Basic Home Care

Basic Home Care

Some of the basic home care training you should focus on with your puppy is nail trimming, brushing their teeth, grooming and cleaning the ears among others. As with any behavioral training you should make these training sessions short and positive. If they are becoming too stressed or uncooperative with the training, you should stop the session and try again either later in the day or the next day.

Trimming your puppy’s nails can be a stressful time because no one wants to risk cutting into the quick 

and causing a painful, bloody experience. Combine that with the natural wiggliness of your young puppy and it can be quite a trying time. To get them used to you handling their feet, simply rub their feet while you are sitting with them. As they become used to you handling their feet, you can start trimming their toe nails. It is always better to trim less (just nip off the tip) when starting the process than risk trimming too far back on the nail. Give frequent treats and praise during the process to positively reinforce the good behavior. Be sure to have some styptic powder or corn starch on hand to help staunch any bleeding nails. Click here for a nail trimming video 

As with trimming their nails, before you even start to brush your puppy’s teeth you should start by rubbing their jaws and face to get them used to this new sensation. Use caution if rubbing your finger over their teeth because their natural biting behavior may make this a painful experience for you. As your pup becomes comfortable with you playing with their mouth, you can start with the brush and toothpaste. Choose a soft bristled toothbrush that is easy on their gums. Finger brushes may have bristles that are too harsh, so use caution with these. Find toothpaste that is made specifically for dogs and is a flavor they enjoy. For the first one or two training sessions just allow them to lick the toothpaste off the brush and get them used to this new tool. Your brushing action should be easy on the gums in a back and forth motion on the outside of the teeth. Be sure to get all the way back to the molars and premolars. These are the main chewing teeth and will get the most tartar. Throughout the brushing experience, take a quick moment to reward with a treat and praise. Instilling good brushing habits at a young age will allow for healthier teeth and a longer life for your dog.

You can use the same techniques as described above for grooming, cleaning their ears and other basic home care to get them to cooperate at a young age.