Sleep Schedule

Do you know how much sleep your puppy is getting? Do you know how much sleep they should be getting? For puppies and adolescent dogs under 2 years, the developmentally necessary amount of sleep is between 18 and 20 hours in a 24 hour cycle. That means, you should not be seeing your puppy for more than 4-6 hours in a day. They really should not be awake for longer than 45 minutes at a time. Together we will begin tracking how much sleep your puppy is getting and create a sleep schedule to make sure they are getting developmentally appropriate rest. Lack of sleep is the number one cause for common puppy problem behaviors, like mouthing and destructiveness. With a proper sleep schedule, you will watch your puppy go from putting holes in your favorite clothes to calmly chewing on their bones.

Crate Training

Crate training is vital for a well adjusted dog. Having a crate trained puppy will make your life one million times easier when it comes to potty and sleep training. Being able to limit the dog’s access to your house and to have somewhere safe and comfortable to sleep is incredibly useful. It is also important to keep your puppy safe when you leave the home—you don’t want to leave them out and about to chew on electrical cords or swallow something they shouldn’t. Additionally, there will likely come a time in your dog’s life when they will need to be confined, whether that is at the vet or at a kennel. Prepare them now, so that they are comfortable and familiar with confinement when it is necessary. Some people feel guilty about putting their dogs in crates, however, when done with care, puppies can learn not only to tolerate their crate, but to enjoy spending time in it.

Potty Training

Your puppy is not born understanding where their bathroom is. The world is very big to them (and so is your home). We will create a plan for letting the puppy out to the bathroom, and slowly increase your their living space within your home. It is paramount to their success that we take things slow and allow them to learn at their own pace. The stricter you are at following the plan, the faster your puppy will have full access to your home. Rentals are available for crates and X-pens.

Basic Cues / Commands

Once we’ve laid a strong foundation with plans for socialization, sleep, crate, and potty training, we will start working on some basic cues (often referred to as commands). There is no right or wrong way to live with your dog. What is important is to know how you want to personally coexist with your puppy, and that will shape which skills we focus on. Do you care if your dog begs at the table? Do you care if your dog gets on the bed? Do you care if your dog pulls on the leash? Some people do care about these things, and others don’t. If you aren’t sure what you want your dog to learn, I am happy and ready to make suggestions. My suggestions will include cues and skills such as sit, down, stay, wait, place, ringing a bell to go outdoors, recall (“come”), leash manners, off leash skills building, and handler focus.