Tips for New Dog Owners

When you’re a first-time dog owner, it’s easy to become very enthusiastic about your new pet. You want to be sure that you do everything right to ensure they have the best health and good behaviour. Here are five tips to help you with your new pup.

• Get Them Used to Handling – Dogs will be handled often during their lives. Vets, groomers, children, family members, and strangers on the street will want to touch and pet your dog. Your pup will also need to have their nails trimmed, their teeth brushed, and may require medication or pills at some throughout their lives. To help get your dog comfortable being handled, it’s essential to get them used to it. To do this, start doing simple things such as grasping their paws, looking in their ears, touching and lifting their tail, petting their belly, and raising their lips to look at their teeth.
• Feed Them the Right Amount as The Right Times – It is important for your young puppies to grow, but it’s vital that they don’t grow too much or too quickly. This can cause pressure on their joints and skeleton that can lead to problems as they age. Be sure to talk to your vet about the right food to feed your dog and develop a good schedule.
• Use Food and Treat Puzzles – When you give your dog treats, use a treat puzzle or dispenser so your pup has to manipulate the treat out of it. It helps to keep them busy and provides mental and physical stimulation.
• Be Serious About Housetraining – Take the time to be consistent, and offer praise and rewards when your dog does the right thing outside. Try to take them out at certain times, like in the morning, after meals, after playing, and before bed. During the day, take them out every 2-4 hours, and stay outside to congratulate them when they do their business.

Get Training for Your Dog That Lasts A Lifetime

When you get your puppy, why not enroll them in our Puppy Training Preschool Program to help develop a good foundation and strong owner-dog relationship that will last throughout their life. Many elements will be addressed, including nipping, housebreaking, and safety between your dog and your children. You may enroll your puppy up until the age of 16 weeks.

If your new dog is a little older, consider our Basic Obedience classes. Our classes help dog owners learn how to become an alpha leader, and teach your dog basic commands such as heel, sit, stay, and come. These commands, along with the others your dog will learn, are essential for developing a basic obedience structure. Our sessions are available at our training centre in a one-on-one environment, or at your home. We encourage you to continue working with your dog after each session to support and reinforce the training they have learned.

To enroll your dog in either our Puppy Training Preschool Program or our Basic Obedience classes, contact Alpha Paws today at 1-877-868-5248 (PAWS).