If you feel the time is right to introduce your kids to a puppy, there’s a lot to consider before the day when you bring home your 4-legged addition to the family. While this is an exciting time, there are a few mistakes to avoid when you take on the responsibility of raising a puppy, which we outline in this short article.

Choosing The Wrong Breed

This would be a disaster that can be avoided by doing some online research into dog breeds and their temperaments. Dogs can be split into 3 groups; small, medium and large, while certain breeds are easier to train than others; every dog has needs and you need to be sure that you can provide what he needs to live a full and active life. A balanced diet is also important and with natural dog food online at Pet Shop Boyz, you can save money and order in bulk.

Failing To Teach Key Words

You can’t train a puppy until it learns what certain words mean; short commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘heel’ and ‘come’. Repetition is all it takes for a puppy to understand and with positive behaviour reinforcement, he will soon understand what is required.

Under-Exposing The Puppy To New Experiences

This can quickly lead to negative behaviour, as the puppy quickly becomes bored. New experiences might include walking on different surfaces, meeting other dogs, meeting new people, being exposed to new sights, sounds and smells. He needs regular stimulation and he will quickly become familiar with his new world.

Failure To Recognise Positive Behaviour

If he isn’t praised when he gets things right, he will quickly lose interest; all dog trainers agree that positive behaviour reinforcement works. If you are unsure as to whether your training techniques are up to scratch, why not enrol your pup in local training classes, where you will learn more about your dog and how best to interact?

Using A Single Cue For Multiple Behaviours

A classic example would be ‘down’ when you want him to get off the furniture; if you also use the word ‘down’ to mean lie down, then the dog can easily be confused.

There are free resources online to help you prepare for the arrival of your new family member and you should enjoy many years of companionship with your 4-legged family member.