Hints for New Raisers

Relieving
Guidelines

Info for Raisers

Home

When they place that first wiggly Guide Dog puppy in your arms, it’s love at first lick! You just can’t wait to show off your pup and take it everywhere. Then reality sets in—as you realize that your cuddly, cute pup leaks on one end, nips at the other, and picks up more litter than a vacuum cleaner. Guide Dog puppies are bred to be the best working dogs anywhere. But they are still puppies that need lots of training, supervision, patience and time to grow, before they will have the right stuff to become a Guide. It takes time to read the entire Puppy Raising Manual, so here are a few pointers you can use right away that might help when the cute wears off and that new pup begins to get a little bit too real!

Supervision is the Better Part of House Training. Young pups need to relieve after they’ve eaten or taken a drink, after waking up from a nap, after playing—or every twenty minutes, whichever comes first. Okay, usually they can go longer, but to a new puppy raiser, it seems like every twenty minutes! Take your baby puppy out on its leash every time it needs to relieve for the first month or two. This teaches the important skill of leash relieving and allows you some control over what your puppy may be picking up with its mouth. As a bonus, a pup on a leash will not discover how to play keep-away by scooting under bushes or running to the far end of the yard instead of coming when you call it. After the puppy shows signs of understanding commands like “come” and “sit,” you can gradually begin to give it more freedom in the yard, and drop back to relieving on various surfaces only once or twice a day, just to keep in practice. Use your kennel to help keep your puppy dry when you can’t supervise it, or if it refuses to relieve on leash. Just don’t leave it in its kennel more than four hours at a stretch, because very young pups just can’t hold it longer than that.

Supervision is the Better Part of Manners, Too. Labs and Goldens are retrievers—by definition he feels better about the world when there’s something in his mouth. Shepherds have been known to be oral, too. Add the chewing drive that teething brings, and you have a real challenge trying to keep everything but the kitchen sink out of your pup’s mouth. No one likes to have belongings destroyed, and some of the things pups try to ingest can be downright dangerous. The solution is to puppy-proof as far as possible, supervise intensely when the pup is awake, and kennel when you cannot supervise. The nylon leash provided with each new pup is intended to be used as a drag-line. Attached to the pup at all times, the drag-line provides a way to get control of the puppy quickly. It’s easier to grab the drag-line—or simply to step on it—than to bodily catch a speeding puppy. Savvy raisers tie the end of the line to their waistband or loop it around an ankle or wrist. That way, the pup can never get out of sight and into trouble. Obviously, the pup must only wear its drag-line when someone is watching it, since it could easily become entangled and injured if left on its own. If you don’t have time to supervise the pup enough to keep its drag-line free, then probably it should be in its kennel anyway! Of course, there’s always the complication of having to keep the drag-line itself out of the puppy’s mouth, but if it seems like being “joined at the hip” to your new puppy is a little excessive, take heart. This approach allows you to effectively teach your pup the difference between toys and everything else in the house. Before long, most pups can be allowed more freedom; eventually you can discontinue use of the drag-line altogether.

Quality is Better than Quantity. Instead of taking your pup everywhere, choose outings that are appropriate for your pup’s age and abilities, and only take the pup with you when your entire attention can be on working the dog, especially when it’s very young. When you’re preoccupied with your errand, at best the puppy will be learning bad habits like pulling on the leash or picking up things in its mouth, and at worst might have an accident, or try to jump on people. When the situation overwhelms your pup, an outing becomes a negative experience—one that may that may lead to shyness, distractabililty, or other behaviors that your puppy will have to work to overcome. Until housetrained, most pups do best with short, in-and-out trips, about ten minutes in length, to quiet locales where they can observe the goings-on without being stressed. Until they have completed their vaccinations, new pups should avoid high-dog–traffic areas. As the dog gets older and more experienced, you’ll get a feel for the kinds of outings it can handle, and how much supervision it will need. Then you can begin to take on more challenging outings with your puppy, and include him in more of your daily activities.

Comparison is Dangerous. Our puppy club has dogs of all ages and abilities—we even have some pairs of siblings. It’s tempting to think, “that puppy does such-and-so, why can’t mine?” But remember, each pup has its own set of abilities and challenges. What one pup can do at three months, another may find difficult at seven, or may never accomplish. Try to accept your puppy for its own self. Don’t compare it to another pup someone else has now, or one that was raised in the past. Our task is to give each puppy its own best chance to graduate as a working Guide, so never mind what the other dogs do. Tailor your approach to your own pup’s maturity level and needs.

Asking Is Better than Confusion. No matter what it is about puppy raising that has you stumped or concerned, don’t hesitate to call a leader for help or advice. They are supportive, experienced, and calm; they volunteered to be leaders because they are dedicated to the task of helping puppy raisers. Whatever your puppy did, it has probably happened to plenty of other raisers in the past—maybe even to the leaders themselves. Plus, leaders know when to call in reinforcements from GDB. A little reassurance can go a long way. Let our leaders help...that’s what they’re there for!

RAISER TO RAISIER
We asked the members of the International Puppy Raisers listserve “what is the one most important thing you would tell a new puppy raiser?” Here are some of their answers.

GETTING STARTED
Read the chapter Surviving the first few days with your new puppy in your Puppy Manual before the puppy truck comes.
   Teach good habits from the beginning. It's easier to teach good habits than to retrain them later. At eight weeks, it's cute and fun to hold the puppy in your lap on the couch, or to let it lunge on the leash, or eat stuff off the floor, or bark cute puppy barks. At 60 pounds those behaviors won't be so much fun. A strong, firm foundation is the best starting point.
   Remember, a new baby puppy needs constant supervision! Tie him to your belt loop for the first couple of weeks. Put him in his crate when you need a break or can't watch him. Later on, keep a dragline on him when he's loose in the house so that you can correct him if you need to.
   Get the puppy used to handling—all over its body—every day from the very first day you bring it home.
   Encourage good manners at mealtime. A blind person doesn't need an eighty-pound dog frisking about the kitchen. Tell your puppy "wait" and set his food bowl down. You will have to restrain him at first, until he gets the idea. Wait until he stops struggling to get to the food. Then tell him "okay" and release him to eat.
   Attend all the puppy meetings and ask lots of questions. Don't hesitate to email or call your leaders in between times with questions or problems.

THE CRATE
Use your crate from the beginning when you cannot fully supervise the puppy and keep your puppy in practice by kenneling him for a bit of time every day.
   Feed pup in the crate. He will think the crate is a wonderful place, and he'll be more reluctant to relieve in it, thus reinforcing your potty training.
Potty Training
Take pup out, on lead and only on lead to do business after every meal, after he wakes from a nap, after playing, or every half hour or so, whichever comes first. If the puppy has accidents, shorten the interval. If the puppy takes a few minutes to go once you get him outside, you can probably lengthen it by five minutes at a time.
   When in doubt, take the puppy out! Puppies have to go. A lot. Some can hold it for hours, and some have bladders the size of a peanut. You can save a lot of accidents if you take it out frequently. If you can't watch the puppy, put in the crate for some nap time.
   It's a good idea to carry him outside first thing in the morning, as he may not be able to walk that far without relieving. But the more you can let him walk himself, the quicker he will learn he has to make it outside to take care of business.
   Kill the smell—use Nature's Miracle or another product designed to eliminate odor to clean up after accidents. If the puppy can smell urine, it will be more likely to use that place again.
   Don't scold your puppy if you find an accident after the fact. He won't connect your anger with an act he probably cannot remember anymore. Do praise your puppy extravagantly when he does his business outside!

SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT
Don't encourage the puppy to whine or bark in his crate by giving him attention. If he fusses don't correct him, and don't reinforce the behavior by speaking to him, either. He must be quiet for at least thirty seconds before you let him out of his crate! If you let him out because he's fussing, you've taught him he can get out by making noise. We want him to think he has to be quiet in order to get out. Once he is quiet, take him out to relieve, or you may have a mess to clean up.
   Try keeping the crate next to the bed overnight. If the puppy cries from loneliness, she may calm down if you stick a foot or hand out from under the covers and through the holes in the crate.
   All puppies learn to sleep through the night, although it may not seem like it in the first couple of weeks, so hang in there!

SOCIALIZING
Your puppy is not ready for extended outings yet. If you take him out in his puppy coat, take second person along who can take him outside immediately if he is overwhelmed or needs to relieve. You want every outing to be a success! At this age, outings should be short. Five to ten minutes is maximum.
   Carry a small diaper in case of an accident. They are very, very absorbent. Also carry plastic bags and paper towels to clean up solid waste.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST
You can't give your puppy too much love! Your most important job is to make the pup feel loved. If you don't get the training done perfectly, the trainers could fix that, but they can't teach the puppy to bond.
   Enjoy the happy puppy raising times and take lots of pictures. Puppy Truck time comes too fast. The important thing is to love the puppy.

GRADUATE TO RAISER
We asked the members of the G-Dogs listserv the question: “as a Guide Dog user, what would you say is the one most important thing we as raisers can do to that would make your life easier with the dog?” Here are some of their answers.

“I never relieve my dog off leash as I don't have a yard so comfort with leash relieving is very important to me.”

“I think all of you raisers on this list are great. There are some, however, that friends have run across, who allowed the dog on the bed and that caused them much trouble later.”

“A Guide Dog should be able to communicate and socialize well with other dogs.”

“A good off leash recall is a major help, when you have no vision and need that doggie back pronto.”

“My last dog had quite a significant barking problem when at home, so one thing I would like is for puppy raisers to really discourage barking when off duty.”

“Socialize them and take them to as many different places as possible. This way they get used to many different types of surroundings and situations.”

“Thanks so much for all that you do with these pups! Here is my list of things to teach or work on with guide pups:
    Good house manners.
    Good around food.
    Good off leash recall.
    Good at relieving on leash.
    Good basic obedience.”

“As others have said, I really like having a dog who is very comfortable relieving on leash.”

“Teach those puppies a good solid recall. Solid obedience, confrontation with as many things/events/settings as possible.”
“Thanks again for all you do. My Guide Dog was raised in Phoenix. They do not have a light rail system. Nor had he been on a plane before being matched with me. He was well socialized, though, and comfortable with new experiences. In the short time we have been together, he has flown several times, ridden trains, and had to guide under weather conditions that he never dreamed possible. He welcomes every new challenge as if it is a fun and exciting adventure. He is always so proud when he is praised for doing something new.”

“Remember to write a detailed fun things about my pup sheet as I always like to hear my dog's likes and dislikes. I especially like to hear the nicknames my pup has had and his or her favorite toys and any cute behaviors.”

MISSION: PUPPY RAISER
As puppy raisers, our mission is to raise a well mannered puppy that is happy about training and confident in every setting. In short, to prepare each dog for its future in harness training so that it has its own best chance to become a Guide. But keeping a young, inexperienced pup focused and working without nipping, picking up garbage or food, relieving inappropriately, barking, lunging at other dogs, or soliciting pets from people can be a difficult and even daunting challenge.
    The key to offering a puppy its “best chance” is in the dog-raiser relationship. As they say, nature abhors a vacuum. If you, the raiser, do not provide consistent, clear and firm leadership, the puppy will try to be the leader. The trouble is, he's just a little puppy! He doesn't have the wherewithal to know what's expected and his undisciplined behavior can lead to problems, especially as he gets big enough that physically handling him is not feasible. That cute puppy lunging for it's playmate at puppy meetings is going to inflict skinned knees lunging for a neighborhood dog on a walk when he weighs 80 pounds—and be a menace to his blind partner if he cannot keep his mind on his work. His Velcro mouth that picks up sticks, rocks, and candy wrappers may some day lead to abdominal surgery. It's the raiser's job to set clear boundaries and enforce calm, appropriate behavior so that as the puppy grows, it will be mannerly.
    Yes, puppies do grow out of some things—the compulsion to chew and nip usually abates when the puppy gets past teething. But if the puppy is not taught the appropriate use of his mouth from day one, he will grow up to be destructive and a nuisance—mouthing people's hands.
    Yes, the trainers at Guide Dogs can teach the puppies their commands. But habits of lunging, inappropriate play—either with off-limits toys like balls, with other dogs, or even rough-housing with humans—are ingrained and can and do knock dogs out of the program.
    Guide puppies have higher expectations and way more rules than any other pet. There are a lot of people and books out there ready to give advice on how to train a dog. As puppy raisers for Guide Dogs for the Blind, we are obligated to follow GDB's training techniques and guidelines. Over the years Guide Dogs' trainers and graduates have seen what works and what doesn't, and while some rules may seem frivolous or perplexing, each has very good reasons why it is important and must be followed. Fortunately, we have the wonderful resources of our Puppy Raising Adviser, leaders, and Puppy Raising Manual, and the support of each other. It takes a village to raise a child—and a puppy club to raise a Guide Dog! Make good use of the resources at hand, be a good leader to your puppy in all settings, and give him his best chance to become a guide. It's a puppy raiser's mission!

WHAT PUPPY RAISERS DON'T TEACH
As puppy raisers, our job is to teach basic obedience, socialize the pup, and give a firm foundation in house manners. That's enough. Don't worry about teaching the puppy to stop at curbs, negotiate escalators, or deal with traffic checks. In fact, trying to teach these concepts can be detrimental to the dog's future training and even downright dangerous! Enjoy your puppy and let the professionals at Guide Dogs for the Blind teach harness techniques! That's their job!

CRATE COMFORT?
Many brand new puppies behave as if it will kill them to be crated. They may cry, whine, scratch, bite at the door or the air holes, or turn around endlessly before they lie down. Don't let your pup buffalo you! Being comfortable in a crate is an essential skill for a Guide Dog in training, and it's far easier to teach it now than when the dog is older. Here are a few do's and don'ts that may make crate training a little easier.

Don't put a blanket in the kennel. A young pup will chew it up and may swallow it, causing a potentially serious medical emergency. Plus, the pup can urinate on fabric and then kick it out of the way, thus defeating your efforts at house training.

Don't let the puppy out of its kennel because it is noisy; it teaches the pup that making noise works. Wait until the pup is quiet (even for a few seconds) before you unlatch that door! Then ask the pup to maintain quiet for gradually longer periods, teaching that quiet works and noise doesn't.

Don't throw anything at the kennel in hopes of making the puppy be quiet. It will only cause the puppy to become noise-shy.

Do feed the pup in its kennel at first. This develops a positive association with the kennel and gives the puppy another reason to keep it clean—the kennel is bedroom and kitchen to the puppy.

Do kennel the puppy when you need a break from puppy hijinks, or when you can't supervise it completely. This will allow you both to be happy about each other's company and keeps the puppy from learning bad habits while running loose in the house.

Do give your puppy an indestructible toy like a Kong or hard Nylabone to help occupy his time in the crate.

Do pay attention to your puppy's needs and get him out in time to relieve outside. (Eight week olds should be allowed to relieve at least every 3 ½-4 hours). Clean the kennel thoroughly with a product like Nature's Miracle if the puppy makes a mistake, and wash the puppy's feet and belly with a soft, damp cloth or bathe him as needed to make him comfortable and sweet-smelling again.

BE PREPARED
A current TV commercial states: "What's in Your Wallet?" We wondered "what's in your puppy kit" —you know, the ones we all carry when we go out with our dogs (especially the baby puppies). Of course, we each discover what works best for us; the main thing is to be prepared for every contingency and take responsibility for cleaning up well when accidents happen, wherever they happen--inside or out. Here's a list to get you started of what some experienced puppy raisers carry in their purses, back-packs, travel and duffel bags to clean up when things get messy and to keep their puppies happy on outings:

FOR CLEAN-UPS:
*travel-sized bottle of Nature's Miracle (decanted into a travel sized lotion or spray bottle).
*cannister of Clorox Clean-Up Wipes or packets of pre-moistened towelettes (for wiping the floor clean as well as your hands).
*several poop bags (newspaper or other small plastic bags for outside pick-ups.
*a supply of paper towels
*plastic grocery bags or trash bags (for disposing of larger, inside clean-ups and control of odors).
*disposable diapers - these absorb more liquid than paper towels and are relatively small to carry.
*Paper plates cut in half - great for scooping up even the loosest stools from tile floors.

FOR PUPPY'S COMFORT:
*a bottle of water
*folding dog bowl
*a chew and throw toy
*ration of food if an all-day outing will mean the puppy must be fed away from home.