The Puppy Blues

Whether your puppy chewed one of your shoes, got into the trash, or is going potty in the house, you are not alone. We’ve all been there, where we think, “What did I do?!”. Just know that this is the time to start training. This is your prime window to teach the puppy what you want from them. 

Let me give you some general tips for success:

First things first, get that puppy on a schedule, fast! Take them potty first thing in the morning, after every meal, right before bed, etc. Doing this consistently allows them to not make the mistake of going to the bathroom in the house. Once the puppy has been on the schedule for a period of time, you can slowly increase the duration between potty breaks.

Second, have boundaries. What does this mean? If you don’t want your dog to jump on the couch, you must be consistent. It’s like the lottery: do we win 90% of the time? No, but we still try because maybe we will get lucky. If you allow your puppy to do something once, they will try again. Being consistent creates clear boundaries.

My last piece of advice is to properly socialize your puppy. This does not mean taking your dog to the dog park or meeting dogs while on a leash. Proper socialization looks like sitting and observing the world without interacting with people or dogs. Take a blanket and sit at the park. Let the puppy take it all in.

A very common issue we see with pets is that the owner lets the dog say ‘hi’ to dogs on a leash, which swiftly leads to leash pulling, whining, barking, etc. You are not depriving your puppy of anything by saying ‘no’. You are doing right by them by saying no. Set up one-on-one play dates for your pup! 

While these are just general puppy tips, there is still plenty more to learn about your pup! If you need a little more assistance, we are here to help. You are not alone! We can set you and your puppy up for success for the rest of their life!