STEP-BY-STEP PUPPY TRAINING!

If your dog will get neutered, needs to undergo a surgery or will get skin problems in the future for example, the Recovery Suit® will be a good solution. The Recovery Suit® is a professional alternative for the traditional cone and bandage. It protects your dog during recovery, after a medical procedure, with a skin condition, when in heat or light incontinence and a lot more. The Recovery Suit® is lightweight, breathable and comfortable like a second skin. For puppies, the world is still full of surprises. That is why it is useful to prepare them to many different situations such as wearing (protective) pet apparel. If your puppy habituates to wearing apparel, you could easily put this on your dog after a medical procedure, in case of heat, skin problems and in many other situation.

Step-by-step guide to learn your puppy to wear protective apparel:

• First of all, keep the clothes (for example the Recovery Suit®) in your hands and wait until the puppy will look or smell at the item. Reward this behavior with your voice and a dog treat.
• Secondly, hide the shirt behind your back and then show it again to your dog. If your puppy looks or smells at the object, reward him.
• Then repeat these two steps 5 times. In this way, your dog will make a positive association between the clothing and the reward.
• Roll up the shirt with the middle head opening in your hand. Make sure the light blue inner layer is facing down.
• If your puppy moves his head towards the head opening and/or snuffles at the opening, reward him directly with your voice and a treat. If your dog does not pay any attention to the opening, you could hold a treat near the opening. In this way, you ‘lure’ your puppy. Please note, don’t force anything. Your puppy needs to discover at his own pace.
• Repeat this last step 4 times.
• Now hold the head opening near your puppy’s head, but do not reward him immediately. Your dog will expect a reward if he looks and/or smells at the shirt. If you wait for a moment, your dog will probably move his head a bit further towards the opening. Amazing! Directly reward him with your voice and a treat.
• If your puppy is near the shirt with his muzzle, gently insert your dog’s head through the opening. Leave the shirt for a minute and reward with your voice and a treat. Please note, don’t force anything. If your dog turns his head away, give him some distance.
• Now gently insert one leg into the provided smaller leg opening and the other leg in the other remaining smaller opening. Reward calm behavior with your voice and a treat. If your dog turns his head/body away, return to the previous step.
• Pull the shirt over your puppy’s body all the way to the back. Reward calm behavior with your voice and a treat.
• Lastly, pull the lower belly flaps between the hind legs towards the upper part near the base of the tail. Secure the two flaps with the press studs. Leave the shirt for a minute and reward calm behavior. Now get the shirt off your dog.

With everything you learn your dog, it is important to be patient and not to rush anything. For example, if you put on (protective) apparel, but also with cues, meeting other dogs, people and a lot more. As owners, we want a lot at the same time. However, a puppy needs to process many impressions each day. Give him some time and space to discover the world. In this way, your puppy will learn how to deal with different situations.