Raising a puppy starts from the first day the puppy appears in your home. It is not easy, though it is worth it. So how to raise a puppy properly? First, you must understand that a dog’s health depends not only on how comfortable the conditions of its keeping are but also on how healthy your relationship with the animal is.
The dog becomes a new member of the family, it comes to the house, where specific rules and boundaries of what is permitted must be established. This way, it will be easier for the dog to integrate into your life, understand the order in your house, and learn the rules it needs to live by.
In the dog’s childhood, while still an ignorant puppy, a lot of time should be devoted to education. At puppyhood, the dog is easy to learn, its habits are not formed yet, it is trainable and even happy to be involved in some game-like training. Still, if you miss the time and do not raise the puppy, it will grow up into an uncontrollable animal, with which it will not be easy to live together.
Caring for and raising a puppy are two of the most important tasks when a new furry friend arrives in your house. Please be patient. It will be a difficult period of adaptation both for you personally and for the puppy.
Here we will describe the conditions for keeping a puppy and what actions should be taken to ensure your pet’s average growth and development.
Raising a puppy concerns the development of specific skills and abilities in a dog. The main principle in raising a puppy is not to let a puppy do something that should be prohibited for an adult dog.
Raising a Puppy: where to start?
The puppy’s psyche is already strong enough to move to a new home. The first thing the puppy needs is getting to know its new family members and getting used to everyone. The process of establishing friendly and trusting relationships directly depends on your attention and attitude towards the puppy. He should feel that he is loved here. To do this, you need to devote a lot of time to the puppy. But only one of your family members should become the main owner, and all the rest will raise the puppy to a lesser extent.
If a puppy always strives to play with you, meets you, does not want to part with you – these are sure signs that contact has been established.
The puppy must remember the name! So the first things you need to teach a puppy are to remember his name, teach it the regime and place of feeding, and the place of his rest. The puppy remembers the name quickly, 3-4 days. It would help if you said the puppy’s name every time you refer to the dog. The name of the dog should be short and sonorous.
Puppies should be accustomed to a certain regimen. Education, care, and feeding is very important. To keep up with everything – dog training, feeding it in accordance with the regime, and still managing your work and personal life, you should think about alternative ways. For example, take the dog to cynologist, who will deal with it several times a week. Or you can order fresh food as ThePets recommends. It is great to feed your dog natural food, which contains everything necessary for the dog’s health. Choose your way to save the balance between your life and perfect dog education.
How to reeducate a naughty dog
Correcting the dog’s unwanted behavior creates an environment that does not provoke him to make a mistake.
If your dog pulls on the leash while walking
Observe the pet – how many times the animal will turn around and look in your direction. If not more than twice or never, then there is a problem with attention control.
What to do? Drive your dog in a straight line and call out by name every time it moves sharply to the side. If the animal turns around, reinforce the correct behavior with a treat. Repeat the exercise for several days until the animal begins to approach you without beckoning.
Suppose the pet does not obey. If the animal does not respond to the nickname, abruptly change the direction of movement. At this point, the dog will have to adjust and follow you. When the animal is level with you, reinforce the behavior with a treat.
If you are afraid to ruin your appetite before the main meal, use your dog’s breakfast or dinner as a treat. Measure out the portion you want and feed it in parts for a good job.
How to prevent unwanted behavior? Observe the puppy on the first walk. Usually, babies keep close to the owner or often come to the leg searching for protection from the outside world. This is the best time to reinforce the habit. Praise and reward generously with a treat for every approach to the foot, a calm reaction to a passing car, or indifference at the sight of a stranger.
If the dog barks at passers-by
Observe the pet – from what distance the animal breaks down to barking, and warn its reaction.
What to do? Suppose a dog barks when it is five meters away from a passer-by. This means that you need to start correcting behavior earlier. Wait for the moment when the animal fixes its attention on the object, says its name, and if the animal turns its head in your direction, offer a treat.
If the animal does not respond to the reinforcing marker and continues to bark, increase the distance and practice the correction from fifteen or twenty meters.
How to prevent unwanted behavior? Generously praised for the indifference to passers-by from the first walk.
If the dog bites
Observe your pet’s behavior. What drives it – gambling excitement or aggression.
What to do? If the animal bites during play, freeze in place or offer a toy instead. If showing aggression, consider the size and age of the dog. For example, if it is a puppy, shake the animal with the withers. If an adult dog, see a dog specialist. If the puppy continues to bite, slap it under the jaw. Calculate the force of the blow. The slap should be safe but not weak.
How to prevent unwanted behavior? Develop game motivation through toys and joint games with the owner.
If the dog messes things up
Understand the cause of destructive behavior. This is usually boredom, anxiety, or a change in teeth.
What to do? If your puppy chews on things due to tooth change or boredom, buy some new toys. Buckling toys and feeding toys, which can be stuffed with goodies, help a lot. If the animal is afraid of being alone, take intense walks with outdoor games and not irritate the dog with consolations and long goodbyes.
Do not criticize the animal. Behavior correction is effective only at the time of the action. Instead, spend more time with the animal, increasing the training time. According to recent research, 15 minutes of mental work equals 1.5 hours of intense exercise.
How to prevent unwanted behavior? Stimulate play motivation and offer multiple toys to choose from.
Of course, dog breeds differ in their appearance and character traits and the degree of emotionality, complaisance, or aggressiveness.
Some breeds are more trainable or less docile. If you buy a puppy for the first time and have not had any training experience, you may find it helpful to attend special courses. There you will receive advice on raising puppies from professional dog handlers and trainers. These courses will help you master the basics of training, teach your dog the basic commands, and most importantly, avoid mistakes in dog education, which are sometimes very difficult and sometimes impossible to correct.
Choosing a pet for ourselves, we choose its fate – happy or unhappy. The meaning of the union of man and animal is in their harmony. The animal must be confident in its owner. And the owner should be responsible for the one he has tamed.