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.
"Before finding Full Potential K9, I was incredibly stressed out about training my dog, Jameson. He would bark so much while I ate that I actually would dread dinner time. He would jump up on countertops, pull on the leash while on walks, and whine/ bark nonstop in the crate. Since I was about to start law school, I knew I had to resolve the continuous circle of stress I was going through with Jameson, as I would try and teach him and nothing would stick. After I reached out to Full Potential K9, Dillon was extremely professional and eager to begin working with Jamo. Right away he asked what problem areas Jameson had and we scheduled a consultation. I cannot stress enough how shocked my mom and I were within ten minutes of Dillon working with Jameson during the consultation. He was completely relaxed, not jumping, and actually just laid down because he was so mentally drained from just a few minutes of training- clearly I was doing it wrong before!! Dillon came and picked Jameson up and I felt entirely comfortable knowing that he was going to be well taken care of for the duration of his three week training program. I was able to see pictures and videos on Full Potential K9's Instagram, as well as text Dillon directly for updates, of which he sent plenty. Dillon provides a one-on-one lesson before pickup and patiently walks through everything he taught your dog. It was evident right away how well he did with Jameson. Jameson was in "place" and didn't move off even after seeing me for the first time in weeks! (I promise he loves me!) I walked around the backyard with Jameson on a leash to work through the "Let's go" command, practiced using the training collar, and got a full download of what I need to do in order to ensure Jameson's awesome behavior continues at home. After getting home, I did just as Dillon instructed and so far am enjoying my dog so much more than I was before. Dillon has also checked in multiple times to make sure the transition went smoothly. I'm able to sit with him outside and not worry about him pulling/jumping/barking. I actually moved into a new apartment building while he was at training and Jameson makes me proud every time we walk around! People have commented on how well behaved he is while we're on the elevator! All in all, I cannot recommend Full Potential K9 enough. 100% worth the investment for both you and your dog so that you can enjoy life together more!"
