Crate Training and Puppy Love
Posted: February 2nd, 2011 | 
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The single most important thing you can do with a new puppy is crate training. If you can make your puppy love his crate, you’re well on your way to having a great family pet. If not, be prepared for your living room rug to suddenly develop new stains and odors.
The crate is also a very important tool in helping you manage your dog’s behavior until is he is a well-trained pup. So, just how do you get your new puppy to love his crate? The first thing is to commit to it from day one. Do not put a new puppy in your bed or you’ll never get him out.
To help your puppy learn to love his crate, you want to make his crate a comfortable safe place. For a brand new puppy, I would hold off on the Orvis dog bed until you can trust your puppy not to eat it. In the beginning, an old towel does just fine.
"Really kid, it's for your own good."
Location is another key point. You want to place the crate in a central location in your home where the puppy can be near the family. You also want it nearby so you will use it. Usually a kitchen or family room is a good place to put the crate. If you want to have a crate in the bedroom for nights, that’s fine with me. Just make sure you have a crate in the main area of the house as well.
Inside the crate, I like to have one or two things for the puppy to chew on or play with. In the beginning, be careful not to put too many things in the crate because there is a high likely hood of them being urinated on.
Introduce your puppy to the crate by tossing a couple of treats into the back of the crate. Let the puppy wander in after the treats and close the door. Let him back out after a minute or so and then repeat. I like to shake the treat bag before I toss the treats in the crate. The puppy learns to come running to the crate when he hears this sound. For the next month, every time you put your puppy in the crate, toss one or two treats in the back. You’ll soon find you new puppy coming in the house and running to his crate.
At some point, you’re going to have to leave your puppy in the crate for longer than he will like. He will most likely start whining a little or even giving a little puppy bark. What you do when he starts whining will determine your future success. Never let a whining, barking puppy out of the crate. If you do, you’re teaching him that in order to get out, he has to whine for an extended time (usually at night).
In the beginning, your puppy may have an accident or two in his crate. Don’t worry; you’re not setting the puppy’s development back. He is just learning how to hold it. Don’t forget, the reason you’re using the crate in the first place is so he isn’t going to the bathroom in your house. I would much prefer my puppy pee in his crate rather than in my living room.
Most puppies catch on to the crate pretty easily. In order to make this task easier, make the crate comfortable, have something for the puppy to do in the crate and use it often. You’ll have a much better behaved puppy for it.
Winter Can’t Last
Posted: January 29th, 2011 | Comments Off
Can it? With several feet of snow on the ground, taking care of your dog can be quite challenging. It’s funny how everybody likes walking the dog when it’s sunny and toasty warm. When it’s 10 degrees and snowing, not so much. Unfortunately, tossing the pooch out the back door to take care of business on her own, doesn’t always work.
A client recently called to ask me what was wrong with her puppy. Apparently, when she lets the puppy out, the puppy will just sit by the door whimpering to come back in. When she lets her back in (thinking the puppy has taken care of business), the puppy will sneak off and take care of business behind the couch.
When asked if she went outside with the puppy, the owner said, “Oh heavens no, it was freezing out there.” I delicately pointed out to her that that might be part of the problem.
“Put yourself in the puppy’s paws.” I said. “If you knew you had a choice of where to take care of your business, which scenario would you choose?”
#1. You wake up in your nice warm crate. Your owner opens the crate door and before you know it, you find yourself staring at the wrong side of a sliding glass door. One step off the stairs and you’re up to your privates in ice cold snow. After an hour of laborious digging, you finally dig deep enough to stand on firm ground. Shivering from the cold, you now relieve yourself.
Or
#2. You wake up in your nice warm crate. Your owner opens the crate door and before you know it, you find yourself staring at the wrong side of a sliding glass door. Instead of stepping off the stairs into Antarctica, you put on your sad pathetic face and start whining softly. After a very short time you are let in, picked up and hugged. Once placed back on the ground you are forgotten about. You now run to the kitchen, grab a coffee, grab the paper and head for behind the couch. With Dr. Phil playing softly in the background, you now relieve yourself.
“I gotta tell you,” I said to the client, “given those choices, I’m going behind the couch too.”
While the answer to this problem is simple, the answer stinks. The answer is: You have to put on your boots, coat and gloves – and walk the dog away from the house until she goes. If you don’t witness a pee and a poop, the puppy goes back into her crate for awhile. Don’t give the puppy the opportunity to be alone behind the couch. Trust me, not only will it be better for the puppy, it will also be better for anyone near your couch.
Hang it there, spring is around the corner.
Bill
Back to Blogging
Posted: October 1st, 2010 | Comments Off
Whew! Things have been a little crazy in the Smiling Dog world. Since my last post many cute little puppies have come and gone. I also spent the better part of the summer recovering from a little medical procedure. All of that has kept me from my true love, blogging. Well, rest assured I’m back. Take a look at the trained puppies for sale section of this website. I have two beautiful English lab puppies trained and ready to go. Both are ready to lay under your kitchen table and eat anything that hits the floor.
Smiling Dog Puppies in Live Benefit Auctions
Posted: March 4th, 2010 | (1) Comment
Definately not a sissy's dog.
On March 6th two of Smiling Dog’s very own puppies will be featured items in two local benefit auctions. One organization is the Healing Hearts Pediatric Foundation. They will have the opportunity to bid on my yellow/white lab named Tank. Tank is a man’s man kind of dog. He is going to be a very big boy and will eventually dwarf all of someone’s expensive furniture and small children. He is great with kids and other dogs.
"Please... spoil me."
The other puppy being auctioned is Tank’s little sister, Charley Girl. CG is extremely playful and affectionate. She is always looking for a comfortable lap to lay across. Solid puppy with a great temperament.
Christmas Surprise
Posted: February 27th, 2010 | Comments Off
The perfect Christmas present.
With the holidays in the rear view mirror, I came across this picture sent to me by a client. Christmas 2009, The Smith family in Westport, CT became the proud owners of one of our trained Smiling Dog puppies. As timing would have it, Smiling Santa himself was able to suit up and make the delivery himself. On a personal note, once in your lifetime I encourage everyone to don an ill-fitted Santa suit and go for a drive early Christmas morning. The reactions are priceless.
Having already opened presents, the Smith children and other assorted relatives were basking in the glow of yet another successful Christmas – when the doorbell rang. The parents quickly duct taped the kids to the couch and ran to the door to meet Santa and Jack. Santa handed mom the leash and she confidently walked Jack into the family room to meet the kids that would spoil him and sneak him table food for the rest of his life.
It was a great morning for Jack and The Smiths… for Santa too.
Winter and Dogs
Posted: December 7th, 2009 | (1) Comment
As I peer out the window I see the results of the first snowfall of the year. Our friends Mr. Snow, Ms. Ice and The Cold Family are just beginning to warm up their act here in New England. Don’t forget that winter weather not only impacts us, it impacts our four legged friends as well.
Some dogs tolerate cold well, others not so well. As the mercury drops, keep a close eye on your dog and look for any signs of cold related trouble. It’s OK to let your dog outside, just be sure and check on him or her often. If you happen to check on your canine companion and find him rigid with all four of his paws frozen to the patio, you should seriously consider checking more often.
In addition to the temperature, other winter hazards await as well. When the ice arrives, many of us start throwing salt or other chemicals on our sidewalks and driveways. Some of these products can get stuck between the pads of your dog’s feet and actually burn your dog’s feet. Think about taking your pup with you on your weekly pedicure appointment.
"Did someone mention pedicure??"
While your Pedicurist is checking your dog’s paws for salt and chemicals, have him or her trim any excess hair around your dog’s paws. Snow and ice have a tendency to pack up on excessive paw hair, making it painful for your pup to prance.
If you do notice your dog limping, be sure and take a close look at the pads on the bottom of his paw. Sometimes these pads can get cut or torn when a dog runs across a sharp piece of ice. The solution here is to buy your dogs the new steel-toed Timberland Pro series boot. It sure beats the sissy little sock things those Iditarod sled dogs wear.
Enjoy the weather. “Let’s be careful out there.”
Golden Doodle Puppies
Posted: November 13th, 2009 | (5) Comments
Two trained male golden doodle puppies will be ready to go to their new homes in time for Thanksgiving. Max and Jack are nearing their end of their training program. These two guys have been my first experience raising golden doodle puppies. I have to admit they have been a delight. Easily crate trained, eager to please always responsive to a recall. These dogs will quickly adapt to a busy family life. Both puppies are currently putting the finishing touches on their basic obedience. Both also realize that Thanksgiving is coming up and they both want to be happily underneath someone’s Thanksgiving table by then.
Puppy Fix
Posted: November 4th, 2009 | (1) Comment
There’s nothing like a good puppy fix. My last group of trained golden retriever puppies have all been found by great homes. Three of the pups stayed right here in Connecticut. One puppy is enjoying a two-home lifestyle in Chicago and Branson, MO. My last puppy, Buddy is going to arrive at his new home in New Hampshire this weekend. With things so quiet, I figured why not grab a few more puppies and cut back on what little sleep I’m getting anyway!
While delivering one of my pups to Illinois last week, a breeder friend of mine introduced me to a breeder friend of hers. To make a long story short, I drove home with two male 16 week old black golden doodles. You never know about puppies. Some are easy to housebreak, some are not. Some are easy to train, some are not. So far (fingers crossed), these guys have been great. No accidents in the crate and only minimal whining. They do happen to do one thing that I find extremely bizarre. When playing on the other side of the yard and I yell… “Come!” They actually come running.
I sure the bloom will wear off the rose eventually, but so far, it looks like these guys are going to make great gentle companions for some lucky families. Pictures to follow.
New Puppy Tips
Posted: September 30th, 2009 | Comments Off
"Let us out! We're sorry. How were we supposed to know that was a new couch?"
Bringing a New Puppy Into Your Home
Bringing a new puppy into your home is never easy (…unless you buy a trained puppy from Smiling Dog!). Keep in mind that a puppy is puppy until they are at least a year old. Don’t be in a big hurry to give your new puppy complete run of the house until he’s earned it. If you run into a situation where your new puppy poops in the house or chews a hole in your new leather couch, here’s what you do. Grab the nearest newspaper you can find and roll it up nice and tight. Once it’s nice and tight and shaped like a club, take that newspaper and hit yourself in the head over and over again. Hopefully, this will teach you to pay closer attention to your new puppy and not give him as much freedom as you have. Puppies can only get into trouble if we let them. The following are some general tips you should think about when your new puppy arrives.
Embrace the crate.
The crate is your best friend. The crate is a safe place for your puppy when you can’t keep a close eye on him or her. While it may be tempting to have a cute puppy sleep on your bed, don’t do it. Get them used to sleeping in their crate from the first night on. You may have to sleep with a pillow over your head the first night or two, but do it. It will be well worth it in the long run. The crate isn’t a forever type of thing. Use it until your puppy can be trusted.
Freedom should be earned.
Let your puppy earn his place in the pack. Letting a new puppy on your furniture, your bed or have free run of the house is a big mistake. Bad habits are formed when you are on the phone, watching TV or otherwise not paying attention. At Smiling Dog, for most of the first month our puppies are either in their crate or on a leash when they are in the house. This teaches them that when they are inside the house, they need to be calm and under control. Once you can trust your puppy not to use your house as a toilet or your new leather chair as a chew toy, you can start to gradually give them more and more freedom.
Be the Leader of the Pack.
Dogs are pack animals. The most important thing for a dog is to know his place in the pack. They don’t care where in the pack they are; they just want to know where they are. It is important to recognize the signs of dominance and to correct them when your pup is trying to be dominant over you or anyone in your family.
Use positive reinforcement.
To a puppy, positive reinforcement can be many things. It can be a tasty treat. It can be a scratch on the head or a simple sweet voice saying, “Good Puppy.” When your puppy is being good, give them all the positive reinforcement you want. Be careful not to give positive reinforcement when your puppy is exhibiting unstable or nervous behavior. A perfect example of this is an owner trying to calm their puppy when it is scared or nervous. By giving positive reinforcement to a scared or nervous puppy, you are actually telling the puppy its OK for them to be scared or nervous. What you should really do is to totally ignore them while they are in this state.
Challenge bad behavior.
Jumping, nipping and running around the house with your underwear in their mouth is cute when it’s a puppy doing it. Not so cute when it’s a full-grown dog. The sooner you let your dog know the Pack Leader doesn’t approve of that behavior the sooner it will end.
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Puppies aren’t perfect and neither are puppy owners. Having a new puppy in the house is an experience the whole family should enjoy. If you find your experience more closely resembles a CIA water boarding, then I suggest you call a professional trainer to help turn your experience into a positive one. The good news is, when given the proper reinforcement all puppies are trainable. The bad news is, not all puppy owners are. If you have any questions about your new puppy, contact us at info@smilingdogpetservices.com.
Golden Retriever Puppies Ready to Go!
Posted: September 21st, 2009 | (2) Comments
"You two look that way, I'll look this way!"
Trained Golden Retriever Puppies ready for their new homes! Check out our Trained Puppies for Sale page. These beautiful pups have nearly completed their Smiling Dog Puppy PHD six-week training class. I have 4 females and 1 male. Two of the females are reddish in color. The male and two other females are lighter. All have undergone extensive training and socialization. They have been regular visitors to downtown Westport and Bethel. They are particularly fond of Aspetuck Wildcat football games. They are trained to ride comfortably in cars and are on-leash obedience trained to Heel, Sit, Down, Stay and Come. They are also crated trained and have a well-established housebreaking routine. One comment I get over and over again is, “I can’t believe how mellow these puppies are.” Most people believe that puppies are supposed to jump, nip and bark all the time. Untrained puppies do. I’m sure mine would as well… if I let them. Great puppies don’t happen by accident, they are created and positively nurtured. If you’re looking to add a new pet to your household but don’t have the inclination to go through the first stages of puppydom, I encourage you to take a look at our Smiling Puppies. A Smiling Puppy equals a Smiling Owner.