It can be a bit overwhelming when you bring home a new puppy. It is a lot like bringing home a new child. You have to make certain preparations, including “puppy proofing” the house.
Like small children, puppies seem to get into things that they should stay away from and seem to be bent on a death wish. You are wise to lock up any dangerous chemicals or liquids.
The introduction of your puppy into the family will go a lot smoother if you follow these simple tips:
Have everything prepared before the puppy comes home. Have a crate where the puppy will sleep. You will want to have a crate so that the puppy can be locked up when you are not in the house and also when you are not watching him. Crate training is the best way to train a puppy and gives the animal a sense of security. The crate becomes his den.
In addition to the crate, you will want to have a baby gate so that you can keep the animal in an area where the crate is and where, if he has an accident, he will not ruin carpeting or flooring. You will want to make sure that shoes and other small objects are not laying around on the floor. The puppy will chew shoes and may swallow small objects.
Have food and a bowl. You will most likely be instructed to feed your puppy three times a day at first. When the puppy reaches maturity, you can feed him twice a day. You should always offer fresh water in case the dog gets thirsty.
Develop a routine right away. This is crucial to puppy training. Puppies thrive on routine. Feed the puppy at the same time each day and then take him out for a walk or to the litter box, or papers. He will most likely have to go to the bathroom after eating. If you feed him the same time each day, he will most likely go to the bathroom at the same time each day.
Realize that by doing this routine, you are being trained and not the puppy. He has to make the connection and realize that going to the bathroom is a good thing and going in the house is wrong. Use both positive and negative reinforcement when teaching your dog good from bad. You should praise heavily when he goes outside and give him a doggie treat. This will make the routine all the more pleasant. Scold when he goes to the toilet in the house. Do not hit the dog as that does not do anything but relieve your anger and can hurt your dog. The carpet can always be cleaned.
By following a routine and continuing to reinforce good behavior with affection and negative behavior with scolding, your puppy will soon learn how to behave. This will not only be good for potty training, but also things like not jumping on people, not jumping on the furniture, not chewing shoes and other bad habits.
With patience and love, you can guide your puppy to becoming a good dog. A dog is one of the most loyal pets in the world and can be a great companion. It is up to you to make him into a good dog.