So you’re new bundle of joy and hair is due with you soon, here are a few brief tips to help your puppy settle in well in the next few months.
1. GET A CRATE. As well as making housetraining exceptionally easier than not having one, it gives your pup a safe a cosy refuge.
2. FIT A BABY GATE - OR TWO! Great for keeping your puppy from getting to where you don’t want them.
4. KEEP AN EYE ON THEM! If you haven’t got the time to follow them around everywhere they go to prevent them getting into trouble then put them in their crate or play pen.
5. SETTING UP THE TOILET! If you don’t want your puppy learning to toilet all over your garden as an adult dog, then pick an area and taken them to it every time it’s time for toilet.
6. DAILY ROUTINE setting up a daily routine for regular toilet trips outside will get your pup predictable and housetrained very quickly.
7. GET A PUPPY TRAINER! As soon as you get your puppy speak to a local puppy and dog trainer before you do anything else. These guys have a wealth of experience and will get you off on the right track from day one.
8. IGNORE THE WEB. With the invention of the web it made everyone an expert when it comes to anything especially the dog world. If you take advice take care to check out the facts, and don’t be afraid to ask the ‘advisor’ of their qualifications to give out that advice.
9. GETTING THE FAMILY ON BOARD. Your WHOLE family need to know the rules when it comes to pups arrival and training. Everybody needs to do things for the pup in the same way to ensure pup learns quickly and safely.
10. DON’T TRAIN IN A PROBLEM! Puppies jumping up at us is one thing but constant reinforcement and inadvertent praise of the behaviour will still have your puppy jumping up when it’s 40 Plus kilos in weight! A whole different problem then !!
11. HANDS ON FROM DAY ONE Make sure you spend time from day one, handling your puppy, and getting it used to human touch of its paws, legs, ears, muzzle, etc.
12. BRUSH UP ON YOUR HANDLING! Get pup used to being groomed, by brushing and making sure grooming is pleasurable from day one.
13. DON’T FORGET PUP’s 5 A DAY! Take time to introduce your pup to 5 new things / positive experiences every day in doing so, nothing will phase your little one as it grows up.
14. TAKE PUP TO THE PETSHOP! We go shopping so why not take pup to the petshop, its a great opportunity for socialisation, and lots of stimulating smells, people and more.
15. WITHOUT VACCINATIONS! You are likely to have picked your pup up at 8-10 weeks. Now is THE time to get them out and about seeing things, people and introducing them to the world. But don’t put them on the floor.
17. THE NOVELTY SHOULD BEGIN. Provide access for pup to People in funny hats. Remote control cars. Kids playing. Agility equipment. Balloons. Cats. Car rides, anything you can think that might have a novelty value. These experiences are priceless in pups development and understanding of the world.
18. SOCIALISE, SOCIALISE! Introduce your puppy to as many new experiences as you can, slowly and don’t let your puppy get overwhelmed or put them in a potentially frightening situation.
19. FRIENDS AND FAMILY! You are never more popular with friends and family than when you have a new puppy in the house. Invite them round to say hello and teach pup that people are good and a bit of fun.
20. REWARD THE GOOD! Whenever you catch your puppy doing something good praise and reward them, they will soon realise what gets them good attention and nice things and offer the rewarded behaviour up more often.
21. TAKE THE LEAD. When you take pup out for walks, always keep them on a lead, any bad experience off lead (and in some cases on lead) can scar them for life and leave them with fear issues.
22. MAKING A MEAL OR TWO OF IT. Don’t leave food down all day for your dog to graze, measure a meals worth into a bowl, leave for 20 minutes if its not eaten take the bowl up.
23. TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION. If you like it, and dont want it chewed then dont leave it laying around!
24. WOULD YOU LIKE ‘CHIP’ WITH THAT! All puppies are required by law to be chipped. And should be provided with the pup by the breeder. It also pays to check its still live. Any good dog trainer or vet will happily scan the chip for you to check.
26. PRAISE FOR WHAT YOU WANT. Instead of shouting your head off when your pup does something wrong, train it to do what you want it to do and praise it for that instead, Pup will be happier and you’ll feel a lot better with yourself !
27. SHIT HAPPENS! Disgusting? Yes. But it could save your puppy’s life. If you notice anything like diarrhea or blood, off to the vets you go quick smart
28. SQUEAKLESS TOYS. Yep, they like kids need toys, but please please, do not have them with squeakers. The pup self rewards on the squeaker and does not need you to interact with it, and after a few squeaks they become bloody annoying.
29. TOY ROTATION! Only let your puppy have access to a couple of toys at a time. By regularly changing the toys, you will keep Fido or Fidette interested.
30. NO FOOD! Using food as a treat early in your pups life is not a good idea, when they are fun and want to be around you play with them. Whilst food training is easy and quick, it’s only successful for as long as the dog is hungry. Leave food for later in its life if indeed it’s needed then.
31. LEAVE YOUR PUPPY ALONE! Yep, step away from the pup and leave it, on its own, for periods of time during the day, so that it can learn to settle on its own. It will not do your puppy any good in the long run if you smother it now.
34. HELLO / GOODBYE - NO BIG DEAL. Don’t make a fuss over your pup when you leave or come home. Again, prevents separation anxiety.
35. Don’t get offended when your puppy chews on you. Puppies bite. Sometimes painfully. It is NOT aggression. Do not react by yelling, smacking him, rolling him on his back or holding his muzzle shut.
37. FREE !!! TRIPS TO THE VET. Take pup to the vets even when you dont need to spend money with them, and for no reason, simply take pup to socialise with the nice people at the vets, they all love puppy cuddles and it will mean your dog will settle much easier when you have to take it for real
38. TO PEE OR NOT YET TO PEE Your puppy should be able to hold it in (Number of hours) a total of its age in months plus 1. Again, USE A CRATE !
39. LEAD THE WAY! Teach good lead manners early, Better to teach your puppy to walk nice on lead now than to teach your adult dog to stop pulling on a lead.
