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GROTON CITY ANIMAL HOSPITAL
"Caring For Pets And Their People"
Providing Care For Horses, Alpacas, Llamas, Goats, Sheep, Dogs, Cats & Pocket
Pets
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Puppies will show
many behaviors that are a normal part of social activity with other dogs, but
which can be objectionable to people. The most common of these are biting,
jumping, and chewing.
Puppies will bite
each other as a form of play and also to establish dominance over each other. If
your puppy grabs your fingers, legs, or clothing say, "No bite", grab the
muzzle firmly with your hand for a few seconds then release.
Chewing is a
normal activity for dogs which alleviates boredom and stress. Also, puppies
learn about the world around them by picking objects up in their mouth to "feel"
them. Chewing can also alleviate the discomfort of teething. If your puppy picks
up something that you don't want her to have, take it away and say, "No",
then substitute one of her own toys. Remember, puppies cannot tell the
difference between old clothes and new clothes, so never let a puppy have old
castaway socks, sneakers, or shoes. Finally, never punish for chewing unless you
catch the puppy in the act. She won't know what she's being punished for and
will learn to fear you.
When meeting
people, puppies jump to get to a person's face. They use the person's breath for
identification. Discourage jumping by teaching the puppy to sit and stay when
meeting people. Do this with the pup on a short leash, lift at the collar and
push the haunches down. Pet and praise when she sits. The new person then
casually greets with hand extended, palm open. If the puppy jumps, slip a hand
under the collar and pull to the side placing the puppy back on four feet and
praise. If you catch the puppy as she is about to jump, say "No jump".
Then pull her down with the leash or push her down with a knee or your hands on
her shoulders. Be persistent and consistent. Don't allow jumping on anyone at
anytime. The key to successful training is consistency.
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