Bringing home your new puppy

This is such an exciting time and critical time in your new pups life. Getting things right from the start will help you develop your dog into a wonderful companion and help to reduce or avoid many of the common problems people encounter. 

Puppy development is pretty fast (compared to us humans) and many of the things they learn during early puppyhood will impact and influence their development into adulthood. 

To enable your puppy to be the best dog he or she can be there are some critical timelines in their early development:

• Socialisation with People -by 12 weeks of age -The Most Urgent Priority
• Learning Bite Inhibition (soft mouth)- by 18 weeks of age- The Most Important Priority (people & dogs)
• Preventing Adolescent Problems —by five months of age -The Most Enjoyable Priority

 One of the best things you can do for your pup is to attend Puppy training, either in a class or one-on-one with an Industry Accredited Professional Dog Trainer.

Puppy training should provide a wonderful opportunity for your pup to develop their people and canine social skills using play to incorporate their learning in a nonthreatening and controlled setting.

Shy and fearful pups quickly gain confidence and bullies learn to tone it down and be gentle.

This means 'puppy class' shouldn't be spent with your pup on a lead and you just sitting or standing around listening to someone talk for most of the lesson, the best puppy classes spend most of the time with pups off lead not on in it.

For some great information download  'After you get your puppy' provided by the fantastic Dr Ian Dunbar