5 MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WITH THEIR NEW PUPPY

1 Not socializing their puppy until after he’s had all his shots.

Do we sound like a broken record? This is because old myths of waiting to take your puppy out until after vaccinations still persist. Don’t wait. Be safe, but get your puppy out and about right now. Teach him to be friendly and social with all types of people in a variety of environments, and you will help prevent fear and aggression as he grows older.

2 Letting your pup have too much space, too soon.

Puppies can get into a lot of trouble. They will pee and poop on your rugs, eat your furniture, and steal toilet paper. Some of their antics are frustrating, but some can be downright dangerous. What if he eats an electrical cord? What if he swallows something, and it gets stuck?

Confining puppies in a safe place, preferably a crate is ideal until they learn how to behave. If you let them have too much freedom before they’re ready, you’re helping them learn bad habits that will be harder to fix later. For crate training resources, visit: moderndogmagazine.com/truth_about_crates and moderndogmagazine.com/crate_training

3 Not recognizing when your puppy is afraid or uncomfortable.

Just because a puppy is behaving doesn’t mean she’s ok. What does your puppy look like when she’s happy? Pups should be bouncy and curvy, with squinty eyes and lowered ears. Does your pup look like that in different situations? If not, she may be stressed. Some puppies have obvious stress signals: panting, crying, trembling, cowering. Others are more subtle: avoidance, sleepiness, turning away. Look for these signs so you can address them now. If you don’t, fears could manifest into aggression later.

4 Changing rules.

Do you want your puppy to jump on people? Get on the furniture? Chew on your guests? If not, don’t encourage the behaviour now. It’s so easy to be lenient when he’s little and cute. It’s not fair, however, to change the rules when he gets bigger. Your puppy won’t understand.

5 Waiting to train.

Puppies are great little learners; you just need to keep your training sessions short. Don’t wait until your adorable Great Dane puppy is a 90-pound teenager. Don’t wait for your little Doodle to develop bad habits. Start training your puppy now. If you are using modern, rewardbased methods and tools, you can start as soon as you bring your puppy home. You may find your little puppy is a rock-star student! You’ll also help develop your relationship as you work together and make training fun.