Appendix: Sample Work Week with a New Puppy

Day 1:

Morning:

Use your puppy’s breakfast to teach him not to jump.
Socialization – take your puppy to the local kindergarten and give him treats when he sees the children playing – do this for 5 minutes.

Evening:

Play with your dog and teach him/her the rules of tug-a-war.
Work on handling exercises when your dog is tired.

Day 2:

Morning:

Work on resource guarding during your puppy’s breakfast.
Socialization: take your puppy to a local park and find people walking with their babies. Walk next to the babies and let the dog see and hear them while receiving treats.

Evening:

Do an evening play session with everyone in the household. Use it to work on bite inhibition.
Work on handling exercises when your dog is tired.

Day 3:

Morning:

Leave your puppy alone for a short period of time in a safe area with an attractive chew toy.
When you get back home – give the puppy breakfast and work on preventing resource guarding.
Socialization – sit with your dog in a local coffee shop. Make sure you have plenty of treats and deliver them to your do every time a stranger approaches, or a new sound is heard.

Evening:

Leave your puppy alone in a safe place while leaving the house to get the mail.
Work on preventing resource guarding over toys and bones.

Day 4:

Morning:

Use your puppy’s breakfast to teach him not to jump on people and for preventing resource guarding.
Socialization: take your dog to a busy street or other location where there are many cars, buses, etc. Stay there for 5 minutes while rewarding generously

Evening:

Play with your dog and teach him/her the rules of tug-a-war.
Work on handling exercises when your dog is tired.

Day 5:

Morning:

Socialization: use the house appliances and reward your puppy when the vacuum cleaner, the washing machine, or the drier works.
Start leaving your puppy alone for longer periods of time. Always make sure you set the puppy up for success by limiting his/her space.

Evening:

Work on handling and resource guarding with the puppy’s toys.
Leave your puppy alone again for a short period of time.

Day 6:

Morning:

Work on bite inhibition and tug-a-war rules while playing with your puppy.
Use breakfast to work on resource guarding.

Evening:

Work on whatever you feel needs work.
Work on handling while your puppy is more awake.

Day 7:

Take a day off. Make sure you do not reward unwanted behaviors.