Start Puppy Training Right Away
You should start preparing to train your puppy before your puppy even comes home! That's right, before their adorable little faces even make it to your loving arms. This is because having a training plan is extremely important when raising a puppy. Coming up with a training plan as you go will not only hurt your success, but it can actually stop your puppy from succeeding long term in life life as well. For example, puppies need to be socialized in the first few months of their lives more than any other animal we know of. This is one of the vital pieces to a puppy who will go on to succeed in life as a good, well-rounded dog.
You should be making plans to take your puppy out to social events, stores, and everywhere you'll plan to be taking them on a regular basis. Doing this properly has an enormous impact on the emotional well-being of your dog down the road. This is their critical socialization period where they start to form feelings about whats safe and what's not. If they're not exposed to certain things during this period, this can lead to anxiety and aggression down the road.
Exercise is Crucial!
Don't underestimate the importance of exercise while raising your pup. It's a good idea to make a routine that includes at least 2 hours of exercise spread out throughout the day. This amount will vary depending on your puppy's age, breed, and temperament. Young puppies who are coming home at 8 weeks old may only need a 10 minute walk to be tired out. But by the time you reach 6 months old that same puppy may need 3 hours of exercise throughout the day per day to be a happy healthy puppy.
Exercise is what helps to keep your puppy healthy and calm during the day. If your pup goes without enough exercise you will start to see signs of unwanted behavior issues. Things like whining, barking, and chewing inappropriate items, are all directly related to how much exercise your dog gets.
Mental Stimulation is HUGE
Another big piece of the puzzle is mental stimulation. Mental stimulation is when your dog's mind is being put to work. This can be achieved by puzzle toys, sniffing games, slow feeders, trips to the store, chewing on bones, and so much more. The idea is that your dog's brain is being used to either problem solve or interact with the world around them which is a very important part to having a puppy who will succeed throughout life.
Having the ability to problem solve is something that not all dogs have naturally. But this can be taught and when it's done correctly these dogs can go on to become amazing pets or even service dogs. When your dog uses their brain to figure something out this is like exercise for the mind which also produces a calm, happy puppy rather than a puppy whose constantly getting into things or displaying unwanted behaviors. It's also important to note that these mental stimulation items can be used to deter unwanted behaviors. For example, if you notice your puppy has started to chew on the furniture, offer them a puzzle toy that involves chewing instead. These are just a few of the way we help our puppies succeed at HAPPY PAWS - PetCare.