I had no idea how selfish I was being when other people’s dogs would jump on me and I’d say, “Oh, that’s OK. I don’t mind.” Wow! How thoughtless and inconsiderate! What about big dogs, small people, wet dogs, muddy dogs, the elderly or fearful people? Is jumping on them OK too? I think NOT! I apologize to anyone whose dog training I interfered with. My love and enthusiasm for [...] Read more »
Your Pup’s Safe Place… The Crate Part 2
Back in the post “He’s Here. The Early Days”, I suggested getting half a dozen or so stuffable chewtoys*. These are specific purpose toys. With these you will develop Bozo Pup’s acceptable object-chewing habit. Chewing is a natural behaviour for puppies. You will want to indulge that behaviour and enable him to form acceptable chewing habits. Squeaky toys, stuffed toys and balls are other use toys. Stuffed chewtoys are always to [...] Read more »
Your Pup’s Safe Place…The Crate
The crate. If you’ve done good homework and chosen a breeder who home-raised puppies, chances are good, Bozo will already be familiar with a crate. Many dogs I know will seek out a cave-like space under a desk or behind a chair next to a wall so we know the ‘cave’ concept is acceptable to them. The crate is Bozo’s moveable haven. Read more »
Your New Puppy Has Arrived…The Early Days
Even as I write all that needs to happen in order to a) Be ready to bring the puppy home and b) To integrate him into your family, I feel the pressure of “so much to do, so little time.” I sincerely hope you’re reading this while you’re in the “maybe we’ll get a puppy” stage. Having a plan will make Bozo’s moving in much easier. It doesn’t matter where [...] Read more »
There’s A New Puppy Coming To Your House!
So, there’s a puppy coming to your house! Wow! That’s exciting. A bit scary too if you think about it. This brand new creature will be totally dependent on you for the next 10 – 12 years. It will learn what you teach it. If you don’t teach it anything, it will learn from that, too. So, you see,training your puppy to fit into your home and lifestyle makes sense. [...] Read more »