Now you own a new puppy! Congratulations! It will be a fun time for you and your puppy if you follow a few guidelines.

Your puppy should be supervised or confined until he is completely house trained.  This means to confine your puppy in a room such as the kitchen or a bathroom or use a crate/pet kennel.  Your puppy may whine or cry the first few nights. Don't give in! Just ignore them. Never use the crate/pet kennel for punishment. You want this to be the puppy's safe place.  

House Breaking

House breaking is a timely job, but you will get through it. Always take your puppy outside, on a leash, to the same spot every time. Encourage them "Go Potty", sometimes it may take ten minutes or longer before going. Don't play with them! Just keep encouraging them. When they have finished, Praise, Praise! Show them a lot of enthusiasm and that you are very happy with them! They will soon get the idea that this pleases you and they will start to do it faster after a while so they get the praise sooner.

If your puppy can't make it through the night without having to go out, take away food and water by 6 p.m. Take your puppy out right before you go to sleep at night to help extend the time your puppy will have to go next.

Other times your puppy will have to go are after waking from a nap, eating, or playing.

Always use the same door and go to the same spot.

Chewing

At about 3 to 4 months of age, your puppy will start to teethe. Make sure you have something hard for them to chew. Nylabones are good. They can't chew them up, nor do you have the fear of them choking on pieces they chew off. Konk toys are a good toy. They are a hard rubber which they can't chew pieces off.  Avoid stuffed animals, ropes, soft squeak toys and other types of toys you puppy can associate with item within your home you do not what the puppy to get.  Remember, if you give your puppy an old shoe, how is he to know the difference between that old shoe and a new pair you just purchased.

Leash Training

When you bring your pup home, put a training collar on right away and leave it on them whenever you are around (NEVER LEAVE A TRAINING COLLAR ON ANY DOG WHEN THE DOG IS UNATTENDED).  Let the puppy play, dragging first the collar only then after about 1 week the collar and a leash. This will make leash training a lot easier.

Start obedience training at an early age (4 months). This will help prevent any unwanted behavior problems from starting. You will be communicating with each other, which will make them understand better of what is expected of them.

Problem Solving

Don't allow play biting at all! If you puppy starts play biting you can use a squirt bottle (bottle should have never had any chemicals in it, use only water) squirt the puppy in the face and use the word ‘NO’ in a long deep voice, you should not scream or yell at your puppy.

Don't allow jumping up on you.  With your hands placed on the puppies shoulders gently push the puppy back so he has all 4 paws on the ground and use the word ‘NO’ in a long deep voice, you should not scream or yell at your puppy.

Socializing

The first sixteen weeks is very important for socializing, so your puppy won't be afraid of other people, animals or noises around them.

Introduce your puppy to different appliances and tools that they will be coming into contact with, for example a vacuum cleaner you can start by playing with your puppy around the vacuum while it is turned off, do not start with it on as this will only scare the puppy, as the puppy is getting used to the vacuum you turn it on for a short time and encourage your puppy not for fear this appliance, be careful a little hesitation or fear may prevent an injury.

Touch and handle your puppy all over their body, especially inside their mouth. Handle their feet, trim their nails once a week, and bathe them every two weeks.

Socialize your puppy, around other dogs, animals, and people. Never pick up your puppy and hand them to someone! Let the pup go to them! Encourage them, tell them it's OK, but never force them!

Socialize your pup around kids at parks, where they can see them on swings, slides, bikes, etc. Let the pup check out these things and the kids so they will learn to accept these things.

Basic Health

Make sure you keep up your puppy’s shots up to date, puppies should begin the puppy shots at around 8 weeks and have a booster every 3 to 4 week, your vet may recommend a series of 3 or 4 sets of shots. Puppy shots are just as important as shots for your kids.

Feed you puppy a good quality puppy food for the 1^st full year and then switch them to an adult formula. Muddy Paws feeds and recommends Nutro brand dog foods.