For convenience, we will refer to your dog as “she” rather than “he or she”.
It is important for every dog owner when caring for a new puppy to realize that the temperament of your dog, and her future behaviour, enjoyment and appreciation of life, are heavily influenced by how she is treated by you, and the other members of your family, while she is very young.
Do your best to see the world from her perspective. Even though she will invariably grow to be a real companion and source of much pleasure for you, remember that she is a dog and not a human being. You must keep this thought in mind from the start, and bear it in mind throughout her training and adult years. This will help tremendously in eliminating, or at least minimizing, any behavioural problems commonly found in dogs. It will also increase your alertness and awareness of the onset of any problem behaviour, and allow you to rectify the problem quickly, before it becomes established.
When you first bring your new puppy home keep in mind that she is about to experience, over the coming weeks, a wealth of new and exciting and bewildering experiences. These will leave a marked impression on her and we would all want that impression to be positive and enjoyable. Your care and encouragement will help her to adjust to her new life without her mother (and father) and her brothers and sisters, as well as all her other early companions.
These early weeks are times of stress for her, so you need to ensure that she is gently, gradually and lovingly assisted to integrate smoothly into her new family. Special care and assistance may be needed if other animals are already part of your family.
We wish you every training success and years of enjoyment for both you and your dog.
