Candid Canine Training

4 – 6-month-Old Puppy Protocol

Please be prepared to adjust your daily schedule to meet the needs of your new puppy. When we meet the needs of our new puppy, they are happy, they thrive, they grow to be stable and balanced, and a puppy that is easy to live with. When we do not meet the needs of our new puppy, many behavior issues develop such as pulling on leash, reactivity, destruction of property, jumping up on people, counter surfing, and aggression. Fixing these problems later will cost you more time and a lot more money.

You can change the times of the day in the schedule but try to keep the daily stats the same as below for the best outcome.

The Puppy’s Needs

Each day includes the following:

• Need # 1: Food – Two meals a day and hand-fed as rewards throughout the day. Get a high quality puppy kibble to feed your puppy. Access to food should be limited to 30 minutes per feeding. Whatever is not eaten within that period is taken away and not given until the next mealtime. No free feeding.

• Need # 2: Sleep – four- to twelve-month-old puppies need 14-16 hours of sleep a day in their kennel

• Need # 3: House training – will need to pee every three to four hours and poop 3-4 times a day. SET A REMINDER ON YOUR PHONE that it is time for your puppy to pee and/or poop. Set your puppy up for success and get him/her out of the crate or play pen and outside to the area you choose before the need to pee and poop. ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN – DO NOT YELL, SPANK, OR RUB YOUR PUPPY’S NOSE IN PEE OR POOP. It teaches them nothing except that he or she needs to go hide to pee and poop so that he or she is not punished for doing something that comes naturally and that is not controlled. It also makes the puppy afraid of you. The accident is not your

puppy’s fault it is your fault. Your puppy relies on you to learn everything. Consistency is key!

• Need # 4: Training and manners - learning to live in house with people and out in the real world.

• Need # 5: Mental Exercise – Kong filled with kibble and frozen, interactive treat dispensing toys, frozen raw meaty bones, yes RAW. The best ones to use are beef and pork rib bones and neck bones. Also, use frozen chicken and turkey necks or bully sticks.

• Need # 6: Physical exercise – Exercise should be following you around in the yard and in the house, playing with toys, running and jumping like puppies, chasing a ball, short walks on a leash etc. Puppies’ bones are soft and long walks can cause abnormal development of your puppies’ bones, joints and tendons.

The following schedule will meet puppy's needs within a schedule for a working person with a 9-5 job Monday thru Friday.

Evenings and weekends are time to step up puppy's socialization and training time. DO NOT TAKE YOUR PUPPY TO A DOG PARK to socialize. Dog parks do not require vaccinations and you cannot trust other dogs you do not know. You should only introduce your puppy to dogs you know are social with other dogs and dogs who are fully vaccinated and not currently sick. Invite friends with social dogs to your house; take your pup to friends with dogs' and a yard. NEVER leave your puppy unattended while socializing with other dogs. All interactions with your puppy (human, canine, other animals) need to be supervised. The puppy needs to be exposed to life in the real world so that he/she can get use to the strange noises, smells and sites prior to 16 weeks of age.

Supplies Needed

• Crate with pad, cover and a blanket

• At least two Kongs, a Kibble Nibble or other treat dispensing toy(s), and Toppls.

• Bully sticks, plush toys that squeak, a tug-toy, something to chase -tennis balls

• A dog bed for outside of the crate, elevated so that it can be used as place

• A water bowl, which is always accessible

• A collar and leash; I do not suggest getting a harness because it teaches the puppy to pull harder because the harness makes it more comfortable when pulling.

• High-quality puppy kibble; I suggest Merrick, which can be found at Petco or Victor, which can be found at most Feed Stores and Tractor Supply. Chewy carries both brands. You may also cook fresh food for your puppy, just ask me for the guide, or you can choose fresh food dog service like The Farmers Dog and Ollie.

• Some various healthy high value treats -boiled chicken, freeze-dried liver, etc.

Daily Schedule

The exact times below do not have to be followed, make it work with your schedule.

6am - Wake up and take puppy outside potty. This meets needs 3 and 4 on the first page.

6:10am - 7am Feed puppy in slow feed bowl. Wait for puppy to sit before giving him his food. This meets need 1, 4 and 5 on the first page

7am- Take puppy out to potty again You may need to walk the puppy around to help stimulate the bladder. This meets need 3

and 4.

7:10-8am -Puppy is loose in house under your supervision. Spend time tossing a toy for puppy while you have coffee. Ask your puppy to come, sit and down 10 times each and reward with a treat. This meets needs 4 and 5.

8-8:30 -Walk puppy (let the puppy follow you around the back yard). Reward when he eliminates. This meets needs 3, 5, and 6.

8:30am -12:30pm -In crate and ex-pen for nap and confinement when you are at work. Leave puppy with a safe chewy toy, This meets need # 2 and 3.

12:30-12-50pm -You are on lunch break or have arranged for someone to tend to your puppy if you are not able to come home.

Take puppy outside for to potty and explore for 20 minutes. Reward when he eliminates. This meets needs # 2, 5 and 6.

12:50-1:15pm: Play with puppy free in the house. Tug-of-war, toss a ball, and/or play and train with treats when puppy responds correctly. Eat your lunch while puppy is playing. Take pup out again to potty before you head back to work. Reward him if he goes. This meets needs # 3, 4, 5 and 6.

1:15pm-5:15pm: In crate and ex-pen for nap and confinement when you are at work. Leave puppy with a safe chewy toy, this meets need # 2 and 3.

5:15pm -5:30pm: Take puppy out to potty and reward him when he goes. This meets need # 3.

5:30 -6pm: In gated area with a food stuffed Kong and/or slow feed bowl. Good time for you to wind down; check in with family, and cook dinner. This meets needs # 1 and 5.

6pm-6:30pm- free in house to play, train or love your puppy. Watch puppy for signs of needing to go out to potty and quickly respond to any cues you see so there will not be any accidents. Eat dinner. This meets needs # 4 and 5.

6:30-7:15 - Evening exercise time: Play in the backyard, take him to a local park to explore in a different environment, find empty tennis courts and let him run free, or go to the beach to explore and experience new sounds, textures and sites, etc. This meets needs # 3, 5 and 6. Make sure the puppy has all vaccines before going to strange places.

7:15 -9:30 -free in house with supervision, meaning not out of your site. Watch your puppy for signs of needing to go potty and quickly respond to any cues you see so there will not be any accidents. This is prime time for a chewy like a bully stick or other safe chew and this is ONLY if supervised. Spend 5-10 minutes training -come, sit, down, off, out and leave it, etc. This meets needs # 3, 4 and 5.

9:30-9:45 – Exploring time in yard and time to potty before bed. Reward if he goes. This meets needs # 3, 5 and 6.

9:45-10pm: Snuggle your puppy. There should be no food remaining from the day after 9:30 pm.

10 pm – 6 am -In crate for the night. No chewy, no toys. Only attend to pup in the night if he cries out to potty. Forcing the puppy to stay in the crate and have an accident is not fair to the puppy, who is learning to not pee and poop in the crate. It confuses the puppy as to what is acceptable and not acceptable. This meets need # 2.