Title:
I don’t want a shot! (What to do and not do with an unvaccinated puppy)
The Tip:
Until your pup has completed his/her full round of vaccinations we must be extra cautious as to where we take them and where we allow them to “go busy”. DO:●Walk them in many different (non grassy) areas ●Expose them to people, places and noises ●Play with them in your own safe back yard ●Avoid places where stray dogs frequent DON’T ●Let them on grass that is not in your own BACK yard ●Let them walk on the floor at the vet (hold them on your lap) ●Let them “busy” on grass before/after a walk (“busy” them on concrete) ●Free run them in public area ●Let them greet unknown dogs ●Go inside a pet or feed store
Volume:
101
Title:
Is My Puppy a Tubby Puppy?
The Tip:
Just like us people, it is important for your pup to be at his or her ideal weight. I don’t know about you, but I’m not running to the vet every week to weigh my pup and get a health check. So here are some tips to see if your pup stays in that ideal weight. Every puppy is different no formal way to check for ideal weight, but these tips should give you a general idea. Your pup should have a waist. Just past the end of the rib cage, before the hips there should be a distinct indent, we call the waist. If your pup is the same width from rib to hip, s/he may be on the tubby side. You should be able to feel the ribs with light pressure, without having to hunt through a roll of fat. With the shorter hair dogs you should not be able to see each rib. A rolly polly puppy is NOT a healthy puppy. Make sure you are using a true measuring cup, not some other can/cup/scoop to measure your food. Feel free to increase/decrease your pups food as you see fit, Start with ¼ changes over a 2-week period to see how that affects your pups weight.
Volume:
102
Title:
Toot Toot…puppy COME! Good dog!
The Tip:
You guessed it, this tid-bit is about recall, just a few reminders to make recall easier and more effective every time. (See pg. 30-31 in your manual for more details.) Recall is the only command that you can use kibble (1 kibble per recall) as a reward whenever you need it. It is actually encouraged to continue using food sporadically so that your pup is kept guessing as to whether this is THE time there will be kibble hiding in your hand. This will keep them eagerly coming back to you. Practice using recall in different situations (like free run) when your pup won’t always be done playing. This will decrease the likely hood of your pup associating recall with the end of their playtime, therefore making them more likely to come to you. Recall should always follow the same steps: 1. Toot toot on your whistle2. Puppy COME! In a happy voice 3. Crouch down and encourage your pup to you 4. Pup sits in front of you and gets his treat or praise. 5.”Go free” to release them.
Volume:
103
Title:
Toys and Chews…Yummy!
The Tip:
Every pup in the Puppy Program has different needs and desires when it comes to toys and chews. Some simply want to love their soft toys and others need to kill the squeaky and gut the toy. Which pup do you have? It is important to know what type of pup you have. Pups should not be left alone with soft or rope toys because the potential for blockage, if consumed, is great. Save these toys for when you are home and watching them or playing with them. If your pup destroys soft toys, skip them all together, and let us know! When you are away or the pup is in his/her kennel stick to the Nylabones, Kongs and sterilized bones. These are pretty much chew-proof when they are the appropriate size for your pup. Remember, the Nylabones we prefer don’t actually look like “bones” get the “souper” size or choose the Galileo style of bone.
Volume:
104
Title:
Just when you thought you could trust your pup…they hit puberty!
The Tip:
Do you remember breathing that sigh of relief when your puppy finally left that chew up anything stage? Thinking, ahhh, we can now give this pup a little freedom? Well, as your pup enters into the five, six, seven and eight month old ages, all bets are off. Your pup will be getting in a last set of molars and will begin chewing anew. Not to mention the willfulness and testing that goes along with prepubescent pups. Even though we are spaying and neutering earlier, these pups are still influenced by evil hormones coursing through their bodies. Please make sure that you keep an extra eye on them, they can be sneaky buggers.
Volume:
105
Title:
Sit! Down! Stay! Good Dog!
The Tip:
As you know, obedience if the staple of all good guide dogs. Here is a trick to make this part of puppy hood a little easier, and perhaps more As your pup gets older (NOW) and more used to his or her walking routine, those first few minutes of a training walk can be a little frustrating. Mark, the big dog on campus, recommends a short five-minute training session before your walk begins. Once you have gotten to your walking location, or the bottom of the driveway, do a few sits, stays, and downs. This warms up the pup’s concentration, and firmly establishes your authority on the walk. It usually takes away that pre walk goofiness as well. For variety, try inserting a small obedience session in the middle of your training walk.
Volume:
106
Title:
That’s not in my job description!
The Tip:
One of the most common questions we encounter in both the interview process and from Puppy Walker’s family if what kind of “things” will our pup’s do. We have always figured it was easier to list the things are puppies DO do, rather than list those that they don’t. It’s now time to remind us all what our puppies should NOT do.· They should NOT play with a watering hose, go swimming, or love water· They should NOT be taught to speak· They should NOT bark at the door· They should NOT roll over, shake or do any other “dog trick”· They should NOT beg, dance or look cute in hope of a treat. The basic job description of a guide dog in training is pretty straightforward.· They SHOULD walk in a straight line· They SHOULD be happy to walk out, in the advanced position· They SHOULD be happy to work for you· They SHOULD have good manners· They SHOULD have an excellent response to obedience commands. That's about all we ask from our pups. These things are the building blocks of all the things they will do as a guide dog.
Volume:
107
Title:
Leash Behavior and Your Puppy
The Tip:
When your puppy is on its leash, s/he should always be under control. Many of us have talked about how the jacket acts as an on off switch for our pups, we need to make sure that the pup is under control on leash whether or not s/he is wearing a jacket. Other things included in good leash behavior are: No sniffing No jumping No pulling No scrounging. As a pup is exiting a car seems to be a particularly testing time for these guys, make sure they do not try to bolt to the end of the leash as they exit the car. Ask your supervisor for details about good car behavior.
Volume:
108
Title:
I love my kennel!
The Tip:
Does your pup like to hang out in his/her kennel? Does s/he behave QUIETLY when in the kennel and you are working around your house? I really hope you answered YES to both of those questions! When your pup graduates from the puppy program, he or she will have 10 or so room mates. With two trainers for all 10+ dogs, they all have lots of kennel time. When they are out training they will have to stay in a kennel in the training van until it is their turn to work. They need to be quiet, settled, and happy to hang out in the van with a bunch of other dogs while they wait their turn. When they are at home, it is very rare that all 10 dogs get to be free in the house at the same time. As you can imagine, that would be just a little crazy. Your pup will need to learn to wait patiently for his or her turn to be free in the house. All the dogs get lots of out of kennel time, but when it is not their turn the need to just settle in their kennel and hang out. Their kennel really should be like hanging out in their bedroom, quiet and comfy. They should lie down, not whine, not bark, and not paw at the kennel. They should not worry that other dogs are out and about when they are not. They should not worry that you are moving around the house, when they are not. Make it your mission to make sure your pup has great kennel behavior before they graduate to advanced training!
Volume:
109
Title:
Jacket Wearing and Your Pup
The Tip:
Here are a few reminders for jacket wearing and care. It is not necessary for your pup to wear his/her jacket when visiting the vet. They should also not wear the jacket IN the car. Dress the pup when you arrive at your destination (outside the car), just before you set off on your walk. Make sure your pup does wear his/her jacket when going into any public building or to any Guide Dogs of Texas function such as information booths or events. Calm dressing behavior should always be practiced; a nice sit and stand are always helpful. When washing your jacket, please secure the Velcro to itself so it won’t eat lint out of the dryer.
Guide Dogs of Texas, Inc. 1503 Allena Drive San Antonio, TX 78213
210-366-4081
