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Teaching Boundaries
Teach your puppy to stay in your yard
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Avoid:
  • Chaining out. This teaches your puppy to dig, bark constantly and to run away for freedom and exercise.
  • Going for walks. Walks will need to come later, but for now your puppy does not need to have a tour of her neighborhood so she knows where to run. Load your puppy in a car and go for walks elsewhere.
  • DO NOT CHASE. Chasing a puppy will just end up a game of cat and mouse where you will end up looking foolish to the puppy. Your puppy will also learn to run away from you. The only exception to this is if you know that you absolutely can catch your pet.
  • NEVER leave your puppy loose unattended.
Activities that encourage and teach boundaries
  • Walk with your puppy around the yard. Put a 6 - 10 foot leash on a buckle collar and let her drag it around. When she over steps her boundary, reach down give a sharp snap, drop the leash and back into the middle of your yard. As you back up clap your hands, and say, "Get in the yard!" Praise verbally, give treats, and pet your puppy when she comes to you.
  • Puppies need exercise at least twice a day. Tired puppies are less likely to run away, chew destructively, or bark constantly. Teach your puppy fetch so you can exercise her and make her work for you.
  • Play hide and seek. While hiding whistle, clap your hands, and call the puppy's name. When the puppy finds you, excessively praise and pet her.
  • Fence your yard.
  • Reprimand using a firm "NO" when your puppy is found out of the yard, and push her in the right direction until she reaches your yard. Run ahead of her and praise her as she follows you into the middle of the yard. Use the phrase, "Get in the yard" as you are running to the center of your yard. Remember to praise when your pup is where she should be.
  • Constantly be with your puppy when she is outside. Encourage her to be your shadow and follow you wherever you go. Do this by patting your side, and petting her frequently for being at your side, and hiding on her when she gets distracted.
  • Socialize. Take your puppy places where she will interact with people in a controlled manner. For example go to ballparks, the farmer's market, into a busy part of town, and puppy classes. Remember to take her away from the house in a car.