Having a dog or a puppy is a huge responsibility, especially for first time puppy owners. This is the reason why for some parents, they do not grant a child’s wish to get a puppy as the welfare of both the child and puppy may be jeopardized.
Owning a puppy means you bear the sole responsibility of taking care of your dog as you would a family member.
And like most relationships, this relationship with your new-found puppy love (pun intended) can be overwhelming at the beginning. But know that it has of course has its rewards.
While you may get overly-excited, know that you should balance this with responsibility, fun, and overall general concern for your puppy’s health.
And of course, you may be able to make mistakes as you take care of your dog, but learning from these mistakes is the lesson in all of these.
The top 4 mistakes that new dog or puppy owners make can still be rectified. The key is to recognize them early on, or it would be even better if you become aware of it from the onset.
Do you want to have a calm, obedient puppy that is ready for training? CLICK HERE to watch this FREE Step-by-Step Video from Doggy Dan’s Puppy Program!
First, as the relationship and bond is still new, your relationship may start with disciplining and along with it comes PUNISHMENT.
PUNISHMENT is different from our point of view versus your new puppy. If you are not equipped with dog training knowledge, this is the best time to read up so you do not overdo punishment as a way to discipline our dog.
Instead of disciplining with punishment, you can TRAIN YOUR PUPPY instead and make sure you read up on credible resources.
Raising your voice may be at best puzzling for your dog, and cannot look into the reason why you were shouting in the first place. If you view it as you are disciplining your dog, this may not necessarily mean the same for him.
Be careful as well in putting on a leash or getting your dog in a kennel as your puppy might see this as punishment. Especially if you are indeed in the first place, is really using this as punishment.
There are other ways to discipline or train your new puppy just so as to avoid punishment especially in this early stage of your relationship.
GIVING YOUR DOG YOUR LEFTOVERS OR HUMAN FOOD may be tempting at times but it is best not to start.
Human food does not carry the nutrition your dog needs and can instead give your dog ailments. It is best to stock up on dog food so every time the temptation to give human food comes, the dog food is readily available instead.
This will not enhance your relationship with your dog either. While your dog sees that he can’t have that leftover chicken from your plate, he would know instead that an even better tasting treat for him will be provided by you.
As part of being his owner, remind other people and family members to refrain from giving your dog human food so that he won’t develop an appetite for it.
HAVING A RELATIONSHIP OR FAMILIARITY WITH OTHER DOGS – While he sees you as his pack leader or owner, it is important for your dog to know how to react when there are other dogs.
If a simple walk around the park would turn out to be stressful for you as your new puppy barks at everything and everyone, or tugging the leash every now and then, it is crucial that he develops his behavior when other dogs or people are around.
Dog classes and dog parks are there especially for this purpose.
Even as you are excited as a new puppy owner, do not limit his interactions between you and your dog only. It is important that he sees you as his leader, but it is also important that your dog knows how to obey you and react properly in other situations.
In time, as your relationship grows, so does his ability to interact with other dogs and people, making each situation a pleasant one.
YOUR DOG’S HEALTH is your responsibility and it would be a fatal mistake if you become negligent on this aspect. There can be serious consequences not just for your dog, but to other dogs as well, to other people, and to you as well.
While play time is important, it is equally important to put time and effort in securing the health of your new dog. This way, when you eventually plan on growing your pack, your dog’s interaction with each other will be a healthy one.
Diseases between dogs may be transmitted between them if you miss out on an important vaccine. As with the other 3 mistakes, you can also easily rectify this and have your dog complete his vaccinations.
Invest in the health of your dog, so you can protect not just this dog, but your future dogs as well.
Enjoy this journey and grow your relationship with your new puppy each and every step of the way. And learn your lessons well as you take care of other dogs in the future.
Do you want to have a calm, obedient puppy that is ready for training? CLICK HERE to watch this FREE Step-by-Step Video from Doggy Dan’s Puppy Program!
Please leave a comment below or let me know any questions you have. I’d love to hear what you think!
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