You finally did it. You got yourself a new adorable and cuddly puppy. Life is good.
Oh wait, did the puppy just pee on the carpet? Oh jeez, it won’t stop barking. Ok, ok, you can do this. This puppy is way too precious to get upset with.
A few months pass and the puppy won’t follow any commands. Sit! Stop Barking! Why won’t you eat! Am I the worst dog owner ever?
For some this may seem like life with a new puppy. At first life is magical, but as time goes on things can get crazy. Sadly, many can’t handle the everyday life with their new pup and end up returning the little fella. But that’s not gonna be you. We’re going to make sure of that with 3 incredibly simple things you can do to make puppy life a lot easier.
For more tips of caring for a new furry friend, check out our comprehensive new puppy checklist!
Get Your Children On Board
For some of you, the main reason you’re getting a puppy is because your children have been wanting one for years. There is nothing wrong with this either. Many of my favorite childhood memories involved my dog. The kid/dog relationship is unlike any other. Children can learn responsibility in a big way from dog ownership. But here is the thing, your child is used to your home, your new pup is not.
For your kids, the dog is being added to what is a familiar world for them. For the dog, it’s like going to another universe. Nothing is familiar for the pup. Then to see your children flipping out and getting excited, the puppy will only respond poorly. Avoiding over stimulation is key for your puppy. To help make this easier, remind the kids that they need to remain calm around the puppy until it is use to the new home. This little trick will go further than you realize.
Get Outside With Your Puppy
As soon as the vet gives the ok, take your pup to meet other people and other dogs. Getting your puppy use to new people is key. Have you ever walked into a home where the dog is jumping all over you? That dog hasn’t had enough people exposure. Meeting new people early can help control bad behaviors that might occur later on.
As far as meeting other dogs, a dog park is the obvious choice. Most dogs at the park will try to play with your puppy and are usually not aggressive (although instances occur), otherwise they wouldn’t be at the park. Teaching your dog that other dogs are not enemies will make your life easier as it will help prevent any future dog fights.
Take Advantage Of Puppy Oriented Products
The internet has made life as a puppy owner SO much easier. Aside from helpful articles, it has given us access to numerous products that are designed just for puppies. One of the best is PupBox. With a million different subscription boxes out there, it’s easy to get confused which is the best for your dog. But PupBox is designed to help puppies and puppy owners with their transition. It has tips, training and toys–all with puppies in mind. PupBox monitors your dog’s development through all stages and sends an appropriate box as your puppy becomes a full-grown dog.
For the next 24 hours, PupBox is offering iHeartDogs readers a $10 discount with the code: iheartpuppies.
To get started go to PupBox.com, fill out the sign up and use the code iheartpuppies to start making puppy life a little easier.
Toledo, United States.
