Article

Introduction

Veterinary technicians and nurses are in a unique position to aid new puppy guardians. We are some of the very first professionals that they interact with after acquiring their puppy, which allows us the opportunity to set both puppies and guardians up for success by:

• recommending management and training options for common puppy behaviors; 
• offering referrals to science-based, humane and ethical trainers; 
• facilitating puppy classes; 
• providing education on the benefits of enrichment; 
• teaching the foundation skills for using positive reinforcement. 

The goal of all education is to protect and support the human-animal bond, build a puppy’s confidence, encourage emotional and physical health throughout the lifetime of the dog, and bond clients to your practice.

The sensitive period of learning for a puppy begins at 3 weeks of age and ends around 12-14 weeks of age (1-3). During this time frame a puppy should be exposed to specific stimuli; lack of appropriate stimuli exposure increases the risk of side effects that can ultimately affect adulthood behavior (4). The intention during this period of learning is not just to socialize a puppy with people and other dogs, but to provide a wide range of exposure to other animals, different environments, physical handling, sounds, and surfaces. The focus during this period should be on the quality of the experiences rather than the quantity, and puppies should be positively impacted rather than have a neutral or negative experience. 

Our role as veterinary technicians/nurses

Veterinary technicians and nurses can provide behavioral education to clients during puppy wellness exams, or at separate consultations with a primary focus on behavioral health (5). These recommendations should include management, prevention of common unwanted puppy behaviors, and finding the right puppy classes. In this way they can help mold puppy behavior into desirable adult behavior (5-7).

Veterinary technicians/nurses should recommend classes with the following criteria:

1. Low-volume class sizes that use positive reinforcement. These consist of no more than six puppies with one qualified trainer (or veterinary technician/nurse) and one assistant trainer (8). 
2. Classes that are taught by qualified trainers who are certified by a standardized, positive-based organization (5).
3. Beginner puppy classes can have registrants as young as 8 weeks, but puppies should not be older than 16 weeks of age at graduation (8).
4. Classes should be controlled and structured, and puppies and people should remain calm throughout the class. Puppy playtime should be short and successful (Figure 1).
5. Separate learning areas for foundation behaviors and exploration are helpful, as it is difficult for puppies to focus with the distraction of people and other puppies (Figure 2).

Classes should include information on puppy development, common dog training myths, canine body language, tips for common behavior concerns, benefits of positive reinforcement (Figure 3), and side effects of punishment. Veterinary technicians can support clients by helping them address and understand common puppy behaviors. During puppy consultations, discuss housetraining, crate/confinement training, puppy biting/mouthing, and enrichment, and these are all discussed below. Taking time to address these topics helps decrease the stress for new puppy owners and provides them with up-to-date information. 

Housetraining

To foster successful toileting habits, clients need to understand puppy schedules and common behaviors. Puppies must have a toilet break approximately 20 minutes after they eat (9); they also require these breaks after they wake up, during play, and after exercise. One suggestion that can be given to clients is to set a “toilet timer” for every 1-2 hours and then increase that duration over time as elimination behaviors become more consistent and the puppy gets older. Teach clients about body language that is indicative of a need for toileting, including sniffing and looking for a location to eliminate, scratching substrate, circling, pawing at the floor, and standing near an exit. 

Puppies should be taken on-leash to the same designated spot for all elimination opportunities, as this can further stimulate urination and defecation (10). If a puppy is not yet conditioned to wear a leash, guardians can use a food lure to help guide them. If puppies are left off-leash, they tend to get distracted and may not fully express their bladder before looking for the next thing to play with, and their guardian might note that the puppy toilets somewhere inside shortly after their bathroom break if they are let out off-leash. Once the puppy eliminates in an appropriate place, they should be extrinsically reinforced using food reward or play time (9). If clients remark that the puppy doesn’t eliminate during some toilet breaks, recommend they reset the timer, and try again after 10 minutes; it is not abnormal for puppies to get distracted with outdoor activity and need a second chance to try again.

If an indoor elimination area is chosen for housetraining (e.g., puppy pads) the same recommendations apply, although a leash will not be necessary. Use positive reinforcement to train the puppy to use their pad or other designated area (Figure 4). Replace pads/substrate once the puppy has eliminated, and ensure that the area is always easily accessible (11).

Confinement training

Crating is not a natural behavior for puppies. A study on the denning habits of free-ranging dogs demonstrated that the use of dens was specific to pregnant females as a means of finding safety from predators and other threats while raising pups. Den usage therefore does not automatically translate to all puppies and adult dogs preferring den-like spaces. Furthermore, the study found that free-ranging dogs preferred human proximity when seeking out a den space, despite not being owned; this could be due to the ease of food acquisition when there is proximity to humans. Also of note was that den acquisition differed among free-range dogs; this varied between open fields, protected sites, small enclosed areas, and even well-lit dens (12). These new insights are important for guardians to understand, so that they can choose the best option for confinement of their puppy. 

The use of a crate can be a positive experience if puppies are conditioned in a slow, purposeful and positive manner. Instances when crate training can be beneficial include safety in the car; safety and convenience in a veterinary setting; emergencies; an in-home option to provide a retreat for the puppy if they are overwhelmed, anxious, or tired; and as a requirement for dog sporting events. 

Crate size and setup matter. This is an important discussion to have with clients, because something as simple as crate size can make or break crate training success. Crates should be big enough for the puppy to move comfortably, stand up, turn around, and lie in a lateral position. Room for water and a crate-safe food puzzle toy is recommended. Metal crates are a great option since they often have dividers to increase or decrease their size. Puppies may prefer crates that are covered with a blanket or similar. 

Alternatively, an exercise pen (X-pen) or gated-off room gives puppies more space and can be a good starter confinement area (Figure 5). The crate can also be placed inside an X-pen, which gives puppies the option to enter the crate on their own terms. This prevents puppies from being prematurely placed in a crate before being properly conditioned to it, a situation which can lead to increased fear and stress. An elimination area, feeding station and toys can also be placed inside the barricaded space.

Few puppies are initially comfortable being crated, especially overnight. Dogs are social sleepers, and it can be very stressful for a puppy to transition from their previous family and littermates to a new home where they are expected to sleep away from people. This separation can cause undue stress for puppies and create a negative association with their crate. It is recommended to place the crate in the same room as the guardians, gate an ensuite bathroom or other area in the room. Whatever the sleeping arrangement, guardians should be prepared to get up throughout the night for elimination needs.

Crate training takes time. Using food-storage toys and other enrichment opportunities multiple times a day in the confinement space is a great way to help a puppy create a positive association with their crate and reinforce independence and duration. The “crate fairy” exercise is another option for training success; here owners place high value treats in the crate throughout the day when the puppy is not watching, so that when they choose to enter their crate, they are surprised with delicious treats.

Confinement spaces should never be used for punishment. A puppy’s confinement space is supposed to be a safe place, so using it for punishment will instead teach the puppy to make a negative association with their crate. This will increase stress and result in a puppy that is difficult to train (11).

Teething

Puppies obviously will experience teething, and it is normal for them to frequently chew, mouth and bite during this stage. Providing suitable safe chew toy options is therefore important. Common teething ideas are a durable rubber toy that can be filled with kibble or treats, or a frozen chew; these can be carrots or even fleece tug toys soaked in water before freezing. Rotating a puppy’s chew toys every 3-4 days is also recommended; this prevents them from looking for something else to chew. Providing sufficient enrichment opportunities during this developmental period can also help decrease biting and chewing behavior directed at people and their belongings.

Puppy biting

Redirection is important for biting behavior; this simply means providing the puppy with something they are allowed to chew on or play with instead of the forbidden item. Having suitable redirection stations with toys and treats set up in the areas of the home where excitement is most prevalent is a great bite-prevention technique. For example, having a basket of toys at the front door where guests enter is a good way to anticipate and prevent biting where it is most likely to occur. Redirection also prevents puppy frustration, which can lead to more biting. Encouraging guardians to reinforce any behavior other than biting can also help in the moment and guide the puppy to make better choices in the future. Puppies that have learned cued behaviors can also be asked to perform a behavior that is incompatible with biting, such as “place” or “touch” followed by positive reinforcement.

When a puppy is biting, consider why the behavior is occurring. Antecedents such as children or adults playing on the ground, wrestling, over-stimulating environments, frustration, and lack of sleep are a few common circumstances that can lead to increased biting. If a puppy’s biting escalates despite the above recommendations, the target of the biting should remove their attention. Stop interacting, take a break, do not provide any visual or verbal feedback for a few seconds, and then redirect the puppy to an appropriate outlet for biting. If family members are becoming frustrated or need an interlude, provide the puppy with a long-lasting chew or food-dispensing toy on their bed or another comfortable space (11).

Enrichment

Enrichment involves setting up experiences and environments that allow animals to display species-specific behaviors and to improve their overall physical and emotional welfare. The five categories of enrichment are occupational, physical, social, nutritional, and sensory (13,14). 

• Occupational enrichment means giving dogs “jobs” or tasks that fulfill instinctual behavior, such as agility training or enjoying group training classes.
• Physical enrichment involves altering a puppy’s environment for new exploration opportunities. It also means increasing complexity within their home environment; options include adding a new bed or new toys, or by taking a walk to a new location. Consider introducing different textures of toys or even digging boxes (14). 
• Social enrichment includes interactions with dogs, humans and other species. Choosing compatible dogs to play with and meeting new people can be enriching for some, but not all, dogs. Emphasize the need for guardians to cater to their puppy’s individual needs for social interactions with conspecifics. 
• Nutritional enrichment is the most common form of enrichment. This involves using food as motivation for foraging, problem-solving, and earning rewards. Food puzzle toys are an easy way for owners to incorporate this type of enrichment into their puppy’s daily life (15).
• Sensory enrichment involves activities that incorporate one or more of the five senses: smell, sight, taste, touch and sound (16) (Figure 6). Scent work, long-line sniff walks (17), and access to dog-friendly TV programs are a few ways to fulfill a puppy’s need for sensory stimulation.

Box 1 offers some physical and emotional safety recommendations for enrichment that need to be communicated to clients to ensure puppy safety.

 

Box 1. Tips for successful enrichment activities. 

 

Conclusion

Advocacy and education on the prevention of stress and positive experiences for puppies is necessary for successful learning in the sensitive period of development. Veterinary technicians and nurses have a unique opportunity to guide clients through a puppy’s development using positive, science-based recommendations. Our role allows us to make every interaction with our puppy patients as stress-free as possible, and to educate guardians on the importance of safe exposure and common puppy behaviors and solutions. Teaching owners how to endure and successfully mitigate some of the more challenging parts of puppyhood and provide appropriate enrichment will not only strengthen the human-animal bond but will also build trust and open communication with the veterinary team for years to come.

 

References

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