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Perfect Puppy in 7 Days

⌗ Metadata

  • Author: Sophia A. Yin and Lili Chin
  • Tags: #guide #dog

📖 Short Summary (1 takeaway)

  • Reframe everything such that it can be a positive reinforcement
    • Control the environment such that the dog can only do the wanted behavior

🧐 Why I am reading this book

  • To prepare for [[7. Raise a 🐶]]

🙊 Great quotes

  • Lack of exposure to a variety of people before 12 weeks of age can result in fear of unfamiliar humans, being raised as a single puppy can lead to impaired social skills, and being raised by an anxious or timid mother can result in puppies who are more withdrawn
  • It’s easy to train puppies to ride in a crate or car especially when they are under 8 weeks of age, and it’s important too. Once the puppy is adopted she will generally need to ride in a car to her new home.
  • Techniques we use now in early learning are similar to those used for kids. We focus primarily on controlling the environment and rewarding desirable behaviors to build confidence.
  • We also make sure the puppy does not receive rewards for unwanted behavior.
  • Controlling the environment so that the puppy doesn’t have a chance to practice unwanted behaviors (chewing your shoes, climbing on chairs, raiding the trash).
  • Removing reinforcers—attention, petting, tug, treats or play—for unwanted behaviors.
  • Rewarding only the desirable behaviors instead, such as sitting to greet instead of jumping or focusing on you instead of harassing your adult dog. We’ll use all motivators to our advantage.
  • her feet she already growls, tries to bite, and struggles violently (Figures 2.4B,C,D) Imagine how she will be at the veterinary hospital or for basic care and grooming as an adult! With each week the behavior may become more difficult for owners to fix. Puppies change quickly during their early weeks. So by waiting even a week or two to start training and handling exercises you may end up needing to work way harder to fix problems.
  • Use your puppy’s regular allotment of kibble for most of the training. Use small, bite-size treats for more challenging situations
  • Instead of eating out of a food bowl your puppy will at first be earning all his food from you directly as rewards for good behavior. We do this because for the fastest training we need to use all motivators to our advantage. That means you use every morsel of food as a reward, rather than wasting it by giving it to him for free.
  • The key to potty training is taking your young puppy out frequently (on average every two hours for an eight-week-old puppy) and never giving her the opportunity to have a potty accident. That means at least eight trips a day!
  • attached to you by a leash so she can’t wander off to potty in the house •  or under your direct supervision in an enclosed area. Direct supervision means you are looking at her at all times. The minute you turn away, she’ll have a potty accident.
  • It’s important that puppies learn that being separated or confined is okay, and that they learn it NOW or you may end up with a puppy who develops full blown anxiety whenever she is left alone in a room or behind a baby gate or at home or whenever she can’t go where she wants - even if she’s restricted just by leash.
  • If you reward your puppy by letting her out when she whines, the whining could develop into serious anxiety or barrier frustration that prevents you from being able to leave your dog alone in another room or alone in the house.
  • You can reward your puppy for quiet behavior by tossing treats into her crate when she’s quiet or opening the door and giving her attention when she’s quiet.
  • If after five minutes she doesn’t potty, put her in her crate for 15 minutes and then try again. Repeat this 20-minute procedure until she potties outside. After she has pottied, you can play with her.
  • In general, during the day, puppies can be crated the same number of hours as their age in months
    • After a drink: Take her out to potty 10 to 20 minutes after she’s had a drink of water. Remove her water about an hour before you take her out for her last potty trip of the day, so she can go through the night without pottying. She should be able to make it through the night for seven to eight hours.
    • Take her out after a nap: In addition to the two-hour rule, take the puppy out whenever she wakes up from sleeping or first comes out of her crate or playpen.
  • When you can reliably predict when she is about to potty, you can add a cue word. Say “go potty” in a clear, encouraging voice just once, right before you think she will squat.
  • When she’s perfect, you can even allow her on the furniture if you want, if she asks politely by sitting. Save that privilege until she learns that being on the floor and in her bed and crate are good. Also wait until she’s completely potty trained and will immediately get off the furniture when asked. Generally, wait until she’s over six months of age to grant this privilege—if you are planning to grant it at all. And remember, if she develops a habit of jumping on furniture without asking, she’s not likely to be welcome in other people’s homes.
  • Try to get the treat to your puppy within a second of her good behavior. Dogs and other animals learn best when they get the reward while they’re performing the correct behavior.
  • Deliver the treats right to her mouth. Think of even putting a treat right in her mouth and holding it there for second so that you’re sure she has it.
  • That means we have to add speed, quick changes of directions, and exercises in rapid succession to keep the pup’s attention on us.
  • When your puppy consistently runs after you and then immediately sits when she catches up, you can add her name and a cue to the game if you want. Say her name right before you run, so that “name, come” predicts that something really fun will happen and she should immediately look at you and follow.
  • This is the most difficult exercise for people, because humans always pet dogs without thinking. As a result, people spend more time rewarding naughty jumping behavior (or pre-behaviors) than rewarding quiet sit behavior.
    • important to remove attention when she performs any type of attention-seeking behavior, such as pawing you, barking at you or rubbing against you, as well as actually jumping on you.
  • By the end of the week, I don’t even need to reward with treats. I can reward with petting or praise because Lucy loves both.

✅ Actionable item

  • Take Nobo out to controlled environments and reward good behavior
  • Handle Nobo with lots of physical touch so she is used to it
  • Separation training early
  • Potty training starts young
    • Couldn't do because its dangerous for her to be in areas with unvaccinated dogs, will do this after
    • Added cue words when she potties on the pad
  • Recall training to get them to follow you

🗂 Detailed Summary​