Who didn’t dream of receiving a puppy for the holidays? Every year, thousands of families choose to adopt a puppy or dog into the family. In addition, many pups are given away as presents to individuals as a cuddly gift and companion.
Dogs are genuinely man’s best friend and could be considered the gift that keeps giving. That is until that gift grows up to be untrained and unruly. Whether you adopt a puppy or an older dog, most canines need some training and behavioral instruction to help them seamlessly adapt to their new family.
To Give or Not to Give – Should You Gift a Puppy For the Holidays?
The ASPCA recommends “giving pets as gifts only to people who have expressed a sustained interest in owning one and the ability to care for it responsibly.” This includes providing financial support for the animal and spending sufficient time training it.
Puppies who have never received training need to learn the foundations of listening to their owners, behaving on walks, and more. Older adopted dogs may have bad habits, such as jumping on strangers or pulling on leashes during walks.
On the positive side, giving a dog as a gift or getting one as a present for the whole family is a beautiful way for everyone to welcome the new addition to the home and build a bond. Furthermore, raising, training, and caring for a new dog can establish lifelong positive memories while teaching children responsibility.
Here are a few tips and suggestions to help you prepare for training your new furry family member!
Accidents happen! Puppies need time to develop & learn potty training skills.
The Dos and Don’ts of Training When You Get a Puppy for the Holidays
Do: Sign Up for Training and Behavioral Classes
Hire a professional to guide you through the intricate process of thoroughly training and instructing your dog! They will know how to read your dog’s body language and breed to offer tailored advice and services. Check Out the Pawsitive K9 Solutions in Los Angeles to get started!
Do: Educate the Whole Family
Training and managing the new puppy shouldn’t fall on just one family member. For everyone to live comfortably, the dog must be able to handle directions from everyone—even the children or guests. Starting your dog off on the right paw by making them listen to everyone will ensure they are set up for success when interacting with various people!
Don’t: Forget to Practice
The instruction shouldn’t stop as soon as you exit the training facility. Make sure you practice in between class sessions to reinforce what you learned. It is often said that dog training and behavioral sessions are just as much for the owners as it is for the dogs!
Do: Stay Consistent
Even after Spot graduates from training and behavior sessions, it’s important to upkeep what he learned! Just like humans, dogs can become rusty when they haven’t practiced their skills in a while. Try to incorporate obedience and trick training into your daily routine.
Don’t: Skip Classes
Successful dog training requires persistence. As such, signing up for sessions and holding yourself accountable for attending each session is crucial. Pups do well with consistency, and attending regular sessions to learn new skills that build on each other is precisely what they need to become well-trained family members!
Check out Pawsitive K9 Solutions Puppy Day School sessions in Los Angeles. These sessions equip your pup with everything it needs to be a confident, relaxed, and well-mannered adult dog.
Do: Enjoy Your New Pup!
Pups typically enjoy and value the time they get to spend with their owners in training sessions. Training your new pup can be something you enjoy and even look forward to! Use this time to get to know and bond with your dog.
We’ve done the research, so you don’t have to! For more tips and tricks about dog ownership, please look at our Pawsitive K9 Solution Blog. Are you ready to get started with Los Angeles dog training? We invite you to Contact Us for a 90-minute consultation!
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