule a meet and greet Do a test run. Don’t forget to check out part one (episode 14) where I talk all about facilities. Dog Care Questionnaire   To help you through this process I have provide you with a questionnaire you can use as a starting point to ask lots of questions and figure out which pet sitter is going to be the best for you and your dog. The questions are split into two categories: Pet sitters that come to your home and pet sitters that will take your dog into their home. The questions are designed to give you a head start.  They center around getting a clear picture of what is happening inside a facility once you drop your dog off.  Use these questions exactly or modify and add questions depending on your priorities and needs.   Episode #015 Free Tool:  Dog Care Questionnaire for Pet Sitters Get Your Free Tool   Additional Resources mentioned in this Episode   Episode 14: YNP #014: How to Choose the Right Dog Care – Part One   Rover.com Pet Sitters International National Association of Professional Pet Sitters  

Do a test run.   Don’t forget to check out part two (episode 15) where I talk all about pet sitters. Dog Care Questionnaire To help you through this process I have provide you with a questionnaire you can use as a starting point to ask lots of questions and figure out which facility is going to be the best for you and your dog. The questions are designed to give you a head start.  They center around getting a clear picture of what is happening inside a facility once you drop your dog off.  Use these questions exactly or modify and add questions depending on your priorities and needs. Episode #014 Free Tool:  Dog Care Questionnaire for Facilities Get Your Free Tool

  Both Dog Parks and Dog Daycares are a place for your dog to get exhausted while playing with their friends. Beyond that, you and your dog’s experience are quite different. Where dog parks are free, daycares cost money. You get to stay and interact and play with the other dogs and people at a dog park but a daycare allows you to take a break while your dog is having fun. The biggest difference is the socialization and safety of your dog. Like anything that is free, a dog park involves more caution and risk. With dog parks, any owner can show up. Daycares carefully monitor the dog’s health and behavior that participate in the play. Biggest Takeaway If you take anything away from this episode it’s this: If your goal is to socialize your dog then a daycare is a place to go and you should avoid the dog park. If you have a dog that is already well socialized, then a daycare still works. A dog park can too, as long as you use common sense and caution. In this episode, I go through the pros and cons of each so you can decide what is best for you and your dog.

You don’t have to be a dog person to know about basic obedience. It’s usually the first thing you think of when someone says “training a dog”. It is popular for very good reasons. I could list a hundred reasons for you and your dog to go through some kind of obedience training. In this episode, I name a few but I mostly talk about what, in my opinion, is the most important part of your basic obedience education. YOU are the most important part of your dog’s obedience training. Learning the commands is only half the story. Developing the relationship and bond is the other. You can’t have one without the other. If you have ever had a dog or have known a dog that only listens to one person in the family or if you have ever known a dog that knew all his commands but still didn’t behave properly then you know what I’m talking about I feel that if you approach your training as a relationship building exercise then you are going to get the most out of it. Obedience training isn’t a cure-all but it can create the foundation of your relationship and all training to come. Have you taken an obedience class? Tell us your experience. What was the best thing you got out of it? What do you wish was different? Leave a comment below and let us know.

I find so many dog owners go right for their retractable leash. And I get it! I did the same thing when I got my first dog. Retractable leashes make so much sense in theory; make it short when I want to, give them freedom when I want to. It’s like 10 leashes in one!” Except they are anything but convenient for the safety and training for your dog. If you don’t already have a retractable leash you have most likely thought about buying one. You might even think that it’s the type of leash you’re “supposed” to get. EVERYONE has one. I’m here to tell you to resist the peer pressure!! This episode is short and sweet. I go through many different reasons why you should grab your regular ol’ leash and leave the retractable leash at home next time you head out the door with your dog. Once you make the switch, I promise you will understand. The main reasons you should leave your retractable leash at home: Control Safety Bonding Resource control Enjoy!!

Potty training is a rite of passage for all puppy owners.  It’s not the pretty part of owning a new puppy but it’s the one training none of us can ignore. Sometimes we forget that our dogs don’t come pre-programmed to go to the bathroom outside. This is a habit we have to teach them. The concept of potty training and what you need to do isn’t hard.  The time, the effort, and the emotional roller coaster, that’s what’s hard. And even if you do EVERYTHING right there’s still going to be accidents and speed bumps along the way.   There are going to be times where you are going to wonder if you’re ever going to get your life back.  When are you going to be able to sit on your couch and snuggle with your puppy without constantly worrying if he has to go outside? I promise you, that time will come. First, we have to get through the potty training process. There’s no skipping it.  Yeah just have to do it. Though we can’t avoid it there are some ways to make it quicker and easier.  Here I have broken down my Complete Process to Potty Training Your Puppy.  By the end you will know exactly what to do when.  You can read on or… You can press play below to listen to Episode 10 of Your New Puppy’s Podcast here: (A podcast is a radio show or an audio blog where you can listen to me talk instead of reading about it)  I’ve also put together a 2 page cheat sheet for you with all the information and tips summarized. You can print it out and have it handy throughout the process.  It also includes a potty training schedule to help you keep track of everything.  The Potty Training Cheat Sheet and Schedule is free and yours to download and keep. Complete Guide to Potty Training Your Puppy I’ve created a guide for you that summarize the steps and tips I talk about in the episode. I’ve also created a one-page Puppy Tracker for you to use to keep track of your dog’s schedule, any accidents that happen and your wins! Keeping track of these things will be extremely helpful if coordinating with multiple people in the household. It is also a great way to find patterns if things aren’t going smoothly. In the simplest terms, we are teaching our dog, the proper place to go to the bathroom is outside.  Potty training is such a common thing for us; we forget that it’s not natural for our dogs. What IS natural for our dogs is to not go in their sleeping area. That’s why using a crate during potty training makes the whole process faster and more efficient. When used correctly, the crate will give him a safe and secure place when we can’t supervise which will greatly reduce accidents. I talk more about crate training in Your New Puppy’s Podcast Episode 05. I also do NOT use indoor potty pads at all.  You don’t want your puppy to have any idea that he might be allowed to go to the bathroom inside. I talk about why I don’t use potty pads in Your New Puppy’s Podcast Episode 09. How long it takes will depend on your dog, on you, and your family. Some dogs just pick it up right away, some struggle.  It will depend on how closely you will be able to stick to the process.  It takes time and energy and sometimes we are going to drop the ball.  What I can promise, is if you stick to this process you will see progress within a week.   Let’s go over exactly what to do, when. When should you take your dog out? We want to make sure we’re getting him out before the accidents happen. We’re not waiting for him to start circling the floor or to squat to pick him up and bring him out. We want to get him out before there’s even the potential of an accident.  The rule of thumb is your puppy can physically hold it one hour for every month they are old.  If they are a bigger breed you can add an hour.  Overnight you add an additional 2-3 hours (I talk more about overnight below).  This is the MAX we are not waiting until they definitely have to go to take them out. The mantra I teach my YOUR Perfect Puppy students is “when in doubt, take your puppy out.”  Which means even if there is a whisper of a thought that your puppy needs to go out you‘re taking your puppy outside. Obvious times are first thing in the morning, right before bed, or if it’s simply been a few hours.  PRO TIP: If you are taking him out of his crate, be completely ready before you let him out.  Your jacket’s on, shoes are on, leash and bag in hand. All you’re doing is clipping the leash on and walking up the door.  If you let him out of his crate and you’re like “oh my shoes are over by the front door” or “oh my jacket’s over in the closet.”  Too late, there’s a puddle on the floor. They will also need to go within 30 minutes of eating and 10 minutes of drinking.  You want to control the water as well as the food. Most of us are programmed to lea

Indoor pads (or wee-wee pads) have a purpose but house training should not be one of them. Indoor pads are one of those products that seem like a good idea and great tool to make house training easier but in the long run it does anything but. Not only does it add more work in the long run but it is possible your pup may never get fully housetrained. In this episode, I talk about why I strongly discourage the use of indoor pads while housetraining. If your intention is to eventually teach your puppy to only go outside these pads can be detrimental to this training. If you plan to use indoor pads indefinitely, I give you a few reasons why that may not be a great idea either. For some indoor pads are a great option but for most, they are not. Potty training is a right of passage for any puppy owner. It’s a time-consuming process that can be frustrating at times so it’s only natural for us to grab something that might make it easier. However, I promise you if you put in the work now, it will be worth it in the end.

When your dog jumps on you, your family and your friends it can quickly turn into an annoying habit. Luckily there are a few things we can do to prevent or correct this behavior. Most of the time our dog jumps on us it is to get our attention. And if we are honest most of the time, that is exactly what we give them. Remember attention is attention, good or bad. So even if you are telling your dog no and pushing him off you, to your dog, that’s attention. Why does your dog jump? It usually starts when they are puppies because they are so darn cute and it seems harmless. Who can resist those big eyes, right?? Only, when our dogs grow up it may not be as cute and they don’t know the difference. If our pup has always jumped up on us for attention and if it works for them that is what they will always do, muddy paws or not. In this episode, I talk about preventing, ignoring and redirecting your dog’s jumping. I use coming home as the main example but these tips can be used in whichever scenario your dog is jumping on you. Links in this episode: Episode 4: How to Get a Strong Recall: Three Things You Can Do Now to Teach Your Dog to Come Every Time You Call. (I also want to mention I am very surprised I have gotten to episode 8 without my back up singers making an appearance.)

I had a lot of fun recording our first Q&A episode! You asked some great questions that have influenced the topics of many episodes and now I want to answer some specific questions. In this episode, I answer three great questions sent in by listeners. Topics include: Multiple dog household Handing a new young dog with older dogs The difference between adding a male or female dog to your pack. If you have your own questions to ask we want to hear them. You can email us directly at [yournewpuppy (@) playtimepaws.com] or if you sign up for our weekly updates you will not only get information when new episodes are released but you can reply directly to the email that is sent to you. Links discussed in this episode Episode #002: Which Type of Dog is Right for You Episode #005: How (and Why) to Make Their Crate Your Dog’s Best Friend Episode #006: My Dog Steals my Stuff!! How to Protect your Dog and your Things Episode #007: Why Dogs Dig and What You Can Do About It Psychology Today – Aggression Between Dogs in the Same Household If you are enjoying this Podcast head over to iTunes and leave us a rating and review! This will help others find us!

Does your backyard look like someone has been digging for gold? Having a crater filled back yard is frustrating, not pretty and can even be dangerous. Digging is one of those things that dogs just love to do. It’s right up there with barking and chewing and being with us. The most common reasons why a dog digs is boredom or has too much energy and he is looking to entertain himself. Other reasons could be to cool dog, chase an animal or even escape. Because this is such a natural behavior your best bet is to redirect or distract from the digging instead of trying to just stop it. In this episode, I talk about the reasons dogs dig and some ways to help save your yard. I talk a little about using a “sandbox” which is a designated place in the yard where your dog is allowed to dig. This is what I do and it works well. In fact, here is Lucy sitting in one of her holes. It’s her favorite because it’s nice and cool and she can watch the street.

What do we do when our dog steals our stuff? We all know the scene: it’s gotten a little too quiet so you go searching for the little fuzzball that was just at your feet. You turn the corner and there he is, chomping happily away on the book you were reading earlier, or maybe it’s something that clearly came out of the garbage. First, you panic because don’t know how much he actually ate. Once you know he’s ok, it’s time to clean up the mess or mourn the possession you are now tossing in the trash. Dogs love to chew. It’s just a fact. It’s one of the basic things that all dogs do. But when our dog steals our things to chew on it can be dangerous and at the very least, frustrating. What do we do to protect our dog and our stuff? In this episode, I talk about a few things that you can start doing to stop your dog from stealing your stuff. I also go over how to teach him what he is allowed to chew on. To give you an example I have a case study for you to give you an idea of how I handled this in a real world situation. Links and Info in this episode: Episode 5 (Crate Training)

When we think of crate training, we usually think of potty training our puppy.  It makes sense because these two things go hand and hand.  Using a crate is the best and most efficient way to potty train our dogs.   In this episode, I want to convince you that crate training goes way beyond potty training.  If done correctly a crate can be an essential training tool and a way to give you peace of mind long after potty training is over.   In this episode of Your New Puppy I will go over: Benefits to crate training your dog (and keep them crate trained). Pros and cons of the main types of crates. Where in your house your crate should go. How to make your dog LOVE his crate. Tips if your dog doesn’t love his crate right now. Press play to listen to this podcast episode or subscribe to Your New Puppy where ever you listen to your podcasts. Resistance to Crate Training I understand a lot of new dog owners can have resistance to using a crate altogether. A lot of people see it as a cage or think it’s unfair to the dog.  Especially if you adopted them from a shelter. I hear this a lot that, “they were in a cage in the shelter. I don’t want to have them in one at home…”  I want you to look at it from a different perspective. We have cribs and playpens for our children to give them a place where they can play or sleep.  We have peace of mind knowing that they are safe while they’re in there. A crate is for a dog is no different. That’s why I’m going to give you some tips and pointers to make this a great oasis for your dog. That way your dog’s going to love it and you’re going to have peace of mind. It’s a win-win situation. Benefits to Crate Training Your Dog The most common reasons for crate training is to help with potty training and keep them safe (and our stuff safe) while they are still in the chewing stage.  What happens is, once he’s house trained and you trust him to be in the house unsupervised, then we come away from the crate and we stop using it altogether. There are a lot of reasons to keep them used to and loving their crate way beyond puppy-hood. When you have to board your dog. Especially if you go with a traditional boarding where they’re going to be confined, even if it’s only at night, if your dog already has a good association with the crate with that, there’s an extra peace of mind knowing that he’s going to be comfortable there. When I used to board dogs in my house I didn’t require a crate (with the exception of puppies not yet potty trained)  But if they were crate trained, I highly recommend bringing their crate because the dogs who slept in the crates at night made the best transition to the new environment. I very rarely had any kind of whining or anxiety. If your dog ever has to stay at the vet, either overnight or just during the day, they’re going to keep them in a kennel or crate.  Knowing that they will be comfortable in the kennel can take away some of the stress that you will probably feel from having to leave them there in the first place.  The few times Lucy had to stay at the vet they commented to me on how comfortable my she was while staying there.  She just curled up in the kennel and went sleep.  If you have people coming in and out of your house. They could be professionals working on your house or if you have a cleaning service that comes in a few times a month.  If you have visitors. Not everyone likes dogs (I don’t understand it, but I respect it).  Or everyone is dressed up. Maybe it’s a child that’s a little scared of dogs.  It’s great to have an option where you can give your dog a bully stick or a really great toy and he can chill in this crate for a little bit and be perfectly content. If there is an emergency. It’s something we don’t always want to think about but if we ever need to evacuate our home if your dog can be kept in a crate, the options of where you can go and bring your dog with you, increase.  These are things that aren’t going to happen every day, but when they do happen, it’s really, nice to have that option.  Once your dog is an adult you don’t have to keep them in their crate every day but just enough that they are used to it.  For my dogs, what I do is every single time I give my dogs a bully stick, they chew on it in their crate. Now as soon as my hand goes into the bully stick bin, they both run to their crates and that’s where they chew on it.  Lucy, my younger girl, still sleeps in her crate every night (I’ll talk about her crate more in a minute).   ​Main Types of Crates  The first thing that you have to think about is which type of crate is going to work best for you. Let’s look at a few of the most common ones.  Wire (Life Stages) Crate: The most popular one is the one that lo

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about your recall command; most commonly known as “come”.  I’m not going to be talk about teaching your dog the actual command. What I am going to talk about is building a few everyday habits so when it comes time to teach your dog the command, it’s going to be a heck of a lot easier.  In fact, if you do this right, a formal command may not be necessary.  Your dog will always want to come running when you call them. If you have a brand new puppy you are going to start these habits from day one.  If you’ve had a dog for a while and maybe aren’t doing some of these things, that’s okay, because you’re just going to make today day one! In addition, I have a bonus that teaches you how to play a game with your dog that reinforces everything we are going to talk about.  It’s also a great way to tire out your dog and create some family bonding!  More on that in a minute. The three habits I’m going to go over are: Never call your dog to you for ANYTHING your dog sees as negative. NEVER chase your dog. Add a collar grab. Each of these 3 habits is based on the fact that we are always training our dog, whether we realize it or not. If you have noticed that your dog knows you’re leaving the house an hour before you actually do, you know what I’m talking about (sometimes I’m a little disappointed at how predictable I am).  That’s because they are ALWAYS paying attention to our body language, actions, and habits. We’re going to use this to our advantage. Let’s get started. Psst: Don’t miss out on the free tool I tell you all about at the end! Press play to listen to this podcast episode or subscribe to Your New Puppy where ever you listen to your podcasts. 1. NEVER call your dog to you for ANYTHING your dog sees as negative  (and every time they do come to you make it a good thing) This is where you need to be aware of your own actions. Sometimes we have to change our own habits first, which we all know isn’t easy. The recall command isn’t about getting your dog to listen; it’s about you being in competition with their environment.  We don’t want him to have any idea in their head that coming to you is the wrong decision.  Every single time he comes to you it’s a good thing because one day it’s going to be a choice between you and that squirrel across the street and you want to give yourself a fighting chance. For example, he’s running around, he’s playing outside, you call him to you and you bring him inside. From your dog’s point of view, he was playing and having fun and when he came running over to you he had to go inside (boo!).    How about when she’s playing with something she shouldn’t have. You call him to you and then you take it away from her. Well, all she knows is she came running over to you and she got him new fun toy taken away.   This goes for bath time, or clipping their nails, or giving them medicine (unless it’s wrapped in peanut butter, then feel free to call them to you).   Anything that your dog is going to see as not fun, you go to your dog, do not call him to you. Before you call your dog to you, look at it from his point of view and decide can I call him to me or should I go to get him.  It’s gonna take a little practice to start seeing things through your dog’s eyes. It’s something to practice and to always, always keep in mind.  We want to be doing this every single day so it becomes a habit for us too. 14 Days to a Stronger Recall Teaching your dog to come to you in any environment is the key to your peace of mind and your dog’s freedom.  In just 14 days you’ll be on your way to feeling the pride and joy that comes with having a strong, reliable recall with your dog.  But did you know teaching your dog to come when called isn’t just teaching your dog another command. It’s developing a day habit with your dog.  Your own behavior is the most powerful tool you have when teaching your dog a strong, reliable recall.  Inside 14 Days to a Stronger Recall you’ll learn the skills your dog needs, the habits you need and the mistakes to avoid to have your dog coming to you in any environment.  2. NEVER chase your dog (and teach games where your dog chases you)  Chase is one of those fundamental games that dogs love, love, love to play. If you watch a group of dogs playing, you will almost always see a game of chase happening. Your dog has probably tried to play this with you. DO NOT CHASE THEM.  Even in play. If you play the chase game with them, you know the one, he has a toy maybe you’re running around the yard.  It is a fun game to play, but you don’t want him to decide to play that game when he has something dangerous or he just got off-leash and he’s

Leaving food out for you dog all the time is convenient and seems harmless on the surface, but there are many downsides to free feeding. I talk about how free feeding can affect your dog’s behavior, health, potty training and more. You will also get some tips on how to change the habit if it has already started.   Feel free to share or leave a comment below.

Once you have decided that you are ready for a dog (if you haven’t check out episode 1) it’s time to figure out which dog is right for you. During this episode, I talk about 10 different traits to think about to help you decide what type of dog will best fit into your life. While I use examples of different breeds, I do this just to give you a picture of what I’m talking about. Deciding which traits and qualities are best for you isn’t about picking a specific breed. My goal for you is to just be aware that all different types of dogs exist. Remember it is possible to find a dog that you will not only love and care for but that will fit into your life so you can have the best experience possible. I believe that is essential in doing what is best for both your family and the new member you are welcoming in! The specific traits I will talk about are: Size Energy Training Shedding Grooming Noise Territorial Gender Climate Here are additional resources that you can use to research a little further. https://www.akc.org/breed-selector-tool/ https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/dog-breed-quiz-what-dog-should-i-get/ http://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds http://iheartdogs.com/the-10-best-dog-breeds-for-first-time-owners/ https://www.amazon.com/Original-Dog-Bible-Definitive-Source-ebook/dp/B005PYJXDQ/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1 Free Tool! Which Dog is Right for you Workbook! To help you out I’ve developed a tool to walk you through the different traits and qualities to figure out which ones are the most important to you. If you are interested you can request a copy below. It will be delivered directly to your inbox.

Want a new dog? Not sure if you are ready? Getting a new dog is a big decision and a long term commitment. Getting a dog isn’t something you can decide overnight, so we are here to help you figure it out! This episode walks you through 5 questions to ask yourself to see if you are ready for a new dog. Are You Ready for A New Dog? is the first part in a two-part series. Episode 002 will walk you through which type of dog is right for you. The five questions we will go over are: Do I have time for a dog? Can I afford a dog? Does my living situation allow for a dog? How will I care for my dog when I travel? Does a dog fit into my life now and in the future? We will talk about the different things you need to think about when answering these questions. Free Tool: Are you Ready for a New Dog Workbook. To help you answer these questions honestly, below is a workbook where you can write down your answers. This tool is designed to help you work through any challenges and solutions to the above questions. There is also room to add your own questions, depending on your specific situation.

Welcome to Your New Puppy’s Podcast!! Getting a new puppy (or dog) is exciting and fun but it can also be very overwhelming. No one gets a good dog by accident. It takes time and energy to get the well-behaved dog we all dream of when we decided to bring home our new four-legged family member. My goal is to guide you through all the information you need to guide you through the first months to a year and beyond, so you can get back to the fun! In this episode, I tell you a little about me, who I am as a trainer and what you can expect from Your New Puppy’s Podcast. Resources: [email protected]: Use this email to let us know what you want to hear about.   I look forward to talking with you!!