If you are a first time puppy owner, you may be feeling overwhelmed with happiness and love. But without a basic understanding of the do’s and don’ts of puppy raising, things can go sour fast. Common sense takes you a long way, but you might want to consider these four most common mistakes people make with their new dog and how to prevent them.
Prior to this, puppies are still considered vulnerable to some serious canine diseases. So, while you want your new dog to meet other dogs for his social development, it is important to avoid any place that is heavily trafficked by other dogs such as dog parks and parking lots.
We often reinforce bad behaviour unknowingly. Puppies are adorable and know how to use those puppy-eyes, but those are not good reasons to bend the boundaries. So, don't give them food or open the door when they bark or give them attention when they make noise, pee on the floor or chew on shoes. Consistency decreases stress and builds trust and respect towards the owner.
Dogs love routine. Knowing when they will eat, play, walk, and sleep creates a confidence in them that minimizes stress and builds a healthy anticipation. For puppies, it is especially important to establish a reliable schedule for feeding, walking, eliminating, and playing. Whatever schedule you set, sticking to it will inspire confidence in your puppy and make her transition into adulthood easy.
Did you know your puppy learns more new things during the first 12 weeks of their life than during the rest of their life combined? Starting obedience classes as early as possible helps prevent your dog from developing bad habits like food aggression, human aggression, dog aggression, or any other types of behavioral issues. Dog training should be a preventative tool, not just a path to solve issues after they crop up.
It takes a little training – of both species – to get on the same page. But by avoiding these common errors, you can increase the odds of enjoying the experience, and mentoring that puppy into adulthood. Unleash your dogs full potential with our puppy head start program - fast results guaranteed!
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I have been a dog owner for most of my life and have had a few breeds, from Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, Tibetan terrier , long haired Dachshund to Brussels Griffons; all mellow, cuddly lap dogs. After losing my "heart dog" during the holidays I decided that it was time to have a French Bull Dog puppy. To me, they are the cutest, most adorable, funny looking dogs out there today. I found my perfect puppy to take home, to love and to shower with attention. Within the first few days of having my most adorable 8 week, 4 lb. puppy, she started showing some signs of aggression that I have never seen before! She had a voice that was telling me that she was the one in charge! Being completely baffled and shocked that my adorable puppy didn't want to sit with me on the couch and cuddle, but rather lunge at me and tell me she was not interested and that she was not a Golden Retriever, but a French bull dog, a breed that I had no idea how to handle and what I got myself into, I consulted with my veterinarian who suggested I get ahold of the situation as soon as possible and gave me a few recommendations to explore. After doing my research, I decided to go with Full Potential K9. The owner Dillon was accessible to me immediately and made an appointment to come to see me, wearing a mask of course, to evaluate my new puppy Fiona, or should I say the Tasmanian Devil! Dillion suggested that he take her for 3 weeks of training. Of course I was hesitant to give my new puppy away and especially for 3 long weeks, but I needed to do everything I could to make this work Dillion kept me apprised of her progress every couple of days which included videos and pictures so that I could see her in action. We also followed him om Instagram @fullpotentialk9 where we could see Fiona at work. This was very comforting since we truly did miss her. He was on top of her health issues from the very beginning and gave her all her daily medications that she needed and even picked up medication at the veterinarian when we needed a refill. Dillon was available 24/7 for my questions, concerns and answered my texts immediately. He bathed her, cut her nails and put her in real life situations so that she could be acclimated and feel comfortable with in the "real world" when she returned home to us. We came for several one on one training lessons where we learned the skills that they used during their training sessions and Dillon made sure he was available to us for training until we felt completely comfortable. After three longs weeks it was time to take Fiona back home. Once she came home, she was a new dog ! Dillon and his team worked their magic on Fiona. Dillon is a skilled professional with an abundance of patience and understanding and because of his experience and commitment to training animals he is an expert in his field. Fiona now walks by our side on a leash, heals wherever we go, she sits and comes and knows how to get on "place". This is amazing for a three month old puppy. We are so delighted with Fiona's new skill set. The training was worth every penny and we are excited to continue with follow-up training with Dillion...after all it does come down to the owner and their commitment to their dog, which we all have.. I highly recommend FULL POTENTIAL K9 for all of your dogs' needs! I know you and your dog will be thrilled.
