Bringing a dog into your family can be one of the most exciting and rewarding times in your life. Our four-legged friends bring us so much joy and each one has their own unique personality. Although dogs can bring us heaps of love and happiness during their lives, there’s no denying that they require a lot of hard work and attention from an early age. Failing to train your dog from the get-go, will cause you numerous problems as it gets older.
Since the pandemic hit last year, many families have made the decision to bring a dog into their lives, due to the amount of time we’re all spending at home. Although this has been an extremely exciting period for many people, it’s crucial that dog owners use this time to correctly train the new addition to their family. I wanted to share some useful tips for first-time dog owners after I came across a campaign by Lords & Labradors. Ten important tips can be found on the visual they have created, but I have picked out some of the most useful below.
Give your dog some space
It’s natural to have all members of your family wanting to cuddle and play with your new puppy, but it’s important that your new addition doesn’t feel overwhelmed by all of the affection. When you introduce your dog to your home, give them some space for a period of time, as this will allow them to become familiar with their surroundings and feel less anxious.
It’s also important to remember that every puppy is different, therefore don’t be alarmed if they take themselves off to their bed and want to stay there for a while. It won’t be long until they're bouncing around the house and causing mischief.
Create a comforting space
Puppies often feel anxious during the night, which can lead to them crying for attention. One way to make your puppy feel more relaxed is to create a comforting place for them to enjoy. Place their bed in a quiet area of the house, so they can have their own quiet space. Another good tip is to leave them with a hot water bottle filled with warm water each night, as this will replicate the feeling that their mother is next to them.
First-time dog owners can often find night time routines hard to master at first, but your puppy will get used to being on its own. It just takes time and patience.
Make sure your puppy knows who is boss!
With puppies being so incredibly adorable, it’s hard to set boundaries at times, but it’s important to make sure you set out the rules from an early age. For example, if you know that later down the line when your dog is much older you don’t want them on the sofa, it’s crucial you don’t occasionally lift them on as a puppy for a cuddle.
It can be extremely confusing for dogs if one minute they're allowed to do things and the next they’re not. So before you get your dog, it’s important that you and everyone in your household set out some rules, which will make it easier for you and your dog in the long-run.
I hope that this post has been useful for anyone looking into getting a dog. We all know how rewarding having a dog can be, it’s just important to make sure you train them from an early age and complete your research so you know what to expect. It would be great to hear if you have any tips you found useful when training your dog. Share your comments below and on social, using #FirstTimeDogOwner.
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