Teaching Puppies to Drop It

Puppies love to pick things up and chew on them. It's fun, and it's part of exploring their world! They also love to play “keep away” when their human wants those things back. Here is how to prevent this bad habit.

Setting your puppy up for success

• Put away everything your pup might get into. That means shoes, socks, kids' toys, coasters on coffee tables, and everything else that is small and not weighted down must be placed up high, or behind a gate or door.

• Work on a strong response to the pup's name by playing the “name game”: Call your dog's name, then immediately feed him a tasty treat.

• Never chase your puppy, whether in play or because he has picked something up.

• When your dog does have something in his mouth, always do a trade to get it back. (See below.)

• Never pull something out of your dog's mouth unless it is an emergency because it's a truly dangerous object. (Forcefully removing objects creates defensiveness in your dog, which can lead to resource guarding. See below.)

• Practice “drop it” with toys and chews that your puppy is allowed to pick up, and give the item back after doing the trade. This way, your pup won’t associate giving up what he has with always losing his treasure.

How to trade to get an object back from your pup

1. Place a tasty treat right on your dog's nose.

2. When he drops what's currently in his mouth, let him eat the treat.

3. Once you've practiced this enough that it's going smoothly, say the cue “drop it” right before you place the treat on his nose.

4. With enough repetition, your pup will start to drop what's in his mouth and look up at you as soon as he hears the words “drop it.” You are now rewarding him for dropping the item on cue rather than just luring him with a treat.

   • If your pup regresses and does not drop the item when you say “drop it,” do not repeat the cue or try to grab the item. Follow the words “drop it” with the treat on the nose to keep the association strong. See more about teaching verbal cues here.

A quick demo of teaching “drop it.”

Here is a full video tutorial on teaching “drop it” via trading for a treat:

Here is a video tutorial on teaching “drop it” via trading for a toy, instead:

Trouble shooting:

• My puppy runs away even though I have treats:

  • Have your puppy wear a leash and let it drag on the floor behind him, so that you can step on the leash to interrupt running away.

  • Scatter multiple treats on the floor instead of reaching toward him with the treat.

  • Step back and let the puppy approach and eat treats without your “threatening” presence.

  • Pick up the item after your pup has moved away from it to eat the scattered treats. Be calm and subtle with your movement.

• My puppy drops the object to eat the treat but immediately picks it back up again:

  • Practice trading multiple times in a row.

  • Use scattering of treats to keep his mouth busier for longer while you pick up the object.

• My puppy growls or snaps when I reach for him, even with a treat.

  • Your puppy is exhibiting “resource guarding,” which is more intense than a normal “puppy picks up everything” problem. He needs a special training program to address this.

  • In the meantime, use scattering of treats instead of reaching directly for him. Use very yummy treats for this.

• My puppy constantly picks up wood chips, rocks, sticks, leaves, etc outside.

  • This is normal. Most puppies will pick the objects up, give a few chews, and then drop them on their own. If that's what your pup is doing, just let him. Don't stress yourself and your pup out by trying to prevent him from picking up every single item.

  • If your pup is actually swallowing these objects, this is potentially a safety issue. In that case, you need to:

    • prevent your puppy from walking around the problem objects

    • distract him with treats from up above if prevention is impossible during walks

    • do trades as necessary

    • consider training him to wear a basket muzzle.

Here is a video tutorial on using a treat scatter as the primary association with the cue “drop it” - highly recommended for dogs who have a strong history of playing “keep away” or have resource guarding issues:

Puppy Development

Knowing what to expect as your puppy grows up will help you prepare for his training and exercise needs. Below is a guide to your new puppy's growth, both physical and mental. This is only a guide and is not set in stone, as there are differences among breeds and individuals.

From birth – 12 days: Neonatal Period

The puppies are completely dependent on the care of their dam. Their eyes and ears are sealed, but they can smell and feel.

13 – 20 days: Transitional Period

Puppies' eyes and ears begin to open, though the eyes are not fully functional until 10 weeks old.

3 - 8 weeks:

Baby teeth are coming in. Ouch!

3 - 14 weeks: Critical Socialization Period

This is the most important developmental period for you to be aware of. This is a time of immense learning. Puppies are extremely impressionable and are learning what is safe and normal in their world. This is when puppies must have safe, positive interactions with a variety of new people, new dogs, and other animals in order to be social as adults. They are learning bite inhibition and social skills from other dogs as they play. They must also have positive exposure to novel stimuli such as various sights, sounds, smells, surfaces. They can begin learning obedience foundation such as sit, down, and come (in 1-2 minute training sessions). They should be learning to accept handling, being held, and having nails trimmed. Potty training should be well underway, as the puppy is already developing a preference for where he will potty (hopefully not on carpet!). Researchers Scott & Fuller found that puppies who had not seen a stranger before 7 weeks old are unlikely to approach one without encouragement. If they have not seen one before 14 weeks old, they may never voluntarily approach strangers. Read more about safe puppy socialization here.

Between 8 - 11 weeks: First Impact Period (“fear period”)

Within the Critical Socialization Period, there is usually a brief “fear period.” It may last a few days or a week. Your normally confident, curious puppy may hesitate around new stimuli, and even around things that didn't bother him before. Socialization can be scaled back but should continue, with extra care taken to prevent negative experiences from traumatizing him. Then your puppy will return to his usual curiosity about the world.

3 - 8 months:

Adult teeth are replacing baby teeth. Give lots of toys and chews!

4 - 8 months: Flight Instinct Period

This oddly-named period is when your “puppy” starts to be more grown up. He will be ready to leave the security of home and family and be much more interested in exploring the big wide world, and especially in interacting with other dogs. He will experiment with new behaviors, and often issues with marking, counter-surfing, barking, pulling on leash, and not coming when called pop up.

Between 6 - 15 months: Second Impact Period (“fear period”)

The second “fear period” is not as well-defined. It may last a few weeks to several months, and the onset may be gradual or sudden. Avoid forcing your dog into scary situations. Instead, help him gain confidence by encouraging investigation and rewarding good choices. Continue careful socialization. Beware of dog parks.

Between 9 - 18 months: Growth plates close

Growth plates are open areas between bones that are particularly susceptible to injury. Hard impacts that occur before the growth plates finish growing (“close”) can affect bone growth and cause permanent injury. This is why young dogs should not be exposed to repetitive or hard impact exercise such as jumping, jogging (especially on paved roads), or catching frisbees. Spaying/neutering before the growth plates close also impacts the dog's physical development. X-rays can confirm when an individual dog’s growth plates are closed, but rules of thumb are:

• Small dogs (<20 lbs): 6-8 months

• Medium dogs (21-50 lbs): 12 months

• Large dogs (51-100 lbs): 12-18 months

• X-Large dogs (100+ lbs): 24 months

2 - 3 years: Maturity

Dogs are often considered “adult” around 1 - 1.5 years, but full maturity, both mentally and physically, is around 2 - 3 years. Finally!

Puppy Biting and Chewing

Why do puppies bite so much!?

• It's how they explore the world! They don't have hands so they check things out by chewing on them. It's also inherently enjoyable to chew on stuff.

• It's how they learned to play with their siblings, and they don't know yet that we humans want to play differently.

• They are excited by movement (particularly herding breeds and terriers).

• They're teething, and are experiencing pain or irritation in their gums that may be soothed by chewing.

How to discourage biting while petting or playing with your pup:

• Don't reach for your dog's head from the front or above. Pet from the side or while he's facing away from the hand that's petting. (See video below.) Belly rubs also tend to lead to mouthing, so avoid them unless your pup is truly calm.

• Always have a toy or chew within reach and if your pup is in a biting mood, physically place it between his mouth and your body parts. Keep moving it around as needed to keep it between the two of you, like a shield.

• Play with long, thin, whippy toys that drag along the ground rather than toys you hold up in the air. Encourage tug and chase games with the longer toys.

  • Flirt poles are an excellent option, especially when kids want to play with dogs. You can purchase a designated flirt pole (small dogs, big dogs) or create your own by purchasing a lunge whip at the feed store and attaching any toy dog to the end.

  • For extra protection, have the kids stand behind a baby gate or pen, so the puppy cannot get to their feet or hands. (Don’t have the kids play while “safely” on the couch or chairs, as soon the pup will be big enough to reach up and nip them there.)

• Every time your pup manages to get his mouth on your skin or clothes, calmly remove him and redirect to a toy or chew. Be prepared to do this over and over and over again!

• If your puppy is suddenly biting harder or more frequently than usual - or you’re trying to redirect him to a toy but he is very insistent on going right for your skin - he is probably either overly excited or overly tired. Redirect to a different activity (such as calm training time) or put him away in a pen or crate with a chew and let him decompress. See here for information on puppy schedules to avoid overly tired and nippy pups.

• Some puppies also bite more or harder when they are physically uncomfortable, such as from feeling hungry, needing to potty, or having itchy or inflamed skin.

• For pups who never seem to stop biting: try smearing something like peanut butter or cream cheese in a thin layer on the back of your hand, wrist, and/or lower arm. This encourages the dog to lick rather than bite. Praise the puppy for licking. Repeat as needed.

Demo on how to pet a puppy without getting bitten.

Should I yelp or yell when my puppy bites?

• This is common advice, but doesn't always help. Many puppies become MORE excited when you yelp or yell, which makes them bite more.

• If your pup doesn't have that problem, the proper way to use the “yelp” method is to yelp, AND then do a mini time out. Pull your hands close to your body, look away from the pup, and ignore him for 1-3 seconds. Reengage when he is acting appropriately (not jumping, barking, or biting)

Do NOT:

Do not close your puppy's mouth, swat at it, or otherwise put your hands in/around his mouth when he is biting. This creates a negative association with hands coming toward his head, which will cause problems down the road.

Troubleshooting:

• My puppy bites my legs/feet/clothes when I walk by:

  • Don't let your pup practice this behavior. If you’re too busy/distracted to train, proactively keep him away from your feet by using x-pens, baby gates, tethers, and leashes.

  • Use treats to direct your dog's head up and reward him for any steps taken without biting you.

  • When it does happen, hold still (don't yell or jump around) and calmly redirect your puppy to a toy or chew. Be prepared to do this over and over and over again!

  • Make sure your pup is getting plenty of appropriate exercise (including toy play, mental enrichment, and calm cardio exercise like walks).

  • Add proactive training exercises:

• My puppy bites every time I try to put on his collar, harness, or leash:

  • Do some desensitization and counter-conditioning to handling.

  • Here is a video on proactive handling exercises with puppies:

• My puppy is fine with the adults, but bites my children:

  • Puppies are always worse with children because the kids are smaller, move quickly and erratically, and have higher-pitched voices (more exciting and less intimidating).

  • Use more environmental management to prevent uncontrolled interactions between the puppy and children. Encourage parallel play. When they’re together, an adult should always be supervising and ready to step in.

  • Coach children to “be a tree” when the puppy bites (or jumps). They should raise and cross their arms (branches), look away from the puppy (to the sky), keep their feet firmly planted (roots in the ground), and hold still and quiet. The parent should then step in and redirect the puppy to a more appropriate activity.

    • Do not let the kids run away from the puppy by jumping onto couches or chairs - this will backfire when he gets big enough to chase them upwards and keep nipping.

  • Teach children how to play toy games (tug, fetch, flirt pole) in a way that encourages appropriate biting on the toy and discourages jumping and chasing. Keep toys down low; many kids will raise their hands up when they're worried, which can make the puppy jump up to grab the toy. Teach the kids how to do trades and “drop it” instead of reaching for the toy.

  • See more about kids and dogs here.

• My puppy is usually good but goes crazy an hour before bedtime:

  • Nearly all puppies go through a “witching hour” shortly before bedtime.

  • Be prepared and plan ahead! It's not realistic to ask your puppy to clamp down on his energy – instead, have a plan for directing that energy into appropriate activities.

    • Play with long, whippy toys that you can drag on the ground. A toy on a string or flirt pole is great for playing with the puppy while keeping your body parts far away.

    • Scatter treats all around the room, or even better, in the grass outside.

    • Give a particularly enticing chew, such as a new marrow bone.

    • Arrange a play date with another puppy or let him run in a safe off-leash area around the time of the witching hour, or shortly before.

  • See more information on puppy schedules here.

What about chewing on furniture and other household items?

• Have plenty of chew toys available, and rotate through them daily. You should have toys of various textures (rubber, plush, crunchy, rope, etc) along with real, edible animal parts (bully sticks, cow hooves, smoked knuckle bones, water buffalo horns, pig ears, antlers, marrow bones, yak milk/Himalayan sticks, dense wood chews, etc).

• Some puppies enjoy chewing on frozen items such as ice cubes, frozen water-soaked cloth, or frozen fruit. It may numb aching gums.

• Pick up any smaller objects you don't want to get chewed.

• Use gates, pens, tethers, and leashes to confine the puppy and keep him away from furniture he wants to chew.

• Bitter-tasting sprays (like Bitter Apple and Bitter Yuck) deter most puppies (though not all). Reapply daily.

• You are developing good chewing habits by restricting his ability to make mistakes. Gradually give your pup more freedom as you see that he is making good choices.

• Give plenty of mental enrichment and age-appropriate physical exercise. (No forced running or other highly repetitive activity. Allow plenty of free walking and running time, play time with appropriate dogs, and low-impact play.)

Will my puppy grow out of it?

Typically puppy biting and chewing decreases drastically once the pup is finished with teething (~5-6 months old). However most dogs enjoy chewing for life, and should regularly have chews and toys made available.

Potty Training

The principles of potty training are easy to understand, but require good supervision, consistency, and patience for your dog to become reliable.

Prevent your dog from making mistakes:

• When you are out of the house or unable to supervise your dog, put him into a crate, pen, or small room (such as a bathroom or laundry room). This keeps him from roaming the house and eliminating where you don't want him to. Your dog is also likely to hold his bladder and bowels while he is in a confined space, since he wants to keep his area clean.

• When you are home, keep your dog close, so that he doesn't sneak off and have an accident.

  • Use a leash to tether him to you or to a nearby object.

  • Use baby gates or x-pens to keep him from leaving the room.

Take your dog to the proper potty area frequently:

• For puppies, take them out every hour, on the hour. (Some young puppies need even more frequent trips out.)

• Also take your dog (adult or puppy) out after:

  • mealtimes

  • breaks in playtime

  • waking up from a nap

• While you're outside, stand still and be boring, so your dog learns that this isn't playtime.

• If your pup is busy exploring, use a leash or pen to keep him in a boring area.

• Wait up to 2 minutes for him to do his business.

• If you think he needs to pee or poop but hasn't yet, take him back inside, but restrict his freedom and supervise him to prevent any accidents. Take him back outside after 5-10 minutes.

Reward your dog for peeing and pooping outside:

• Praise your dog as he eliminates.

• Give special, extra-yummy treats as soon as he's done. (Not when he comes back to the house - you should be outside with your dog so that you can reward him promptly!)

• If he's empty, he can have extra freedom of movement inside until he's likely to be full again. (Generally 30 minutes to 1 hour for puppies, a few hours for adult dogs.)

Watch for signs that your dog is uncomfortable and looking for a place to eliminate:

• sneaking off

• circling

• pacing

• sniffing

• trying to get your attention

If your dog has an accident:

• If you catch him in the act, you can communicate your displeasure by giving a quick yell in an unhappy tone (“Ah, not there!!”).

• If you find the mess after your dog is done, it is TOO LATE - your dog cannot make the connection between the act of eliminating in the house and you being unhappy.

• Do NOT punish or scare your dog! This is likely to a) make your dog more determined to sneak off and eliminate in a different room, and b) be nervous about peeing or pooping in front of you at all, even outside.

• Clean with a product that is specifically formulated for cleaning up pet messes, such as Nature's Miracle. All purpose cleaners may not break down the proteins in the pee/poop properly, and your dog will still be able to smell them - which is a big sign saying “do your business here.”

Developing reliability:

• When your dog is successfully going outside and you have the training plan in place, you can slowly start to extend the time between trips outside.

• You can let your dog have more freedom of movement / less supervision in the house during times that you're home and you’re sure he's empty.

• Start leaving him alone outside of the crate/pen for short periods (less than 1 hour) when you're sure he's empty. (This should be in a puppy-proofed area, so that he’s not chewing things up, either.)

• The better you are at picking up your dog's signs that he needs to go out, the easier it will be. In fact, as your dog learns that you WILL take him out when he needs it, he will try HARDER to communicate to you when he wants to go.

• Some people have success teaching their dog to ring a bell or other noisemaker to communicate.

  • Teach them to ring the bell as a trick, separate from potty training.

  • Ask your dog to ring the bell right before you take him outside.

  • At some point your dog will try ringing the bell without prompting, to see if you will take him outside. Praise and do so. You can't rush this part - your dog has to figure it out on his own.

  • Here is a video tutorial on teaching your pup to use a bell:

Troubleshooting:

• My dog pees outside, then comes in the house and pees again: If he does this regularly, either spend more time outside so he can pee twice, or just assume that he will soon need a second potty trip, and restrict/supervise in the meantime.

• According to his age, my dog is supposed to be able to hold his bladder for X hours, but he has accidents sooner than that: The bladder is a muscle, and just like other muscles, it's weak if it hasn't been exercised. If your dog is young, or if he has grown up in a back yard and peeing whenever he wants, he may simply not able to hold it as long as he “should.” Take him out more frequently, and slowly extend the time between trips.

• My dog is able to hold it all night, so why does he pee so much during the day? Your body's metabolism slows down when you're asleep or resting - you simply can't compare the two.

• My dog pees in his crate/pen/small room: More trips outside! You may also need to remove absorbent bedding, as some dogs will consider their area “clean enough” if a fluffy blanket wicks the urine away.

• My dog marks indoors: You will need to restrict/supervise even more carefully. You may want to have your boy wear a belly band, so that if he does mark, it won't actually land on your walls or furniture. This helps with the potential problem of not seeing that your dog has marked and not knowing where to clean.

• My dog just wants to play when we go outside: Put him on leash or in a pen when you go out so that he can't run around or play with toys. Stand still and don't make eye contact while you wait, so that you're not any fun.

• My dog pees when greeting people: This is not a potty training issue per se. Some dogs will pee because they're nervous when greeting people or because they want to present as “submissive” a picture as possible. Young dogs may simply lose control over their bladder when excited.

  • Keep greetings as low-key as possible. Speak only in a calm, quiet voice. Sit or squat down so that you are less threatening.

  • Have guests greet the dog outside (and also be low-key).

  • Teach confidence-building tricks for your dog to perform while greeting people, such as hand targeting or fetching a toy.

Puppy socialization

Providing appropriate socialization is a critical part of raising your puppy to be a well-adjusted adult dog, one who welcomes guests into the home, walks calmly and confidently in public, and can travel with the family. It is the process of introducing your puppy to the wider world, to help prevent fear and aggression later in life. It is also the process of teaching your puppy how to behave out there, to help prevent lunging and barking and over-excitement around other dogs, skateboards, scooters, etc.

The critical socialization period begins at 3 weeks old and ends between 12 and 16 weeks old. That means that the process of safe, controlled socialization should already be started by the breeder or rescue you get your puppy from.

Wait, shouldn’t I wait to take my puppy out of the house until they have all their vaccinations done? What if my puppy gets sick?

In a word: no! A puppy who is sequestered indoors is significantly more likely to have problems with fear and aggression later in life. Here are several resources on why socialization is so important.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior's Position Statement on Puppy Socialization (PDF):

“The Primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life. During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing over- stimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behavior. For this reason, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated.

Because the first three months are the period when sociability outweighs fear, this is the primary window of opportunity for puppies to adapt to new people, animals, and experiences. Incomplete or improper socialization during this important time can increase the risk of behavioral problems later in life including fear, avoidance, and/or aggression. Behavioral problems are the greatest threat to the owner-dog bond. In fact, behavioral problems are the number one cause of relinquishment to shelters. Behavioral issues, not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age.”

Puppy Vaccination and Early Socialization Should Go Together (PDF)

“Experience and epidemiologic data support the relative safety and lack of transmission of disease in these puppy socialization classes over the past 10 years in many parts of the United States. In fact; the risk of a dog dying because of infection with distemper or parvo virus disease is far less than the much higher risk of a dog dying (euthanasia) because of a behavior problem. Many veterinarians are now offering new puppy owners, puppy socialization classes in their hospitals or nearby training facilities with assistance of trainers and behaviorists. This emphasizes the importance of early socialization and training as important parts of a wellness plan for every puppy. We need to recognize that this special sensitive period for learning is the best opportunity we have to influence behavior for dogs and the most important and longest lasting part of a total wellness plan.”

2013 Study: Frequency of Parvovirus in Vaccinated Puppies that Attended Puppy Socialization Classes

“Socialization is one method of preventing behavior problems in dogs; however, some oppose socialization before 16 wk of age due to the risk of contracting infectious diseases. The objectives of this study were to determine if puppies that attended puppy socialization classes and were vaccinated by a veterinarian at least once were at an increased risk of confirmed canine parvovirus (CPV) infection compared with puppies that did not attend classes... Results indicated that vaccinated puppies attending socialization classes were at no greater risk of CPV infection than vaccinated puppies that did not attend those classes.”

Why you should take your urban puppy to socials after just one set of shots

“While not a perfect analogy, a puppy’s openness to learning socials skills is similar to the way young children learn new languages effortlessly. Studies have shown that children younger than seven years old easily pick up new languages because their brains are wired to readily incorporate the words, grammar and structure of multiple languages. Like the puppy socialization period that ends at 12 weeks, this window closes for children around seven years old, after which language acquisition becomes far more difficult. You can place a 6-year old child in a Mandarin immersion class for a year and she will come out fluent in the language but if I were to attend the same class, I would likely still be struggling with the basics.”

Early Puppy Socialization Classes: Weighing the risks vs. benefits

“Given the fact that behavior problems are the No. 1 cause of relinquishment to shelters, along with the fact that 56% of dogs that enter shelters in the United States are euthanized, and that puppy classes help prevent behavior problems and increase the likelihood of retention in the home, there must be evidence of phenomenal risk of infectious disease transmission associated with early socialization classes to warrant holding puppies back. And there is no such evidence to date. In fact, renowned behaviorist Dr. R. K. Anderson, a longtime advocate for early socialization, has more than a decade of experience and data supporting the relative safety and lack of disease transmission in puppy socialization classes in many parts of the United States.

It's unfortunate that the behavioral gains from puppy class are under such tight age constraints. The most sound advice we [veterinarians] can give clients is to acknowledge the small risk of infectious disease transmission and recommend well-run puppy socialization classes on the grounds that the relative risk is so low. Puppies, owners, and society stand to benefit enormously at the cost of a relatively small risk of exposure to a treatable infection.”

Puppy Vaccinations: Why Puppies Need a Series of Shots

“Our current vaccines are excellent at stimulating immunity in older puppies in just one or two shots. However, puppies who nursed on their mother’s milk have maternal antibodies in their blood that block the immune system from responding to these vaccines. These circulating maternal antibodies protect them from bacterial and viral assault while the puppy’s immune system is maturing. But they also prevent the puppy’s immune system from becoming activated by vaccines.”

Okay, I’m sold. Now how do I do it?

I recommend starting with these articles written by other trainers:

Puppy Socialization… What Actually Is It??

“The definition I like for puppy socialization is “the process of teaching a puppy to live and behave in the situations it will encounter throughout its life.”... All in all, socialization is a very personal process. You are not just shaping your dog to live in the human world, you are shaping him to live in YOUR world. It’s important to me that my dogs are confident and comfortable in sport situations as I do have many competition goals for them, but I live with them too so it’s equally (or more, sometimes) important that they can settle in the house, be polite on a hiking trail, and work as demo or decoy dogs for my clients. What are your goals for your dog, and what type of dog do you want to build?”

Socialization is More Than Mere Exposure - AVSAB

“You should set up social experiences in graded steps that reflect your puppy’s personality and behavior. If you notice that your puppy seems timid or fearful in new situations, you should move more slowly and deliberately in terms of the intensity of exposure than you would if your puppy is always jolly and exuberant. Pay attention to your puppy’s approach versus retreat behavior and other body language indicators.”

Overzealous Greetings (and Other Tales of Toddlers and Puppies)

“responsible dog owners can teach their charges to be polite around other dogs. Socializing your dog appropriately helps him grow into a model citizen of canine society.

So, how do I guide my foster dogs through appropriate interactions? First of all, I focus on teaching them to greet other dogs calmly. If puppies squeal and lunge in excitement every time they see a new dog, they grow into adult dogs who rush up to other dogs or react explosively on leash at the sight of each new dog. This isn’t a healthy social reaction, and preventing this behavior from developing is much easier and faster than fixing it once it’s become a habit.”

Keeping, Raising and Showing Littermates

“One should only keep multiple puppies if they truly have the time to give each puppy what they need in terms of training, medical care, socialization, grooming, etc. If you can’t or if you aren’t sure if you can, you should probably not take on more than one. If you do decide to keep multiple puppies, here are some things to consider and tips that may help you bring them up successfully.”

I also like this PDF from Operation Socialization and this graphic by Sara Reusche and Lili Chin.

Need a cheat sheet? Here are the bullet points.

• Invite people over to your house to play with the pup. Make sure that they wash their hands and haven’t just been petting unknown dogs.

• Take your puppy over to visit other people’s houses. Make sure to bring supplies to clean up potty accidents, just in case.

• Take your puppy out and about in a sling, pack, stroller, or just carrying them to keep them up off the ground. Walk around the neighborhood, shopping areas, and into pet-friendly stores.

  • Most home improvement stores (eg Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace) welcome dogs. JoAnn is officially pet-friendly in all their locations. Many other stores will allow you to carry in small puppies if you ask.

• Bring your pup on errands in the car. While one person takes care of business, the other can sit with the pup and look out the window, or have the puppy in your lap with the car door open. (See information about puppy carsickness here.)

• Hang out at the park or beach with your pup on a large blanket, using a leash or pen to keep them close by.

• If you want your puppy to be comfortable with particular activities when they’re grown up, starting introducing those things now. For example, start teaching your puppy to swim, or introduce him to livestock, or get started on grooming training.

• Arrange play dates with other friendly, healthy, vaccinated dogs who haven’t recently been to the dog park.

• Attend puppy classes - see below for how to pick a good puppy class.

• Make sure that anyone interacting with your puppy - especially kids - pets gently, plays appropriately, and allows the puppy to move away if they want to. (See resources for kids and dogs here.)

• Make sure that your puppy is having a good time. Things to look for:

  • Wagging tail

  • Happy to explore and sniff around

  • Willingness to play and eat treats

  • Able to respond to trained cues

• If your puppy gets overwhelmed (hiding, tucked tail, sitting very still and not engaging), let him retreat to safety and reassure him. Give him time to recover and be ready to explore again.

• If your puppy is regressing in their socialization, or showing sudden fear toward specific things, they may be in a fear period. Follow the suggestions in this article or consult with a professional trainer who uses positive methods to help you provide desensitization and counter-conditioning.

How to pick a puppy class

Not all training classes are created equal. You want to make sure that:

• The facility is cleaned with appropriate products (such as KennelSol) to reduce possible transmission of pathogens.

• Puppies are required to be up to date on vaccinations per their veterinarian’s advice, and proof is provided to the trainer.

• Only positive training methods are used. (E.g., no collar corrections on choke chains or prong collars, no swatting puppies for mouthing, no grabbing by the scruff or pinning down to punish. Instead, puppies are guided to choose desirable behaviors and rewarded with treats, play, and petting, while undesirable behaviors are prevented or redirected.)

• Puppies that are over-excited - barking, pouncing, pulling on leash - are given help to calm down via decreasing visibility, moving them farther away, providing chews or enrichment items, and/or rewarding appropriate behaviors.

• Playtime is not a “free for all” between all of the puppies. Not all pups can play together nicely - different sizes and levels of energy and confidence can easily lead to bullying if not carefully monitored. Pens and leashes are used to help shier and smaller puppies have a good socialization experience.

• Breaks are given during playtime to help moderate arousal levels and help puppies learn to listen around distractions.

• All of the puppy owners are helping teach manners by giving attention to puppies with “four on the floor,” not allowing them to snatch treats, and breaking up play as needed to redirect inappropriate behavior or provide breaks.

Preparing for puppy

Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, but can be overwhelming! Here are lots of tips on what to procure ahead of time, easing the transition from the breeder’s home to yours, and setting up for a peaceful household.

What you’ll need

• Food - ask your breeder what brand of food they are feeding the puppies. They may send you home with some, or they may expect you to get a bag of your own. You’ll keep your puppy on the same food at first, so you don’t upset their digestion, then transition to a different brand slowly (if you want to).

• Bowls for food and water. You may want a “slow feeder” bowl for puppies that gulp their food quickly.

• Treats (see this article for tips on selecting treats).

• Toys - get toys with a variety of sizes, shapes, and textures. Your pup’s toy preferences may change as they are growing and teething, and you’ll want to have various on hand to discourage mouthing and chewing on furniture.

• Food toys and edible chews, to keep your pup entertained (see this article for suggestions).

• Collar and harness, for walking and tethering in the car (or use a crate). If you’re not sure what sizes to get, ask your breeder to give you a measurement of the circumferences of the pup’s neck and rib cage shortly before it’s time for pick up. I recommend a harness because it will be safer to use for teaching leash walking.

• Crate, if you’ll be using one. Crates are very helpful for potty training, chew training, and generally keeping your puppy out of trouble when unsupervised. Larger wire crates usually come with dividers, so you can get one that will fit your dog when full grown, and make it temporarily smaller for the puppy.

• Baby gates and x-pens (example), to block off areas of the house or keep your puppy contained during potty training and chew training. These can be used instead of a crate, or in different areas of the house.

• Potty pads, if you plan to use them. (You could instead commit to taking your puppy outside for every potty break, right from the start.)

• Bitter tasting spray (such as Bitter Yuck or Bitter Apple), to deter chewing on furniture.

• A big plush toy, to help your puppy settle when alone.

• Dog beds, blankets, or towels. You may not want to get anything too fancy early on, when your pup may be pottying or chewing on their bedding.

• Grooming tools. Long-haired dogs will need regular brushing to keep from matting. Dogs with poodle/doodle-type coats will need to be trimmed regularly - you can take them to a professional groomer or do this yourself. You’ll also need to trim your dog’s nails - here is an article all about nail trims.

Transitioning from the breeder’s home

• Ask your breeder whether they will be sending a toy or blanket home with the pup, so they have a familiar item to provide comfort. If not, ask if you can drop off or mail them a small blanket to put with the puppies, and then bring back home during pick up.

• If possible, visit the puppies at least once before you bring yours home. Spend some time playing with the pups and making a good first impression.

• During the car ride home, have the pup sit next to someone or on their lap. In the long term, you’ll want to have your pup safely secured in the car (using a crate or tether), but that’s very hard on most puppies during their first trip without littermates. If you are alone, secure your pup on the passenger seat so that they can see you and get reassuring petting when safe. Never allow a puppy to sit on the driver’s lap, as they may interfere with steering or fall down near the pedals.

• Let your pup investigate their new home without immediately meeting other pets - one thing at a time! Don’t let kids accost the pup while they’re still figuring everything out. (Use the resources in this article to teach kids to be respectful of dogs.)

• Do not allow your puppy to overwhelm or bully more timid or defensive animals (like other small dogs, cats, rabbits, or chickens), or be overwhelmed by older/larger dogs. (Article on introducing dogs to each other and to other animals is in the works.)

• Set up areas where your pup will be confined when unsupervised (eg crate, pen), and where they will be hanging out with you. Don’t give them free reign of the entire house at first, to minimize potty accidents and chewing on furniture/your stuff.

• Get your puppy on a regular schedule over the course of the first week.

• The first few nights can be very stressful for the puppy, who is not used to sleeping alone, and for the human, who has to listen to their pup whining and crying. The large plush toy will give them a faux littermate to cuddle up to, and a blanket that smells like the breeder’s home will help comfort them. If your pup is sleeping in a crate, place it on your bed or immediately next to it. Place your fingers through the bars and talk softly to your puppy.

When to start training

Remember that your pup is constantly learning about interacting with humans, how to play, how to be alone, and so on. You’re training from the first minute you bring them home! If getting your puppy settled into your home is a struggle, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Formal obedience training (like sit, stay, come, leash walking prep) can begin right after.

Puppy Schedules

Why should you get your pup on a schedule?

New puppy owners often make the mistake of letting their puppies run wild until they exhaust themselves. This is problematic because puppies who are overly tired or overstimulated are much more likely to bite, chase, bark, growl, and generally show grumpy, aggressive, and/or frantic behaviors. It is better for the pup (and for the human!) to encourage them to settle down for regular naps before they practice those behaviors. You also want to make sure that these are deep, restorative naps - a doze here and there, that is frequently interrupted, will not improve your pup’s behavior.

Potty training is also much easier if your pup is on a consistent schedule!

How do I figure out the right schedule for my pup?

For an 8 week old puppy, I start with a rule of thumb of:

• wake up and immediately take out to potty

• provide a meal (in a bowl or - better yet - in a food toy, scattered around for them to sniff out, or as rewards during training)

• provide playtime/training/exercise for 1 hour (with a potty break in the middle)

• take out to potty

• nap for 30 minutes - 2 hours

• repeat

Of course you’ll adjust as needed. Higher energy pups (such as herding breeds and terriers) will need more time to tire out - BUT watch out for overstimulation leading to behaviors like nipping, barking, or chasing other pets. Lower energy pups (such as growing giant breeds and many small breed lap dogs) will need longer naps.

Extend nap time if your puppy was very tired out (such as from an extended training session or play time with another puppy), and during parts of the day he tends to be more tired. For example, it’s normal for dogs to snooze longer in the middle of the day (from roughly late morning to early afternoon).

Keep in mind that puppies typically need 18-20 hours of sleep a day!

Helping your puppy settle for a nap

Puppy sleeping soundly in a crate.

• Use a crate or pen to create a small, calm area for your pup to nap in.

  • Many puppies settle more easily if they can’t see activity going on around them, so try covering most of the crate/pen with a blanket.

  • You may need to place their crate/pen in a quiet area of the house, such as a bedroom. (If your puppy cannot handle being separated from you, that is a separate problem that needs specialized training to address.)

• Give your pup a “fresh” toy (one they haven’t seen in a couple of days) and at least one chew item or food toy when you put them away, especially if they were already getting over stimulated and need help self-soothing.

• Providing a large plush toy to cuddle with also helps them relax and fall asleep. (I believe that it reminds them of their littermates.)

• Some puppies benefit from you putting in an item (such as a blanket) that came from the breeder’s home, or a piece of clothing that smells like their new owner.

• You can also play calm music and try Adaptil to further help fussy pups settle.

• If your pup whines or barks intermittently, ignore them and they will learn to self-soothe and fall asleep.

  • Note that if your dog is having a panic attack - barking non-stop, trying to escape their crate/pen, hurting themselves, or soiling their bed - that is an anxiety problem that needs specialized training to address.

Extending free time as your pup grows

You can extend awake time if your puppy has recently pottied and is still peppy without being overstimulated. If they haven’t pottied recently, use strict supervision or a tether/crate/pen to discourage accidents, and take them out again in 5-10 minutes. Then give more free time until the pup is tired or it’s time for the next potty trip. If you see that your pup is now consistently holding their bladder/bowels for a longer period (say, 90 minutes instead of 1 hour), you can move their potty schedule accordingly.

If your pup is having accidents during free time, divide it up with more trips outside and strictly supervise indoors.

Some “zoomies” (racing around with a burst of energy) in the evening are normal. If they’re a problem because your pup gets more nippy, plan ahead and provide appropriate exercise and enrichment to channel his energy. If they’re really out of control, that usually means your pup didn’t get enough exercise earlier in the day, so adjust your schedule in the future.

Happy puppy and owner!

Final notes

Put your pup to bed and get them up in the morning at a consistent time, even on weekends.

Most 8-12 week old pups will need 1-2 potty trips outside overnight. If your pup lets you know they need to go out by fussing, you can take them out then. If they potty in their crate/pen without warning you, you’ll need to set an alarm so that you can get them out before then. Reward your pup with a treat for pottying outside, then put them back into their crate/pen without any extra playtime or cuddles.

Many puppies will have trouble regulating their behavior if they’re home alone for 8-10 hours and then awake for 6-8 hours with you; use family, friends, neighbors, walkers, and trainers to get the puppy out for exercise and enrichment while you’re at work.

Puppy Carsickness

Puppies are more likely to get carsick than adult dogs, because the parts of the inner ear used for sensing balance are not yet fully developed. This likely creates a “seasick” feeling. Most will outgrow this eventually, but the anxiety that develops from unpleasant car rides can linger.

Common signs of carsickness:

Puppy hiding under seat cover.

• Drooling, repetitive lip licking, gagging, vomiting

• Panting, whining, barking

• Sweaty paws, trembling, pacing

• Gas or diarrhea

• Hesitance or refusal to get into car, trying to escape from car

What you can do to help:

Relaxed and comfortable!

• Withhold food for a few hours before the car ride, so your dog’s stomach is empty. (Do give water.)

• Try a few different positions in the car. Most dogs do better when they can see out the front window. On the other hand, one of my dogs is much calmer when he can’t see out.

  • Make sure your dog is safely secured using a seat belt, tether, or crate. A loose dog can distract the driver, and go flying if there’s an accident.

• Crack the side windows open. (Don’t open the window wide enough for your dog be able to stick his head out - flying debris can hit his eye.)

• Keep the car cool and play calm music.

• Drive carefully. Be slow and gentle when you’re starting, stopping, and going around turns.

• Keep trips very short at first, and lengthen over time. Start with just exiting the driveway and returning. Progress to going down the block, then a mile away, etc.

• Take frequent, short trips to fun destinations like the park or a friend’s house.

• Associate the car itself with fun things. Play in the back seat without driving anywhere. Feed meals inside. During car rides (as long as your dog won’t vomit afterwards), give him treats or chews (eg bully stick).

• Try giving your dog ginger snaps or ginger capsules before the ride. (Ask your vet about proper dosing.)

• Ask your vet about Cerenia, a prescription medication for nausea, or giving Dramamine or Bonine.

How to pick a good puppy breeder

Happy puppy gives kisses to a new friend.

When you go out to purchase a puppy, you’re not just picking a pup from a litter. You’re also picking what genetics you’re purchasing, and what breeder you’re trusting to raise that pup. Genetics and early experiences come together to determine whether your pup will be easy or difficult to potty train, sleep through the night or throw a tantrum in his crate, let you take a bone from him or bite your hand, wag his tail at kids or growl and run away, and on and on. In short, your entire experience of puppy raising will be shaped by this combination of nature and nurture. Considering that this puppy will go on to live with you for another 10-15 years, this is not something that should be taken lightly!

Fortunately you can stack the deck in your favor by being careful about which breeder you purchase from.

Before you even start contacting breeders, the first step is for you to consider your home life and how the dog will fit into it.

• Will your pup be primarily an indoor or outdoor dog?

• Do children live in your home or visit often?

• Do you have other dogs? Cats? Other animals?

• Do you live in a busy urban area, quiet suburbs, or out in the country? What is the noise level around you?

Next, think about the activities you’d like to do with your pup once he’s an adult.

• Hiking? Swimming? Paddle boarding?

• Picnicking and large family gatherings?

• Hanging out at cafes and outdoor restaurants?

• Dog sports like agility, competitive obedience, or musical freestyle?

Talk to your family and write your lists. There’s one step here that I won’t go into, and that’s narrowing down which breeds are likely to be a good match for your lifestyle. That’s a whole other post! Let’s get to what you came here for - the secret rules that differentiate “good breeders” from “back yard breeders.”

…Well, except that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to such a complicated topic! Since everyone’s situation, needs, and preferences are different, I’ve instead written out some guidelines for you to follow as you evaluate breeders. There will be exceptions to every bullet point. If the breeder you’re talking to does things differently, ask them why and listen carefully to their answer. Does it make sense, or does it rule them out when it comes to your particular household?

Pluses: Things you want from the breeder

• Keeps in contact with previous buyers and can tell you how their pups behave as adults. If they don’t keep track of their pups as they mature, they don’t really know what they’re producing. Bonus points if your pup’s relatives participate in the same activities as you plan to do with him.

• Interviews you carefully and makes sure that you would provide a good home for their puppy, rather than selling to anyone who has the money.

• Can tell you about any major illnesses or injuries that happened to dogs related to this litter, as they may have a genetic component.

• Performs health testing on their breeding dogs and available relatives, and can show you the results. For example, PennHIP is a well regarded way to evaluate risk of developing, or severity of, hip dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) provides testing for various conditions and a public database of results. You can browse by breed to see what testing is recommended by the national parent club of a breed you’re interested in. For cross breeds, look for tests recommended for the pure breeds that went into your potential puppy (ie, poodles and golden retrievers for a goldendoodle puppy).

• Lives in a similar environment to you (eg, urban, suburban, rural). If they live out in the country and you live downtown, it’s likely to be a difficult transition for the pup, which can lead to fear or reactivity. (However a puppy who is confident with loud noises, cars, strangers, etc, can overcome this.)

• Performs similar activities with their adult dogs as you want to do with your future pup (for example, hiking, walking downtown, therapy work, or agility). Or if they don’t, they know that previous puppy buyers have successfully done those activities.

  • Also consider the opposite - does the breeder do activities that don’t fit with your lifestyle? If they are breeding dogs that are frequently hunting, herding, or protecting the home/livestock, their puppies are not likely to be a good fit for a suburban family with little kids.

• Raises the puppies in their home (rather than outdoors in a yard or barn), unless you are specifically looking for an outdoor dog. Pups raised in the home will be much more comfortable with things like kitchen noises, vacuums, guests coming in, etc.

• Socializes the puppies to new people, including kids. Precautions should be taken to make sure that illnesses aren’t brought in, such as leaving shoes outside the puppy area, wearing clean clothes, and washing hands thoroughly. However puppies that haven’t met a variety of people at an early age are much more likely to be fearful of strangers.

• Socializes the puppies to other dogs (especially other breeds of dogs, if possible). I’ve met lots of puppies that got along well with the other purebred dogs in the household, but shrieked, barked, or ran away the moment they saw a dog who looked different.

• Socializes the puppies to other animals, if possible. This is especially important if you have cats, rabbits, parrots, livestock, etc.

• Provides lots of variety in the puppy pen. The pups should experience different surfaces, smells, sights, sounds, and so on. This creates more confident pups who can handle a variety of situations later in life. Introduction to different noises (carefully, at a level the pups can handle) is especially important if you live in a busy/noisy area.

• Introduces the puppies to crates. At the very least, there should be crates available for the pups to explore and rest in if they choose. Even better if the breeder gives them positive exposure to being closed into a crate by feeding the pups inside, or gets them used to sleeping in them overnight. (Crates are extremely useful tools for potty training, chew training, and separation training. They can also help keep your dog calm and still during recovery if he has an injury or severe illness later in life.)

• Starts the puppies on potty training by having a designated potty area in their pen or by taking them outdoors frequently.

• Gives you guidance in picking a pup from the litter, so that a busy household doesn’t take home the shyest pup, or a retired couple doesn’t get the most active one.

• Has you sign a contract that includes a clause stating that you will contact them first or return the dog to them if you can no longer care for him. They want to avoid having a dog they bred end up in a shelter or rescue.

Puppies learning about water in a safe, fun way!

Neutrals: Things that other people might tell you are important, but may not be to you

• Breeds only purebreds recognized by the AKC, not any “cross breeds,” “mutts,” or “designer dogs.” There are good breeders who are striving to create new breeds or individual dogs for specific tasks by mixing existing breeds. Did you know that Guide Dogs for the Blind regularly crosses purebred Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers? There is nothing inherently better about a puppy who has only one type of dog in its lineage. I’ve owned and met many “doodles” and other mixes who were lovely dogs.

• Shows dogs in conformation (“dog shows”). This would only apply to currently recognized pure breeds. It is important that a breeder evaluates the structure (“conformation”) of their breeding dogs and puppies, to make sure that they are creating sound, healthy dogs. However that does not need to be done via dog shows. Success in dog sports, long happy lives in their previous dogs, and good evaluations by breed mentors can all point to sound structure.

• Breeds for uncommon coat colors or patterns. This is associated with “back yard breeders” and puppy mills, who often churn out uncommon or unusual puppies without regard for health or temperament. However with few exceptions (see below), there is nothing inherently wrong with breeding for specific coat colors. You have to evaluate the rest of the breeder’s program, separate from this.

  • A large amount of white on the face/head of a dog is associated with increased risk of deafness. Puppies like this should be BAER tested to find out if they have normal hearing or are unilaterally or bilaterally deaf.

  • Two dogs with the merle pattern should not be bred together unless the breeder is up to date on the very latest merle research and has had the lengths of the merle alleles tested, otherwise “double merle” puppies are likely to be blind and/or deaf.

  • Dogs with the dilute color gene (often referred to as “blue”) may suffer from color dilution alopecia. This is usually a mild cosmetic issue but may lead to secondary skin infections and itchiness. Not all dilute dogs have CDA.

Puppy meeting a calm cat.

Minuses: Things that should make you pause and think carefully

• Doesn’t let you meet the dam or other relatives of the litter. (Alternatively, lets you see them, but the dogs are barking at you and wary of approaching.) If your pup’s relatives aren’t friendly to strangers, chances are he won’t be, either.

• Doesn’t let you see where the puppies are living. You want to be able to look at their space and make sure that it’s clean and has a variety of surfaces and toys and things to climb on and under. It shouldn’t be so small that the pups are learning to potty where they eat and sleep.

• Is evasive about how the pups are raised and socialized, or gives very general or vague answers. Listen for specifics, not just that they met “a lot” of people or were handled “a lot.”

• Keeps their adult dogs in kennels outdoors - unless you plan to keep your dog primarily outdoors as well.

• Has a large number of breeding dogs, especially of multiple breeds. This is a red flag for a puppy mill. Of course, this is a guideline, not a rule - especially if the dogs are small breeds, and they can all comfortably live in the home.

• Regularly ships puppies to buyers without meeting them first. This is also a red flag for a puppy mill. Watch out for websites that emphasize the convenience of having your pup shipped to you. Again, this is a guideline - many breeders will ship puppies after carefully screening potential buyers.

• Allows buyers to select their pups “first come, first served,” or based solely on sex and color, without any input on the pups’ personalities and whether they’re a good fit for that household.

• Hands over puppies before they are 8 weeks old. Not only is 8 weeks widely considered to be a minimum amount of time that puppies should be with their littermates, but it is illegal in California to rehome them at an earlier age.

• Is heavy-handed with their puppies, doing things like forced downs, “alpha rolls,” holding puppies’ mouths shut for biting, or spanking. These all teach puppies that human hands coming toward them are scary. You want the opposite - a pup who trusts humans and is easily taught to allow all kinds of handling for grooming, vet care, etc.

Extra resources

I know of a few programs that guide breeders through early puppy raising, socialization, and training. The goal is to help breeders raise pups that are confident, friendly, stable, and make great family members. There is no guarantee that a puppy raised with these programs will be confident and outgoing, but it’s a good way to maximize your chances.

Puppy Culture - They also have a Facebook group where you can watch videos and read information about the program. Try doing a search for your breed of choice, and you may find a breeder near you.

Good Dog’s Good Breeder Courses (including the original AviDog A-Z program), along with webinars and articles.

Institute of Canine Biology’s Science of Canine Husbandry course, and several other courses. The blog is also a fantastic resource for those interested in health, population genetics, inbreeding coefficients, etc.

AviDog - They no longer host their A-Z program but still have a list of breeders who follow the program.

Good Dog is a database of vetted breeders that meet minimum requirements for health testing, behavioral screening, and puppy raising.

The Functional Dog Collaborative is a new program that helps breeders whose goals are to produce functional (physically and behaviorally) dogs who fit well into our modern world. Check out the official Facebook group - on Sundays they welcome posts from people looking for breeders or puppies.