New Puppy Rules
So you’ve made the plunge into getting a dog for your family, that’s great, dogs add certain things to a family that can only be taught by experience with an animal. You may have questions about what you should do from the start with your new puppy so that you don’t spend months doing the wrong things for disciplining your new pet. The things your new puppy will learn in his first few months of life will stick with him forever, so let’s make sure you get it right, from the start.
The first few hours of life in your new home will determine how your new pet will react for a lifetime. Just imagine you have been taken away from your family and put into a new home with a bunch of dogs. You’d be a little scared at first until you got used to the idea, so give your new puppy some time before allowing everyone to hover over him and possibly give him a negative impression of people in your home.
Don’t carry your puppy everywhere you go, allow him to walk behind you because he will need the exercise, and it’s a good confidence builder for the pup’s own physical abilities.
Don’t allow people to rough house with your new puppy. They are fragile at this age and should be handled with care until they get a bit older. Visits from children should always be supervised to ensure they don’t poke the puppy in a harmful or way or stick anything into it’s ears. Better safe than sorry, in this case.
Don’t leave your puppy on an elevated surface like a table, couch or bed. A fall from this height could lead to disaster at this age. Make sure someone is always holding the puppy if you have to place him on a table or other surface to clip his nails or groom him.
Try to keep the puppy supervised at all times for the first few weeks to ensure his safety. Make sure everyone who cares for the puppy knows how to properly handle him so that he won’t be injured. Also be sure to not give him any bones until he is an adult. Puppies keep their “milk” teeth until they are about 6 months old and these puppy teeth are very soft.
Following the rules of puppy safety will teach your new puppy to have confidence in you and your family and will soon become a natural part of your family. For other information on how to make your home puppy friendly visit http://www.puppys-place.com/safe-puppy-space.html
Filed under: Dog Care Basics
