Mistakes New Puppy Owners Make
New puppy owners tend to make the same mistakes. Most of them are just simple things, but they make all the difference in the world to how well the puppy does at later becoming a happy, useful member of the family pack and a good dog citizen in the world.
No one would dream of bringing a new baby home from the hospital without even deciding where the baby will sleep, but puppy owners make this mistake regularly.
Here are some mistakes you can easily avoid. Some will mean the difference between life and death for your new pup.
Don’t be unprepared. Puppy proof the house BEFORE the puppy comes home. Get all poisons, power cords, etc. out of reach, because the pup WILL be inquisitive. Set up a secure safe area for the puppy with a puppy pen, his crate, a rest area, water, etc. in a warm place. A dog crate may look like a prison to you, but to the great-great-great- … son of a wolf it looks like a safe snug cave. Do NOT just let the puppy run free unsupervised in the house. Ask you breeder or trainer or vet about how to help the puppy best get through his initial first night or two of separation from his mother and siblings. One manufacturer even has a special puppy bed with a stuffed dog with a digitally recorded heartbeat and a warmer to help with this transition. Remember to have food, an acceptable chew (check with vet) and a safe toy or two.
Above all, don’t try to win his love by letting him do whatever he wants to. It is critically important that from the first moment you and your puppy meet, it is clear that you are the “Alpha†dog in the pack: the BOSS dog. Every pack has a boss … and you don’t want him to get the idea it’s him. He wants somebody to be boss. He’s used to his mom being boss and it makes him feel safe. Never give a command you can’t enforce. And never give a command without enforcing it. You and he will both be happier.
