CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW PUPPY OR DOG!

There are few things as adorable as a new puppy. And that puppy can grow to be a treasured member of your family if you take the time to work with it now and give it the love and attention it needs to get off to a great start. One important step to ensure your puppy’s health is to be sure to keep up with the schedule of puppy shots your veterinarian recommends. Puppies must have a series of booster shots over the first few months of their lives to ward off dangerous viruses.

Also be sure to talk with your veterinarian about the benefits of spaying/neutering your puppy and the proper age for the procedure. It is our firm belief that, unless you bought a puppy to exhibit at dog shows, every pet is happier and healthier when spayed or neutered. It is also our experience that spayed/neutered dogs have more even temperaments, are less likely to stray and make better pets. Additionally, the responsibilities that come with owning an unaltered dog are tremendous. Please feel free to call us for more information and definitely spend some time talking with your veterinarian on the topic.

NOTE: While the tips below say “puppy,” please note that these methods and tips apply to newly adopted adult dogs too. Just replace “puppy” with “dog” and play by the same rules!

Some quick tips…

n No dog should be an “outside only” dog unless you can truly commit to spending a great deal of time out with the dog AND provide good shelter. Dogs are pack animals that thrive on companionship. When you do the math, you quickly find that an outside only dog is often lucky to have attention for 15 minutes to one hour a day. If left to their own device too long dogs can become lonely, nervous…and inventive (which quickly translates into destructive!). Spend plenty of time with your dog by letting it stay in the house with you as a part of your family. Many dogs do great if they play in the yard while you’re away at work or school, but get to come inside to be with the family when your home (and this includes sleeping inside! That’s eight hours of together time that mean the world to your dog!)

n When house training your puppy remember one important rule: Never let your puppy out of your sight! A puppy can only learn the rules if you are there to teach it. If you can’t watch your puppy, it should be confined in a safe area where it can’t chew anything up. Plus, puppies aren’t born knowing where it’s O.K. to potty and where it’s not. It’s our job to patiently and FAIRLY teach them. Most importantly, remember that PRAISE for going potty in the right place is far more important than punishment for doing wrong. If your puppy potties where you don’t want it to, YOU are the one to be punished for not watching as closely as you should. Confine the pup when you can’t be watching, go outside with the pup for potty outings and PRAISE when the pup does right. If done properly, you’ll find that potty training is easy and your puppy will catch on quickly.

n NEVER call your puppy to you to scold it! That is the quickest was to ensure that you will have a dog that refuses to come when called. Any time you say the words “Spot, come!” it should be for something good…a food treat, a hug, a walk, etc. If you see your puppy doing something wrong, instead of calling it, go to the puppy to correct it.

n Don’t over-correct your puppy. Puppies know “here and now”—this instant in time, not five minutes ago, or five seconds for that matter. Say you catch your puppy chewing a shoe, you yell “NO!” and the pup drops the shoe and looks at you. It is IMMEDIATELY a good puppy and should be praised and redirected to one of its toys! Shoe in mouth is bad, shoe out of mouth is good. Do not go on for 10 minutes after the puppy has dropped the shoe or it will never understand what it did wrong. Praise for being in the right is as, if not more important than punishment for being wrong.

n While your puppy is young, DO invite friends and neighbors over to visit and play so your puppy will be well socialized and comfortable around strangers. After your puppy has had a couple of rounds of booster shots to guard it against exposure to Parvo and other deadly viruses, DO make an effort to take it out and about for walks (always on leash!) and car rides to meet other people and “see the world.”

n Do check into enrolling your puppy in a good training school for puppy classes (or beginner’s obedience for adult dogs!). What your puppy learns in the age period from eight to 16 weeks will go a long way toward determining what type of personality it will have as an adult. You and your new dog deserve every opportunity for success!

n If you have children, NEVER leave your puppy (or dog!) and children together without adult supervision. Children can quickly frighten a puppy and must be taught how to play with the puppy properly. Avoid accidents! Stay with the kids and the puppy to help them learn how to get along.

n Remember…your puppy’s future depends on you. If your puppy develops behaviors that you find unacceptable, chances are you may have unintentionally helped shape those bad behaviors. Think about your actions around the puppy, remain patient and consistent, use positive reinforcement and you will be on the road to having the dog of your dreams.

Tulsa Animal Shelter

www.tulsa-animalshelter.org

669-6283