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 Thrym models a 36" tall xpen placed in a kitchen corner. |
XPENS The xpen is one of the most useful pieces of puppy equipment money can buy, both in and out of the house.
36" tall is a good height for puppies. Xpens fold up flat for storage and travel. They provide a safe place to stow your puppy while you are busy. Put the xpen in the center of activity and the puppy can still be part of family life without getting into trouble. A great place for the puppy to eat, have a nap, or time out from the action where other family dogs or children can't bother him. Add a shade tarp for security and shade outside, using clips. Link several xpens together using snaps to make a portable outdoor or indoor play area in whatever size you like.
WHERE TO BUY XPENS & ACCESSORIES: |
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PUPPY SAFE ZONE Another way to make a puppy safe zone is by using BABY GATES to block off rooms to keep a puppy in (or out). 30" tall is a good height. Choose an area central to family life, where potty accidents are okay and you can safely leave your puppy when you are not home. If you have a varikennel, take off the door and leave it there (injury could occur if leave crate with door hanging open!) with a comfy mat inside to provide a sleeping den. Or, just leave a sleeping mat. Also chews and toys to teeth on. Make sure there is nothing the pup can get into trouble with inside this area. You can put some newspaper down as a potty area for puppies not housebroken. Use the puppy safe area to help your puppy learn to be separated from you without anxiety. Click here to read about how to use a puppy safe zone to minimize SEPARATION ANXIETY in your Belgian. Note: a larger puppy safe area is better than crating in daytime. Firstly, too much crating inhibits muscle development. Secondly, your puppy could have an accident inside the crate while you are gone. You want to be able to use the crate as a housebreaking training aid; that will only work if you are right there to take the puppy out when needed. No puppy wants to potty where its sleeping, but they will do it (and get in the habit) if given no other choice. WHERE TO BUY BABY GATES: |
 A simple and inexpensive wood & plastic baby gate.
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 Airline style crate, size 300. |
CRATES Crates are wonderful for nightime pottytraining and for traveling (use xpens/baby gates for confinement during the day).
Put the puppy crate right next to your bed at night;
dangle fingers through bars for comfort, wake up if puppy needs to go potty. Crating during travel can also help keep your puppy from getting carsick.
Airline style PLASTIC CRATES, also called varikennels, are secure and enclosed in style; some puppies prefer a dark, cozy den. 200-300 is puppy size, 400 fits many adults, 500 for bigger adults. |
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Many puppies prefer WIRE CRATES because they can see out better. I use a Kennelaire folding crate (size 20W x 24H x 30L) for pottytraining my own puppies, placed next to my bed at night. For traveling, I have a Midwest side-door folding crate (size 23.5W x 27H x 35L) in the back of my Suburu that is comfortable for most Belgians. Extra tall boys like Saint (26 1/2" at the shoulder) would need a bigger size. Add a comfy mat and a hanging water bucket, with the new style smooth edged handle for travel safety. A rubber backed bathroom mat keeps mat and dog from sliding. Kennelaire makes a non-folding heavy duty style of wire crate to keep in your vehicle with extra safe tiny size squares that puppies can't get their teeth stuck in, and these will keep a dog safest in an accident. I have Kennelaire 152s (size 20W x 26H x 36L), a good size for average size Belgians, and 154's for the bigger dogs in my van.
WHERE TO BUY CRATES: |
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WHERE TO BUY NEW STYLE BUCKETS:
Stainless steel food and water bowls; many dogs are allergic to plastic, which can cause loss of pigment in the lips.
Raised water bowls are fine but studies have shown that raised food bowls actually increase the risk of bloat.
WHERE TO BUY ESSENTIALS:
An Anesthetic Primer for the Belgian Owner, by Libbye Miller DVM.
After You Get Your Puppy, by Dr. Ian Dunbar.
Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development, by Pat Hastings & Erin Ann Rouse.
Purely Positive Training, by Sheila Booth
Sitstay's Getting Started Clicking Package
Please Don't Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor
I'll Be Home Soon! How to Prevent and Treat Seperation Anxiety, by Patricia McConnell
The Other End of the Leash, by Patricia McConnell
Click to Calm, by Emma Parsons
Control Unleashed, by Leslie McDevitt
Schutzhund Obedience: Training in Drive, by Sheila Booth with Gottfried Dildei
Click to Win, by Karen Pryor
Hudson Valley Tracking Club Manual on CD by HVTC
The Audible Nose by Judi Adler
The Culture Clash, by Jean Donaldson
Scaredy Dog! Understanding and Rehabilitating Your Reactive Dog, by Ali Brown
WHERE TO FIND DOG BOOKS:
Return to the Puppies Page
Kathy Madden
Go to Cleanrun and click on Travel & Show Gear and then For the Dog.
They can also be purchased from Pet Edge (ph: 800-Pet-Edge).
OTHER ESSENTIALS
Safe* toys and chews Rawhide chews from USA made brands (some countries do not process the animal hides thoroughly, leaving residues of lead,
arsenic, mercury, chromium salts, insecticides, formaldehyde), pressed rawide chews, bully/pizzle sticks, gummabones, rope tug toys, canvas retrieve toys,
fleece toys (watch out for squeekers when unstuffed and bells and glass eyes), kongs and other rubber chew toys with openings for peanut butter and cookies.
Dangerous toys and chews include chew hooves, real bones, plaque attackers and other "dental chews" (!), which can break teeth, splinter and end up slicing intestines,
also remove rawhide if down to small pieces, and remove rope toys if rope parts are getting long and pulled out, its not good to actually swallow the strings.
*NOTE: Opinions on which toys and chews are safe can be quite varied in the dog world, with many feeling that rawhide of any type is dangerous while real bones are safe or vice versa.
Discuss with your vet, understand risks involved - blockage from soft things, tooth injury from hard things, etc, take into account your puppy's need to chew, and go on from there.
Training treats - large supply of puppy treats, tiny dog cookies, bits of cheese. Here are some examples of 3 of my favorite training treats, all of which come in different flavors:
Wellness Wellbites Soft & Chewy Treats (break big squares into smaller pieces), Charlie Bears (small, crunchy bite sized), Real Meat All Natural Jerkey Treats (thin, small, puppy bite size squares)
Pet roller hair removal device for clothing
Grannicks Bitter Apple or Phooey spray and furniture cream
Spot Shot carpet cleaner - the world's best stuff! Note, be very careful not to use regular carpet cleaners and/or to sprinkle on powder type carpet deoderizers;
Belgians can be highly allergic to these substances. Remove puppy while using spot shot.
Pet stores such as Petco/Petsmart, pet catalogs such as Fosters & Smith.
Spot Shot is at Waldbaums and hardware stores.
SitStay and Cleanrun both carry
a great selection of toys and tiny puppy size training treats.
RECOMMENDED READING
This online article by veterinarian and Tervuren breeder Dr. Libbye should be required reading for Belgian owners. Be educated about Belgians and drug sensitivities before you go to your vet.
A really good puppy book that helps us to understand the puppy's perspective.
A good overview of developmental stages plus some excellent articles on raising puppies.
A detailed book on positive motivational methods suited to anyone interested in training a Belgian puppy for dog sports.
A great beginner's package; includes The How of Bow Wow and Getting Started Clicker Training, plus clickers and treats.
A really fun book! The bible of reinforcement training (basic to clicker techniques)
with wonderful insights into both animal and human behavior.
A very helpful, easy to read, and inexpensive booklet full of great ideas for keeping your puppy happy while you are gone.
The relationship between humans and dogs and how our innate differences as primates vs canines can be a challenge.
Techniques for communicating better with our dogs, what to do and what to avoid.
For anyone with high drive Belgians who lunge and bark in class/at trials this is a book for you! While written to help people with aggressive dogs, the same techniques work fabulously for
teenage Belgians who act aggressively from over-excitement (rather than from actual aggression). Wonderful techniques, easy to follow.
Another "must read" book for people with Belgians that get over-stimulated in class/at trials and cannot control their impulses. Also great techniques for Belgians that have
distraction/focus issues or shut down from stress issues.
Teach your dog to enjoy working, a very useful book for any type of performance activity, with a great description of types of drives.
How to begin preparing your puppy for the show ring using clicker techniques.
This CD is a wonderful intro to tracking for beginners. Order only from HVTC
Use this book to begin tracking with your puppy in your own backyard. Order only from Sweetbay
An interesting read and great help in understanding dog behavior.
The auther is a Belgian owner and positive motivational trainer who has worked with overly reactive dogs.
Clean Run has some great books and videos
Dogwise has a large selection of dog books
SitStay has dog books and clicker training packages
Clicker Training Website has clicker books, videos, and clickers
Go to Puppy Notes Page 2
Montage Tervuren
New York, NY USA