Getting a puppy can be one of the most exciting experiences for you and your family.

It is very likely that you have:

• Spent time and effort researching a dog which is the right breed and temperament for your family.

• Invested in the initial outlay for bedding, a collar and lead.

• Found the best vet to give your puppy their injections.

• Committed to paying the continuous cost of food, toys and vets bills.

• Taken out insurance and anything else that will keep you dog fit and healthy.

The area that is absolutely CRUCIAL to your dogs happiness, health and safety is YOUR education and lifetime investment in understanding his/her language.

The behavioural problems that can develop is due to the fact that you are human and your dog is a ‘pack’ animal. It is understandable that you will treat your dog in a human way and will innocently miss the areas your dog looks for leadership.

By signing up for my FREE reports at the top right hand corner of the site you’ll receive my ‘Who’s Walking Who?’ E-Book, a video of how to best work with dog aggression plus 2 Webinars on natural feeding and natural remedies for dogs. These items are usually valued at £27  but I’m giving them to you absolutely FREE so you can start making a difference with your dog today.

Additionally, so you can start off on the right footing, I would like to give you some tips for when you are looking for a puppy and tips for when you’ve brought your new arrival home.

What to look for when buying a puppy

• Ask to see your puppy’s mother and ideally the father too. Are they good natured, healthy and good with their puppies?

• Watch your puppy interact with his/her brothers and sisters.

All dogs have individual characters, some are naturally more subservient while others are more dominant, this is not due to the breed but rather the dog’s temperament. In the way that two children in a family have two different personalities, dogs are the same. So to help discover what character the puppies are likely to have:

• Ask the breeder who is dominant when feeding and playing. Good breeders will know the different type of characters in the litter.

A dog who demonstrates this type of behaviour would be best suited to a family without children and those looking for a dog with dominant features.

• Ask the breeder who tends to hold back, but is ahead of some of his/her siblings, when feeding and playing.

This type of dog would tend to be more relaxed and easy going.

• Ask the breeder who is pushed to the back when eating and playing.

This type of dog is likely to have a nervous and shy character, or naturally submissive.

So, lets go on to some tips for when you arrive home with your puppy:

• Ensure when you arrive home you take your puppy out for his/her toileting straight away, you can train your dog to do so in a designated area if you wish. Associate a word such as ‘tinkle’ when your puppy is doing so and reward with a tidbit and gently praise. This will make a good connection that there is a good place for your puppy to toilet and will be invaluable when you want your dog to toilet, you give the command ‘tinkle’ and your dog knows he/she needs to empty his/her bladder!

• Allow your puppy to smell and get use to his/her surroundings. Reassure with gentle smiles and calmness.

• Avoid over fussing and excitability around the puppy, he/she is trying to adjust to being away from his/her previous family and warm, gentle affection will help this integration.

• Introduce your puppy to his/her bed so he/she knows where he/she can go when he/she needs to sleep or have some ‘quiet time.’ The bed needs to offer an enclosed, safe and secure place.

• Play with your puppy, ensuring that you win any ‘tug of war’ games, as this demonstrates your  higher ranking status from the beginning.

• Do not let your puppy gorge himself/herself with food when you first bring him/her home, he/she has been used to competing for food with his/her siblings and will very likely continue this urgency at meal times. Let your puppy explore, play with him/her, leave water down and wait for him/her to ask for something to eat by looking for something rather than just investigating. This will avoid the tummy upsets commonly seen in young puppies and trips to the vet.

I hope you have found this helpful and remember this is only the beginning to understanding your dog and communicating in his/her language. In order to continue your education complete the boxes at the top right hand side of the website and claim your FREE book, video and Webinars, worth over £27, absolutely FREE. 

This really is invaluable information and when implemented when your dog is young, prevents so many unwanted behavioural problems and gives you a calm, happy and healthy dog 🙂