Five Mistakes New Puppy Owners Make
- by Katelyn Thomas
You've researched the different dog breeds to find
the best one for you and your family, you've taken
the time to find out whether the breeder you chose is
ethical, and now you're finally bringing that
precious new bundle of joy home. The hard part is
over, right? Actually, there are several mistakes
that many new puppy owners make that can really turn
this joyful time into a frustrating and worrying
experience. Avoid these new dog owner mistakes to be
sure you and your puppy are off to a great start:
1. Potty training your puppy indoors and
then expecting him to automatically go outdoors when
he is older. Those nifty potty training pads look an
awful lot like nice, plushy rugs to your puppy and he
may opt to use your rugs as a toilet spot after you
do away with the pads.
2. Giving in to his sad whimpers and
tucking him in your bed for the first few nights and
then expecting him to sleep on his own in a few days
without crying. He'll just cry louder and longer once
he knows what he is missing.
3. Letting your guilty feelings
overwhelm you so that you don't crate train him.
Crate training helps keep your puppy safe, since he
can't get into dangerous things when you aren't
watching him if he's crated. Also, he actually feels
more secure when he is crated while no one else is
home.
4. Taking your puppy with you when you
go out, especially if you are going to a park or pet
store. Puppies should be finished with immunizations
before they go on outings. Their immune systems are
often not fully developed when they are young and
they are more susceptible to some of the deadliest
dog diseases.
5. Letting your puppy do things that are
cute in puppies and not at all cute in full size
dogs, such as jumping up on guests. It is easier to
curb these behaviors right away than it is to break
your adult dog of bad habits.
To get your new puppy off to a good
start, why not take the free ABC's of New Puppy Care
mini course? To chat about your canine friend with
other dog lovers, don't forget to visit the Free Dog
Tips forum.
About the Author
To get your new puppy off to a good start, take
the free ABC's of New Puppy Care mini course? To chat about
your canine friend with other dog lovers, don't
forget to visit the Free Dog Tips forum.
Related Articles:
Vaccinating Our Pets
Pet Depression and Separation
Anxiety
Dog Nutrition: The Dos and
Don'ts of Dog Feeding
Dog Adoption:
So You Want To Adopt A Dog?
How
To Potty Train Your Dog
10 Free
Dog Training Tips
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