How to Raise a Well-Behaved Puppy
Posted: Friday, February 05, 2010
by Ana Walsh
http://www.dogbehaviorexpert.com
Raising a puppy can be a fun and rewarding experience. Unfortunately, too many puppies grow up to be misbehaved dogs because the owners let them get away with bad behavior as a puppy because it was 'cute'. Or, they just didn't know how to raise their puppy to be a well behaved adult dog. There are a few crucial things you need to do. First of all, you should never take a puppy away from its mother and litter mates before it is 8 weeks old. Taking the puppy before 8 weeks can lead to behavioral problems down the road, because they missed that crucial developmental period with their litter mates. Second, you need to start potty training immediately. Don't let any bad potty habits form during those first few days you have them home, because those can be hard to reverse. I suggest teaching your puppy to go potty outside right from the beginning, rather than paper training them. Third, don't allow your puppy to playfully nip at you. This mistake is fairly common, and one you will regret. Puppies should not ever be allowed to bite hands or feet, even if it's just playing. This includes playing underneath blankets or pillows. Fourth, establish yourself as the leader of the pack right from the start. This is also know as the alpha dog. Although dogs are domesticated pets now, their natural instincts are still very much a part of them. Your puppy expects to have a pack leader. If you don't establish yourself as the leader, they will, and it'll cause numerous behavior problems down the road. Do a search online for more information on this if you don't know what it is. It's important to know and use this information. Last but definitely not least, you must gradually and carefully socialize your puppy for at least the first year of their life. You need to expose them to new and unfamiliar people, places, things, sounds, etc. Make sure the socialization experiences are pleasant. Carry along treats and make sure to provide plenty of praise and encouragement along the way. I hope this article has given you some valuable insight on how to raise your puppy. Follow the advice provided and I know you'll do a great job of raising a happy, well-behaved dog that will be a loyal companion for years.
This Article has been viewed 120 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.