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!
A FREE phone consultation is available for all dogs.
We do appointments by scheduling only as we are not open to the public. No dog is permitted on our property without undergoing a complete behavior assessment and temperament test.
Our Dog Kobe is a Belgian Malinois/Shepherd Mix and 3 years old. Two years ago Kobe had a similar training program in California prior to our move to Florida. We thought it was time for some 'touch up' training. After interviewing with Dillon We believed he was the right trainer for Kobe and enrolled in the 5 week program. Dillon is very professional and so focused on the dog's RE-actions, something I didn't see before. Difficult to write about all the details, the proof is in Kobe's new behavior, his response to his surroundings and my commands which are effortless. Since his training with Dillon, Kobe has traveled on airplanes, in a car across the USA , stayed in strange hotels and even been on a ferry to Canada! We are so proud that everywhere we take Kobe other people are so impressed how calm and well behaved he is. He officially has passport!! After picking up Kobe from Dillon he was so alert and active....K9 Kravings Dog Food is his favorite, hard to find on the road but he is so vibrant when he eats it.
