To help new and seasoned pet owners navigate the process of puppyhood, The Iams Company, a leader in pet care nutrition and education, has developed new Iams Smart Puppy formula with enhanced levels of DHA. A key brain-building nutrient for both humans and animals, Docosahexaenoic Acid, commonly referred to as DHA, has been found to promote smarter, more trainable puppies when fed to both pregnant and nursing mother dogs and their puppies. Just like babies, a puppy’s ability to learn depends on healthy brain development, and the omega-3 fatty acid DHA is an important building block in that process.

While nutrition is the first step to raising a healthy puppy, The Iams Company knows that it takes more than just a superior dog food to raise a healthy, well-trained puppy. With the right nutrition, loving care, and gentle guidance, new and experienced pet owners can help their puppy become a happier, healthier member of the family. Iams is helping pet parents raise well behaved and less destructive animals by offering an excellent online training resource (www.mysmartpuppy.com) and training video/DVD hosted by world-renowned dog trainer Brian Kilcommons.

"Dogs truly need both proper nutrition and training in order to be at their best," said Brian Kilcommons, a respected pet expert and author. "While top-quality nutrition or training alone will better your chances of raising a well-behaved puppy, it is in combination that owners truly see the best results. That’s why I’m so excited to be able to offer the My Smart Puppy resources in combination with new Iams Smart Puppy."

The online training website MySmartPuppy.com and the My Smart Puppy Training Video/DVD will assist pet owners - experienced and new - with access to Kilcommons’ proven training tips for raising a well-mannered dog including:

—Catch’em in the Act

Of being good! Sometimes we get so frustrated with negative puppy behaviors that annoy us that we forget to notice all the good actions. For two days, praise your puppy’s every sit, quiet moment, and gentle nuzzle. You may be amazed at how much there is to praise and how obedient your puppy becomes!

Calm Hands

If you want a calm puppy, touch calmly. Use slow hand motions that go with the lay of the fur. Short, fast movements (especially around his face) will excite most puppies making them mouth and nip.

The Four T’s: Touch, Talk, Treats, and Toys

Teach your puppy that through you, all good things come. Dole the Four T’s out for behavior you like and you’ll see more of these behaviors. Give them away for nothing, and you’ll get nothing. Use them after unwanted behavior and guess what? You’ll get more of the unwanted stuff.

Smart Puppy: Research and Implications

To determine the influence of DHA on puppies, the Iams Company conducted a study in which pregnant and nursing mother dogs and their puppies were fed diets with enhanced and low levels of DHA. The study revealed the puppies receiving the enhanced levels of DHA significantly outperformed puppies nourished with lower levels of the nutrient. In fact, in a shape-recognition food-reward test, the success rate of the puppies receiving enhanced levels of DHA was twice that of those receiving typical levels of DHA in their diets.

For veterinarians and pet owners, the potential implications of nourishing puppies with enhanced levels of DHA - such as that found in new Iams Smart Puppy - may include:

- The potential for easier training.

- Better overall behavior.

- More successful socialization of the puppy into the family environment.

- Reduced destructive behavior.

Iams Smart Puppy formula comes in three varieties including Iams Smart Puppy, Iams Smart Puppy Lamb Meal & Rice Formula, and Iams Smart Puppy Large Breed. For more information on Iams Smart Puppy, visit www.iams.com/smartpuppy. Additional online training tips and information on the My Smart Puppy Training Video/DVD can be found online at www.mysmartpuppy.com.

For more than 50 years, The Iams Company, a division of Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), has enhanced the well-being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality foods and pet-care products and services. Their online training videos mark the first forray into online training that Trainerslink has discovered and provides pet owners with the learning opportunity with only an Internet connection and some free time.