Can I walk my 9-week-old puppy? Fleas and house training tips?

This is a great question! Your vet can help you by prescribing flea prevention medication that is suitable for puppies 8 weeks or older. That way you can work on potty training while helping to prevent the risk of parasites. If you choose to purchase over the counter flea medication please make sure you check to see if it is suitable for puppies as young as 8 weeks old, as some over the counter flea prevention options are not suitable for puppies that young.

3. WalkingtheOtherWay In order to reinforce a dog’s natural tendency to follow, once your dog pulls out in front, you should turn quickly and walk the other way. Reward once you feel slack on the collar. This can cause a walk to go no more than a few feet at the beginning, so be patient. The pull back should only be strong enough to get your dog’s attention. Excessive force, especially when using choke chains, may cause neck trauma. For more information, please contact your veterinarian or a trainer who uses humane training methods.

Sage is protected enough that she can start going outside to pee. I would wait to have her mix with other dogs until two weeks after her last set of vaccinations so she'll be fully protected. Yes you should start her right away on heartworm and flea/tick medication. Ask what they recommend for your area when you get her last vaccinations as there are many good products. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sage.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can take her outside. There is a fine line between socializing and preventing her from contracting a contagious disease. Walks outside are fine. No dog parks, no playing with dogs that are not vaccinated, etc. She is old enough for Nexgard, Revolution and Frontline for fleas and ticks. I hope this helps!

Lots of questions! Good for you wanting to make the world a better place for dogs :) Always be willing to learn! Keep an open mind and soak up all the knowledge you can. The dogs will thank you for that. OK. Staying home alone is something that needs to be build up over time. If you are 3-4 hours and she is behaving and quiet and relaxed you're on the right track! Just keep building by adding 10-15 minute increments each time. My rule for kennel is their age in months plus 1=how many hours they should be able to be kenneled (after working up to it), to the max of 8 hours. Any longer than that and they need a break. Loose leash walking can be taught easiest on a harness. You can use treats or toys to encourage them to stay close to your side and focus on you. If they get pulling to hard I stop, wait till they look at me then take a step backward. This usually invites them into you, and they quit pulling. They also didn't gain any forward momentum, so they didn't accomplish anything by pulling. Keep working on this and the pulling should lessen. If you're in public and she is pulling, there is probably too much excitement and its overwhelming. Try giving more space and add distance between you and all the people. If she is bowing when she meets dogs, its usually a play bow or invitation to play. I would try to sign up for some puppy classes or find a group of friendly dogs to play with. Socializing is important for our dogs, just as much as us. And lastly, the grass. Keep her on a leash and simply restrict her access to people's lawns. Shorten the leash up when passing by and if you have to, pick up your pace walking. She will come right along with you. Of course, you can start her walk after she relieves herself at home and then hopefully she won't have to go again on her walk.

Congratulations on your new puppy! Copper looks like such a sweet pup! Unfortunately, puppies should not be taken outside until they are fully vaccinated. Typically puppies require three sets of shots at least 2 weeks apart, starting at 6-9 weeks. Until Copper is vaccinated, he should not go outside or have contact with other dogs to protect him from viral infections such as distemper, parvo, and rabies. You can begin potty training him to use a wee-wee pad before he can go outside. For his flea prevention, you can use a product that is labeled for puppies, and follow the directions on the box regarding the minimum age (most products are labeled for puppies at least 8 or 12 weeks of age). Good luck with your new puppy!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Zhuri. She is adorable! It is fine to start teaching her to go potty outdoors. Pick a consistent place and use the same command you have been in the house. Dogs are situational learners so it will take a bit for her to make the connection to go outdoors. Since she is not fully vaccinated, you want to avoid areas frequented by other dogs such as communal areas in apartment complexes or dog parks. I hope this information helps!