Don't use your hands. When you're growing up, it's hard to tell the difference between fingers and toys if they are used for the same thing! Making sure play is always with toys and not hands can help stop your puppy from getting confused and can help prevent puppy biting.
Always use toys when playing with puppies, never your bare hands. This way you will have something big enough to guide into the puppy's mouth when he wants to bite and tug. Be careful when playing with young pups; don't tug hard enough to hurt them. They may be pretending to be fierce, but they are still babies.
Don't crate your 8 week old puppy for more than 2 hours during the day. As she gets older you can increase the amount of time she spends in the crate. Associate as many positive experiences with your puppy and the crate as possible.
Aim to give your dog at least 20-30 minutes of meaningful playtime each day.
Puppyhood is an important stage of development for dogs, so you need to keep puppy entertained — whether you are indoors or out. Keeping your furry buddy working is also important for training and keeping damage to a minimum. A bored puppy is absolutely a puppy who's getting into trouble!
Modified 5-Minute Rule
One of the most popular answers to how long a puppy should exercise per day is 5 minutes for every month of age, twice a day. This means an two-month-old puppy should get 10 minutes of exercise twice a day. This is a good starting point, but not all dogs are the same.
According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour.
Puppy discipline uses a combination of redirection, basic commands that reprimand in a firm but calm tone of voice, supervision, and positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement: When puppies exhibit good behavior or correct bad behavior, reward them with verbal praise, petting, treats, or playtime.
Young puppies under 6 months old should not be left alone for more than 2 or 3 hours because of their bladder control and risk of separation anxiety. When you do leave your young puppy alone it's best to keep them safe in a crate or puppy-proof room where they can't break anything or get into too much trouble.
Your dog should understand that their place is on the floor where they are not equal to you. For the same reason you are discouraged from getting on the floor with your dog to play in “their territory,” you should not bring your dog into your territory.
Chasing dogs.
This can ruin your dog's recall. Chasing your dog can also lead to injury if your dog charges away from you into the street or another unsafe area.
Chasing your dog is one of the most dangerous things you will ever do to your dog. Why? Because you are setting your dog up to learn that when he is running and you run behind him, it is a game. Dogs learn through games.
Puppies that are exercised too much, or do too much high impact exercise, are at risk of joint and bone damage, which can lead to conditions such as arthritis and hip dysplasia. However, limiting your puppy's exercise too much could cause boredom, frustration and lead to behavioural problems.
When it comes to puppies (and all dogs for that matter), remember that any form of attention is a reward to them. So the simplest thing you can do if your puppy bites and hurts you, or if you want to stop your puppy jumping up on you, is to turn around immediately and stop giving them attention.
For a dog who is acting out of fear or frustration (for example, a dog who is barking and lunging on leash), using the word 'no' to stop the behavior without helping to alleviate their fear or frustration will often lead to an escalation in behavior, such as growling, air snapping, or biting.
Never punish your puppy for biting. Your puppy is only doing what they think they are supposed to do. Instead, stick to the guide above to help them learn better behavior choices. As they get older, the biting habit should decline.
Avoid lifting from the belly. Avoid lifting by the tail. I know handlers in dog shows lift some dogs by the tail, but these are often dog breeds selectively bred to have a strongly built tail so their owners could pull them out of burrows when in danger. Avoid cradling your dog like a baby.
Once they're calm you'll once again place your open hand at their eye level about 6 inches away from their mouth. Once they go for it you'll once again quickly close your hand into a fist while saying the word “No.” Repeat this process 5 times then stop for 5 minutes. The 5 times/5 min break is a session.
Unlike the crate where you can't leave a young puppy for long periods; the puppy will be fine in the playpen and you can go out for longer periods. Just make sure your dog is ready before you leave for a long period so the puppy does not feel left alone form the start and associate that with the playpen itself.
You'll have more peace of mind knowing that your puppy is safe, comfortable, and not chewing your couch to pieces while you're away. Putting your puppy in their playpen is a great idea if you work from home, as it gives them a safe area to relax or play while you get some work done.
Create a Safe Confinement Area
Crate training is a great way to keep older puppies safely sequestered while you're at work. (Tip: You can help your puppy build positive associations with the crate by leaving the door open and putting tasty chew treats inside.)
Bring your puppy to the potty pad whenever you suspect it's time. But if he doesn't go, don't let him run around and play. Instead, put him back in his crate for 10-15 minutes, then immediately try again. Repeat until he does his business.
But in all honesty, there's no 'right time' for a puppy to go to sleep, as long as it's the same every night. While this may be the case, do note that your puppy will need, on average, around 8-10 hours of sleep per night.
Keep to a regular routine of taking your puppy outside at least every two-to-four hours and after every change of activity. This is especially important during house training and will keep accidents to a minimum. Several short play sessions during the day are better for a puppy than one long one.