This article is about integrating a New Puppy into your life..
There seems to be a lot of people welcoming some gorgeous puppy energy into their hearts and homes at this time. I would strongly recommend researching different breeds and find the right energy match for you and your family.
I totally understand that bringing a new puppy into your life is a huge undertaking, and can be a commitment of up to 20 years. While it can be a wonderful time, it can be downright frustrating too.
These are all the tips I wish I had when I began this journey with TWO puppies ten years ago.. These tips are purely guidelines, there is so much research out there on training tips and dietary advice. All of those decisions are individual and personal to you and your puppy.
This information is focused on making the transition smooth and relatively stress-free.
Having met hundreds of dogs and their guardians over the years as an Animal Communicator. Also working in the Animal Industry as an Intuitive Healer, Animal attendant at a Pet Resort and a student of Animal Science. A lot of this information comes directly from hands on experience and of course the animals themselves, giving me a privileged and unique perspective,
These tips are guidelines to help you navigate your way through those first few months. Setting up a solid foundation and creating a bond between you and your best friend, that will continue to deepen over time, as most relationships do.
● Positive Reinforcement: is one of the biggest keys underpinning all of these tips! Let them know when they have done a good job, lots of praise and love. If they have done something wrong a firm No will do the trick, without emotional attachment.
● Boundaries: are really important. Letting your dog know what is acceptable behaviour. This is for your pup's own safety and part of your responsibility as a pet guardian. Make sure if your puppy does do something wrong you let him know in the moment. There is no point punishing him at a later date.He won't understand.
● Recall: This is so very important. You need to know you can call your dog back to you, no matter what! Sometimes leads fail, there is imminent danger such as traffic. A great way to introduce this is getting your puppy to run between you and another person taking turns to call him. Lots of praise, love and perhaps a treat when he gets it right. As they get older throw a couple of distractions in the mix, to reinforce the importance of listening to you.
● Crate training: prior to industry experience, I would have had the opinion of this being a form of punishment or a jail. I have completely changed my mind. Animals love the idea of a den situation, it assists with toilet training, as they won't wee or poo where they sleep, it's a source of comfort that can assist when your fur-friends are being babysat or boarded( I saw this first hand at the resort, dogs with crates settled quicker). If you move house they always have their personal haven. You will see them put themselves in there when they are tired. This is a great option if you would prefer your dog not sleep with you.
● Make it fun: this is a one time situation with this gorgeous new soul. Training will be a lot better if you create lots of fun memories to look back on. Please don't "over-train". Keep your sessions short and sweet, allow the pup to show you when he has had enough.
*This is a photo of lil Reggie having his first ever swim at Doggy daycare.
● Supervised socialisation: is a huge part of your young puppers life, this is how they learn how to interact with other humans and animals. Take them to the beach, parks etc
I'd also recommend Doggy daycare, as they will get to interact with dogs of all ages and stages. Older dogs are excellent at letting the youngsters know if they have crossed the line. Also, if you are organising a play-date, it's good to meet in neutral territory to begin with. Please make sure this experience is positive. It will make a huge difference to the rest of their lives.
● Consistency: is key, there is usually more than one person involved in the integration of a puppy. It is vital that everyone is on the same page. This is not a time for good cop and bad cop. Consistent rules and boundaries make learning easier. Please have a conversation and come up with some general guidelines. And don't be afraid to reassess if need be. Life and training will be a work in progress.
● Familiarity: get familiar with your puppies parts that you will need to touch and inspect regularly. Mostly, his ears and eyes, for cleaning, his mouth for regular teeth checks and feet to inspect after walks and having his toenails clipped. Also get him used to brushing and clipping if this is something that his breed requires. None of these things should be a chore, and getting them used to you touching these places will be so helpful in years to come.
● Clear communication: animals are always tuning into us for information, they fundamentally want to please us. The biggest thing they are looking at is body language and the messages you are projecting telepathically. These cues are their primary focus. The words we use are secondary and insignificant if they don't match our other messages. So when you use words as a command make it one to two words with a clear picture of what you are asking them to do in your mind.
● Routine: animals work best when there is a format to follow, they are creatures of habit. This allows them to anticipate the day's activities with enthusiasm. It's okay to mix it up down the track, but initially a daily schedule is very beneficial.
● Diet: really is everything! After all,we are what we eat! A puppies diet is the foundation and building blocks for the structure of his bones, skin, hair etc. If you get this right you will be avoiding some major health issues down the track. There are alot of differing opinions out there. My advice is quality rather than quantity. Please don't overfeed or over treat them. Obesity has its own set of complications . And lastly avoid feeding them human food, especially off your plate, that way you can eat in peace and you can eliminate the possibility of them accidentally consuming toxic foods.
By using this list you can potentially avoid some long-term problems, such as separation anxiety, phobias, health issues etc.
I would also like to say that I don't believe in hitting animals or yelling at them ( if you are raising your voice it says way more about you!) And sadly the animal won't understand. There's simply no need for corporal punishment if you are doing your part correctly.
Each and every animal is unique in their personality and learning style, it is up to you to adapt your training style accordingly.
Also, it is worth mentioning, please consider rescuing a dog, they come with manners they are usually toilet trained. They will still love you unconditionally. In fact i have found that rescue dogs have an incredible streak of resilience about them..
DORA'S LAST WORD
Take heaps of photos! We grow up so quickly, and we are so cute when we are little! Make sure you get photos of the two of you together and the whole family too. Memories are precious
Big love
Donna and Dors Xx
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