New Puppy Tips for the New Year
January 1st, 2022 by Marlene Ring


The family and friends have left, the fridge is back to normal capacity, the kids are back in school and the new puppy has been named, what now?
Time to start the puppy off on the right paw.
Expectations
Start off by teaching your puppy the rules of the house you want her to follow once she’s all grown up.
Some things that we think are cute in a 5lbs puppy might not be so cute in a 65lbs dog. So whether it is greeting guests by sitting politely, waiting while her food is being prepared or going potty outside, the sooner you teach her these things the better.
Always keep your voice light and happy and guide her with positive rewards.
Your dog is going to need to chew
Provide the puppy with various toys, different textures as well as shapes. Buy at least one that makes noise, one that is purely for chewing, an interactive toy (ball or rope toy) that you can play with, and one in which you can stuff treats in.
Don’t let her munch on an old shoe thinking she knows the difference between that and your new designer shoes. I assure you she doesn’t and we don’t want to confuse her. See my blog Tips to Keep My Dog from Chewing
Crate Training
It’s a very good idea to get your puppy accustomed to going into a crate. Not only is it super useful in house training your puppy, it will make your life easier when the puppy needs to spend the night away from home.
Start off by throwing all sorts of delicious stuff into a crate with the door securely open. Let your puppy find her way in, never push or force her in. Leave it open so that she can choose to go in there when she likes, if you catch her going in praise her lots with your voice and treats. Eventually you can give the behavior a cute cue like “go home” or “in bed”.
Training
Dog training benefits everyone, including the dog! Now is the time to start! See my blog on The Importance of Early Puppy Training
A well-behaved, trained dog is a pleasure to own because he can go virtually anywhere without being a risk or nuisance to others. And don’t we all want a dog who exhibits appropriate behavior in a crowd, good manners when we have guests in our home, is reliable around children, and who doesn’t threaten other dogs or passers-by?