Happy Pets

The Puppy’s Bed: Buy a hard plastic bed for your puppy. I have tried all types on my own dogs. When Bracken came to us at the age of six weeks, I bought a large and rather expensive basket. I never thought for one moment that a tiny, six-week-old puppy could destroy such a large bed, but Bracken proved me wrong. Within fourteen days he had chewed the whole thing. I then provided him with a comfortable, soft foam, bed. This didn’t take him as long to destroy as the basket. Within one night he’d shredded it into one inch square pieces of foam. Then I discovered the hard plastic dog beds which are still in my dog room, unchewed.

Try to find an out-of-the-way, secluded, draught-free, spot for your puppy’s bed. The most sensible place is the kitchen, or utility room if you have one, where floors are uncarpeted and easily washed. (more…)

House-training should prove no problem if you’re quick and alert to your puppy’s needs. He will need to pay frequent visits to his spot in the garden: after each meal, after a sleep and any time you think about it in between. Always pick him up and carry him to the spot. Give him a command. I use the words ‘busy dog‘. Don’t dump him and retreat back to the house and close the door. He hasn’t a clue what he’s been put in the garden for. You must stay with him, repeating your commands over and over again. Whether it’s hailing, blowing a gale or a snowstorm’s on, you must persevere. As soon as he’s been a ‘busy dog‘, give him lots of praise, tell him how clever he is, pick him up and return him to the house. If you are diligent and watch your puppy closely, you will know when he needs to go out. A sure sign will be when he puts his nose to the ground, his tail up in the air and runs round in circles. That is your cue to move speedily with him into the garden. (more…)