4. Planet-Puppy Summer Camp Week 3

Copyright © 2012, Niccole Lee. All rights reserved.

Camp Mighty Paw – Week 3

How to Become an

Awesome Puppy

Parent!

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Planet-Puppy’s Summer Camp For New Dog Owners

By Niccole Lee http://www.planet-puppy.com

Please do NOT distribute this e-book to others. It is for your use only. Unauthorized distribution constitutes theft of my

intellectual property.


Copyright © 2012, Niccole Lee. All rights reserved. This eBook may not be reprinted or distributed in electronic, print, web, or other format without written permission. [email protected]

Legal Notice:- The creator of this eBook and the accompanying materials have used their best efforts in preparing this eBook. The creator makes no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this eBook. The information contained in this eBook is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in this eBook, you are taking full responsibility for your actions. The creator disclaims any warranties (express or implied), merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The creator shall in no event be held liable to any party for any direct, indirect, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of this material, which is provided “as is”, and without warranties. As always, the advice of a professional, competent legal, tax, or accounting professional should be sought. The creator does not warrant the performance, effectiveness or applicability of any sites listed or linked to in this eBook. All links are for information purposes only and are not warranted for content, accuracy or any other implied or explicit purpose. This eBook is not to be sold for any purpose. This eBook is strictly for educational purposes.

http://www.planet-puppy.com/



Before we get started you should have completed: Reading the Introduction Completed Phase 1 readings and all tasks – Week 1 of Summer Camp Completed Phase 2 readings and all tasks – Week 2 of Summer Camp

If you attempt to move forward with Phase 3 without completing the previous phases then you will not understand the concepts behind this phase of Planet-Puppy’s Summer Camp Program.

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Howdy! Ready to

get out and enjoy the

sun?

I hope it’s not too hot where you are at.


In this third week you will learn some daily practices such as: 1. Putting on/off the harness. 2. Walking your dog. 3. Crate/Separation training. 4. Socialization, trying something new. 5. Grooming/Performing a health check.

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This week is all about practice, reality checks and life balance. We are going to take what we have learned so far and apply it for this entire week. If you get frustrated, take a break! Have fun, have confidence and remember that you are a team. Your lil’ buddy can not do this without you.

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Before we get started did you remember this from week (1) one? Dog training materials: Basic nylon or leather collar (no choke chains) 6ft Leash Harness suitable for your dog Treats Chew Toys/Balls Water A positive attitude

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*** Reality Check! ***

Let’s face it, dog training is like trying to learn how to play a new sport, it’s awkward, you may fumble and fall down and you may feel embarrassed by

your hard-headed puppy. These dogs do have a way of testing our patience. But just like sports, the more you practice the more you will get better.

Please, do not give up on your dog and do not give up on yourself (failure is NOT an option). So think of Planet-Puppy as your coach in helping you be great at the sport of dog-parenting, every team wins no matter what!

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Let’s start with the harness, practice putting the harness on and taking it off with your dog. The more you practice the easier it will be. The more times you use it your dog will start to make it easier for you, they will actually hold still and lift up their paws when you need to fit the harness over them. Plus, the harness is a good indication that you are going for a walk and that you mean business!

1. Daily Practice #1 – The Harness

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The walk should be a serious training exercise, not a constant 20 minute potty break. When you first go outside with your dog wearing a harness, he or she will naturally sniff around and want to go potty, use the command “go potty.” That is ok. Take a few minutes so the dog can go to the bathroom. Then, start your walk with the “heal” command and walk briskly! Do not allow your dog to sniff at everything. Remember, you are the leader and you must be able to maintain control over your dog during the walk.

*** Caution *** The walk should be a serious training exercise, not a constant 20 minute potty break. If you allow the dog to lead you, sniffing at everything then the dog is assuming that he is the leader and will start to dominate you in other ways. Therefore, it is crucial

that you be the leader during the walk.

Watch this short YouTube clip made by Planet-Puppy which features Niccole Lee walking her dog. Pay attention to the dog, her walking position and head

placement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IkSjJyK-UA&feature=plcp

1. Daily Practice #2 – The Walk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IkSjJyK-UA&feature=plcp





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To get your dog to pay attention and learn how to walk by your side you can use dog treats. Let your dog know you have a treat so he or she is paying attention to you but don’t give them the treat yet. Start walking together side by side, say the command “heal” and then give your dog the treat. The more times you practice this, wait longer before giving them the treat. Soon, your dog will get the idea that walking or the “heal” command is for him or her to be by your side.

1. Daily Practice #2 – The Walk cont…

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Dogs are not perfect, especially around other animals like cats or rabbits. As soon as they see a little critter running in front of them they will make a mad dash right for it. This is why we should walk a dog in a harness, you have better control over the dog’s entire body rather than jerking it by it’s neck with a choke chain. Your “eye” and “timing” is crucial at this point.

You must be aware of your surroundings and then quickly react by avoiding the other animal, turn around and walk in the opposite direction, walk swiftly and firmly using the “heal” command. Do not get excited. Stay calm and

just walk. Your dog will calm down because you are calm. You are basically leading them into a calm direction, away from the excitement.

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For the first year, new puppies and dogs should be kept in a large kennel or crate when no one is at home. For professionals who work outside the home, try not to leave them in the kennel for more then 8 hours or so. This helps train the dog’s system, they learn to hold their bladder and bowels so they can tune into your lifestyle. Then after you have had your dog for at least a year, start testing their behavior and see how they will act when you are not home and they are not in the kennel. Leave your dog out of the kennel and leave your home for 15 minutes and then come back. Is your house still okay? If so, try leaving them alone for 20 minutes the next day. Then 30 minutes the next day after that. If they are okay by themselves outside of the kennel then try leaving them alone for longer periods of time, gradually. If your dog starts to chew up your stuff, like your dirty socks and the trash, then keep in the kennel when no one is at home. Realistically, most dogs can not be left alone. They get bored. It maybe a good idea to start looking into a dog daycare where they can interact with other dogs and learn some obedience training at the same time. You can Google/find a local dog daycare near you. But here’s a rule of thumb to remember: “A dog will forever be fourteen-years-old (14) mentally.” So how do 14-year-old kids act when they are bored?

1. Daily Practice #3 – Crate Training/Separation

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Take some time to introduce something new to your dog. It could be a new environment, a new person, a new toy made out of a new material, or a new food safe for dogs. Here are a couple of short YouTube clips on how to socialize your dog: “Puppy Care: Socializing your Puppy” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJk4p3Il_u0&list=UUV5m-FUjUSA39nr6yCrC85A&index=5&feature=plcp “Puppy Care: Introducing Your Puppy to Others and Children” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6IgUgZopec&feature=autoplay&list=UUV5m-FUjUSA39nr6yCrC85A&playnext=1 The new experience should be safe and positive, never force a puppy to do anything. Include lots of treats and praise with each new encounter and make sure you are calm and happy. If you are excited and scared then the dog will get excited and scared making the experience negative. Understand? If you need to you can review Planet-Puppy’s Slideshare presentation: “How to Socialize Your Dog” http://planet-puppy.blogspot.com/2012/05/dog-socialization.html

1. Daily Practice #4 – Socialization

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJk4p3Il_u0&list=UUV5m-FUjUSA39nr6yCrC85A&index=5&feature=plcp



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6IgUgZopec&feature=autoplay&list=UUV5m-FUjUSA39nr6yCrC85A&playnext=1



http://planet-puppy.blogspot.com/2012/05/dog-socialization.html





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Brushing your dog on a regular basis is good for their coat, skin and well-being. Short-haired dogs can also benefit from this exercise. There are 4 simple steps to brushing the coat: 1. With your fingers, brush the coat going against the growth grain.

This loosens any dead hair and skin. 2. With your brush, brush against the hair growth grain. 3. Next, brush with the hair growth grain. 4. With your hands, smooth the hair with the growth grain. This rubs

the natural hair oils and will give the coat that extra shine. While you are grooming your dog in this manner, look over it’s body

and perform a quick health check (on next page).

1. Daily Practice #5 – Grooming/Health Check

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While you are grooming your dog conduct a quick health check: 1. The coat/hair – check for fleas, dry skin, skin irritations 2. Paws and foot pads – free from splinters, stickers, dirt clogs 3. Legs and Tail 4. Anus – YES! It maybe gross but you need to check for bleeding or worms. 5. Mouth and Teeth – bleeding gums or cracked teeth 6. Nose – temperature and dryness 7. Ears – infections, wax buildup (dogs who like to swim may get ear

infections) 8. Eyes – clear and free from debris (dogs who like to dig may get dirt in

their eyes)

If you think your dog is sick then check out Planet-Puppy’s Symptom Checker featured on the right side of our main page: http://planet-puppy.blogspot.com/

1. Daily Practice #5 – Grooming/Health Check cont…

http://planet-puppy.blogspot.com/



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We all have used the word “no” when we want our puppies and dogs to stop that bad behavior. It happens! Sometimes, it maybe followed by a little swat on the bottom

with a newspaper which is called “negative reinforcement.” This negative reinforcement has been passed down from generation to generation and is how we

humans use to think when we wanted to change our dog’s behavior. But dog training has evolved and most animal behaviorists suggest that negative reinforcement actually does more harm then good. Using the word “no” in dog training is not ideal in dog training. But is NOT using the word “no” a realistic

expectation for regular dog owners?

What do you think? What else could you do when your dog is being bad or when they are caught chewing on your shoes and socks? What if you catch them in the trash? Or when you come home and you find a mess in the house caused by your dog, do you think a “time”-out” would help? What did the dog owners do (from week 2 YouTube video clips)

when they came home and found their dogs did something bad?


Now here are some important things to remember as we end this week: • Dog training is like a sport you have to practice regularly. You are a winning team. • Every dog has a bad day. • Mentally, “a dog will forever be like a kid of 14.” • If a dog’s behavior turns negative, consider a “time-out.” • Dog’s don’t beg. • Practice daily, dog’s don’t take breaks.

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Week 3: 7Simple Tasks to be Completed Daily: 1. Watch your puppy/dog. 2. Use different voice tones.

• High Pitch = Praise • Low Pitch = Command

3. Understand the realities of dog training. 4. Heal & Harness Training – Go for a walk. 5. Crate/Separation Training

• For Parents who have had your dog for at least one (1) year. 6. Socialization – Try something new. 7. Grooming/Health Check – Brush your dog. Journal Entry #3 – Make a Schedule.

• How can these daily tasks fit into your schedule? Can you complete some of these tasks in the morning or maybe you prefer to complete these tasks after work? Whatever you decide, this will test your stamina and patience. It may seem like a hassle at first, but with constant repetition and balance these tasks will function as positive habits into your daily life.

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See y’all next week!

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4. Planet-Puppy Summer Camp Week 3

Lifestyle

Transcript of 4. Planet-Puppy Summer Camp Week 3