How to train my puppy to be a companion for my son with special needs?

Hello. It is never too early to start some very basic training & advocating for good manners in a puppy. Discourage any chewing or rough play using hands or feet. Gentle reminders & plenty or other things to chew on are the key. If your pup is already on a solid, but soft diet, then do not let her charge over & eat her food in seconds. Make her sit as quiet as possible for 10-15 seconds before allowing her to eat. Begin some basic obedience with her. Sit, stay, shake a paw are all possible for her to begin to understand at this age. While you can not take her out to associate with others, as soon as she has had all of her puppy shots, begin to socialize her with other pets & people ( as long as it is safe to do so with this pandemic ). If you treat her well, with a firm kindness, she should respond well to you. We will just have to wait & see how things progress with this virus, but the more professional training help you can get, the better a canine citizen your pup will be. Chances are she will do just fine. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I recommend giving Zoe lots of attention and keep to her same routine. Often when people get new dogs they are so time demanding that the other dog gets put aside. Puppies are annoying also so give Zoe some time alone so she can relax and sleep without him bothering her. I find playing with them outside, or walking together usually helps. Feed them separately so Zoe isn’t worried about her food. In addition I would try her on an anti anxiety supplement like Solliquin. This will help her relax. Over time she should accept Rocky and enjoy having him around. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Zoe and Rocky.

I'd recommend starting with this free download that focuses on behavior: https://www.dogstardaily.com/storefront/after-you-get-your-puppy You also need to take Athena in for a vet visit ASAP for a general check up and determination of when she needs her next vaccines. Ask them to talk to you about socialization and check out this link: https://www.longmonthumane.org/sites/default/files/media/attachments/Puppy_handoutfinal.pdf The biggest rule, in my opinion is to never ever ever ever never leave the two alone together and separate them if you aren't actively watching. Athena is going to be a big girl soon, and if your son does something that scares her (because he's a baby and will do that as he gets bigger/more mobile), she may react with a bite, and because she's big it will be a serious bit. All dogs will bite in the right circumstance. This rule also allows you to teach your son appropriate behavior with dogs, because you'll catch every time he's too rough and be able to redirect him. I know first hand how hard this rule is, and you will eventually relax it (because we're all human), but know that you're putting your son in some risk whenever you do, so many sure you're really confident. Boys ~4-7 years old are the most likely to be bit by dogs, and it's usually in the face - they just do stupid things and dogs react normally, and it doesn't end well. Finally, be familiar with normal dog body language ( https://positively.com/dog-training/understanding-dogs/canine-body-language/ ) so you know when Athena is uncomfortable and can remove her or your son from the situation. Have so much fun with them! They will be a cute pair :)

Hi there, I understand why it's important for Zeus to bond with your husband. German shepherds are very intelligent and tend to bond with one "master" above other family members. The best thing to do is encourage your husband to spend as much time one on one with Zeus, teaching him commands like Sit, stay, lay down, roll over, high five etc. And enforcing his potty training as well. It's good to pet him and scratch him and give positive verbal praise, but some dogs dislike big hugs as its not a natural dog behavior. A great book which will help you is called "Decoding your dog " it's sold on Amazon.

I'm sorry you're having this challenge with Koyah. It is common that small young dogs will often be nervous around men. The key to their relationship will likely be to have your husband do some training with her. She needs to see him as a positive person who delivers lots of treats while training. I would also recommend putting him in charge of feeding her for a while, so she really associates him with food. Make sure that all training is positive reinforcement, so she only has positive associations with you husband for now. Hopefully doing training together will help them form a good bond. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend that your boyfriend pets her frequently always approaching her very slowly and with a calm voice and demeanor. Also, it would help if he approaches her with treats. I find peanut butter in this type of scenario very helpful as it takes time to lick it off which will give him more time to pet her at the same time. Usually this works well. This will take time and patience but I think that eventually she will warm up to him. Good luck and have a good day!

Congratulations on your new pup! You can visit the following link for training tips and how to deal with common behaviour issues http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=1 also try Adaptil, a calming pheromone that can help reduce anxiety in puppies and dogs www.adaptil.com . Training is still needed with all puppies and dogs, and enrolling Sitka in a puppy training class is a good way to help socialize him correctly in a safe environment. You can also find a trainer who can do sessions with you at home if scheduling is an issue for training classes. Neutering is also a good idea to help reduce roaming, marking behaviour, humping and aggression. Good luck.