Introducing a dog to your family is an exciting experience. A fluffy little addition to your loving household is something you won’t regret but it’s also something that you have to be entirely prepared for. As with a baby, there are responsibilities that come with owning a dog. It isn’t just something cute to look at, and, whilst this may be a stereotypical thing to say, a dog certainly isn’t just for Christmas. You have to accept that he or she is going to get bigger and they’re going to require a certain level of love and attention. Still, it’s worth it for the companionship and fun you’re going to have with your new family member. Here’s a “woof” guide to looking after a puppy if you’re new to the world of dogs.
Training. This is something you need to do straight away. A newborn puppy is much like a newborn human baby; they’ll be growing and emotional in their early days which means it’s important that you get their training in early so as to ensure they don’t develop bad habits. Potty training needs to be at the top of the priority list so that your new pet knows they absolutely cannot pee on your rugs, carpets, couches, or beds. They have to know where their toilet is. You need to draw boundaries so as to reinforce these things.
Of course, positive reinforcement is crucial when it comes to training your dog. Your pet has to know that he or she is loved rather than feeling as if they’re a slave being forced to obey commands. You need to feed them a treat to let them know that they’ve done a good job and keep doing that throughout their life; you could learn more here if you wanted some options in terms of tasty dog treats. The key is that you’re giving your dog an incentive to behave. They need to associate something good with the rules and commands they’re being given. Food is always the answer.
Money. Bringing up a dog, much like everyone else in your family, requires money. There’s the cost of dog food, leashes, bedding, toys, vet bills, and other things that all add up over time. You need to be sure that you can afford to look after a puppy before you get one. The worst thing you could do as a dog owner is to fail to look after your dog properly. You shouldn’t be cutting corners or failing to make ends meet. If you don’t think you’ll be able to feed or look after your dog properly then you shouldn’t get one.
Responsibility. As a final point, pulling from all the previous points, owning and taking care of a dog is a big responsibility. You need to ask yourself whether you’re ready for this big new responsibility in your life. Looking after a dog requires time and availability; you can’t be a dog owner if you’re out of the house for days at a time. They need walking and feeding every day, so there needs to be someone around essentially all the time to ensure that both of those things are provided for your lovely little dog. Are you ready for that responsibility?
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