Before you take a puppy under your roof, you should prepare for it by gaining knowledge that will help you build a bond based on understanding, respect and mutual trust with him.
I will briefly touch on a few issues that I consider the most important.
- It is worth reading a little about the stages of puppy development. This will allow you to understand his behaviours more efficiently, such as the uncontrollable need to bite during teething. Remember not to reprimand him for this. Instead, offer him teethers that will bring some relief and, if well chosen, will turn out to be more attractive than the corner of the sofa or the leg of a chair. The good news is that teething doesn’t last forever. When this challenging period is gone, the problem of chewing everything will also disappear. Unless the dog is stressed and cannot relax in a quiet, safe place. Then biting can be his way of relieving tension. If this happens, think about your friend’s problem instead of punishing him. If you can’t track him down, ask a behaviourist for help. If he tries to give you a solution like “how to stop your dog from biting”, look for someone else who will focus on finding the source of the problem instead of eliminating the symptoms.
- Tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease and Babesiosis can be life-threatening. If you notice symptoms such as apathy, lack of appetite, lameness, or pale mucous membranes in your dog, don’t hesitate to rush to the vet immediately. Early treatment can differentiate life and death for your furry friend.
- Socialization is a topic for a whole book or even two. Here, I will signal only two issues :
It is difficult to overestimate the value of well-conducted socialization. “Well-conducted” means well-planned and done with moderation. An excess of novelty leads to overstimulation of the dog, which has the opposite effects of the intended ones, i.e., fearfulness and withdrawal.
– You will probably hear from your veterinarian about following the post-vaccination quarantine and not letting your dog leave the house. Remember that the human in the apron feels responsible for your dog’s physical health. Therefore, he must inform you about the risk of contracting various diseases during walks. But you will be the one to take care of your pet until the end of his days. His problems will be your problems. A veterinarian is responsible for your dog’s physical health. You are responsible for both his physical and mental condition. As a consolation, there are methods to socialize while reducing the risk of infection by the dog to almost zero. I will add that by staying at home, your dog is still not 100% safe because you can bring some germs, for example, on the soles of shoes.
- Another critical issue is the choice of puppy classes. Can you believe that almost half of my clients come to me due to poorly conducted training?
Unfortunately, trainers still recommend the so-called corrections. Avoid them like the plague. Before you sign up for training somewhere, go and see with your own eyes what the classes are like. If you do not get permission, look for another training centre. During the classes, the most significant emphasis should be placed on socialization. In addition, puppy classes should provide you with basic knowledge about broadly understood dog care. When puppies play, it is good if the training instructor says what he sees, teaching the human students the basics of dog body language. He should also react when one of the puppies is too insistent towards another. Toddlers are clearly unlikely to physically hurt themselves. However, they can consolidate the habit of oppressing others (those too insistent, most often from bull breeds) or the victim syndrome, i.e. fear and withdrawal towards other dogs.
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