Welcome to Day Sixteen!

You know what happens when you hold a treat in your hand and your puppy goes bonkers? Biting at your hand, jumping on it, pawing at it, you yelling that it hurts, and the more you yell the crazier your puppy becomes? Your puppy needs to learn impulse control! Training for Success is all about impulse control and teaching, "Puppy Zen!"

Get out the chips and soda and give your puppy a bath because you’ve got a lot of introducing to do! We’ve talked about your puppy needing to meet 100 new and individual people by the time she’s 16 weeks old. How are you doing on that goal? Don’t harrumph this goal or take it lightly. Most dog trainers are called in when adult dogs have become fearful or aggressive of people, and at the root of the problem is an under‑socialized puppy. Socialization For Today reminds you of this, "100 New People" and even has a suggestion for a Meet My Puppy party!

Does your puppy have a urination problem when greeting you, your family, or your friends? There is a difference between urination caused by excitement versus submission. Usually this is an issue that your puppy will outgrow. However, bad interactions with your puppy can turn these into a lifelong issue that is very difficult to change. Today’s Understanding Your Puppy column, "Excitement & Submissive Urination" discusses these issues and what you can do now to change and prevent these from becoming a struggle for her well into her adult years.

Exercise and socialize, two of the most ignored tools in puppy rearing. The lack of these two tools contributes to many behavior issues and is such a source of frustration for puppy parents. Read more about it in today’s Perfect Puppy column, titled (oddly enough), "Exercise & Socialize." Then take your puppy out for some play and running!

In the last of the continuing series for Kids & Puppies on puppy body language, we talk about how your puppy might use her nose to communicate her feelings. Read, "What Your Puppy is Trying to Tell You – Nose" in today's Kids & Puppies column.

Please enjoy your Day Sixteen newsletter. The staff of MyPetTrainer.com is here to assist you, to help you and your puppy learn together with confidence and positive reinforcement.

Together in success,
The staff of MyPetTrainer.com