| You finally have your adorable, cuddly new puppy. | | | | puppies to socialize with each other, and with other |
| You are happy to have him and he is happy to have | | | | humans and animals as well. As the puppies play with |
| a family. But wait - it's just the beginning. There are 2 | | | | each other, they will naturally bite and nip each other. |
| behaviors you need to deal with almost immediately - | | | | When one puppy becomes too rough or bites too |
| jumping on people and biting.Jumping on peopleThis is | | | | hard, the other puppies will quickly respond by |
| a problem that you or others might inadvertently | | | | correcting him.The best time for this socialization of |
| encourage. He is so little and cute, that little tail is | | | | the puppy to occur is when it is still young. It is vital |
| wagging and, after all, isn't socialization and getting | | | | that every dog be properly socialized, since a poorly |
| used to people important? Of course socialization and | | | | socialized dog, or worse, one that is not socialized at |
| getting used to people is crucial but allowing him to | | | | all, can become dangerous and even neurotic. Most |
| jump on people isn't the way to do it.Imagine your | | | | experts recommend that puppies be socialized before |
| cute, little puppy as a full grown 80 - 100 pound dog. | | | | they have reached the age of 12 weeks, or three |
| Will it be so cute when he jumps on people then? No | | | | months.Another reason for socializing the puppy early |
| and it will be dangerous if he jumps on children or | | | | is that mothers of young children may be |
| small adults because he could easily knock them | | | | understandably reluctant to allow their young children |
| down.The best time to take care of this is, of | | | | to play with older or larger dogs. Since socializing the |
| course, when he is a puppy. When the puppy jumps | | | | dog with other people is just as important as |
| up on you or someone else, gently place the puppy's | | | | socializing it with other dogs, it is best to do it when |
| feet back on the floor. When he remains standing | | | | the puppy is still young enough to be non threatening |
| there, be sure to praise him extensively. Give him an | | | | to everyone.It is important for the puppy to be |
| alternative to jumping up. Puppies jump up on people | | | | exposed to a wide variety of different stimuli during |
| to express their enthusiasm, so it is important to | | | | the socialization process. The socialization process |
| redirect this energy in a more socially acceptable | | | | should include exposing the puppy to a wide variety |
| direction. Try teaching the puppy to present his paw | | | | of other animals, including other puppies, adult dogs, |
| instead of jumping up. When teaching the puppy to | | | | cats and other domestic animals. In addition, the |
| not jump up on people, it is important to be | | | | puppy should be introduced to as wide a cross |
| consistent.Consistency is important in any training | | | | section of people as possible, including young children, |
| program, and all members of the family as well as | | | | older people, men, women and people from a variety |
| friends must understand that the puppy is not | | | | of ethnic backgrounds.While socialization is very |
| permitted to jump on them - ever.BitingBiting is one | | | | important to providing the puppy with life lessons and |
| of those things that every puppy seems to do, and | | | | preventing him from biting, it is not the only method |
| every puppy must be taught not to do. Like many | | | | of preventing unwanted biting and mouthing. Giving |
| behaviors, such as jumping up on people, biting and | | | | the puppy appropriate things to play with and bite is |
| nipping can seem cute when the puppy is small, but | | | | another good way to control inappropriate biting. |
| much less so as he gets older, larger and | | | | Providing a variety of chew toys, ropes and other |
| stronger.Left to their own devices, most puppies | | | | things the puppy can chew is important to preventing |
| learn to control their biting reflex from their mothers | | | | boredom, keeping his teeth polished and keeping him |
| and from their littermates. When the puppy becomes | | | | from chewing things he should not.As with any |
| overenthusiastic, whether when nursing or playing, | | | | training, it is important to be consistent when |
| the mother dog, or the other puppies, will quickly | | | | teaching the puppy not to bite. Every member of the |
| issue a correction.Unfortunately, this type of natural | | | | family, as well as close friends who may visit, should |
| correction often does not occur, since many puppies | | | | all be told that the puppy is to be discouraged from |
| are removed from their mothers when they are still | | | | biting. If one person allows the puppy to chew on |
| quite young. It is therefore up to you to take over | | | | them while everyone else does not, the puppy will |
| this important process.Socializing the puppy with | | | | quickly become confused, and that can make the |
| other dogs and puppies is one of the best and most | | | | training process much more difficult than it has to |
| effective ways to teach the puppy the appropriate, | | | | be.Check out Dogs Rule on Squidoo, the next great |
| and non appropriate way to bite, and to curb the | | | | search engine, at Perkins is a dog lover who is |
| biting response.Many communities and pet stores | | | | allowed to live with her two dogs, Tillie and Pierrot, in |
| sponsor puppy playtime and puppy kindergarten | | | | the beautiful foothills of North Carolina. |
| classes, and these classes can be great places for | | | | |