Bonding with Your New Puppy

My Wanda when she was an adorable pup :)

Once you have made the decision to get a new pup, there’s a ton of work to do. First and foremost, hide your shoes. Puppies like to chew and shoes seem to make good chew toys. Expect to put in a lot of time training your new four-legged friend. But, what I wanted to talk about today isn’t training. It’s that bond that forms between you and your pup. If you’ve had a dog before, you know there’s nothing like it. Sure, cats are ok. I have two of them, myself. But I’ve never seen the level of devotion from a cat that I have from my dogs. Maybe that’s because cats are more independent, but what results is them mostly being affectionate when they need something.

You may agree or disagree about the bond between a man and his cat, but that doesn’t change the fact that dogs are man’s best friend. I’m so used to having a dog in my life that I’ve taken that bond for granted. I realized this when I got a new puppy. She was just so darn cute; I wanted her to be my instant BFF. But, we have to remember that when a puppy comes into your home, it’s a completely new environment, you’re a stranger and they are scared. Every pup warms up at their own rate. It took Wanda quite some time compared to other dogs I’ve had in my life, but now she doesn’t leave my side. She’s sleeping by my feet as I write this.

Here are some tips to avoid overwhelming your puppy in its new surroundings:

1. If you have another dog, introduce them outside the home to avoid any potential aggression. This day is scary enough for your new friend; she doesn’t need a bully making it worse.

2. Give him some space. I know, it’s tempting to want to hold the new pup constantly, but it’s important that you let him explore his new digs on his own terms. He might even hide at first. If that happens, just let him be. He’ll come out when he’s ready.

3. Designate a spot that is all her own. It might be a crate or just some simple dog bedding, but she needs a place she can go to feel safe while she’s getting used to the new place.

4. Give him a day or two to get used to the new place before you start any intense training. In the meantime, keep an eye out when he roams around the house and send him to the wee-wee pads when he has to do his business. This getting-to-know-you phase is also a great time to research the top online schools for dog training techniques. It’s almost time to get into the more serious training, so you want to be prepared.