犬 Inu — Puppy Training

💡Core Training Philosophy▼

Evidence-Based Positive Reinforcement

Foundation: Based on positive reinforcement and operant conditioning
Key Principle: Reward desired behaviors to increase their frequency
Rewards: Use treats (chicken, freeze-dried liver), praise, toys, play
Timing: Rewards must occur within seconds of the desired behavior
Consistency: All family members must use the same commands and rules

❌ Never Use These Methods

No physical punishment: Never hit, swat, or physically force your puppy
No yelling: Creates fear and damages trust
Don't use crate as punishment: It should be a safe, positive space
Don't rub nose in accidents: Ineffective and cruel
Avoid dominance-based training: Positive reinforcement works better

🌟Critical Socialization Window▼

MOST CRITICAL

The Socialization Window (3-16 Weeks) cannot be recaptured!

Timeline

Peak Period: 3-14 weeks
Science: Puppies' brains are primed to accept new experiences as normal
Window Closes: Around 14-16 weeks
Research: 35% of behavior is genetic, 65% is socialization, training, and care

What to Socialize To

👥 People (100+ before 12 weeks)

Men, women, children of all ages
Different appearances — hats, sunglasses, uniforms, beards
People with canes, walkers, wheelchairs

🏙️ Environments

Different surfaces: grass, concrete, gravel, tile, carpet, sand
Traffic, sirens, car rides
Vet and groomer visits (with treats!)

🔊 Sounds

Vacuum, blender, lawn mower
Thunder, fireworks (low volume, gradually increase)
Doorbells, phones, children playing

🐕 Other Dogs

Puppies of similar age in supervised play
Calm, friendly adult dogs
Different breeds and sizes

Safe Socialization Before Full Vaccination

Risk of behavioral problems from poor socialization is GREATER than infectious disease risk.

Only interact with healthy, vaccinated dogs you know
Carry puppy in unknown areas (hardware stores, garden centers)
Avoid dog parks until 16 weeks

⚠️ Signs of Stress

Tucked tail, ears pulled back
Excessive lip licking or yawning
Shaking, trying to hide
Whale eye (showing whites of eyes)

Recovery: Don't coddle — wait for calm, then reward calm behavior.

🚽House / Potty Training▼

Timeline: Most puppies housetrained in 4-8 weeks of consistent training.

Bladder Rule: Age in months + 1 hour = max hold time (never more than 4-5 hrs daytime)

Schedule is Everything

Take puppy outside:

First thing in the morning (immediately!)
After every meal (within 10-20 minutes)
After every nap and play session
Before bedtime
Every 1-2 hours for puppies under 12 weeks
Any time they show signs they need to go

The Potty Spot Method

Choose ONE specific outdoor area
Always take puppy on leash to this spot
Use consistent cue: "Go potty" or "Hurry up"
Stand still and boring — don't play
Wait patiently (may take 5-10 minutes)
The instant they finish: high-value treats + enthusiastic praise!
Then allow play time as additional reward

Accidents

Caught in the act:

Clap to interrupt ("Uh-oh!")
Immediately carry outside to potty spot
If they finish outside, praise and treat
Clean area thoroughly

Found an accident:

DO NOT punish. Clean with enzyme cleaner. Adjust schedule. Move on.

Puppies can't connect punishment to an accident even 5 minutes later.

🏠Crate Training▼

Why Crate Train?

House training: Dogs instinctively avoid soiling their den
Safety: Prevents destructive behavior when unsupervised
Travel: Required for air travel
Vet care: Reduces stress during hospital stays
Life skill: Creates a calm, safe retreat space

The Process

Phase 1: Introduction (Days 1-3)

Place crate in family area
Prop door open, let puppy explore freely
Toss treats inside randomly throughout day
Feed meals in crate with door open
Never force puppy inside

Phase 2: Short Door Closures (Days 4-7)

Close door for 5-10 seconds while treating
Open before any whining starts
Repeat 10-20 times daily
Gradually extend to 1 minute

Phase 3: Longer Durations (Week 2)

Give stuffed Kong or special chew
Leave room briefly (30 sec to 5 min)
Return before they finish
Vary times: 2 min, 10 min, 5 min, 15 min

Crate Time Limits

Age	Daytime Max
8-10 weeks	30-60 minutes
11-14 weeks	1-3 hours
15-16 weeks	3-4 hours
17+ weeks	4-5 hours (never 6+)

Rule: Age in months + 1 hour = max crate time

Nighttime: Most puppies sleep 7 hours by 4 months

🦷Biting & Nipping▼

Why Puppies Bite

Exploration: They explore with their mouths (like babies)
Teething: Around 3-7 months, sore gums
Play behavior: How they played with littermates
Energy release: High energy needs outlet
Attention-seeking: Even negative reactions are rewarding

Bite Inhibition

What: A dog's ability to control bite force

Why critical: Dogs in pain may bite — good inhibition means soft mouth, quick release

Goal: Teeth touch skin lightly, puppy immediately backs off

Anti-Biting Methods

Method 1: The Yelp

High-pitched "OUCH!" when teeth touch skin
Stop all play immediately
Turn away, tuck hands
Wait 10-20 seconds, resume calmly

Method 2: The Removal (Most Effective)

Stand up, hands in armpits, face away
Leave room for 30-60 seconds
Return, resume play calmly
Repeat every single time

Key: Consistency. Every person, every time.

Method 3: Redirect

Keep chew toys in every room
When puppy goes for hands, immediately offer toy
Make toy exciting — wiggle it, make it "alive"
Praise when they chew toy instead

Best Toys for Biters

Rope toys, rubber chew toys (Kong)
Frozen Kongs with peanut butter (soothes teething)
Bully sticks, puppy-safe chew bones

🎓Basic Commands▼

Training Principles

Sessions: 5-10 minutes max
Frequency: 2-4 short sessions per day
Energy: Train when alert but calm
End on success: Always finish with something puppy knows
Use food: Part of daily ration, no extra calories

The Essential Five

1. SIT — Foundation Command

Hold treat at puppy's nose
Move treat up and back over head
Bottom drops — instant "YES!" + treat
Repeat 10-15 times
Add word "SIT" just before they do it
Gradually reduce hand motion

2. DOWN — Calm Behavior

Creates calm state, prevents jumping, settles puppy

3. STAY — Impulse Control

Safety at doors and streets, real-world necessity

4. COME (Recall) — Lifesaving

Critical Rules:

Never call for something unpleasant (bath, nail trim)
Coming to you must ALWAYS = amazing things
Never punish a puppy who comes when called

5. LEAVE IT — Safety

Prevents eating dangerous items, builds impulse control

Weaning Off Treats

Start with treat every time
Move to variable schedule — sometimes treat, sometimes praise
Like a slot machine — very effective!
Always use treats for challenging situations
Never eliminate praise and petting

📅Daily Schedule & Routine▼

Sample Schedule (8-12 Week Puppy)

6:00 AM — Wake up, immediately outside to potty

6:15 AM — Breakfast

6:30 AM — Outside to potty

6:45 AM — Play and training (15 min)

7:00 AM — Nap in crate

9:00 AM — Potty break

9:15 AM — Play/enrichment

9:30 AM — Nap in crate

11:00 AM — Potty break + short training

12:00 PM — Lunch, then potty

12:30 PM — Play/socialization

1:00 PM — Nap in crate

3:00 PM — Potty + training/enrichment

5:00 PM — Dinner, then potty

5:45 PM — Play time

8:00 PM — Potty + quiet activity

8:30 PM — Final potty break

8:45 PM — Bed in crate

Key Principles

Puppies need 16-18 hours of sleep per day
Enforce naps (prevents overtired bitey puppy!)
Potty breaks every 1-2 hours while awake
Training sessions very short (5-10 min)
Mix mental and physical stimulation

🧠 Mental Stimulation

Tired puppy = well-behaved puppy. Mental exercise tires them faster than physical.

Puzzle feeders, stuffed Kongs
Sniffing games (hide treats around room)
Training sessions (learning is tiring!)
Toy rotation, frozen treats
Cardboard boxes to shred (supervised)
Snuffle mats

🏥Health & Safety▼

Veterinary Care

First vet visit: Within 48 hours of bringing puppy home
Vaccinations: Typically 8, 12, 16 weeks
Spay/neuter: Discuss timing with vet (usually 6 months)

🚨 Call Vet Immediately

Vomiting/diarrhea (especially with blood)
Refusal to eat for 24 hours
Lethargy or dramatic behavior change
Difficulty breathing
Suspected poisoning
Repeated accidents despite training (could be UTI)

🍎 Nutrition

High-quality puppy food: AAFCO certified
Consistent feeding times: 3-4 times daily
No people food: Prevents begging, some foods toxic
Always available water: Except 2-3 hrs before bed during house training

☠️ Dangerous Items

Toxic Foods	Household Dangers
Chocolate, caffeine Grapes/raisins Onions/garlic Xylitol Alcohol Macadamia nuts	Electrical cords Cleaning products Medications Small objects (choking) Toxic plants

🆘When to Get Help▼

✅ Normal Puppy Behavior

Play biting and mouthing
Jumping on people, chewing
Short attention span
Some accidents during house training
Mild fear of new things

⚠️ Seek Professional Help If:

Aggressive behavior (hard bites drawing blood)
Severe separation anxiety despite training
Extreme fear or panic
Resource guarding with aggression
Still biting hard by 6 months
Not making progress despite consistent training

Finding Qualified Help

CPDT-KA — Certified Professional Dog Trainer
KPA CTP — Karen Pryor Academy Certified
IAABC — Animal Behavior Consultants
Force-free, positive reinforcement methods only

Weekly Training Priorities

Weeks	Priority Focus
8-12	Socialization, house training, crate training, bite inhibition, name recognition, basic "sit"
12-16	Continue socialization (window closes!), solidify house training, sit/down/come, leash intro, polite greetings
16+	Maintain socialization, refine commands, add distractions, loose leash walking, impulse control