New Puppy - deciding on the boundaries in your house

Posted by Clare Bristow | Leave a Comment

puppy-asleep-on-sofa Your new puppy will look to you for leadership and guidance, and if he thinks you are not up to the task will try and take on the role himself. Don't be put off by his size - very small puppies can easily assume the role of leader! Acting decisively and consistently are traits found in a good leader, so your puppy should see you doing this as often as possible.

Doing what may seem like a small thing to you - such as where you put your puppy's food bowl every time you feed him - has huge significance for your puppy. Puppies like having clear guidelines to follow, and for the rules to be the same every time they do something. There's nothing more confusing and stressful for a puppy than to have a new set of rules every day.

Before you bring your [tag]new puppy[/tag] home, think about where you want him to sleep, eat and play. Your puppy will provide you with enough distraction without you having to think these things through once he arrives - and you'll be able to act decisively and consistently because you will know in advance what you want him to do.

So, take some pressure off yourself and plan the following before you bring your new puppy home, it won't take you long to do:

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Puppy Supplies - The Basics You Need to Buy

Posted by Clare Bristow | 5 Comments

I still get embarrassed when I think back to how much stuff I bought for Zoe before I picked her up from the breeder.

It's so easy to get carried away in the pet store, but in reality you need very little - all our family dogs survived perfectly well on not very much!

Here is my list of what a new puppy needs:

A Bed - dogs do like the security of their own bed - somewhere they can go to and know they won't be disturbed.

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Finding a Good Puppy Class

Posted by Clare Bristow | Leave a Comment

puppies-playing [tag]Puppy classes[/tag] are great not only for first time dog owners, but second and third time around owners too. The first six months of a puppy's life are invaluable for teaching him good habits - your puppy is a like a sponge at this age, soaking up everything you teach him. Every opportunity you have to socialize him should be taken.

Whilst I made a few mistakes with the class I chose for Zoe, they did provide good support for me. Each week I could offload my frustrations with toilet training progress, chewing, whining, biting etc., and the people I talked to not only understood what I was going through but could empathize too!

So, what do you learn at puppy class, and how do you find a good one?

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Keywords: basic command, Bite Inhibition, Dog Socialization, finding a puppy class, Getting Ready for Your New Puppy, People Socialization, Puppy classes, puppy socialization, puppy training

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