Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis It's no iPad, but the idea has been around a lot longer and still makes the short list of the most popular Christmas gift ideas: the puppy.
The great thing about the gift of a pup is that it works both ways. After all, there is no better gift for a dog than a loving home.
The downside of Christmas pups is that the idea is not always fleshed out. Bringing a dog into the family means big change. And the big changes come instantly. They don't wait until the chaos of the holidays dies down. They don't wait until the weather warms.
If you find yourself the lucky recipient of a holiday hound, congratulations! You're in the first days of what could be one of the most wonderful relationships of your life. As my Christmas gift to you and your dog, I'd like to share a few "secrets" that will get you off to a good start.
I recently visited a family that just got a 9-week-old puppy. The two little girls are thrilled; their mother, not so much. The pup has gnawed through wires, chewed up furniture and urinated everywhere, and Mom wasn't handling it well. She found the word "no" pushing its way through her lips constantly, to no avail.
The problem wasn't with the dog. It was with the owners. There were a few key things they simply did not know.
First, they didn't know their puppy's personality. This is important information as it is the very foundation of your relationship. Your dog's personality determines how you handle him, how you talk to him, how you train him, how you correct him, as well as what not to do.
Turns out, this family's new pup is shy and scared -- and all that yelling was only making it worse.
Next, they didn't realize their puppy was teething. Just like children, all puppies go through a teething stage that can be quite uncomfortable, even painful. Chewing relieves the discomfort. Now that Mom has a better understanding of the chewing behavior, she can help.
Cheap and easy puppy teething tool: Soak some washcloths in water, roll them up and put them in the freezer. Keep a stockpile on hand to offer your pup whenever he needs a good chew. You'll know when that is.
Finally, Mom didn't want to crate her puppy because she thought it was mean. Done right, though, a crate is exactly the opposite. Your dog's crate should be a safe, warm, comfy retreat, a place all his own. It isn't a punishment and should never be used as such.
The perfect crate will give your dog enough room to stand up and lie down comfortably. It should be of wire construction with good visibility from all angles. Ideally, you'll line the bottom with a padded fleece bed or soft blankets. And he'll even find a few of his favorite chew toys waiting for him inside.
The perfect placement of the crate is in your bedroom or another open, friendly room in the home where the rest of the family congregates. Neither dog nor crate belongs in a laundry room or a closet.
Puppies and dogs, when new to a home, should not have free rein of the house. Housebreaking, for one, requires routine and supervision, and it takes time for a new dog to learn the rules of the home. His crate is a safe place for him to rest when you're sleeping or have to be away for a couple of hours.
For more information on how to get off on the right foot with your new pup, check out my book "I Just Got a Puppy. What Do I Do?"
Woof!
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Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Read all of Uncle Matty's columns at the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com, and visit him at http://www.unclematty.com. Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.
Copyright 2010 Creators Syndicate Inc.
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