Merry Christmas Puppy!

There's nothing more fun than a new puppy... for the first few days. And then reality sets in that your new puppy has some flaws (at least according to human standards). He poops on the floor, cries at night, barks, chews on the furniture, and steals your favorite shoes. In short, he's a monster.

Okay, maybe he's not as bad as that. But puppies are a lot of work. Parents who are considering adding a new puppy this Christmas would be wise to ask themselves a few questions before placing a little bundle of fur under the tree: 

· Am I ready for the expense of having a puppy? From the cost of a new pair of heels to the required veterinary care, even the healthiest of pups can cost a mint the first year. And they continue to cost a lot, usually for over a decade.

· Am I ready to take care of a puppy? Think the kids will feed and water the dog, train the dog, and walk the dog? Think again. By the time most kids are responsible enough to care for a dog, they are too busy to be bothered. Parents tend to end up the primary caregivers, or at the very least, they end up following the children around making sure they have provided for Pup.

· Am I ready to make sure my puppy receives adequate socialization? A healthy puppy requires more than food and water. He needs to be socialized before he is 12 weeks old in order to be emotionally healthy.

· Am I ready to entertain the puppy? A bored puppy is a force of destruction. He will spend a lot of time exploring his environment. If you don't find ways to entertain him you will find that he entertains himself in ways you may regret.

· Am I ready to make a lifetime commitment to this puppy? He's going to get big, and then he's going to get old. If you cannot be there for him when he is geriatric then please consider getting a hamster.

Be committed and ready before you bring the dog home. If you answered yes to all of these questions, and if you are willing to remain calm in the face of destruction then you may be ready for a puppy. But this is a decision with long-lasting consequences for everyone involved. Christmas is over in a day, but your puppy needs care for decades.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Merry-Christmas-Puppy!&id=9591234

How Old Does Your Puppy Need To Be To Begin Obedience Training?

If you have a new puppy then you probably picked your new puppy up, brought him home, and may have let him start playing in a little pen in your home. You may be laughing at the way he rolls around on the padding you got to protect your carpet or floor. He may be nipping at your fingers. And you may already be wondering how soon you can start training and how intensive it can be.

Many dog owners begin training their puppies at the wrong time. They may start too soon, and other people may wait too long and they may have a rebellious adolescent dog who likes to tear things up. Here's some information to help you know when and how to handle early obedience training.

House training

House training your puppy should begin as soon as you bring it home. Ideally, you won't pick up a puppy from the breeder or the pound until he's at least 8 weeks of age. It's important for your puppy to spend his first few weeks with his mother and littermates so he can learn about being a dog.

Dogs learn the basic concepts of canine social life in these first few weeks. Without this early period with their mother and littermates they can develop problems with nipping and aggression. Later, after your puppy comes to live with you, you should spend time socializing your puppy with people and other dogs.

It's very important that your puppy interact with other dogs, other people, children and strange new places before he is 20 weeks old for the sake of his mental and social development. With regard to house training, hopefully your puppy's house training will be completed by the time it is 16 weeks of age

You can make house training go faster by using crate training as soon as you bring your puppy home. This will help your puppy understand how to hold their pee longer than a few seconds.

Basic Obedience

You can pursue basic obedience training with your puppy anytime after the age of 4 months. You can do this at home or in a class. The training should cover basics such as sit, stay, lie down and anything else you would like your puppy to know. These commands are very simply and, with the right approach, you can teach them to your puppy in just a few days.

If you teach your puppy these commands when he is young, he will learn that you are his pack leader, and he will also learn these lessons thoroughly and remember them all his life.

Future Training

Once your puppy's basic obedience training is completed, you have a long time to train him to do other things. For most people and their dogs, the basics are enough.

If you decide you want your puppy to learn new tricks, you should make sure they are old enough to handle any physical stress involved. A dog should be full grown before they are asked to sprint, jump, or dive. These activities can cause great stress to a young dog's body.

Puppy's are a big responsibility. They require lots of attention, authority, and time to bond with their owner. If you try to train your puppy too soon you can make them fearful and anxious. If you wait too long, you can allow your puppy to become overbearing and aggressive.

Bring your puppy home at the right age, train him at the right age, and be consistent with training as he gets older. Your first few weeks together can be frustrating but the extra work you put in will pay off.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Old-Does-Your-Puppy-Need-To-Be-To-Begin-Obedience-Training?&id=8190536

5 Things You Need For A New Puppy

For a dog lover, there are few things more exciting than getting a new puppy. Whether you're adopting a puppy from an animal shelter or getting a puppy from a breeder, bringing home a new "bundle of joy" is a happy day. But before you bring home your new puppy you need to plan ahead. Here are some supplies you need for a new puppy to make his homecoming go smoothly.

Puppy Food

1. At the top of the list of supplies you need for a new puppy is your puppy's food. Puppies have a relatively delicate digestive system and it can easily be upset by switching their food suddenly. No matter where you're obtaining your puppy, make sure that you talk to whoever has been feeding him or her and find out what your puppy has been eating. In almost all cases it's best to stick with this diet for the first few days while your puppy is adjusting to your home. There will be enough excitement in your puppy's life during these days without changing his food, too. If your puppy has been growing and doing well on the food he's eating then you will probably want to stay with it. On the other hand, if your puppy has been experiencing any problems with the food - diarrhea, poor coat, not thriving - you will need to change the food slowly. Talk to your vet or experienced dog people about good foods for puppies.

Puppy Bowl

2. Bowls, dishes, pans. Your new puppy will, of course, need some dish ware for his meals and a bowl for his water. Stainless steel pans are a good choice. They are easy to clean. They do have the drawback of clanging and moving around easily unless you buy bowls that are weighted on the bottom to prevent them from moving. Ceramic dishes are also a good choice. Make sure that you choose ceramic dishes that are dishwasher-safe if you have a dishwasher. You should steer clear of plastic bowls. Many dogs have a slight allergic reaction to the plastic in the bowls which can lead to bumps and pimples on their muzzles. The plastic in the bowls can also lead to "snow nose" or make your dog's nose pink instead of dark.

When choosing bowls for your dog it's best to choose a size that's appropriate to your dog's size. If you choose an extremely large bowl for your dog you may be more tempted to overfill it with food which can lead to your dog becoming overweight. If your dog has long ears you may want to get a deep bowl with a small opening at the top so your dog can't get his ears in the food.

Keep your dog's water dish filled at all times and clean it regularly. Dogs don't like dirty water any more than people do. If you have multiple dogs you may want to consider getting a small bucket for their water so you can keep it filled more easily.

Puppy Collar, leash & harness

3. Collar and leash. Even a young puppy will need a collar and leash. There are many different kinds of collars from which to choose but some of them are intended for training and not for everyday use. Do not allow your puppy to wear a choke chain or slip collar as his normal collar. These are training collars and some dogs - especially young puppies - can get them caught on things and choke themselves. A flat buckle collar is an appropriate collar for a young puppy. You can also use this kind of collar when you take your puppy to the vet or for walks. Nylon or leather are both fine for this kind of collar but you should remember that you probably don't want to spend a lot of money on a collar for a young puppy since you'll be replacing this collar a couple of times before your puppy is an adult dog. You can get a leash to match the collar. A six-foot leash is a good normal length for walking your dog but you will usually keep your puppy much closer to you and not let him use the full length of the leash.

When fitting your puppy's collar it should fit around his neck and you should be able to slip two fingers between the collar and your puppy's neck. Otherwise the collar is too tight. A collar that is too loose is also dangerous since your puppy can slip out of it and get loose when you're walking him.

Puppy Toy

4. Toys and chewies. Every puppy needs toys and safe things to chew on. These are not simply luxury items for your puppy! If you don't provide your puppy with toys and chewies he will absolutely begin to chew on your belongings. Give your puppy his own toys and chew things and he will be far less likely to chew on inappropriate things like your shoes, furniture and TV remotes. Give him a good selection of toys and chews. There are many great toys for dogs these days from simple stuffies to interactive toys. Chews come in all flavors and in different types: rope toys, rawhides, Nylabones, Kongs which can be stuffed with treats, and so on. Give your puppy things so he can entertain himself and he will be much kinder and gentler with your possessions.

Puppy Bed

5. Bed. Your puppy will also need a place to sleep. Even if you allow your puppy to sleep on your own bed it's also a good idea for your puppy to have his own spot. Your puppy needs a place to go where he can get away from everything. When the house gets hectic and he wants to retreat, your puppy needs a quiet place to nap. Consider getting a crate for your puppy. Crate training your puppy is always a good idea. It can help with housetraining, with transporting your puppy in your vehicle, and if your puppy ever needs to fly on a plane.

These are the basic supplies you need for a new puppy. You can have all of these supplies in place before you bring your puppy home. If you prepare for your new puppy in advance it will be that much easier for you to help him adapt to his new home.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Things-You-Need-For-A-New-Puppy&id=8154719