Caring For A Puppy – More Than Potty Training
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You may think the biggest problem you have when you start caring for a puppy is about potty training – meaning teaching them to hold it until they are taken outdoors to use the restroom. Though this is important in the care of any dog and in training them to live in your home, there is so much more to it, and these things are important. Puppies are much like babies in that they are going to do what they want and what feels natural, but those things are not always acceptable in a home. Concentrate on potty issues, but do not leave the rest to chance.
One thing that many owners do when caring for a puppy at home is to teach them to be in the crate. This is for pets that are going to be left alone during the day and those that are not going to be sleeping with their owners at night. Though some think a crate is not good for a puppy, the opposite is true with most breeds. They will not like the crate at first, but they will find it comforting when they are left home alone once they are crate trained. A puppy or a dog should not be left in a crate endlessly, as that is just cruel, for for short periods it becomes a den for them.
Caring for a puppy also involves teaching them when to bite and when it is not appropriate. Puppies teethe just like human babies, and they have the urge to bite to relieve the pain. They also bite and nip by nature as a form of play, as in the wild biting is one way they would have protected themselves. An important part of training a puppy is to teach them that biting humans is not acceptable all the while showing them what they can bite. There are great dog toys out there meant just for biting that your dog can be trained to use. This allows them to fulfill the need to chew without chewing on you and your family.
You may find that you do not want to crate train your puppy. If this is the case, you are going to have to teach them to respect your home while you are away. This part of caring for a puppy can be hard, but it can easily be done with patience. A puppy that is home alone can be scared and lonely, and not really sure that you are going to return. When they have these feelings they tend to tear up anything that may smell like you. You could lose shoes, couches, and bedding before you get them trained to behave appropriately.
Caring for a puppy also includes teaching them to sit and to remain still when presented with a new person. Dogs get excited when they meet new people (and some become leery) and that often means they jump and even nip. They must be completely under your control while out of the house on a leash. They must not only get use to the leash, they must also learn not to harm strangers while away from home. A dog that is not controlled can harm another and that is when you are going to pay dearly.
