So you got a new puppy! What to and not to do.
Congratulations on getting your first puppy! Taking care of a new furry friend can be both exciting and challenging. To help you in raising a well-balanced adult dog, here are some essential tips broken down for you:
1. Realistic Expectations: Remember, no one is perfect, not even professional dog trainers. Mistakes and accidents will happen, but the key is to learn from them. Your puppy is new to the world and needs time to understand rules, boundaries, and human society. Practice patience while building positive experiences through training.
2. Set Up for Success: Make Life Easy for Your Pup: Your puppy is learning all the time, including undesirable behaviors. To ensure they learn only desirable behaviors, practice management. Constant supervision is crucial, just like you wouldn't leave a baby unsupervised. Consider using a leash tied to yourself indoors until house training is complete. When you can't supervise, a crate can be a helpful tool for providing a safe resting place and preventing separation issues.
3. Manage the Environment: To prevent your puppy from picking up unwanted behaviors, maintain a tidy home, and avoid leaving tempting items like food, shoes, or anything they might chew on within their reach.
4. Provide Appropriate Chew Toys: Puppies, like babies, teethe, and chewing is natural for them. Supply them with appropriate chew toys and use playtime to teach them what's suitable to chew on.
5. Establish Routines: Dogs thrive with routines, which provide structure and security. Implement routines for food, water, and potty times to better understand your puppy's needs.
6. Potty Training: Monitor your puppy's food and water intake to predict potty times. Provide frequent opportunities for your pup to relieve itself in an appropriate location. Offer praise when your puppy finishes its business to reinforce good behavior. Avoid punishing accidents, as it won't solve the problem and may lead to other issues.
7. Learn Your Puppy's Signals: With time, your puppy will communicate its needs more clearly. Observe signals like pacing, circling, or sniffing the floor, which may indicate it's time for potty, food, or play.
8. Create a Common Language: Use feeding routines for training and brain games to teach your puppy its name, limits, and how to use its senses. This will strengthen the bond between you and your new companion.
In summary, be realistic, consistent, and provide supervision to avoid unwanted behaviors. Focus on positive experiences to teach appropriate behaviors and enjoy the journey with your new pup, building a strong and loving relationship.