Puppy raising can be delightful and stressful, but it is the most important time in your dog's life. The way you raise your puppy can help determine its personality later on, creating problems, or preventing them before they start. Here are some puppy raising tips to help.
Keep Your Puppy Calm
When you first bring your new puppy home, you and your family will be tempted to get the dog excited, or to all crowd around him at once, vying for attention. Your new puppy could be scared or upset by this, which creates the exact wrong impression of his new home. It is better to keep him calm, introduce him to new people one or two at a time, and save the games for once he is settled. Show him where his food and water is, and stay within eye sight as much as possible to reassure him for the first few days.
Establish Habits Early
While it might seem cute to have your puppy jumping up on you now, once he is bigger and jumping up on guests, it isn't so adorable. But he won't understand why suddenly his usual behavior is frowned upon. It's much kinder and easier for you to teach him manners as a pup.
If he will need regular grooming, establish this routine early as well, even if he doesn't yet have as much hair as he will eventually. Don't slip him scraps, or allow him on the furniture, or let him do anything you wouldn't want him to do as an adult dog, and he will be much happier in the long run.
Praising and Scolding Your Puppy
There are different schools of thought on how to train your puppy. Some say you should never scold, but only praise him when he does the right thing. Others will use a raised voice and a smack on the nose when their puppy does wrong. The best method is in the middle ground. Praise your puppy when he does something right, and raise your voice when he does something wrong. A mother dog will growl at a naughty puppy, but will rarely bite him.
You must deliver praise and scolding immediately after the act, or your puppy will not know why you are pleased or upset. Try to make your training as consistent as possible. Your puppy expects you to be in charge, and to show it, but will be confused if you overreact to his mistakes.
House Breaking Your Puppy
There are different methods for house breaking a puppy, such as crate training, or using sheets of newspaper and you should chose the one that's right for you. The most important thing is to keep your method consistent. Don't overreact if your puppy makes a mistake. He doesn't know how much your carpets cost. Some puppies take longer to learn than others, but all of them will eventually get it with patience and repetition.
Puppy raising requires a lot of patience, but it can be a joy to see your new puppy learn how to fit into your family's routine. With consistency you will raise a dog to be proud of.