PSA: Bringing Up Pup
Heads up new puppy parents! Before you hire me, you should know I am most strict on families with new puppies. Why? I know what your puppy can become when spoiled rotten at a young age and allowed to run the show. And it ain't pretty.
Puppies may be hard work at times but bringing up a pup is not rocket science. Most new puppies are going to arrive as complete blank slates so that means who your dog becomes falls totally to your responsibility.
Your puppy is going to be absorbing information from Day 1 in his new home. Who is in charge, what routine to follow, where to sleep, where to potty, how his new life is supposed to work. It's up to you to be consistent, confident, and fair in your handling, training, and management of him. If you choose to share a high degree of affection with your puppy, know that you must also share a high degree of discipline to keep the balance. A little tough love, so to speak.
It's not his fault if he begins to build bad habits because you won't step it up. By the lack of leadership, proper fulfillment, and sense of responsibility for the puppy we brought into our lives, he will figure out unwanted behaviours are not only ignored and allowed but even reinforced. This is very different than what he learnt when he was around his mother. Only his littermates would give in to him before you came into his life. Now instead of learning to work for your approval, he learns he receives it no matter how he acts. He begins to devalue your input, resist all guidance in order to get his way, and ultimately control the lives of his people... All because he's too cute to hold accountable. The vicious nipping is an absolutely side effect to lack of structure. And do you think that this combination of attitude gets any better with age? On the contrary, this is the equation for teenage dog aggression and attitude problems.
So rest assured... If you hire me to train your puppy, I will give you the honest truth. I will make sure we do the work. I won't cut corners and I won't sugar coat it. I will set you and your puppy up for the future.
Remember you aren't raising a puppy, you're raising an adult dog to be a stellar member of society. Your puppy is not going to stay small for long and even now, I bet you he doesn't see himself as a tiny cute fluff ball if he's allowed to boss around the whole household. Everything (except for that darned nipping) seems cute now but the nipping should be the least of your worries.
Come on guys, we shouldn't be having to 'rehabilitate' puppies. They should be way farther along in their training, but things will only get worse if you keep going down the road of selfish indulgence and low standards. Trust me, I know.
So if you're ready to start fulfilling your puppy's needs and put in some hardcore work to create the dog of your dreams, I'm ready to get to work too.
PS. Start by going on some fun, puppy-sized adventures with your new K9. Keeping your puppy confined to your home and yard until 4 months old is not only detrimental to their physical and mental health but also your sanity. I know vets will recommend keeping your puppy ‘quarantined’ until finishing vaccinations but I have seen too many puppies grow up without proper exercise outlets to grow their physical endurance and confidence. At 4 months old, they enter a fear phase that coincides with teething, growth spurts, and hormone changes. And that is when your vet is telling you to BEGIN socialization!
Sure, its smart to avoid strange dogs and people when you take your young puppy outside. However don’t avoid the real world altogether.
As always, no train, no gain!
Jenna