Last updated Jul 20, 2020 | Published on Apr 20, 2018 | Blog, Dog health, dog health & behaviour, Health & Safety
Puppy – toilet training
Here at Happy Hounds we are more than happy to give you basic tips and techniques. How toilet training works for your puppy? It should be quite a simple process, as long as you’re patient and take the time to develop a good routine.
You will need to build your routine around your puppies needs which are reliably predictable when your puppy is very young. Eating meals stimulates the digestive system. They will normally need to urinate 15 minutes after eating and defecate half an hour to an hour after. Having a feeding routine is very important as it will regulate your pup’s toileting. Puppies need to go every 1-2 hours so it’s so important you try and get them out in the garden as often as you can. They can wee if they get excited so take your puppy out regularly if they have been active or playing. Don’t expect your pup to hold it in through the whole night especially when they are very young.
Outside
When you’re out in the garden try and use cue words like “wee wee” and “poo poo” whilst they are actually urinating or defecating. Use different words for each action so that you can prompt the puppy later on. Don’t use words like “good girl” or “good boy” as the next time you say that guess what could happen? Always go with your puppy whenever they are in the garden so that you can reward them when they go with lots of vocal praise and treats. If you introduce the garden as the toilet area as soon as you can. You shouldn’t get your puppy into the bad habit of going indoors. If they ever do go indoors never ever punish them. These rumours of pushing their face in it or shouting at them never works. They will then become scared to go to the toilet full stop or in some cases, begin to eat their own poo in order to ‘hide it’ so they aren’t scolded. If your puppy does have an accident inside you don’t say anything just simply put them outside.
Dogs naturally don’t defecate where they sleep so never put puppy pads or try and persuade them to go near where they sleep. If they are crated it is very important that you let them out first thing in the morning. Use cleaning products that are specifically for cleaning up pet odours. It will get rid of the smell and will stop them recognising a ‘marked’ area and so they won’t repeatedly go in the same place. If you have left your puppy alone for a while and you come home, don’t make a fuss just get them straight out into the garden. If you make a big fuss, your puppy is going to get excited and will probably wee out of excitement when he sees you.
On the walk
If you’re struggling to get your puppy weeing and pooing whilst out on a walk then you could try taking them out first thing in the morning before they have had their morning wee. Make this routine and praise them when they go. Some pups struggle to learn to go when outside as they think the only place they can go is at home or in the garden. So try and get them out on walks as soon as they’ve had their jabs using your prompt words to try and persuade them to go.
Last updated Jul 20, 2020 | Published on Apr 19, 2018 | Blog, Dog health, dog health & behaviour, Health & Safety
Puppy habits
Puppies will develop bad habits, this is all part of the process of them growing up. It’s important that you know what to do to help make these puppy habits go away. Here at Happy Hounds we have been asked numerous questions. Mainly on how to stop a puppy from biting, whining, jumping up and toilet training. The biggest piece of advice we can give you is to be patient. These processes take determination and time. You will not fix these problems overnight and every puppy is different. So it’s figuring out what works best for your puppy. Here at Happy Hounds we are more than happy to advise you.
The Biting
I think we all agree that this is the habit most owners want to get rid of as soon as possible. Those tiny razor sharp teeth can really hurt sometimes especially when your pup is at the age of 3 to 4 months and getting bigger by the day! There are various ways to teach this lesson, the overall goal is to stop them mouthing and biting people altogether. Firstly let’s teach our puppies that our skin is very sensitive. That they must be very gentle when using their mouths.
Biting inhibition is a dog’s ability to control the force of his mouthing. Trainers believe that a puppy that has learned to be gentle when playing with people is much less likely to bite hard or break the skin if they were to ever bite someone out of fear or pain. Puppies learn biting inhibition whilst playing with each other. If you watch puppies playing together you will see them biting each other all over. You will then notice when a puppy bites another too hard, the pup that’s been bitten will let out a loud “yelp” sound and will stop playing. The offender will be taken back by the “yelp” and will also stop playing for a moment. However in no time the pups are back to playing the game. Now this is what we recommend that YOU do when your pup bites you too hard. Through this interaction puppies learn to control intensity of their bite so no one gets hurt and they can continue to play. If they can teach each other that, then they can learn to do the same with people.
What to do
You’re playing with your puppy, everything is fine until he really nips you and it hurts. This is when you let out a high pitched “yelp!” and immediately stop playing. You could also try just physically turning your back on them. All the fun that you were just having together must immediately stop. I have personally done this and then the puppy has licked me afterwards as if to almost apologise because he realised he bit me too hard. That is what you want! You then need to make the judgement call of when it’s time to go back to the play. Another way to help puppies learn bite inhibition is to play lots of tug of war, this is a great game to play. Be positive when they are doing what you want them to do, lots of praise. For example if they are playing nicely and grabbing that tug of war and really going for it, good boy! Yes! Always reward puppies when they are doing what you want them to.
As I mentioned before this takes time, doing this once won’t magically stop your puppy from biting. What it will do is teach them, learning takes time. Make sure everyone in your household is providing the same rules, otherwise the pup can become confused. This is a phase that will eventually go. Be patient!
Last updated Jul 20, 2020 | Published on Apr 6, 2018 | Blog, dog health & behaviour, Health & Safety, puppy care, puppy visits, Uncategorized
Getting a puppy!
Getting a puppy for the first time is a wonderful feeling. You are gaining a family member and it’s a very exciting process. Everyone in your household is filled with joy when you first bring that puppy home. Us lot here at Happy Hounds agree that this should be a very special time. All that said puppies are also a lot of work. We feel that you should get as much knowledge as you possibly can so that you be the best dog owner. One topic we would like to talk about is puppy exercise. Getting a puppy is a big responsibility, there are rules and regulations on how they should behave in society. There is also information that you as dog owners should be aware of.
Puppy exercise
So were going to talk about puppy exercise. How much they should be getting and how important it is to not OVER exercise them. Puppies need much less exercise than fully-grown dogs. If you over-exercise a growing puppy you can overtire it and damage its developing joints, causing early arthritis. A good rule of thumb is a ratio of five minutes exercise per month of age (up to twice a day) until the puppy is fully grown, i.e. 15 minutes (up to twice a day). When three months old, 20 minutes when four months old etc. Once they are fully grown, they can go out for much longer.
It’s important that puppies (when they’ve had their injections) go out every day. In a safe environment to be able to socialise and explore. Having a decent sized garden is great but puppies need variety in their lives. They are highly intelligent animals that need stimulation and lots of exercise (depending on breed). Before letting any dog off lead make sure you know that their re-call is good and that they won’t run off. It’s also good to know that you shouldn’t exercise them on a full stomach as this can cause them to bloat.
The government recommends that we get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. This is something that everybody can achieve, and go beyond, on a daily walk. Dogs’ exercise needs vary according to the breed that you have but every dog should have at least one walk a day, often two.
Get walking
There are many social benefits for you and your dog. People who go walking with their dogs are often believed to be friendly and approachable by others. Your dog also gets time to have a chase and play with other friendly pooches. At Happy Hounds we believe that socialisation is very important and something that your dogs should be doing on a regular basis. This is great to start when their puppies, so they get used to it from an young age. This is why group walking or day care is a fun and great opportunity for your dog. They will learn socialisation skills and what it’s like to be around other dogs.
For your dog, walking is essential for its long term health and fitness – keeping the muscles strong and supple and ensuring that it doesn’t get overweight. With one third of our pets estimated to be overweight as a result of their owners’ sedentary lifestyles. Walking is an essential part of being a responsible dog owner. When out walking remember to always have poo bags and pick up after your dog. This will make all environments nicer for us to all be in.
Whilst walking your dog, it is important that you are aware of the Countryside Code to keep your pet safe. Protect the environment and show that you are a responsible dog owner. You are obliged by law to ensure your dog wears a collar and an identification tag stating your name and address (Control of Dogs Order 1992). In addition, cleaning up after your dog is one of the key areas of responsibilities for dog owners. Especially when in public spaces. You can face a considerable fine if you do not.
Don’t forget play and sleepy time
Play time is another important part of a puppies life, playing games is another way to teach commands. Aggression can be fostered if you play tug of war. So make sure you don’t create a competitive environment between you and your puppy. Always remember dogs around children. They are likely to become aroused or frustrated with intense physical play. So ensure children and dogs are never left alone. Only use suitable dog toys that are safe for your puppy.
Sleepy time is also crucial for your pups development, they need a lot of it! They may whine when you first bring them home but it is important to ignore them and let them settle. If you never leave them you will create future separation issues.
Last updated Jul 20, 2020 | Published on Oct 14, 2017 | Blog, dog health & behaviour
Dog aggression, anxiety or both?
Anxiety in dogs. Lots of dogs are anxious and this can show itself in many ways, but probably the most common is as aggressive protection of the owner or territorial guarding behaviour of the home.
Why is my dog anxious?
This is often because they don’t know where they are in the pack and feel it is THEIR job to look after you. Not the other way around.
How can I make my dog seem less anxious?
So, to change this behaviour, you the owner need to change where the dog feels they are in the pack, ie. at the bottom.
This may feel uncomfortable, but you need to establish that YOU are in charge, YOU are top dog and that YOU are looking after them and therefore they don’t need to worry about it. The home is not their responsibility to guard. It is YOUR responsibility and when you’re out, YOU are watching out for danger, not them.
This doesn’t have to be a permanent situation – 5 seconds stroking only??? – and once the new regime is established you can relax things a little so you can have some more cuddles. Follow these rules consistently and make sure everyone who has responsiblility for your dog, is following the same rules as much as possible.
- Train on a regular basis (every day)
- Don’t play tug of war or hand teasing games
- No food treats unless the dog has worked for it. g. Sit, down.
- The dog is only fussed for five seconds at a time and only after s/he has been made to respond to a command such as SIT. He is not stroked for minutes on end.
- When the dog demands to be fussed he is given a command such as SIT before he is fussed. Only fuss for 5 seconds.
- At the end of 5 seconds, the owner says NO MORE or ENOUGH, folds his arms and ignores the dog. Never resume fussing for a full 10 minutes after you have told the dog NO MORE.
- Always call your dog to you. Do not go to your dog.
- Owner must go through all narrow openings like doorways, stairs, and passageways first. Make the dog follow you.
- Do not allow your dog to demand a walk. Make the dog sit to have its collar and lead fitted.
- Do not allow the dog to dictate the route you take, i.e. don’t’ let your dog walk in front of you. You’re pack leader, you walk in front or at the side.
- Mix the dogs food up in his presence. Make them wait for it whilst you go through the act of eating it yourself. This instinctively tells the dog that YOU are pack leader.
- Teaching the dog to fetch will help him to learn to work for you.
- If the dog is in your way as you move around the house, tell him to move even if you have to wake him up. This also tells the dog you are pack leader.
- Tell your family and friends not to fuss the dog if you haven’t given it a command.
- Deny your dog freedom of movement around the house. Shut doors for a few days until your dog accepts its new lower rank. Only pack leaders have complete freedom.
- You keep the dog’s toys, give out to play, then put away.
- Sometimes stand in your dog’s bed or anywhere else it likes to sleep.
- Do not allow your dog to sit on the furniture, on your lap or sleep on your bed.
- Groom your dog daily
I know this can seem drastic, BUT for an anxious dog displaying what can be seen as aggressive behaviour, especially in a strong dog, it is essential to create a safe situation for all, INCLUDING your dog. They must know how to behave and that you are in control of them, not the other way round.
Last updated Mar 5, 2018 | Published on May 3, 2011 | dog health & behaviour
“Turn your hot dog into a happy hound!”
Top tips for keeping your dog cool. When temperatures are soaring, it is important to keep your dogs in mind when it comes to keeping cool. Here are our top tips for beating the summer heat!
- Don’t forget your dog can’t sweat! They keep cool by panting so if you see your dog drooling excessively it means they are overheating.
- Don’t forget the water bottle! Different dogs have different needs when it comes to battling the heat. Dogs with darker coats absorb more heat than those with lighter coats. Also don’t forget to carry a bottle of water when going on a walk with your dog.
- Pooches cools from the bottom up. Don’t forget to spray the paws and stomach of your dog rather than just the top when spraying with water. Also a wet towel is much more effective under your dog rather than on top.
- Get Wet! Swimming is a great way to quickly cool off your hot dog, but be sure not to let your dog become overtired in the water. Even good swimmers can tire to the point where it could get dangerous.
- Mind those paws! Try to walk your dog on grass and avoid concrete or paving. Walking on hot pavements can burn your dogs pads so park or forest walks are best.
- Cream up! Shorter haired and light coloured dogs need to wear sunscream particularly round their most sensitive area. Any areas that have little or no hair should be sunscreened. Consult your vet to see if this is something that applies to your dog.
- Avoid the summer crowds. While it may seem like a good idea to bring your pooch along to summer events, the heat noise and crowds mean your dog is almost always better off at home.
