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You may be enamored by the cute new occupant at home but don’t let it distract you from the task at hand. Your new puppy will be part of your life for years to come and you don’t want to be stuck with an unruly, boisterous adult dog for the next decade or so. Many new owners constantly fret about keeping their cute new buddy comfortable and well fed. But worrying about the perfect cot or chew sticks should go hand in hand with some serious puppy training. The sooner you start to train your puppy, the easier it will be for your dog to adapt to its new life.
First things first, you need to establish who’s the boss with your pup. Dogs sense authority and if all you do is coo in their presence they’ll know you’re a pushover and take their chance chewing through your favourite shoes. This also means all the human family members need to decide their roles and responsibilities too. Who will feed the puppy, who will bather her, who will take her for a walk? Decide upon rules, where the puppy will be allowed to go, what is off limits. Finally, make sure everyone knows how to correct the puppy and how to praise her.
Start to train your puppy from the first day you have him in your home so that he is clear that certain bad behaviors such as chewing on shoes or furniture, constant barking and leash-pulling, are not acceptable. When it comes to correcting your puppy, be stern so that he knows you mean business. Do not hit or physically abuse him, that is just cruel and unnecessary. Also, do not punish the puppy for any past action, he will not understand what you are going on about. Only correct him when you catch him in the act.
Your dog will need to learn how to behave on the road as well so getting him used to the outdoors as early as possible is recommended. Again, you’ll need to take charge so that he doesn’t dominate. Walking in front of your dog is one way to show authority and let him know he should respond to your cues and not the other way around.
Puppies are susceptible to many doggie diseases, so do schedule a veterinary visit right away so that your puppy can get all the vaccinations he or she needs. Until then, you may want to restrict outdoors time and places.
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