Miss Squeaks Fun Tricks For Furbaby Chihuahua's.

Hello everyone hope all is well and your furbabys are giving you lots of love cuddles and kisses.

So i was thing lets talk about teaching our furbabys to do some sweet little tricks and a few came timing as I do train Miss Mildred to do tricks and it was very easy as the Chihuahua breed is very smart and they want to please. So after I give some more information on theChihuahua breed we will get started wth the few easy tricks I get 

Miss Mildred to do daily as our furbabys are small fragile and ever so tiny its hard to keep treat training as they can put on weight haha and I say this as Miss Mildred put weight on while i was training her but now a kiss and a cuddle makes her just as happy !

The Chihuahua is a terribly intelligent dog; as a matter of truth this breed has the biggest brain in comparison to body size out of all of the dog breeds within the world. therefore whether or not your Chihuahua may be a puppy or an older dog, you'll be able to definitely teach your dog some cute tricks. The key and secret to training your Chihuahua to perform tricks to repetition.

If you show your dog one thing over and over again; continually teaching him the same method, he can eventually learn it. This breed picks up info quite quickly; some tricks can solely take a matter of a week or 2 to find out.

When you are teaching your dog, it's best to do so during a quiet area wherever there aren't any distractions. make learning fun, act excited once he learns one thing and never scold him if he's taking time to catch on. when he will master a trick, take care to reward your Chihuahua with lots of happy words of praise.

When a Chi is first making an attempt to be told and is putting in effort, do provide a tasty treat as reward... however don't fret regarding always having to offer food as motivation. when you additionally offer praise at the same time, after a while a dog can have an automatic response... and at that point your smile, praise and therefore the attention that your Chi receives are going to be all that's required for him or her to require to stay playing. 

Some other smart tips to keep in mind is that taking time on a daily basis to work on these commands can create the simplest success... After all, sporadically having sessions once or twice per week merely will not provide the repetition that's required.

And, you need to be in an passionate mood in order for your Chihuahua to be in one! Dogs scan body language and tone as if they were ready to read our minds. If an owner is feeling positive with a decent attitude that learning is fun and a gradual process, a dog can typically mimic that perspective...And that is what's required to set a decent learning foundation. 

Cool Trick 1 - What  Hand? 

A really cute trick to show your Chihuahua will make it seem as if your dog could be a bit psychic! you must have your dog sitting in front of you. Reach to grab a handful of little treats; however take care that it's a small enough quantity in order that your hand will completely cover the food whereas creating a clenched fist.

Put your hands behind your back. Then, place each hands out toward your Chihuahua at a similar distance from him.

Say the command words of "Which hand?" using an excited voice. Your dog should be able to understand which hand holds the treats merely from the smell. A dog's ability to smell is totally amazing! once your dog put his paw on the proper hand, open your hand to reveal the treats. in this case, the treats are going to be the reward. 

Do not provide the treats till your Chihuahua puts his paw on the hand that hides them. this may teach him that merely nosing it's not enough.

Neat Trick 2 - Saying Grace

This is a good trick to show your Chihuahua, particularly when you have company over for dinner. In order  for this to work, you may want a small toddler's chair or booster seat that's placed on the ground.

You may additionally use a solid box or alternative object that is sometimes in your room or eating space. The height of the object must be so that your Chihuahua will stand and rest his or her front legs on the object.

This trick is "Saying Grace" but you must not have food out after you are training your Chihuahua to try and do this trick, because it can distract him from learning this. Have him sit in front of the item. Say the command words, "Say Grace" while you gently elevate his front paws and place them on the object.

Again, repeat the command words and gently place his face softly down upon his front paws. Your Chihuahua can currently be during a position that seems that he's expression a prayer. you must pat his head and say encouraging words to stay his face down for a number of moments.

Never hold his head if he resists. after a count of three or four, release your gentle touch and reward him with excitement, pats and hugs. 

The key to a dog learning to do this automatically once hearing the command words is to train him often. 

Doing this four to five times on a daily basis for one to two weeks ought to have your Chihuahua ready to do an amusing supper time trick.

Trick 3 - Greetings!

This trick is simple however can make your Chihuahua appear very smart! Sit your Chihuahua in front of you. Gently acquire one of his paws and gently shake it while expression the command word, "Hello". 

Act terribly happy while you're doing this and show your Chi that you simply are more than happy that he's permitting you to do this. After a while, say the command word again, however this time you may just gently touch his paw without shaking it. Act as if you expect him to require action. If he doesn't, lift the paw and repeat the hand shake.  

After a jiffy, your Chihuahua can perceive what to do after you sit before of him and say, "Hello". this is often a beautiful trick to have your dog grasp for when you introduce him or her to friends, family and other.

Super Cool Trick 4 - Sweet Kisses

This is a beautiful Chihuahua dog trick and extremely simple to show. You need to  sit your dog in front of you. Before you are doing the next step, do bear in mind that this is often temporary and very soon you will be able to eliminate this 1st part! 

Put a really little dab of wet pet food on the cheek of your face. Say the command words, "Kisses" and permit your Chihuahua to lick the treat off your face. As he's doing so, repeat the command word. 

Then, attempt to do so by merely pointing to your face and saying, "Kisses". If your Chihuahua kisses you, make certain to praise him with happy word and excited pats. After a while you should be able to merely say "Kisses" and obtain a sweet Chihuahua kiss. 

Miss Mildred loves to do all of these tricks and she is very happy to show anyone them!

I have put a lot of training into my sweet little Chihuahua and I am so happy she was so eager to learn we alway practice the shake before she is allowed her dinner so now she sits waiting for her command shake or paw so she can have her dinner. Its really cute and lots of fun too. 

 Miss Mildred and I Miss Squeak 

would like to thank everyone for coming and reading our new blog 

Fun Tricks For Your Furbaby Chihuahua

And we would love to hear any trick that you do with your furbaby so let us know below in the comments and don't be shy !

Remember to Like +1 Share and Comment 

We also hope this blog has helped you to train your new furbaby. Come back soon for some new information and if there might be something you would like to know use the comments and tell us !!

Lets Talk Chihuahua Temperament What's Good What's Bad.

Chihuahuas are comical, entertaining, and loyal little dogs, absolutely brimming with personality – often a quirky and eccentric personality unmatched by any other breed.

Other than that generalization, Chihuahuas are extremely variable. You can find individuals who are lively or placid. Bold or timid. Feisty or mellow. Confident or nervous. Stubborn or eager to please.

How a Chihuahua turns out depends mightily on the genetic temperament of the parents and grandparents. In other words, entire lines of Chihuahuas are social or delinquent, and if you bring home an individual who has hereditary genes for a bad temperament... Socialisation and coaching typically can help overcome unhealthy genes in a Chihuahua.

But socialization and coaching are still very important! If truth be told, as long as your Chihuahua has inherited genes for a normal temperament, how you raise them can determine how they turns out.

Chihuahuas don't have a very good name among the overall public. Ask a number of individuals, "Do you think that Chihuahuas are nice little dogs?" and see what percentage of them exclaim, "No! they are nasty very little things who bite!"

I have to mention that this reputation has some basis in reality. As I explained, Chihuahuas usually inherit genes for a nasty temperament.....because numerous individuals breed Chihuahuas whose temperaments are unhealthy. Additionally, many of us treat their Chihuahua sort of like a stuffed toy or doll, or as a substitute for an individual's baby. 

They tote the Chihuahua everyplace in their arms, do not teach any commands, make fun of signs of aggression, Make excuses for bad behaviour, and soothe and coo over the dog constantly.

It's no surprise such a big amount of Chihuahuas are neurotic! They are made that way by their owners. All dogs, no matter their size, should be schooled a way to walk on their own four feet, how to do what they are told, and how to get on peacefully with the world.

Now, "getting on peacefully" does not invariably mean that a Chihuahua LIKES everybody. On the contrary, many Chihuahuas are naturally suspicious toward strangers. however they'll be suspicious without letting everybody within earreach realize it, or without attending to threats. It's up to YOU to draw and enforce the line.

Similarly, while most Chihuahuas get on nice with other pets in their family, they have an inclination to lift a ruckus once they spy an odd dog. Again, you've got to place a stop to this from day one or it'll get out of hand.

Fortunately, there also exist Chihuahuas who are unapproachable, however who can eventually approach individuals in their own good time, particularly if the person isn't pushy or insistent. and a few Chihuahuas are terribly friendly right from the beginning and can head to anyone.

Chihuahuas do appear to acknowledge and like their own breed, therefore it is a nice idea to keep 2 of them. They keep one another company once you are gone, they play together, clean each other's ears (Chihuahuas are often obsessive ear-lickers!), and keep one another warm by cuddling together.

Chihuahuas love heat, oh, yes! they're going to hunt down the tiniest place within which to bask, and that they tunnel underneath blankets and towels. you've got to watch out whenever you sit down on your lounge or bed, as there can be a Chihuahua tucked underneath there!

The most troublesome issue to teach a Chihuahua? Toilet training . Chihuahuas are often terribly tough to toilet train – one of the foremost troublesome of all breeds – particularly in cold or wet weather. Think about  an inside litter box, or a doggie door that leads out to a covered potty space.

If you want a dog who...

Is small and simple to carry

Comes in a variety of sizes, coats, and colors

Is oh-so-funny and amusing in offbeat ways (hard to explain – you gotta be there!)

Is very loyal

Is a great traveler

Doesn't want a lot of exercise

LOVES heat

Lives a long time

A Chihuahua could also be right for you.

If you do not wish to contend with...

The fragility of toy breeds 

The fine line you wish to walk with toy breeds, where you need to safeguard their safety, however need them to stand on their own four feet and be well-behaved

Notorious toilet training difficulties

Suspiciousness, shrillness, and high-strung temperaments in some lines, or when babied or spoiled or not socialized enough or made to behave.

A Chihuahua might not be right for you.

 Another thing to think about is the fact this little bundle of joy and happiness the Chihuahua are the best at shedding their fur all over the place and if you love to cuddle and smuggle your furbaby you will end up having a new fashion asset and it comes in what ever you furbaby is I have found if I comb Miss Mildred then rub her with a damp cloth I am able to reduce the amount of fur that comes off of her little body I also have a jumper dress or t-shirt on her that help as well !

Here is a little more information on the issue of Shedding.

 Chihuahua shed! Because they're so small, their shedding is not usually a big issue for people, but I did want to make you aware that Chihuahuas shed! since many potential owners have been misinformed that Chihuahuas are "hypoallergenic" or "light shedding." This is not true at all. If you come to my house on any day of the week, you will leave with tan and white hairs on your clothes....Tan and White hairs that belong to my Chihuahua, Miss Mildred . Once again, Chihuahuas shed!

    Now, how much they shed depends on

            what kind of coat they have.

Chihuahuas, you see, come in four coats

Short coat, double. This is a short outer coat, plus a woolly undercoat for insulation. Because of the two layers, this coat sheds more than.

Short coat, single. With no undercoat, this coat looks and feels sleek and sheds less than a double coat.

Long coat, double. Long outer coat, plus wooly undercoat. This coat needs the most brushing and combing, takes more blow-drying after a bath, and sheds a good deal. Some of these dogs are so bushy they resemble Pomeranians.

Long coat, single. This "long" coat is typically shortish on the body, with feathering restricted to the ears, backs of the legs, stomach, hindquarters, and tail. A single longboat is much easier to groom than a double longcoat, and sheds less than a double coat of either length.

Miss Mildred and I would like to thank you all for coming and reading our blog on,

 Chihuahua Temperaments 

Whats Good and Whats Bad !

Please Remember Too 

Like Share +1 and Comment

Below as we would love to read any funny and amusing stories about your Furbabys so don't be shy and leave a comment !

We hope everyone is having a wonderful week and remember you can never spoil your furbaby to much just always 

keep the training up so you have a well balanced furbaby!

Until Our Next Blog .

Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Miss Squeak Talks Separation Anxiety In Furbabys.

 Hi everyone, I thought we might talk a little

about Separation Anxiety in Furbabys. 

Today as I am off on a holiday to Bali and I feel 

I might be the one with the anxiety when it comes to leaving my little Miss Mildred gee is it really this hard I haven't even left yet and

 I am all ready starting to think will she miss me? Will my family look after her the way I do? 

I know no harm will come to her yet I am still worried about leaving her! Maybe because I have sick over the last few weeks and I have had her as a constant companion when I have been unwell she even stopped eating when I was unable to 

get out of bed  she was like my little furry nurse always at my side. Now I am able to move around a lot more now and I have started to feel better.

But I now fear she might have a little separation anxiety as she has shown just a few slight signs of anxiety like when I have a shower she might scratch at the door but that might be normal as she is used to being with me. But apart from that she is okay with being on her own when I go out shopping or to the doctors she is happy to play outside by herself. The issue I am concerned about  is while I am way is she going to be able to cope without me? I hope she is fine and there are no problems while I am away. Like is she going to regress and start weeing in the house or is she going to start barking or is she going to be naughty and keep everyone at home awake at night? These are the question that are racing around my head at the moment. I guess only time will tell I am lucky that Miss Mildred is staying in her own home with people that she already knows and with her furbaby sisters to play with, its me whom has the main issue with anxiety regarding leaving my little furbaby at home. Now thats enough about me and Miss Mildred lets talk about some signs of Separationn Anxiety in Furbabys !

Separation anxiety is a behavioural disorder 

that's all too common in Chihuahuas. You 

finally get home from a long day at work only 

to discover that your beloved Chihuahua 

has Ransacked the house. 

Maybe there's pillow or

bed stuffing strewn across the floor, garbage 

pulled out of the trash, or even a pile of poop 

in the middle of your living room. They don't 

act like this when you or other members of 

your family are home, so why do they behave 

this way when they're left alone?

Chihuahuas suffering from separation anxiety 

act out when they're left alone.Whether you 

are going to work for the day, or just running

 up to the gas station for a couple of minutes, 

leaving them alone triggers behaviour that's 

that's considered "out of the norm." Your 

Chihuahua might be the perfect angel when 

they're sitting in your lap, but all of their 

manners and training go right out the door

 once you leave their side..

Signs of Separation Anxiety In 

Chihuahuas

1.Claws at the carpet when you shut the 

bathroom or bedroom door behind them!

2. Follows you around throughout the house.

3. Constantly jumps and whines 

for you to pick them up.

4.Tears up linens, pillows, sheets, clothes,etc. 

when left alone.

5. Defecates or urinates inside the house 

when left alone.

6. Acts overly excited when you come home.

7. Barks, whines or howls when left alone.

What Causes Separation Anxiety In Chihuahuas?

There are many various factors which can contribute to a Chihuahua's separation anxiety, the foremost influential  being a change in family. Chihuahuas, like all dogs, are social animals that are extremely loyal to their family. Taking them out of their current surroundings and thrusting them into a home with a totally new family is guaranteed to produce some kind of emotional distress, as well as separation anxiety. This usually goes away once the Chihuahua settles down and becomes comfy with their new family.

In addition to changes in their family, abuse is another issue known  to cause separation anxiety in Chihuahuas. If they were physically and/or mentally abused in their previous home, there is a higher likelihood of them exhibiting behavioural disorders.

Note: Punishing or disciplining your Chihuahua for exhibiting this behavior can solely make the matter worse. Separation anxiety is not one thing they will control. Veterinary behavior specialist Dr. Stefanie Schwartz com suggests that canine separation anxiety it almost like panic attacks in humans. There is  psychological component beyond their control that manifests this behavior. Yelling, scolding, or forcing your Chihuahua to go to 'time out' can solely increase their anxiety.

Confining your Chihuahua to a crate conjointly does not work. Once you allow their sight, they're going to scratch, yell and presumably even soil their crate. This could help keep your house clean when you are away, however it doesn't help their anxiety -- which is the real downside at hand.

How To Treat Your Chihuahua's Separation Anxiety

Unfortunately, most homeowners take the incorrect approach to their Chihuahua's separation anxiety by penalization and/or confinement. In order for your Chihuahua to beat this behavioral downside, you want to work to downplay your exits and arrival. instead of petting and pampering them before you walk out the door, plow ahead and leave in an exceedingly quite, delicate manner while not talking or making eye contact. This shows your Chihuahua that departure, and returning, is not an enormous deal.

Owners ought to work to treat their Chihuahua's separation anxiety slowly to stop additional psychological stress. start by leaving the house for simply ten minutes on a daily basis, and step by step increase this length over time. When being removed from your Chihuahua for ten minutes on a daily basis for a full week, maybe you'll bump it up to 20-30 minutes on a daily basis. Taking slow steps permits your Chihuahua to grow familiar with these new changes, basically dampening their separation anxiety.

For severe cases of separation anxiety in Chihuahuas, owners might want to discuss the pros and cons of varied medications with their Furbaby Doctor. Benzodiazepines, oxidase inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are a number of the foremost normally prescribed medications for  canine separation anxiety. Of course, these are only temporary solutions and should not be used as a long-run treatment choice.

Tips For Treating Separation Anxiety:

1. Ignore your Chihuahua once you 

leave and enter the house.

2. Leave the tv running to supply them company (DogTV or Animal Planet are each nice choices)

3. Make sure your they get lots of exercise throughout the day.

4.Leave some toys behind to help occupy their time.

5. Teach your Chihuahua the fundamental obedience commands, like sit.

6. Confine your Chihuahua 'loosely' instead of using a crate.

7. Some veterinarians recommend giving a sock or another piece of your dirty laundry to your Chihuahua, because the scent of their door might help calm them.

8. You can't expect your Chihuahua to beat

 their separation anxiety straightaway. Behavioural disorders are something that takes months, sometimes even years to develop, and treating it's going to take equally as long. 

9. Remain persistent and follow the guidelines listed here to help your Chihuahua overcome their disorder.

Does your Chihuahua get anxious when you

 leave him or her behind for any length of 

time?  For a highly social, extremely loyal 

creature like a Chihuahua, being separated 

from the people they are attached to can be 

very distressing and result in a variety of 

disruptive, destructive behaviors. 

Miss Mildred and myself Miss Squeak 

would love to hear about any of your stories 

you might have had to deal with that come along with having a furbaby that suffers with separation anxiety and what you have done to help your little furbaby out. 

Please don't hesitate to leave us a comment below we would be very happy to read your stories !! So with that we hope this little blog as been able to shed some light on this issue! 

   Thank you so very much for spending some time 

with us reading our new blog post 

Miss Squeak Talks Separation Anxiety in Furbabys

.Please Like +1 Share and Comment. 

Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Miss Squeaks Update On Miss Mildred !

 Today I would love to update you all on the the progress of  little Miss Mildred and the sleeping in her own bed drama. Well it was only a few weeks ago that my Monster said its about time that Miss Mildred started to sleep in her own fluffy warm cozy bed, As she was very little I allowed her to sleep with me while she was a puppy because I wanted her to be safe and sound. Miss Mildred is my little girl and she goes everywhere with me as I think your furbaby should. But as we all know when you have a baby in the bed with you sometimes you focus more on the baby then your partner if you know what I mean!! So over the last week I have taken on the challenge of getting my little girl to sleep on her own or with her furbaby brother 

George Wobble. The first two nights were very hard as she was wanting to be with us so she was jumping and whining at the side of the bed, 

But every time  she would jump or whine I would  just say in your bed and place her back into her bed. I was very tired by the third night yet I stuck to the challenge and guess what Miss Mildred didn't even try to get onto the bed and she put 

herself into her bed yay and over the last three nights she has done then same each night so now   

I can smuggle up to my Monster again with no furbabys in the bed I must say I thought this would be very hard to do yet with a little patience and practice I can say our little girl is growing up   fast and we had now taken back the bed and its lots of cuddles and kisses for me ! 

Our mission was to get Miss Mildred to sleep in her bed and for my Monster to be able to sleep with out stressing he would squash her. By doing this we have put the little furbaby back into her place as a dog and its has not stressed her out as furbabys like to know their place in the pack and we have shown Miss Mildred that she is loved and she gets heaps of attention and lots of playtime with her mumma and fur brothers and sisters  and she just doesn't sleep with us at 

night ! Now its time for us to go home and apply the same nighttime routine there as I don't want to confuse her please wish me luck its been harder for me I think as I like having her with me yet I realise its better to have her in her own bed. I would love to hear any of your stories about what you did to get your furbaby out of your bed ? 

Thanks very much for reading my blog 

Miss Squeaks Update On Miss Mildred!

Please Remember To 

Like +1 Share and Comment 

Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Miss Squeak Talks How To Stop Your Furbaby From Chewing !

Okay lets talk about your Furbay chewing you stuff and a few helpful tips and trick to curb this habit.  Inappropriate chewing could be a fairly common drawback in young dogs and stems from the very fact that puppies use their mouths as a way of exploring the planet around them. Chewing could be a traditional behaviour for puppies however becomes undesirable behaviour once it's directed towards inappropriate objects like your shoes, furniture, or maybe your hands and feet. If inappropriate chewing isn't corrected then it will cause wide scale destruction of private property, medical issues and erosion of the human-animal bond.

A dog’s deciduous teeth can erupt between 3 to eight weeks older and around four to 6 months older these teeth are going to be step by step replaced with permanent teeth. growth could be a painful method and puppies chew additional throughout this period of your time as a result of their gums are terribly irritated during this point and also the act of chewing relieves their discomfort. Inappropriate chewing is presumably to occur while the puppy is teething however if not corrected will become a long standing downside even after all the adult teeth emerge and growth ends.puppies use their mouths as a way of exploring the planet around them. chewing could be a traditional behavior for puppies however becomes undesirable behavior once it's directed towards inappropriate objects like your shoes, furniture, or maybe your hands and feet. If inappropriate chewing isn't corrected then it will cause wide scale destruction of private property, medical issues and erosion of the human-animal bond.

Rule out medical problems. The first step is to make sure that your puppy does not have any serious medical problems. Nutritional deficiencies caused by poor diet and/or intestinal parasitism can lead to pica which may be misconstrued as inappropriate chewing. Gastrointestinal problems may cause nausea which can trigger chewing as a coping mechanism. Therefore it is important to make an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out an underlying medical condition that may be causing or contributing to the dog chewing.

Puppy proofing. Look around your environment for possible dangers to your inquisitive puppy. Place household cleaners and chemicals out of reach along with potentially toxic plants. Electrical cords should be covered or made inaccessible to prevent chewing on them resulting in electrocution. Remove objects of curiosity that might appeal to your puppy such as shoes and socks, children’s toys and the like. Block access to rooms that have not been puppy proofed and consider crate training your dog for the times when he cannot be supervised.

Encourage appropriate chewing. Provide appropriate chew toys for your dog to enjoy. Each dog will have their own personal preference as to what they prefer to chew and play with. Be careful with rawhide and beef bones as determined chewers can whittle them down to smaller pieces that can be swallowed. They can end up becoming lodged in the esophagus or small intestine so supervision is recommended when giving these treats and be sure to take away any small pieces that might be swallowed. Avoid chicken bones since they splinter easily creating sharp fragments that can easily puncture your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. I prefer nylabones, greenies and dental chewsticks since they encourage appropriate chewing while combating dental disease. Dog toys such as balls and kongs may appeal to your dog, just be sure to select a size that is appropriate for your dog. They should be able to pick it up and carry it but it should be of sufficient bulk that it cannot be swallowed. If you buy your dog a kong type toy check, make sure the hole in the toy is not so big that the dog can get his lower jaw stuck in it.I have seen several emergency cases where a dog comes in with a toy stuck in his mouth. Do not give toys that resemble inappropriate items; for example do not give your dog an old shoe to chew on because he will not know the difference between the old chew shoe and a brand new pair.

Discourage inappropriate chewing. By following step two you will have already minimised the amount of mischief your young dog can get into. If you do find your dog chewing on something inappropriate correct the dog by taking the object away and scolding him. Direct his attentions to an appropriate chew object and give praise when he chews on said object. Gradually, your dog will learn what objects are his and which are not. Sometimes it can be difficult to discourage chewing if the pattern is already established. Taste deterrents such as bitter apple can applied to the object, the noxious taste will hopefully deter the determined chewer and he will learn to leave the object alone.

Engage in playtime with your dog. A tired dog is a good dog! Spend time playing and exercising with your dog on a regular basis. This not only reinforces the human-animal bond but expends energy that your dog might be otherwise directed to inappropriate chewing and behaviours.

 Thanks for reading Miss Squeak, 

Talks How To Stop Your  Furbaby Form Chewing !

 Please Like +1 Share and Comment 

 Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Miss Squeak Talks Visitors and Your Furbaby

Training a furbaby to behave when guests visit.
Have you ever loaned a favorite tool or item to a friend and when they return it, it is ruined? I hate to say it, but friends can also ruin all the training you do with your pup. Guests can overwhelm a puppy, they can frighten him, teach him bad habits, and even more, in doing this they can turn your pup into a dog that annoys you, even after the guests leave.

Speak up

Visitors can create problems without realizing it. Even friends who are “dog people” can create problems, so be aware. You will hear, “Oh, he is so cute, don’t worry we don’t mind him jumping up.” Yes, they may not mind now, but perhaps this is going to be a 50-pound plus dog in six months, mum lives with you and she is unsteady on her feet. So, we don’t want him jumping up.

Or a guest will tell you, “It’s okay, we love dogs – he is only a puppy.” Then they proceed to get him overexcited and he dashes around the house like a crazy man; throw rugs fly everywhere and the heirloom vase rocks on its pedestal. In all too short a time your dog will be more than a puppy and your guests are teaching him that this dashing around your home is acceptable behavior. In such instances, what do we do? Most of us smile in annoyed embarrassment because we want to tell them not to do this ... but they are guests.

Do yourself and your pup a favor. Tell them – nicely – that you are working on his manners and obedience, and if they don’t listen, put the pup in his crate or on a leash where he won’t learn to be naughty.

Be in control

Another scenario is the complete opposite. Your guests may not like dogs and could even be afraid of them. They prefer not to be greeted by your dog. By showing this nervousness they can create unwanted behaviors. The pup will recognize the body language and smell of those who are afraid and he may show fear, sometimes even giving a growl of uncertainty. Such behaviors can be made worse if we become annoyed with our guests, and frustrated with the pup. When this happens we are not in control either of the pup or ourselves, and that is when we make mistakes.

Even if we have a well-behaved pup and well-behaved guests we can create problems. When we have a nice pup and it has some cute behaviors, we try to demonstrate these to friends who come to visit. Naturally, we are proud of our new family member and want to show off a little. Socialization with new people is good for the puppy. However, once more there is a danger to keep in mind.

With friends present we want the pup to behave perfectly but the guests themselves are a big distraction. The pup may be overawed, nervous, excited, or cautious; in fact he may not behave at all like you thought he would. In this situation, attempting to control him can create additional unwanted behaviour. 

 Thanks for reading 

Visitors and Your Furbaby 

 Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx