Where to start when you bring home a new puppy

There has been an increase in puppy ownership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Raising a puppy can be a life-changing experience, but it can also be a big challenge for both new and experienced owners. To help your pup develop into a happy, healthy, well-adjusted adult dog, The American Kennel Club offers a few tips to keep your new puppy on the right track.

1 Don’t play too rough.

➤ Puppies love to play, but they also need to learn the appropriate level of rough play at a young age. Your puppy needs to learn good manners when it comes to playing with other people and other animals. If you let them play too rough when they are a puppy, it can become a bad habit in their adult years.

2 Don’t overdo the treats.

➤ As much as those puppy-dog eyes might make it hard to say no, you should limit the amount of treats you give to them. Treats can alter your growing puppy’s appetite for better-balanced, more nutritious meals. You also don’t want to spoil them. Puppies learn quickly that by begging, crying and acting out, they can get their way.

3 Provide plenty of exercise.

➤ New experiences are important for puppy development. Help stimulate your puppy’s mind with puzzles, toys and appropriate playthings, and give your puppy plenty of outdoor exercise. Bored dogs are more likely to engage in aggressive or inappropriate behaviors.

4 Consistency is key.

➤ Decide which furniture or parts of the house are off-limits and be consistent with enforcement. Don’t reprimand your dog one day for being on the couch and then let them up there the next.

5 Don’t let them go untrained.

➤ That puppy misbehavior will become a lot less cute when they are older. Make sure you teach your pup good manners when they are young. Training and socializing them as a puppy will go a long way throughout their adult years.