How to raise a puppy from the very beginning?

A puppy is a new friend and a part of your family. I suggest dedicating time and energy to teach them how to handle and behave during the adventures that lie ahead.

It is crucial to establish their training and education from an early age to avoid future behavioral issues. This ensures your dog develops good manners and adapts comfortably to your family and home.

What does a puppy need?

When adopting a puppy, consider that your pet will need some things for their stay in our home, such as:

• Bed, toys, food and water bowls
• Treats
• Shampoo
• Puppy food
• Training pads
• Waste disposal bags, among others.

Additionally, maintaining a consistent routine for your puppy is highly necessary since they are creatures of habit. You should take into account their walking schedule, meal times, and set limitations for what they can or cannot do. This way, you can have a stable, healthy, and well-behaved dog.

What should you teach your puppy?

Autonomy and freedom:

One of the first things your puppy should learn in their early months is to be independent, free of fears, and have their needs met. They should interact harmoniously with people and other dogs. Patience and consistency are key during this process, and as your puppy grows, they need to develop various skills, including:

Socialization: Introduce them positively and playfully to the world.
Communication: Teach them to communicate respectfully with you.
Coexistence: Show them how to enjoy their environment with other dogs and people positively.
Body awareness: The more they learn about their body, the more confident they will become.
Play: Train them to play correctly with toys, people, and other dogs to prevent issues

Teaching them to stay alone at home:

Most dogs tend to experience anxiety when left alone at home, leading to negative reactions like chewing objects, furniture, excessive barking, or crying for hours until you return. In some cases, tranquilizers may be considered.

Therefore, teaching your puppy to stay calm and comfortable alone at home is crucial for their canine growth. Start with simple training: leave your puppy in a calm area of the house with a bed and water. Go out for 5 minutes and come back, greet your puppy, and spend some time with them in the house. Repeat this exercise 3 or 4 times a day, gradually increasing the time you spend outside. This will improve your pet’s patience (you can also leave interactive toys or turn on the TV/radio to keep them distracted).

House-training your puppy:

House-training your puppy to do their business outside is relatively easy, but it requires patience since it won’t be learned in just a week or two. Each dog has its own pace and circumstances, so the time may vary.

If your puppy has an accident inside, avoid scolding or showing anger (they can sense it). Instead, clean up the mess and continue with your daily routine. It’s helpful to designate an area indoors for them to go potty and reward them each time they use that spot to avoid accidents in other places. When you go for a walk and they do their business outside, praise them, pet them, and give them a treat (dog treats or a piece of sausage, whatever you prefer). Schedule around four walks per day, each lasting at least fifteen minutes (morning, noon, afternoon, and night), always at the same hours to help them get used to it.

Walking on a leash without pulling:

No puppy enjoys wearing a collar or being on a leash. It feels like restricting their freedom. However, it is unsafe to let dogs roam freely on the streets as they might get hurt by vehicles or get lost.

Keep in mind that your puppy will grow quickly, so ensure the collar never tightens. You should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and their neck without it being too tight.

Use a short leash, no longer than two meters, and not extendable. Teach them how to walk on a leash, not to wander with an overly long one. Open the door first and go out yourself, then give the command for your dog to follow, like saying “let’s go.”

Be patient during the walk, as puppies walk much slower than you, and they’ll want to run around and sniff things. When they get tired, before heading back home, take some time to walk calmly with them.