How do I housetrain my puppy?

Puppies do best if fed on a schedule, because then it makes it easier to predict when they will need to relieve themselves. Puppies under 12 weeks old should be fed at least 3 times a day, and over 16 weeks of age most puppies can be fed twice a day. It is best to take them outside (or wherever you would like them to pee and poop) first thing in the morning, after they wake up from a nap, after a meal, and before bed.

As your puppy gets older, they should be able to go longer stretches of time between “potty breaks” but at first, you will need to take them outside every 2-4 hours

You can use a clicker to help train your puppy. Basically you feed them treats and click until the sound becomes associated with the reward.

You can also use a “door bell” for your dog to signal to you that they need to go outside. You take your puppy to the bell and ring it before going outside, then be sure to give lavish treats and attention if they do eliminate outside.

If your puppy has an accident in the house, be sure to use an enzymatic cleaner to help remove the smell. Some good options are Nature’s Miracle or Anti-Icky-Poo.

Please ask your veterinarian if you have had difficulty with housetraining, as in some rare cases, this may be a sign of a medical problem such as a urinary tract infection or anatomic anomalies like an ectopic ureter.

How do I socialize my puppy?

Before your puppy has completed his or her puppy vaccination series, we recommend that you schedule “puppy play dates” with other dogs that you know are fully vaccinated and free of infection. Puppies are highly susceptible to contagious diseases such as parvo, distemper, and intestinal parasites. We do recommend that you expose your puppy to people of different ages including children

Once your puppy’s vaccinations have been completed (usually around 16-18 weeks of age), ask your veterinarian if your puppy is ready to visit more high traffic areas. Your veterinarian may recommend waiting an additional 2-3 weeks to allow your puppy to mount an immune response after receiving their final puppy vaccines.

How do I teach my puppy not to play bite?

Biting can be a normal aspect of puppy behavior. Regardless, we don’t want them to get into the habit of biting us or our family members. There are a few things that you can do to discourage this behavior. One tactic that you can use is to redirect your pet to a different behavior that does not involve biting or chewing, such as “Sit!.” Another useful tactic is to offer your pet a sturdy chew toy which is more appropriate for a puppy to chew on. Kong makes a line of sturdy dog toys that are good for aggressive chewers. Be careful with softer toys, as pets can chew them up very quickly and will sometimes swallow the stuffing or squeaker from inside, and this can lead to a GI foreign body. Please remove any toys that your puppy has broken or which are coming apart and dispose of these.

What nutritional supplements can help my dog with calm behavior?

There are several nutritional supplements that may be offered to help your pet with calm behavior. If these are not effective, or if your pet has severe anxiety, then your veterinarian may also recommend medications to help relieve anxiety. Some of these are daily medications similar to SSRIs and MAOis which may also be used in people at much higher doses.

Nutritional supplements for calm behavior:

Your veterinarian may also recommend environmental modification such as making a dark room, playing calm, instrumental music, and tools such as a “thunder shirt” to help with situational anxiety.

If your pet has experienced a sudden shift in behavior, it is important that your veterinarian examine your pet to ensure that there are no medical reasons for their anxiety. Your veterinarian may recommend bloodwork or other diagnostic testing at this visit.

Please call our office if you would like to schedule an appointment:

Please visit our online store to purchase nutritional supplements for your pet:

How do I help my dog who is afraid of thunder and fireworks?

There are several options to help your dog with noise phobia (fear of loud noises such as fireworks and thunder). There are non-medical options such as a thundershirt, which your pet can wear to help them feel more secure. You can also try one of the nutraceutical options listed above (Zylkene, Solliquin, Composure, or Calming care probiotic). If nutritional supplements s are not effective for your pet, then you may want to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to help determine if your pet needs medication to help them calm down.

For more information, please see our blog on Noise Phobias

Your veterinary team can help you with any behavioral questions you may have for your dog. If you need additional training support, we have had good luck with:

Sally Said So of Charlotte – (704) 286-1135

We can also refer you to a veterinarian who did a residency in behavior for a consultation.

NCSU Behavior Service

Please call our office to schedule an appointment today!