I was with a new Home Dog Training client yesterday in Woodstock.  We were working with his four month old Brittany Spaniel named Penny. We spent a log of time on the potty issues and my client was thrilled with what he learned.  We also worked on some simple obedience commands such as come, sit, and casual walking.  My client and Penny worked very well together and I could definitely see that Penny was going to be a great dog for their family.  Kimberly, my client’s wife then had a great question.  Her job allowed her to be home most days and she noticed that Penny loved to wander everywhere.  She is also getting into a lot of trouble.  Kimberly really loves Penny but is discouraged with all the trouble she is causing.  She wondered what could be done to fix this.

It is in most dogs’ nature to wander all over their territory to check things out, sniff things, and explore.  The one issue you need to understand with puppies is that they have a heightened level of exploration, inquisitiveness, and play.  This can often cause them to get into things or do things that you really wished never happened.  Some examples of these problems are:

  • Potty mistakes
  • Damaged furniture
  • Papers tossed all over the floor
  • Plants yanked out of their containers
  • “Stuff missing”
  • … and just a whole lot more we could only imagine…

In the same way that we managed our kids when they were young, we have to do the same with our new puppies.  The one and only rule that you have to enforce is to always keep your puppy in your sight.  If, for any reason, he starts to do something inappropriate, you have the ability to correct him immediately while he is in the act of his misbehavior.  In this way, your little puppy will learn what is correct and what is wrong in your home.

Life happens and sometimes it isn’t possible to keep watch over your puppy all of the time.  When that happens, use baby/dog gates to make sure you keep your puppy in an area where you can watch him.  If you are unable to do this, you will need to crate him or place him in a small room, such as a laundry room.

Please call Robin or me at (770) 718-7704 if you need any dog training help.  We are blessed to have been your local dog training experts for over fourteen years.  We have trained over 5,000 great dogs and loving families and are ready to help you.