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Revision as of 17:05, 28 March 2007 by 167.206.253.150 (talk) (→Training)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) This article is about the juvenile dog. For other uses, see Puppy (disambiguation).
A puppy is a juvenile dog, generally less than one year of age. The term is sometimes abbreviated to pup, and in that form is used for the young of some other animals, such as the wolf.
Some breeds traditionally have their tails docked or ears cropped, or both. Many countries now ban cropping and docking for cosmetic purposes, but other countries have no such prohibitions. Some breeders prefer to remove a dog's dewclaws to prevent future injuries. All of these procedures are usually performed within the first few days at the veterinarian's office.
Training
Training puppies is not always easy: it requires work. Puppies should be touched and held from birth, although only briefly and occasionally until their eyes and ears open. After that, it is critical for their socialization that they interact often with humans. Otherwise the puppy may become vicious.
omg look at those shoes..... Puppies can begin learning what a leash feels like as soon as they are old enough to begin exploring outside their whelping box, just by attaching a leash to their collar and letting them pull it behind them, then walking with the puppy around the house or yard holding onto one end of the leash. Make sure you don't have the collar too tight, you should be able to fit three to four of your fingers between the neck and collar.
Training of basic obedience can begin at the same time; although recommendations for how intense and how soon vary. Training for young puppies is generally recommended to be light, gentle, and fun; more like a game than an exercise. Most formal puppy classes accept puppies starting at three months of age, although some provide socialization classes for younger pups. Your local dog trainer may also offer some in home training for younger puppies, most dog owners start out with these classes.
Housebreaking can also begin by the time the puppy is two to three months old, although they simply do not have the physical control of their bodies to be completely reliable until they are six months to a year old. Puppy pads are a great way to housebreak your puppy, they are reliable and easy to wean off.
The sole purpose of the puppy pads are to teach your puppy to eliminate outside; the pads are only needed when the owner is not home to take the puppy outside. The pads normally contain a scent, therefore it should attract the puppy to the mat.
- Cunliffe, Juliette (2004). The Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds. Parragon Publishing. ISBN 0-7525-8276-3.
- Fogle, Bruce (2000). The New Encyclopedia of the Dog. Doring Kindersley (DK). ISBN 0-7894-6130-7.
- Mehus-Roe, Kristin (2005). (editor) (ed.). Dog Bible. BowTie. ISBN 1-931993-34-3.
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