6 Handy Tips In Raising a Fur-Child

Once you get a puppy, it is easy to get carried away and spoil them with love and attention. It is often very hard to resist their puppy eyes. You may give in to their whines for puppy treats or you may find it difficult to reprimand them when they pee on your bed. If not disciplined at an early age, you will find it harder to teach them tricks as they get older. Their puppy stage is the perfect time to teach them everything that they need to know to be disciplined pet.

Listed below are 6 handy tips on how to teach them:   

1. Enforce a reward system

As pets, it is proven to be better to reward them for every good thing that they’ve done. Give them treats every time they follow a command. For example, give them Victor dog food every time they pee in the proper place. In this manner, they will ingrain in their memory that they will be rewarded for good behavior. This is better than the punishment system in which you risk forming a negative connection with your pup.

2. Take them to the vet

As soon as you get the puppy, get him to a veterinarian for a check-up. In this manner, you can ensure that they are perfectly healthy. Have them scheduled for thorough examinations, proper vaccinations, specific health instructions, de-worming, and information on their nutritional needs. You can also have them spayed or neutered based on the doctor’s recommendations. This is an important step in growing a balanced dog. If you skip having them checked by a professional, you risk having a disease left unchecked which can compromise your puppy’s health.

3. Have potty training  

As a responsible parent to your dog, it is your duty to make sure that they dump their wastes in the proper areas. Letting them pee anywhere in your house is unsanitary. Crate training is the way to do this. Place your puppy’s meals inside his cage and close the door behind him. Gradually extend the period of time the cage is closed so that they’ll pee or poop inside the cage after eating. Once it is a habit, they’ll naturally go back into the crate for their bathroom needs.

4. Teach them that biting is bad  

When pups go through teething, they have the tendency to bite everything in the house, even you. Whenever they bite something, lightly tap their nose, maintain eye contact, and firmly say “stop.” Give them a chew toy so that they’ll avoid biting everything else. You can use the chew toy to distract them from what shouldn’t be bitten.

5. Designate a sleeping arrangement

Where your pup sleeps is most likely where he will sleep as he grows up. Designate a place where you want the puppy to sleep. Before bringing him to bed, it is ideal to tire him out first and make sure that all his bathroom needs are taken care of. Make sure that he is relaxed and comfortable. You may include a blanket with the scent of his previous mother or littermates to help him sleep better.

6. Puppy-proof your house  

The safety of your pup is of utmost priority. Prepare the house in the same manner that you would prepare it for a baby. Make sure that there are gates to prevent the puppy from entering restricted areas. Properly store away things with chemical agents that are toxic when swallowed. Stowaway the items that are potential choking hazards.

Owning a puppy requires an immense amount of parental responsibility. It is a long and hard journey to grow them from a pup into a balanced and disciplined dog. But they are definitely worth the energy as they will become your life companion and even your best friend.