Puppy Training Tips - Page 1

I have a new litter of puppies and I am wanting to do my best to make them the best puppies possible for sport/working prospects. My point is, what tips would you offer in terms of raising the puppies and socializing, early training before they go home, etc etc. I am already doing ENS stimulation with the puppies. Any other tips/tricks would be much appreciated.

Handle them a million times a day.
At 3 weeks I take them outside in grass, ALWAYS supervised, for 10 minutes or so. Weather permitting, of course.
Take them and put them in different areas, flooring, lighting. etc in your home. 4 weeks I take them where I know no other dogs have been, in my case, an office building.
Get a sound DVD and start the volume low, when their ears start to open, start being noisier in the whelping room. Drop bowls, etc. Have vacuum on other side of room, bring it closer over slowly over time.
Socialize, socialize, socialize. Did I mention to socialize? ;) Night time, traffic, Lowes, Cabelas, Home Depot, playgrounds. I'm lucky to have access to an airplane too.
When their ears are open I pair a jerry can with their mother coming in to nurse, and as they get older, food being laid down. This can then be used to get a "turned on" response (so to speak), which is handy when you bring out a rag, ball, etc.
Get them to follow lure, I start that when they are walking and are eating puppy mush.
I also have them start spending short periods of time in a crate.
If you are planning on raising more litters, look into building an agility shoot with a multitude of surfaces and things for them to maneuver. Several examples of those on Youtube.
GSD, Mal litter?
Good luck!

For puppies the care that the mother gets even before conception is important as an influence on the pups life.  For a new litter just born the important thing is to support the mother dog. Studies have shown that the licking and care that the mother gives the puppies directly influences their confidence in later life. Puppies are born deaf and blind and rely on smell and touch so keeping the mother dog happy and in the nest with the newborn pups giving them all the care possible is crucial. I bring fresh food to my mother dogs and feed her in the nest while nursing and keeping the puppies warm and clean so that she has optimum nutrition. Food and water are always available to the mother dog as close by as possible. I let her go outside when she needs to but most mothers will not go far or for long in the first week of the puppies lives. I limit the mother dog's contact with other dogs or places where other dogs frequent to reduce chances the mother dog will bring back diseases or pests to the nest. After birth I clean the mother dog up and clean up the nest and give her fresh and new bedding within 12-24 hours. I change the bedding often in the nest if possible ( washable blankets and towels ). Of course the newborn pups will be bonded to the scent of the mother, litter mates, and their human handlers which is important even before they can see or hear anything. Most mother dogs are exhausted for the first week after birth so I don't handle or interact with the pups or mother during that time .. just the best food possible for the mother including milk and raw or cooked fresh meats. The science says that the mother dog is passing cues through her milk based on her environment that will have lifelong effects on the genetic expression and personalities of the pups. Low stress and excellent food for the mother dog improves the outcome for her pups later in life.