Command used: “Better go now”

When you first get home with your puppy you want to make sure the puppy is first introduced to a suitable potty area. The first place a puppy goes potty is the place they will likely go again so it’s important to be outdoors rather than your carpet. You can tell the dog “Better go now” and wait for them to relieve themselves.

CST puppies do not use potty pads for potty training. Pee pads can confuse puppies, making it challenging for them to differentiate between an acceptable potty pad and a rug or carpet.

Before the age of 5 months, offer your puppy a potty break every hour or so. After 5 months, they can hold it a bit longer, but it’s still important to take them out for a potty break every few hours. You may need to wake up once or twice during the night to take them out. The key is to take them out of the crate before they start whining and bring them outside to potty, so nightly whining doesn’t become a regular occurrence.

The most important aspect of potty training is prevention. If you can prevent accidents, they will be less likely to happen.

Here are some tips for successful potty training:

• Monitor when your puppy eats and drinks water and take them out to the designated potty area afterward.
• Leash your puppy during the first few days to take them to the potty area, so they are less tempted to run and play.
• Stand in one spot and be patient, allowing your pup to go potty.
• Have a small treat ready for the pup and get excited when they go potty in the right area.

If you are not monitoring your puppy, accidents are more likely to happen in the home.

Here are some cues indicating when to take your dog out to go potty:

• If your puppy is sniffing the floor.
• After your pup is done playing or exercising.
• After your puppy has been in his crate for an extended period.
• After all mealtimes.
• When your pup wakes up from a nap.

If your pup does have an accident in home:

Do not get angry. If you find yourself getting angry, roll up a newspaper and hit yourself with it because the error is most likely with you and not the dog. Usually, accidents will happen if you are not closely paying attention to your puppy or letting them roam your home unsupervised.

The crate will be another great tool for potty training. If you are unable to watch your dog for a short period of time you can crate them in an appropriate sized crate to avoid accidents in home. Dogs typically will not potty where the sleep so a crate can come in handy this way (see crate section for appropriate use of crate)

Puppies from 8 weeks to 6 months of age can be fed kibble multiple times a day. At CST, we feed the puppies three times a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. These meals are provided until the puppy is satiated to ensure they receive adequate nutrition without overeating. Allowing them to eat until there’s a small amount of kibble left behind indicates that they’ve had enough food for that meal and teaches them to self-regulate their food intake. You can offer one cup at a time during feedings until the pup is satisfied. This practice will help prevent resource guarding in the future by ensuring that food is consistently available and abundant. If you are also using training treats, be aware that the treats should only account for about 20% of the daily feed to prevent causing a stomach upset.

When you first bring your puppy home, it’s recommended to hand feed the dog to strengthen the bond between you. This practice can eventually transition to using a bowl, but you may notice that a puppy accustomed to being hand-fed tends to engage more and become more human-centric. CST provides enough food for two weeks’ worth of transitioning to a food of your choice, which should be AAFCO approved. We typically feed our dogs Purina Pro Plan Lamb and Rice All Stages dog food, which most dogs seem to thrive on. F

After reaching 6 months of age, you can transition to feeding your dog 2-3 times a day, with each meal consisting of 1-2 cups of food depending on the dog’s weight, size, breed, and caloric needs. For questions regarding how many calories your dog should be consuming a day, contact the puppy raiser manager.

During each meal, water should be provided, and the dog should have access to water throughout the day. At CST, dogs are not free-fed. Mealtimes are scheduled, and food is not left out for the dog to eat leisurely. Additionally, our dogs are not permitted to have any natural bones of any kind, including but not limited to smoked bones, raw bones, cooked bones, or rawhide chews.

Allow your pup a rest period of at least an hour after each meal to prevent bloat. Some dogs gulp their food quickly, which can increase the risk of swallowing air and developing bloat. Using slow-feed bowls or puzzle feeders can help slow down eating and prevent gulping.

Crate training is necessary for every CST puppy. This tool helps prevent accidents or damage to your home and ensures your dog’s safety when you can’t supervise them. Crates are great for dogs as they create a den-like area for the dog to feel secure. Have you ever noticed that dogs love to go under tables or into dark corners to nap? This is because dogs are den animals. They like to have a closed-off place to feel safe and rest. For puppies, the crate is like a crib; we put babies in a crib to sleep and stay safe, as well as to prevent them from getting into anything they shouldn’t. This concept applies to puppies as well.

Picking an appropriate size crate:

When selecting a crate for your puppy, it’s important to choose one that allows enough room for the dog to enter, turn around, and lie down comfortably. If the crate is too big, the puppy might go potty on one end and sleep on the other. Conversely, if the crate is too small, it can be uncomfortable and force the puppy to lay in their own waste, potentially creating a negative association with the crate.

To accommodate your growing puppy, consider purchasing a larger crate with a divider. This way, you can gradually increase the space as the dog grows, instead of needing to buy a new crate every few months.

When first introducing the crate:

Make going into the crate as enjoyable as possible for the puppy. You can do this by tossing treats into the crate and feeding one of their meals in the crate. You can give Kongs stuffed with peanut butter or wet dog food while the dog is in the crate. Kongs can also be frozen to prolong their use but be sure to put a straw through the center while freezing so the suction doesn’t catch the dog’s tongue.

A good rule of thumb is to crate the dog throughout the night. When crating during the day, do not exceed the dog’s age in months plus one hour. For example, if your puppy is 2 months old, they shouldn’t exceed more than 3 hours in the crate throughout the day. However, regardless of age, all CST dogs should not exceed 5 hours in the crate at a time besides overnight. If you are planning to be gone for a long period of time (more than a few hours), the dog should be confined to a larger area such as a playpen, a separate dog-proofed room, or a closed-off portion of the home like the kitchen, where things are out of reach and if an accident happens, it’s easier to clean up.

The crate should never be used as a punishment and should not be used as a long-term confinement area. If you set the crate up as a positive place, the dog will love the space you’ve created.

Whining in the crate:

To prevent whining in the crate, make sure all your dog’s needs are met before they are crated. If you know your dog doesn’t need to potty and isn’t thirsty, ignore the whining. Have the crate in a separate bedroom or area that can be closed off and kept quiet. When the crate is in a common area like the living room, the dog will whine more because it sees what is going on without being included. Do not take your dog out when they are whining; ignore the whining and wait for them to stop. If you need to take the dog out for any reason while it’s whining, wait until the whining subsides for even a moment before you remove the dog. If you take the pup out when they are whining, you will only reinforce the behavior, as the pup learns that whining gets them out of the crate.

Crate training and potty training can go hand in hand. If your puppy is under 4 months old, it is likely you may have to wake up in the night and take your dog for a midnight potty run. It’s better to set an alarm and take them out on your schedule rather than waiting for them to whine, as this helps to avoid reinforcing whining in the crate. When crating your dog at night, remember to remove water an hour or so before bed and take them out to toilet before putting them into the crate for the night. For younger puppies that can’t hold it as long, make sure every potty opportunity has been exhausted first.

• Contain all your cords: Move your charging cords and wires out of reach of the puppy. These can cause burns and electrical shock to the pup. Use cord protectors or hide cords behind furniture to prevent chewing.

• Secure household chemicals: Store all cleaning products in locked cabinets or high shelves to prevent accidental ingestion by the puppy. Rat poisons can sometimes attract dogs because they are grain-based, like much of the food we feed our dogs. Antifreeze can also be enticing for dogs to eat because of its sweet taste, but it is highly poisonous to dogs. Ensure all hazardous chemicals are stored securely out of the puppy’s reach to avoid accidental poisoning.

• Pick up small toys or choking hazards: Puppies tend to chew on anything they can get their paws on, and they may even swallow small objects. While it may seem harmless when they’re just carrying them around, there is always a risk of ingestion. Small toys or objects left on the floor can pose a choking hazard or, if swallowed, can cause a bowel obstruction or even death. Always ensure the puppy’s environment is free of small items they could ingest.

• Identify Toxic Plants: Check your home and yard for any plants that are toxic to dogs. Either remove these plants or place them out of reach of the puppy. You can find a comprehensive list, with photos on the ASPCA website here


• Secure Areas: It’s essential to provide secure areas for your puppy when you’re unable to give them your full attention. Crates and gates not only help establish boundaries but also ensure the puppy’s safety and prevent them from getting into trouble. Remember, your dog doesn’t need access to every room in the house. Some areas, like the garage where there are often paints, small tools, and chemicals, are best kept off-limits to dogs. Similarly, kids’ rooms and nurseries can pose risks with small toys or items that could be harmful if ingested. Designate a secure dog-proofed room, use a crate, playpen, or dog run to confine your puppy when you can’t give them 100% of your attention. This helps prevent accidents and keeps your puppy safe from potential hazards.


• Pool Safety: Ensuring pool safety is crucial, especially when your dog is around. If you have an unfenced pool, it’s essential to show your dog where the steps are located a few times, enabling them to get out if they accidentally fall in. However, the best practice is to restrict your dog’s access to the pool area when unsupervised. If your dog does end up in the pool, it’s vital to ensure they are completely dry afterward. Even a small damp area on their fur can lead to discomfort, such as hotspots or skin irritation. Additionally, make sure to thoroughly rinse your dog after swimming to remove all pool chemicals, and dry your dog’s ears to prevent potential ear infections, which may require veterinary treatment.


• Yard Safety: Before allowing your dog in the yard, it’s crucial to ensure the perimeter is fully secure. Check for any holes under the fence or items along the fence that the dog could potentially use to jump over. Ideally, the fence should be at least 6 feet tall if you plan on leaving your dog unattended for any period. Additionally, yards should be free of harmful plants and brush that could harm the dog. Common hazards include goat heads, which are thorns from weeds that can embed in your dog’s paws or fur, and foxtails, a type of weed that can also embed in your dog’s fur and potentially cause infections. In addition to the oral flea preventative provided, it’s advisable to treat your yard and environment for fleas as an extra precaution to keep your dog safe and healthy. Regular inspections and maintenance of the yard’s safety features are essential for your dog’s well-being.