Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Comfortable Bedding For Your Precious Puppy

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A puppy or dog will take great comfort in discovering there is a warm, soft sleeping space all ready for her in her new home. Once you choose the type of bed she will be sleeping in, be sure to place the bed in a place free of loud noise and distraction – a new dog needs to sleep in relative calm.

The most popular commercially made beds are made of wicker. One of the advantages of a wicker bed is that movement causes it to creak, a sound that seems to calm dogs. However, dirt and crumbs get easily lodged in wicker. Wicker also is an easy target for teething and destructive puppies. Not only is it prone to damage, it can break off and wind up inside your puppy’s body. Therefore, avoid wicker beds for young dogs.

Another type of bed available in pet stores is constructed of hard plastic. This will both indulge and survive dogs that relieve their anxiety by chewing on their beds. Beanbag chairs can also
work as long as the cover is very sturdy and can be easily removed and washed.

Of all beds, the one that makes the most sense is a collapsible crate or cage-like enclosure. A cage can be used for housebreaking purposes and often gives a new dog a sense of security. In essence, the new dog will “own” this structure, and consider it to be her very own space in the house. Standard crates suitable for dogs that never exceed thirty pounds are about two by four feet and stand three feet high. Larger enclosures are available to fit bigger breeds.

When She First Comes Home

When the puppy first enters your home, place her in her cage and leave her alone there. After ten or fifteen minutes, return and release her. While the puppy is in the cage, do your best
to resist her mournful howls, which should subside after a few minutes. Try to ease her fear by placing a light blanket over the cage to transform it into a cozy enclosure. Of course, the puppy’s world should in no way be confined to the cage. Supervised ventures throughout the house are crucial to her becoming fully acclimated to her new environment. A puppy probably longs for the snug camaraderie of sleeping with her litter-mates. To reproduce the warmth a mother and litter provides, wrap a lukewarm hot water bottle in a towel and place it in the bed.

Puppies need gentle discipline to give them a sense of order. When it comes to bedtime, they need to learn early that sleep usually means temporarily leaving the fun and attention people provide. A puppy should be confined to her “room” when her natural sleeping time occurs. Stick to this schedule so that it becomes routine. A good way to ease the trauma of these nightly separations is to place a piece of your clothing in the puppy’s bed. The scent that emanates from the garment will be calming.

Why Using a Crate Is an Invaluable Dog Training Tool

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Dog crates are also a fantastic way to easily housebreak a puppy. All in all, a good dog crate is an invaluable training tool regardless of what type of puppy you have.

Dog crates are also a perfect solution to puppies that become overexcited. All you have to do is put your puppy inside the crate in order to help him relax. If your dog has to be left in the house unattended for a few hours, then having a crate is a stress-free way for you to be gone from the house and not worry about your puppy getting into trouble around the home or soiling the carpet.

Dog crates are also a great way to feed your puppy in case he becomes easily distracted. Simply put his food bowl inside and off he goes in an enclosed area where he can focus on eating his meal.

And here are a few more tips when it comes to using a dog crate:

1. Make sure that you get the appropriate size crate based on your dog’s height and width. This is especially important if you are housebreaking your puppy with a dog crate. If the box is too large then your puppy may use the bathroom on one side, but keep sleeping on the other side, which defeats the purpose of crate training in terms of potty training.

2. If you have a fast-growing puppy, then consider buying a large crate that is meant for an adult dog but that has a divider built into it. This way you can divide the crate in half so that your puppy will be able to lie down comfortably and still be able to turn around if needed. A divided dog crate can also be used for your larger puppies by removing the division bracket.

3. One last aspect of using a dog crate that you should consider is the type of bedding that you place on the floor. Some dog owners have noticed that their puppies still use the bathroom inside even though the crate is the appropriate size for potty training. In most instances it turns out that the bedding that they laid down was a little too thick and had a tendency to induce urination in dogs. Instead, try to lay down less comfortable bedding that your dog does not consider to be used for urination, like newspaper for example.

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Puppy Socialization: Introduce Your Dog To The World!

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New puppies soak up information and experiences like a sponge – especially those between the ages of 8 to 12 weeks. This is the ideal time to get your pup out into the open and absorbing positive experiences to help with his socialization.

Say Hello To The Neighbors

Your neighbors and friends are all dying to meet your new precocious pooch. By all means, take your puppy for a walk around the neighborhood. He’ll learn to walk on a loose leash and run into new people and situations. The faster you can introduce your puppy to leash walking the better. That way they see the world on their own four paws, so to speak.

Ask people to meet to gently pet and feed a treat to your pup. Limit interactions to cordial children, good-natured dogs, and responsible adults. It teaches the pup that strangers are good people.

Be careful, though. Until your pup’s immune system has been cranked up by his third set of vaccinations (at 16 to 20 weeks) he’ll be vulnerable to diseases, some potentially deadly.

Another great way to expand your puppy’s circle of friends without making a big scene is to invite a few select dog-savvy adults and children over to greet your puppy. Keep everything low-key and nurturing ? no running, squealing, teasing, tussling or poking. Provide treats liberally.

Field Trips Are Great

From the time you get your puppy until he’s about 16 weeks old, socialization is a high priority. Socialization simply means introducing your puppy to new people, places, experiences and other dogs in a positive way. Well-socialized pups grow up to be happy, well-mannered adults.

Keep in mind that your pup’s sociability and outlook depend on a lot of factors. For instance, recent worming or vaccinations, cutting teeth and a recent, long airplane flight can make your pup tired and grumpy. Exposing your pup to too much at these times can cause him to be overwhelmed and taxed rather than enriched by the experience.

Take your puppy to places where dogs are welcome (don’t forget to bring your cleanup supplies). Try to do five to seven new things each week, like experience stairs, bicycles, people with facial hair or glasses, garbage cans, loud noises, new walking surfaces and work trucks, etc. It’s also a great time to introduce your pup to a grooming routine.

And even when your puppy is older than 16 weeks, it’s still a good idea to continue to actively socialize him until he reaches 12 months of age.

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