Let us assume you have isolated the group of puppies from which you want to make your selection. They could be within the confines of a large cage at a shelter or in a room in the breeder’s home. Remember, as you try to make your selection, just as every person is different, so are dogs. Your goal is choosing a particular puppy that matches your image of the perfect dog. Many authors and dog fanciers emphatically believe that it is impossible to judge an adult dog’s personality or abilities from his behavior as a puppy. One of our close friends, Delmar Smith, is a very famous dog trainer. He once visited the Queen of England’s kennel. It is renowned for producing numerous field and obedience champions. Delmar asked the senior resident trainer responsible for the majority of these wins about his method of consistently picking puppies that would be future winners. The old gentleman smiled and simply replied that he let everyone else pick the pups they wanted and then worked with whatever was left. He believed that through 7 to 10 weeks of age, all puppies were equal.

We would agree that it is far from an exact science, but most people who involve their lives around dogs believe there are better methods than relying on some form of random selection. Most of us do not want a puppy that will mature into an overly aggressive animal. Neither do we want one that is excessively timid or shy. We want a dog that will be reasonably easy to train, cause little damage to our home and friends, and adapt well to our family and household.

Spending a little time with a group of puppies and being observant can usually help to isolate those with good, outgoing personalities. They will be in the midst of puppy play, being neither overly dominant nor submissive. If you crouch down, friendly pups will usually run to your feet. When picked up and supported well, they normally will not fight or struggle to get down. Ask yourself some obvious questions. Does the puppy seem to enjoy being with people? Is he overly afraid of stimuli such as sounds or sudden movement? Most of this is common sense, and can be done by anybody without any preconceived ideas. Anything is better than saying simply, "I want a brown one with lots of spots."

There have been books and articles written on puppy selection. Some are very good, while others seem to lead readers down a long and difficult path. Most good methods use a testing procedure that measures the puppy’s responses to some sort of stimuli. This attempts to eliminate most subjectivity. We feel that there are two very good and useful books on this subject. They are straightforward and easy to use. One is written by the Monks of New Skete and is titled "The Art of Raising a Puppy" and the other is Clarice Rutherford and David Neil’s book, "How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With." They both explain and guide you through an evaluation system of the individual animal’s personality. Both books also give an excellent treatment on the behavioral development of dogs through their first year of life. We would strongly recommend them to any prospective puppy owner.

Although we endorse these methods, remember that they only judge the puppy on that particular day during one stage in his life. Findings done on another day could vary significantly. Keep in mind also that the environment in which the animal lives and matures will greatly affect his behavior and personality as an adult. This means that you will have an opportunity to affect the puppy after he is living with you. The more time you spend with your new friend, the better chance you have of him growing into the animal you want. Regardless of the test or selection method used, you cannot expect the animal to continue to develop without your guidance.

Puppies need handling from day one

Puppies go thorough a critical period of socialization between eight and 16 weeks of age. During this period of time they mature very rapidly. If isolated from external stimuli and not exposed to the outside world, they can grow up to be fearful adult dogs.

Litters of puppies raised in an isolated location such as a barn, a garage or an isolated dog kennel often have little exposure to humans except those feeding them. If puppies never leave their confined, isolated quarters where they have been raised, they may never experience any external stimuli such as automobiles, strangers, loud noises or children running and playing.

Poorly socialized puppies can also result when they have been raised in the wild by an abandoned, female dog. If these puppies are fortunate enough to be discovered by a human and receive handling while still very young, they have a better chance to trust humans and be less fearful. If they receive no human handling before they are 16 weeks of age, they may grow up to be very fearful adult dogs that are not acceptable family pets.

If puppies are not socialized at an early enough age, it makes little difference if they have been raised by a breeder, a private family or in a vacant building; the outcome will usually be the same. Puppies that receive little or no human handling between the ages of eight and 16 weeks of age often remain fearful when exposed to new situations. Meeting their new family for the first time, the car ride to their new home, their first trip to the vet, and meeting children, strangers or other dogs for the first time can be extremely frightening for these puppies.

We will never be able to affect puppies raised in the wild by an abandoned dog or by breeders who don't know how important it is to socialize their puppies. What we can do is not allow our emotions to override good, rational thinking when making a decision about which puppy will make the best family pet. If you feel sorry for and want to select the shy puppy that avoids eye contact and doesn't want to be picked up, you may be setting yourself up for future problems.

How can we make sure the puppy we purchase will be well-socialized and become a good fit for our family? When surveying a puppy or litter of puppies more than 16 weeks of age that have had little human handling and are very shy and fearful, realize that they may always remain somewhat shy and fearful. If handled with kindness, patience and love, some of these puppies may learn to trust their family members but still remain somewhat fearful of strangers. A puppy acquired at eight weeks of age is more likely to become a well-adjusted family pet than one adopted at 16 weeks of age.

Acquiring a puppy prior to eight weeks of age can also create problems. These puppies miss out on important interactions that take place with other puppies in the litter. A puppy selected too young may miss out on the consequences of biting a littermate too hard. This puppy's new owners will then pay the price when it bites them too hard while playing.

Eight weeks of age is the ideal time for a puppy to adjust to a new home.

How do we get our puppies socialized so they grow up to be well-adjusted, adult dogs that are comfortable meeting strangers, children and other dogs? The key is to make sure your puppy gets exposed to everything he may ever be exposed to during his lifetime, while he is very young. The critical age of socialization is between eight and 16 weeks of age. If not exposed to new situations during this critical period, your puppy may always be fearful when exposed to new things in the future.

After you have chosen your new puppy and had it examined by your veterinarian, you can begin to expose it to new things. Your puppy will not have had all his vaccinations yet, but you may still take him to a family or neighbor's home to expose him to children or friendly, vaccinated dogs. If you have small children, dogs or cats in your family, you are fortunate. Your puppy will become accustomed to the screaming and active play behavior of children and will be exposed to other pets.

If you are a single adult, a couple without children or a senior citizen, you will have to go out of your way to expose your puppy to children of all ages. You can invite well-mannered children into your home to have supervised play with your new puppy. If you don't know anyone with small children, you can often find families with children at local parks. Keep some tasty treats available for the children to give your puppy so he associates them with food rewards.

When you have visitors come to your home, when the mailman delivers mail or the deliveryman brings packages, do the same thing. Give them a dog treat, have them make your puppy sit, and then give the puppy the treat for sitting. This will teach the puppy if he sits for strangers he will be rewarded. This is an excellent way to prevent your puppy from jumping up on people. Your puppy will also learn that visitors will come bearing gifts, instead of being something to bark at and to protect the family from.

Enrolling your puppy in a puppy kindergarten or a puppy training class will have many benefits. This will be a way to take your puppy out of the house once a week where he will be exposed to many new situations during a critical period of socialization. Be sure to choose a puppy training class where the emphasis is on having fun and meeting new puppies and their owners. Instructors should use only a buckle-type collar and never a choker or pinch collar. Basic training using praise and food rewards for motivation will make you and your puppy enjoy going to class.

Choosing the correct puppy for you and your family that fits your particular life-style is critical. Exposing your new puppy to pleasant experiences such as strangers, children and other dogs between eight and 16 weeks of age, is critical to having a well-adjusted adult dog.

The first six months after puppy comes home are critical in shaping the relationship between puppy and family. Lapses and mistakes here can take months to fix, and families often do not have the time, persistence, or inclination to repair companionship-gone-wrong. Thus a trip to the shelter or rescue group with a tale of woe and a plea to find this "good dog but he . . . " a new home, a trip often followed a week or month or year later with purchase or adoption of another dog and a new beginning on the same path.

It’s easy to blame the puppy or the breed – Labs are really too energetic or terriers are too nippy or "We only took this puppy because he was free," but the truth is that almost any dog can be suitable for almost any family if the family is willing and able to spend the time and energy on the first six months.

Much of the early problems in puppy training occur because of the persistence of an old belief that dogs are not ready for training until they are six months old.

Wrong!

Puppies are ready to learn when they are born. Training merely formalizes the learning so that the family and the puppy can get along and build a bond that lasts a lifetime. The trick is to teach appropriate behaviors and squelch inappropriate behaviors so that Sassy or Tiger becomes the dog of your dreams – faithful, well-mannered, playful, obedient, a joy to live with and brag about.

New puppy care is relatively easy if tiring. Just get the little guy outside to relieve himself, feed him three times a day, and put him in the crate to sleep. He doesn’t really need a leash because he can’t run fast enough to get away, he’s fun to play with because he’ll chase the ball and act ferocious, he’s ready to lick your face at a moment’s notice, and he’s sooooo cute when he’s asleep.

Christmas puppies reach the terrible three-month stage about the end of January, and then the troubles begin. At three months, most puppies can run faster than most kids and many adults. And they are beginning to assert some independence that may translate to growling if a toddler approaches the food bowl or a grade school youngster tries to retrieve a stolen action figure.

By four months, the pooch is agile enough to slip out the door when the kids come home from school and big enough to knock a nine-year-old on his backside. He may also be bold enough to steal snacks from tiny hands or from the table.

By five months, a big-breed puppy is large enough and strong enough to drag even older kids and small adults – if they are lucky enough or foolish enough to clip a leash to the collar.

By six months, the pup may have destroyed the furniture in his teething frenzy, eaten a dozen pairs of socks, ruined bedspreads and stuffed toys and carpets, and required a couple of trips to the vet for intestinal upsets caused by his destructive activities. By this time, the kids may be afraid of the growing pup, Mom may be disgusted with his antics, and Dad may be ready to ship him out as an economic measure.

All this trouble can be avoided if the pup is trained from the moment he arrives in the home. And it can become a thing of the past if appropriate remedies are applied. In other words, those Christmas puppies can be well on the way to becoming loyal, affectionate, and obedient family pets by Easter with a modicum of persistence, a change in focus, and a determination to save the relationship.

The best control over the dog and family relationship is the selection of an appropriate breed or mix for the family character and circumstances. Active families will be happier with active dogs; neat families will be happier with dogs that don’t shed and drool; and quiet, shy families will be happier with mild-mannered breeds that need only moderate exercise. However, if a mistake has been made in the selection of a breed, all is not lost. With flexibility and determination, there’s no need to give the pet away or to doom him to the backyard or the animal shelter.

It is up to the adults in the family to exert control over the relationship with the puppy. Control is physical and mental. Physical control involves guiding the puppy to do the right thing or placing him in a position to do the right thing. It does not mean spanking him with a hand or object when he makes a mistake. Mental control means developing a relationship with the puppy that clearly places you in the role of leader. If you have mental control, the puppy looks to you for approval and obeys your commands.

Control is established in a number of ways.

• With a leash and collar: Even if Sassy couldn’t possibly run fast enough to escape, she should learn to wear a collar and leash when she is less than three months old. If she pulls on the leash, you can change direction and coax her to follow you. Make it a game. Let her chase you; if she’s a pantleg-grabber, distract her with a toy or treat. Don’t drag her around; make it fun to be with you and she’ll learn quickly.
• With food: Feed Tiger at least twice a day. Teach him to sit before you put the bowl on the floor by holding it above his head. When he tips his head to look up, his haunches will hit the floor. Praise him and quickly put the bowl down. If he stands up too soon, have someone hold him gently in sitting position while you put the bowl down. Treats are great training aids for puppies. Just make sure that Tiger obeys a command before getting his treat.
• With a crate: Crates are dog rooms, not dog prisons. They are safe havens for a tired or sick puppy and a necessity for putting puppy out of harm’s way. Crates protect furniture and carpets from puppy damage when you are not home. And crates are great relievers of frustration – when Misty is running amok and the kids are screaming that she stole their cookies and you just discovered a pile of feces in the corner, it’s great to send her to her room until she calms down and you get things under control.
• With companionship: A dog that travels with its family is a dog that has good manners out of necessity. And a well-mannered dog is a joy to take along on trips to the kids’ soccer game or the park or a family picnic or even a vacation. On the other hand, a dog that is banished to the back yard or the garage because it is ill-mannered generally becomes moreso out of boredom and loneliness.
• With formal training: Obedience training has lost its mystique in recent years. No longer the sole province of Hollywood trainers and show competitors, obedience training has been modernized and adapted for family pets. Dog training clubs and schools exist in just about every nook and cranny of the country. Kennel clubs and breed clubs offer assistance to pet owners and provide literature about selecting a breed and breeder and training a puppy at hundreds of dog shows throughout the country. Many animal shelters offer counseling services and obedience classes to help prevent or solve problems so that families can develop a solid relationship with their pets. And dozens of books are available to help owners understand puppy behavior and train pets at home.
• By spay or neuter surgery: Dogs that are spayed or neutered tend to be less aggressive and to stay at home. They also tend to be healthier.

This method of housetraining is focused on preventing "accidents" instead of waiting for accidents to happen. The goal is to make it easy for the puppy to do the right thing in the first place. Training in this way is faster and more effective than punishing the dog for mistakes. YOU play the most important part in the success or failure of this method — you must be patient, determined and reliable for it to work. If you already own an adult dog with housetraining problems, you can use this method to start fresh just as you would with a puppy.

This method also requires the use of a dog crate or at least, a small, confined area for the pup to stay in when he can't be supervised. A crate isn't cruel! It's your dog's own private room where he can rest and stay safe, secure and out of trouble. Just like a small child, your puppy needs to be protected from hurting himself and destroying your furniture. A crate will make the job so much easier!

The first few weeks of owning a puppy are some of the hardest and most important. Spending extra time and effort now will pay off in a big way. Don't blame the puppy if you're lazy!

Before you start, here are some essential housetraining facts:

• Adult dogs can be housebroken in the same way as puppies.
• Puppies have limited bladder control.
• Dogs & puppies like to be clean and to sleep in a clean area.
• All dogs do best when kept to a routine schedule.
• Dogs have to go poddy when...
  • they wake up in the morning or after a nap
  • within 1/2 hour after eating
  • before they go to sleep

If a dog and especially a puppy is not allowed to relieve itself at those times, it will most likely have an accident. Don't wait for the dog to "tell" you that it has to go out. Just assume that he does and put him outside.

Baby puppies, under three months of age, have limited bladder control and reflexes. They usually don't know they're going to "go" until the moment they do! It's not realistic to expect them to tell you ahead of time. If you're observant, you'll see that a puppy who's looking for a place to go poddy will suddenly circle about while sniffing the floor. The sniffing is instinct — he's looking for a place that's already been used. If he can't find one, he'll start one! By preventing accidents in the house, you'll teach him that the only appropriate bathroom is the one outside!

Ideally, you're reading this before you've brought your new puppy home. If you already have your puppy, just pick up the schedule at an appropriate place.

Set up a dog crate or small, confined area (the smaller the better.) Using a dog crate will be more effective. The size of the crate is important — if it's too large, the puppy will have room to use one end as a bathroom. If you've bought a crate for him to "grow into," you can also get dividers to reduce the inner space while he's small. If he must be left alone while you're at work, then a larger crate is okay. Put a stack of newspapers at one end for him to use when you can't be home to let him out.

Also in the crate should be a water dish (you can get one that attaches to the side of the crate and is harder to spill), sleeping pad and toys. Put the crate where he isn't shut away from the family. If you're using a confined area instead, a baby gate across the doorway is preferable to closing the door and isolating your puppy.

Your puppy might not like the crate at first. Don't give in to his complaining or tantrums! If you're sure he isn't hungry or has to go poddy, ignore his yowling. If he gets really obnoxious, reach inside the crate, give him a little shake by the scruff of his neck and say NO in a deep, stern voice. Eventually he'll settle down and sleep which is what crates are for! If you give a tempting treat every time you put the dog in his crate, he'll soon look forward to going in.

The crate is intended to be his sleeping and feeding place and is where he should be when you can't keep a close eye on him. If you give him the run of the house at this age, you can expect accidents! Dogs instinctively keep their sleeping areas clean. If you've allowed him to go poddy when he needs to, he won't dirty his crate if he can help it. Once he's developed better control, he won't need the newspapers unless you're going to be gone all day. Change the papers several times a day if they've been soiled.

Get off on the right foot at the beginning! Carry the puppy from your car to the yard. Set him on the grass and let him stay there until he potties. When he does, tell him how wonderful he is! After bringing the pup inside, you can play with him for an hour. Plan on taking the puppy outside every two hours (at least) while he's awake. Don't wait for him to tell you that he has to go!

Feed the puppy his supper in his crate. Don't let him out for half an hour and when you do, carry him outside to potty before you do anything else. Wait for him to have a bowel movement before bringing him back in. Some pups get their jobs done quickly, others may take half an hour.

If he's being slow, walk around the yard encouraging him to follow you. Walking tends to get things moving, so to speak!

Always take the puppy outside first thing when you let him out of the crate and always CARRY the puppy to the door!! This is important. Puppies seem to have a reflex peeing action that takes affect the moment they step out of the crate onto your carpeting. If you let him walk to the door, he'll probably have an accident before he gets there. Part of this training method is psychological — you want the puppy to feel grass under his feet when he goes to the bathroom, not your carpeting!

After another short play period, take the pup outside before bedtime, then tuck him into his crate for the night. If he cries during the night, he probably has to go out. Carry him outside to potty, then put him back in the crate with a minimum of cuddling. If you play with him, he might decide he doesn't want to go back to sleep! Puppies usually sleep through the night within a few days.

You can use a modified puppy schedule to train an unhousetrained dog or one that's having housetraining problems. Start from the beginning just like a puppy, use a crate and put them on a schedule. An older dog can be expected to control itself for longer periods provided you take it outside at critical times — first thing in the morning, after meals and last thing at night. Until they're reliable, get them outside every three-to-four hours in between those times.

Adopted older dogs that have always had freedom may be unwilling to have a bowel movement when on a leash. You can either walk them longer or keep them confined until they really gotta go. Just like a puppy, don't give them the run of the house and keep them in a crate or small area if you can't supervise them. You can give them more freedom as they become more reliable.

Remember, this method of housetraining is based on PREVENTING accidents. By faithfully taking the dog out often enough, you'll get faster results than if you discipline the puppy after the accident has already happened. If you puppy makes a mistake because you didn't get him out when you should have — it's not his fault!

If you catch the pup in the act, stay calm. Holler NO while you scoop the puppy up immediately - don't wait for him to stop piddling - and carry him outside to an area he's used before. As you set him on the ground, tell him "THIS IS WHERE YOU GO PODDY!" and praise him as he finishes the job. Leave him out a few more minutes to make sure he's done before bringing him back in.

This is a little trickier with an adult dog especially if he's new to you and you don't know how he'll react to being grabbed and thrust outside. Holler NO and put a leash on to take him out and show him where the bathroom is. Make a point of getting the dog out more often in the future!

ANY other corrections such as rubbing his nose in it, smacking with newspapers, yelling, beating or slapping only confuse and scare the dog. If you come across an "old" accident, it really doesn't pay to get too excited about it. Dogs aren't smart enough to connect a past act with your present anger and he won't understand what you're so mad about. He'll act guilty but it's only because he knows you're mad at him. He has no real idea why. Point the spot out to him and say "WHAT IS THIS?" but that should be limit of your correction.

Keep in mind that health problems, changes in diet and emotional upsets (moving to a new home, adding a new pet or family member, etc.) can cause temporary lapses in housetraining. Diabetes in adult dogs and urinary tract infections in both puppies and adults can cause dogs to have to urinate more often. Urinary infections in young female puppies are common. A symptom is frequent squatting with little urine release. If you suspect a physical problem, please take your dog for an examination.

Sudden changes in dog food brands or overindulgence in treats or table scraps can cause diarrhea. Dogs don't need much variety in their diets so you're not harming yours by staying to one brand of food. If you make a change, do it gradually by mixing a little of the new food with the old, gradually increasing the amount of new food every day. A sudden change of water can cause digestive upset, too. If you're moving or traveling, take along a couple gallons of "home" water to mix with the new. Distilled water from the grocery store can also be used.

If you've worked hard with this training method, you won't have many! Put your puppy (or adult dog) away out of sight while you clean up a puddle. Dog mothers clean up after their babies but you don't want your puppy to think that YOU do, too! Clean up on linoleum is self-explanatory. On carpeting, get lots of paper towel and continue blotting with fresh paper until you've lifted as much liquid as possible.

There are several home-made and commercially available "odor killers" that are helpful. In a pinch, plain white vinegar will work to help neutralize the odor and the ammonia in the urine. (Don't use a cleaner with ammonia - it'll make it worse!) Sprinkle baking soda on the spot to soak up moisture and to help neutralize odor, vacuum when dry. At the pet store, you can find a good selection of products that may be more effective. A diarrhea stain on carpeting or upholstery can be lifted with a gentle solution of lukewarm water, dishwashing soap and white vinegar.

Puppies are attracted to urine odors and their noses are much better than ours! Even when using a commercial odor killer, a teeny residue will be left behind that our dogs can smell. Keep an eye on that spot in the future! This remarkable scenting ability does have an advantage — if you must paper-train your dog and he doesn't know what newspapers are for yet, "house-breaking pads" are available at your pet store. They are treated with a mild attractive odor (too weak for us to smell), so your puppy will gladly use them!

Your male puppy will begin to lift his leg between four and nine months of age, a sign of the activation of his sexual drive and instinct to "mark" territory. This is a perfect age to neuter your dog and avoid the unwanted behaviors that accompany sexual maturity — marking in inappropriate places, fighting and aggression toward other male dogs. Intact (un-neutered) males will mark any upright object and are especially hard on your shrubbery and trees. Some males will also mark inside the house, particularly if another dog comes to visit or if you're visiting in someone else's home. If you use your male for breeding, you can expect this behavior to get worse. Neutering your dog will protect his health, help him to live longer and be a better pet along with improving his house manners!