Puppy Teething & Nipping: Survival Tips & Misconceptions

“Teething” is perhaps the most misunderstood concept in puppy raising. In today’s blog post, I’ll explain what it is, what it isn’t, and how to work through your puppy’s nipping behavior effectively and with kindness.

Teething refers to the period of time where a puppy’s teeth are erupting. The discomfort associated with the teething process is the cause of some undesirable behaviors that puppies demonstrate.

When is my puppy teething?

Most puppy owners don’t actually know when teething starts […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2024-04-18T15:20:15-04:00April 18, 2024|Helpful Hints, Myth Busting, Puppies, Tutorials and How-To Guides|0 Comments

Training Your Dog to Come When Called

Coming when called is a behavior that dog owners almost always desire. A great recall means the difference between participating in a lot of fun activities – such as romps on the beach, playing at the dog park, hiking off-leash in the woods, competing in dog sports – and sitting on the sidelines. We get asked about it so often that we have a class, Come This […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2022-10-24T15:49:09-04:00October 24, 2022|Training, Puppies|Comments Off

Restricting Water Intake: A Dangerous Housebreaking Trend

At Crossbones Dog Academy, we work with a lot of puppies! Over one hundred puppies come to us each year for Puppy Day School and group classes. As a result, we get to talk to a lot of people about puppy raising.

Over the past few months, we have noticed a very concerning trend. Some of our clients were deliberately restricting their dog’s water intake as a potty training strategy.

Generally speaking, most pet dogs have access to water whenever they are not confined to a crate. They naturally limit their […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2020-07-09T13:34:57-04:00May 9, 2017|Puppies, Training|Comments Off

AKC STAR Puppy Program

Are you a responsible puppy owner? The American Kennel Club’s STAR Puppy program is designed to reward owners who take their puppies to training classes. “STAR” is an acronym for the four critical parts of puppy raising: Socialization, Training, Activity, and Responsibility.

The AKC recognizes that well-trained puppies make better companions and are less likely to be relinquished to shelters. In fact, behavior problems are the #1 reason for giving up a dog to a rescue. The STAR Puppy program is an incentive program for […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2016-12-29T22:14:30-05:00December 29, 2016|Training, Puppies|Comments Off

Choosing A Best Friend: What to Consider When Finding a New Dog

There are so many choices when it comes to adding a new dog to your household. There are hundreds of breeds to choose from, not to mention the thousands of wonderful dogs in shelters across the country. If you have never had a dog before, or haven’t had one since childhood, it can be overwhelming! Here are some things to consider when adding a dog to your family.

Not all dogs would be so tolerant of this child’s advances! (Photo Credit: Giulio Nepi)

Do you have children? Dogs weighing less than ten […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2016-02-02T15:34:26-05:00February 2, 2016|Helpful Hints, Puppies|Comments Off

Creative Puppy Socialization

Good puppy socialization requires a bit of creativity. Read on some suggestions for getting your new addition “out and about” in the real world.

Always be on the lookout for new people for your puppy to meet! This German Shepherd puppy is learning that people in uniform are a good thing. (Photo by Nicholas Wadler)

Remember that when socializing your puppy, your goal should always be exposure without overwhelming him. We want your puppy to experience novel things without getting scared […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2017-12-30T04:20:29-05:00December 31, 2015|Helpful Hints, Puppies, Training, Tutorials and How-To Guides|Comments Off

Puppy Nipping: A Plan to Stop It

Puppy nipping is one of the most frustrating behaviors that new owners report. It hurts! But you’ll see a big reduction in puppy nipping in a short period just by getting some human cooperation.

If this is a familiar sight, it’s time for a new training plan! (Photo Credit: Renata Lima, Flickr)

Let’s start by examining why your puppy is putting his mouth on things. I don’t like to spend a ton of time pondering why a dog is doing what he’s doing, but puppy nipping is such a frustrating behavior for owners […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2015-11-23T02:27:07-05:00November 23, 2015|Helpful Hints, Puppies, Training, Tutorials and How-To Guides|Comments Off