Helpline: My Puppy Bites Me!! =(

 

Ok, this is just an exaggeration.

Does your puppies' teeth and you skin seem to have an affinity for each other? Mouthing and Nipping is very common for puppies (especially when they're teething or changing into adult teeth!) but aggressive biting and growling is not. Either way, teeth and skin should NEVER go together. Today we'll talk about the problem of mouthing and nipping in puppies.  

Mouthing and nipping are two different issues. Mouthing is more of a communication skill to express a need or confusion or to simply gain your attention. It usually involves lesser force and pressure, but still really annoying and can escalate into a ruckus if we unknowingly encourage it! Nipping, on the other hand, is a puppy thing; it involves slightly more pressure. When your puppy still hung out with his litter-mates, he nipped during play and to determine his rank. When you bring your puppy home, this behavior continues. Nipping puppies are bossy and manipulative and need a firmer regimen.

To correct these behaviors, your want to create a cause-and-effect in your puppies' minds, at the same time, you do not want him/her to think that the effect is coming from you. Any reaction that you give to your puppy is a form and attention and it encourages whatever action (or state of mind) your dog is doing (or in). We need our doggies to learn that nipping and mouthing is not a fun thing to do at all. 


Please note that it is inhumane to correct a puppy younger than 3 months as they do not have the capacity to understand the concept of "wrong". Correcting them at this phase will scar your pup permanently and erode his/her trust in you! (:

Young puppies mouth a lot. They mouth when playing, and they also mouth to

communicate their needs (much like barking).
If your puppy starts mouthing, ask yourself these questions: Is he hungry or thirsty? Does he need to pee/poop? Is he tired? Does he need to play? 

Remember, puppies mouth when they have a need (even if the need is attention).

Here are some steps you could follow:

1. If your puppy doesn’t need anything and he still won’t quit, crate or isolate him with a favorite toy. Don’t scold your puppy as you isolate him. We do not want your pup to see the crate as a negative object. Calmly place the puppy in his area. 
2. Encourage you pup to lick you instead. We like to use the word "Love-Love" whenever our pup licks us. You can try rubbing some butter or honey on your your skin to get him/her to lick you, he/she will slowly learn to lick instead of nipping/mouthing!
3. It is important to ignore your pup when he/she is nipping softly. Keep your hand still.
4. If this situation escalates, turn quickly to him/her and say "NO!"is a firm voice. Stare at him/her for a few seconds. Do not be the one that breaks eye contact. (Most pups will look away quickly)
5. Refocus his mind with a "Love-Love" command (or the word of your choice) to let him/her understand you both would appreciate the licking more than nipping.
6. If your pup still persists, try spraying some "bitter-spray" (natural ingredients only, please) on your skin. Or giving a slight tug on your pup's collar.
7. If necessary, crate your pup. Remember, stay calm.

Other important points to note:

1. Changing a Pup's behavior requires consistency. Stay firm with the rules, do not relent.Otherwise, your dog will learn that rules are not meant to be followed.
2. Postpone all games of "confrontational" nature to a later age. These games include wrestling, tug of war, chasing your puppy around, and teasing. These games teach puppies to challenge you, to be confrontational, to be dominant!
3. Bitter-Sprays can be lifesavers, spray it on objects that your dog seem to like to nip on, be it the coffee table, electrical wire casings or your hands.
4. Using a lead/short leash at home, to give a quick tug if you catch him/her nipping anything.
5. If he continues to nip, ask yourself these questions: Do I look convinc-
   ing? Am I tugging or pulling? (Pulling encourages play.) Is my puppy taking
   me seriously? 
6. Always consult a professional (dog trainer/behaviorists) if in any doubt. Do not "correct" your pup too harshly.

We sure hope these little pointers helped! :D

Every doggy can be the sunshine of our lives, strict rules and boundaries just need to be enforced right from the start.

An ill-trained doggy will have  more tendencies to make mistakes, and both you and the doggy will end up feeling frustrated and upset!

Lets aim to put that to a minimum!  :D

Do keep the helpline suggestions coming in! (:

Featured Doggy: Yorkshire Terriers

The Yorkshire Terrier AKA Yorkie is a breed of dogs belong to the Toy Group, they are one of the smallest dogs in the world. Originally from the UK, the Yorkshire Terrier was developed from a combination of Scottish and English black-and-tan terriers, Maltese, and the now extinct Clydesdale Terrier. From each litter the smallest dogs were selected for breeding, and gradually to the Yorkie we know and love today!

Yorkies are born Black and Tan/Golden and their coat will usually turn steel-blue/blue/gray (a good estimate would be the colour of their parents!) as they mature.

They are spirited, bold, adventurous and highly intelligent! Do not let their size fool you, if their human do not lead them like a pack leader does, they will start to take over! This usually leads to snappy behavior and even aggression!

Because they are so smart, they learn tricks and commands really quickly, they also quickly learn how humans react to his/her behavior. As they are pure terriers, they tend to be independent and might not like to follow commands. The trick is to use motivation, things he/she likes, to get him to do the action that you want. Then, slowly phase out instant gratification and practice delayed gratification. Your yorkie will be an angel in no time =) They definitely require us humans to be firm and disciplined. Yorkies are ideal for lively owners who appreciates their bubbly character!

Yorkies are tiny dogs which requires owners to be gentle when handling them. As a generally rule, the smaller the dog, the less sturdy the dog is, so supplements should be considered for this breed of dogs. As their bones and body parts are more fragile than larger dogs, it is not advised to walk them with a collar as it might damage their trachea.

(Putting a leash on a dog's collar is advised for other dogs as it encourages obedience and gives a better window for correction of unwanted behavior. Even though a harness encourages pulling, it is recommended for smaller dogs as it is gentler on their necks. Therefore, owners should pay EXTRA attention to your Yorkie during walks and not let them walk in front of you, pulling you, tugging you!)

The cuter the dog (yorkies are insanely cute if you haven't noticed) the more likely the owner is going to baby the furry companion. This is psychologically very unhealthy for a dog! Do not tolerate any signs of dominance and correct it at once! If you catch your dear lil' doing something he's not suppose to do, no matter how cute it looks, (of course please use compassion and logic to evaluate what is wrong or right for a dog to do) correct him/her with any humane technique to let him know that this particular behavior is unacceptable!

Here in Singapore, it is recommended that Yorkies' coats be clipped short for practical reason. That said, regular brushing is needed to prevent their coats from tangling or matting!

Yorkies are available here at PreciousPups, contact us if are interested!

Helpline: My Puppy Won't Stop Barking!

 

photo from blurtit.com 

Just like how some human beings cannot stop talking, doggies and puppies use barking as a way of communicating with their human friends and fellow dogs!

However, when barking gets excessive and loud, that when we need to step in to do something! We have to first identify for what reasons do our doggies bark, so that we may work on removing that behavior!

1) Anxiety Barking
Doggies are pack animals, therefore, they become anxious when they're being left alone. To teach the little ones that it is okay with being alone, crate training is said to be one of the best methods.

The puppy could be placed in  his crate with his toy and perhaps a towel. you may then leave the room for a while. It is expected that the puppy will start to cry, bark or bang on the door of his crate. It is very very important that you do not give in and attend to him when he does so. Come back to him in about 5mins, at a moment when he's being calm and quiet. The lesson to be learnt is that being alone is not something bad and he certainly does not get his way with barking.

When you come back in and he is waiting calmly for you, give him praise and attention, and perhaps a reinforcement. Do not look at him in the eye or give him too much attention when you come in, and make sure he doesn't show too much excessive licking or excitement before you open the door. Most important thing to look out for: Calmness.

This exercise should be repeated as frequently as possible, varying the time that you puppy is being left alone, and the doggy could be crated up to three or four times a day.

2) Boredom Barking
Some doggies bark simply because they're bored and they find that when they do so, someone will come and tend to them and give them the attention they want!

So here're somethings you could do to take away that boredom for your furry friend!:
- Keep his mouth really occupied with a really good chew toy! 
especially those with bells (sounds) or those with compartments where you may stuff a treat or some peanut butter! Getting a hard chewtoy would take away the doggy's desire to chew your furniture away and it is also something that takes considerable time and energy! Contact us for recommendations for chewtoys!

- Walks, runs, swims!
exercises always take away or exhaust the doggy's energy away! suitable amount of exercise usually takes the doggy's mind off barking. and be sure to check out the breed before you get your doggy as some breeds do require much more exercise than others!


Apart from boredom and anxiety issues, one other very important thing is to socialize the doggy from young! If the puppy is isolated from company, he will grow up to be more timid and jumpy (thus, bark easily when startled).

Here are some places that we suggest bringing your furry friends to one of these weekends!

1) Swimming pools for dogs (the one at Upetgamart, Pasir Ris Farmway 1 is great for east-siders); apart from some splashing good time, there are plenty of doggies to interact with as well!

2) Dogs Parks/Runs ; These are places you can safely let your dogs off leash and don't have to worry about them running away! It's also great that dogs spend some time off leash and out having a good time with other playful doggies! Doggies and owners may have some kind of workout together while getting to know other like-minded doggy lovers and their furry friends too!
[Do leave a comment if you know of any other places to bring your furry kid ! (; ]

Having a furry bestfriend isn't the most fun activity one can ask for, especially in the initial stages. Please be patient with your little one, and give it proper guidance and training. A great deal of reading up on our part is also extremely necessary. It takes a great amount of affinity for this little one to land up in your cosy home, so hang in there, they'll give you much more in return! (:

Stay tuned for part II where we're share more about excessive barking and introduce an exercise that can help refocus you dog!

Helpline: My Furkid's First Night Home

Dealing with whining and a great deal of crying (hopefully no barking!) is something every doggy owner has to go through in their first week! be sure to expect sleepless nights initially as well!

Try to understand why the little one is crying for starters. It is the first night he's away from his siblings/packmates and is in a brand new environment with unfamiliar smells and scents. When puppies or members of a pack is separated from their pack, they call in hopes of a reunion (in the pup's case, cries or whines for your return).

Here are some tricks and advices that may hopefully bring you some sleep in the first week!:
1) monitor your puppy's elimination (pee/poop) routine. observe what are the signs he gives out, or after what activity does he usually want to eliminate [usually half an hour after meal times!]. before putting him into his crate for the night, make sure your pup has done his business for the night!

2) Place the crate in your room. This reduces separation anxiety and allows your puppy to see and smell you. It should also reduce the crying and whining!

3) be sure NOT to rush to his side whenever he cries or he will learn that crying or whining allows him to get his way and will do so more and more frequently. that is not the right association you'd like to make.

4) for people who are not comfortable with having the crate in your room, put a shirt or towel with your scent over the crate. Giving them toys about their size also aids in making them feel less lonely.

5) If the crying continues, keep a radio playing softly by his side or have a clock with ticking sounds near his crate [not inside the crate please! (: ] it helps reduce the unbearable silence of the first few nights.

6) when the pup starts howling too intensely, he probably needs to pee/poop. do let him out to the pee area then! as the nights pass, you will learn to discern which is the cry for elimination and which is the cry for attention! and do remember to PRAISE and make a BIG fuss when he pees/poops! :D

7) have a good play with the little one before bed! it should wear him out for a good night's rest for both of you!

8) do feed your pup early, if possible, about 6-7. it ensures your pup poops before  bedtime and wont wake up to poop in the night!

9) remember, only open the crate when he is calm. opening it when he is agitated can inculcate bad habits rather than comforting him.

10) HANG IN THERE; BUNDLES OF JOY AWAITS!! :D

Featured Doggy: American Cocker Spaniel

The American Cocker Spaniel [AKA the Merry Cocker], is closely related to the English Cocker Spaniel.  The name "Cocker" comes from the woodcock, a game bird the dogs were known for flushing. They are a tad smaller then their English counterpart, and are classified as medium sized dogs. Some of the American Cocker Spaniels talents are hunting, tracking, retrieving, watchdog, agility and competitive obedience.

Bold and keen to work, the American Cocker Spaniel is equally suited to life as a gundog or as a household pet; Amusing, trustworthy and charming with an ever-wagging tail. American Cocker has the ability to show restraint and delayed response to a trigger, a trait which was put down to the breed's bred-in ability when hunting to freeze upon finding a bird before flushing it out on command. 

American cocker spaniels are mild in temperament and will complement the family in any way possible! they are extremely devoted doggies, and are good with children as well! However, this doggy needs to be properly socialized as some are found to be pretty shy around new company. This inquisitive little one is also sensitive to smell and usually has a jolly good appetite! be careful not to overfeed this little one though! (:

All that translate to a mild and obedient dog that is also active and very merry! :D

We are expecting a new litter of American Cocker Spaniels real soon! Stay tuned here, and on our Facebook Page for updates or Contact Us for more information!

here's a little something to chase away the monday blueeees!

 

thankyou dogbreedinfo! :D

They're MALTese, but not the ones in horlick

Hi Dog lovers!

Our Maltese mummy has just given birth to a new litter of Maltese!

And they are just toooooo precious!!

We promise to have new maltese pictures real soon, in the meantime, here are some things you might wanna know about them!

Malteses have a pure white, long and silky coat. They lack an undercoat so brushing and basic grooming is required. If given the proper nutrition and care, Malteses can have no shedding! Great for dog lovers with allergies!

Malteses are generally great companion dogs. But they are also lively and love the attention of their owners! They do really well in apartments (yay!) but a walk a day is a MUST for all dogs.

Contact Us for more infomation or to arrange for a time to view these precious lil' furballs!

Helpline: Are you ready?

Are you ready for your new family member?

A dog can make your day and soothe you when you're down. A dog doesnt judge his owner, and will love you unconditionally. He will do all he can do please you, and protect you even if it means putting his little life at risk.

However, do you know what you're getting yourself into; the moment you decide  you would like to get a dog?

Here are some quick questions from our checklist:
1) Are you ready to devote the next 15 years of your life caring and loving your dog?

2) Are you ready to sacrifice "me" time to go back to feed or play with your dog?

3) Can you afford the added expenses for your dog? (basic expenses like food, toys and grooming may not be of top priority to some owners.)

4) Have you spent enough time reading up on Doggy Care and Doggy Psychology?

5) Are you ready to spend good time in the initial phases toilet training and basic training? [do note that different breeds have different needs!]

Dogs, as much as you would like to shower them with love, remain as canines. you HAVE to constantly remind yourselves that you have to be his pack leader. Only when your dog sees you as his pack leader, can affection come into play. All dogs, regardless of breed, needs to have walks. You HAVE to find a dog that suits the energy or is of a lower energy than you. (meaning, if your not an athlete, do not get a dog that will gladly run a marathon). Dogs are of differing intelligences as well, it is in the owner's duty to find a dog whose intelligence and "train-ability" matches their own wants (ie. requiring the dog to remember not to attack your mother's favourite Vase).

A lot of work has to be done to make sure you find your paw-fect little one.
We'd love to help you in your journey.

"Arf Arf!"
that's our pups saying "we agree!"

thankyou dogbreedinfo! (: