Early Training
Early Training
TEETHING! CHEWING BECAUSE PUPPY TEETH HURT; HERE IS A HINT WE RECEIVED FROM ONE OF OUR ADOPTIVE PARENTS!
She found that the pumpkin and yogurt treat idea was great...diluted each with water, and froze them in popsicle like shapes, then gave them to puppy when puppy teething was making puppy want to chew everything; It seemed to soothe puppy a great deal, and hopefully others can use this tip....
Rough play during puppyhood with larger, more energetic dogs is particularly risky. It is very important that puppies have socialization and play opportunities with dogs you know are safe, but supervise them closely so undue exuberance can be discouraged. Keep in mind that if your puppy is raised with another "hyper" dog, your puppy will learn to be "hyper" which could be a potential danger to his joints and limbs; Mastiffs are bred to be a large, gentle, quiet and calm dog but puppies are definitely influenced by the behavior of the other dogs they come in contact with; It is by far the best to keep your puppy away from very active or "hyper" dogs.
PLAY: never play tug of war or other competitive contact sports with your mastiff. Tug of War encourages aggression as do many other contact sports. It might seem "cute" as a puppy but you should alwaysconsider "Do I want this dog to behave this way when he is full grown?" The instinct of this breed is to be quiet and calm; they like to play but not for long periods of time. They love to go for walks, go camping, ride in the car; they want to be with you doing what you do. But they are not long distance hikers and definitely not much for running especially on hot day. They are not a "frisby" dog and most are not much good at agility. They are bred to be a quiet, calm, loving companion. What they will become depends entirely on what they learn as puppies; If they are raised in an environment of rough and tumble activities you will probably end up with an over 200 lb rough and tumble mastiff; Not a good idea. Your puppy wants to PLEASE YOU. So what he sees you doing, he will want to do. Same with children, right? Raising a puppy is much like raising a child. Most is just common sense reasoning with a picture of a full grown mastiff always in your mind. Temperament is also largely environmental; Your puppy’s parents are quiet well behaved Dogs; They are not at all aggressive; Your puppy is well socialized and well behaved the day You pick it up. From that time on what the puppy’s temperament will become is largely up to you. If you happen to have an older, very calm, gentle dog at home, that older, well trained dog can be a wonderful asset in training your puppy. The puppy will quickly follow the patterns of the older dog. The older dog will always be "the boss."
Puppy Play Biting
"Puppy play biting.,"is a very annoying habit and this is to be discouraged from day one. When you pick up your puppy you will notice it is quiet and calm, and has no tendency to puppy bite or chew on your fingers. We always ask the adoptive family to avoid waving their hands in front of the puppy's face; No playing tug of war. Do not allow puppy to pull on your clothing.
Do not allow the puppy to lick your hand, fingers or to chew on your fingers, not for one second. Puppy kisses are fine for your face, but not for your hands. "kissing" your fingers can lead to chewing on your fingers. Be sure to have plenty of chew toys for your teething puppy and please do not let it chew on your fingers.
Do your best to teach your children to pet the puppy from top of the head back, gently stroking; Never leave young toddler (child) alone with the puppy when the puppy is new to your home. Close supervision is required when the young child is close to the puppy to be sure the child does not offer his/her fingers or put fingers in the puppy's mouth; Little children, God Bless them, are curious, and that is good. But they tend to see "a hole and want to fill it" such as poking a finger into puppy's ear, eyes, nose or mouth. The child has no intention of hurting the puppy, this is just a natural thing for a child to do. Therefore please supervise the younger children when they are in the same room as the puppy. They puppy will love your children, and never want to hurt them in anyway, but a finger in the eye may result in an startled reaction from the puppy. Both puppy and child must learn mutual respect and what their boundaries are. Dogs actually appreciate boundaries; They, like children, feel far more secure when they know their boundaries. In raising your puppy always be aware these are highly intelligent dogs. A super smart dog will learn a bad habit just as quickly as it learns a good habit. Good loving dispositions are bred into our dogs. This breed is known for its gentleness. But in the end it really is all up to you.
The way you raise your puppy is the way the grown dog will be.
Early Training
Your vet can usually guide you to a good trainer either a group or private. Unless you intend to never have your dog outside without a leash, the goal of this training must be off-leash reliability under all conceivable circumstances. Prior to achieving this reliability, the dog must not be allowed outside a suitably fenced area off-leash. This process is designed to ensure that each puppy we breed receives a loving, responsible and permanent home, and to give you the greatest possible chance at a happy and long life together. The American Mastiff is very trainable and wants to please.
Many of our dogs progress to gaining the Canine Good Citizens Award, Many of our dogs become service and/or therapy dogs for the disabled and for those suffering with PTSD.
You will be amazed at what these wonderful dogs can learn! They are usually first in their class no matter what the goal.