July 2009

To punish a puppy feels similar to punishing a baby. Have you heard of any one spanking a baby? That may only lead to the adult feeling bad when the baby starts crying. A tiny baby will not learn from punishment, and puppies are no different. Your treatment of your new puppy is affecting the way your dog will see your whole relationship, similar to a child.

If you choose to punish a puppy, the most you’ll do is frighten it and make it wary of you. If you smack a puppy, even gently, all it knows is the pain of the strike and the fear it feels at that moment toward you. It’s too inexperienced to understand the concept of wrong and right, so it doesn’t learn.

If your little puppy is gnawing on something as an example, and you punish it with even a light tap, naturally it will probably stop what it’s doing. It’s probably afraid of you know as it probably felt agony from the smack. It can’t tell that it was being punished for what he was doing, however, so he does not learn the consequences of his actions.

You may also hurt your relationship if you shout at your puppy. A puppy will certainly stop what it’s doing when you startle it with a scream. But again, the young dog doesn’t understand the link between its actions and your roaring. Even the angry tone of your voice may cause your puppy to be afraid for a second.

Punishing a puppy like this may only make it think that you’re mean and make it terrified of you. It doesn’t see why you frighten it, so it will not trust you. This can keep the little dog from ever truly warming up to you, and you will be unable to have a good relationship as the dog grows.

Some dogs will make a response to you in a defeated way because they are more passive. Your dog won’t ever trust you, even if it stays in line out of fear. More dour dogs will feel threatened by you, so will resist your authority. Dogs are pack animals, and if your dog thinks it should be the leader, you could be in for many behavioral issues giant and little.

In the best case eventuality, your relationship with your dog will not be almost as good as it might be.

Use gentle correction when you discipline your puppy because he does something he shouldn’t do, just like a little child. Use delicate movements and a kind but firm tone of voice, so that your dog understands to stop without becoming frightened.

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You can’t have a puppy without puppy toys anymore than you would have a tiny child without toys. But you wouldn’t give a child toys with small removable parts, bead eyes or long strings because those could pose significant safety hazards for your baby. Puppies are basically baby dogs, so you must use the same good judgment when you buy the best toys for your young dog as when you purchase toys for your baby.

Find toys that are pleasurable to your puppy. They need the toys to chew on and to give them something stimulating to do. If they do not have toys, they will think that your show and furniture will be enough . Confirm there are no pointy edges on the toys. Puppies are still discovering their balance and coordination. Anything that could potentially harm them while they’re in this stage should be removed, and actually no toys that could be painful to them should be allowed.

You need to make sure that the toys aren’t too small. Similar to a baby, a puppy will bite and gnaw on anything. Anything tiny or anything that could be broken into tiny puppies might choke your puppy.

A pet store is the ideal place to find toys for puppies. All of their toys are specially designed to be safe and fun for puppies. Toys range from wonderful chew toys for teething puppies to toys that excite their interest. Toys that move or roll are excellent. After about 3 months, a puppy will enjoy gnawing. Its instinct is to chew, and it helps them cut teeth, just like infants. So anything that they can gnaw without destroying makes the ultimate toy.

It is not necessary to spend a lot. Toys found in the kids’s department might also apply to puppies. Balls or cylinders that roll are ideal, as long as there are no tiny or moving parts and the material isn’t so soft that your puppy can easily destroy it by gnawing. Make sure balls or any toys are not so little that they can become lodged in your puppy’s mouth or can be swallowed.

Kong rubber toys are among the best toys for puppies. The hard rubber is good for gnawing, and they come in fun shapes. The centers are hollow so you can fill them with dog treats to give your young dog special motivation for gnawing.

Squeaky toys are fun for pups, too, but do keep a watch on their status and junk them when they show too much sign of wear. The “squeaker” is a tiny piece that could be potentially dangerous if it comes out.

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