Helping Your Puppy Get Used To Your Household *

*Collaborative Post.

Puppies are natural explorers. They’re interested in everything. While this is incredibly cute and fun to witness, it’s true to say that this is not necessarily an idea situation for you. Many puppies, for instance, would quite happily run out from the driveway and into the wider street if they were given the chance to. Without an understanding of the dangers that lie there, and of course, without a person’s ability to reason and predict, it falls to us as owners to make sure that they’re safe and shielded from their more boisterous impulses.

This means that protecting them, as you might with the best pet insurance, is a great idea. But it’s also true to help them learn your household as their home, including what areas are meant for them, where they shouldn’t go, and what rules are in place. For instance, it might feel appealing to let your dog sleep with you in the bed, but the bacteria that this can add is deeply unhygienic and is strongly discouraged – this means implementing boundaries consistently. 

In this post, we’ll discuss how to help your puppy grow into your household with confidence; and how to make sure those lessons stick:

Keep Certain Areas Static

It’s important to keep certain areas of your household static, as in, relatively stable and routine for your puppy to visit. For instance, it’s important to keep their doggy bowl in the same place each time, and give them food at regular intervals. It’s important to let them perform their business in the same place, or direct them to the same area of the garden as you potty train them. Keep their water in the same area, and their bed (or initial cage) in the right place. This will allow them to feel more relaxed in the property and ingratiated into the new normal.

Gates & Doors

The gates and doors of your property are important to consider. Well installed or properly closed thanks to the effort of your family, this can ensure that they won’t consider access to certain places to be abnormal. If they’re shut out of a room they regularly visit, they might not understand why and claw at the door or howl. This might be a home office, a bathroom, or a child’s bedroom – and it certainly means protecting the staircases, top and bottom, with safety gates to stop them from climbing and harming their little, developing joints.

Consistent Direction

It’s important to make sure you constantly and consistently direct them in how you wish to behave around the house. Not allowing them to jump on the sofas, for instance, is important and a carefully placing them back on the floor is ideal here. Or, you might wish to teach them that begging for food at the dinner table each night is not acceptable, and so showing them to leave the room at the right time is key. Over time, your dog will understand the basic habits expected of them. Sometimes, this can be quite fun, such as how excited they get when they hear you bringing out the leash for a walk in the park.With this advice, your growing puppy will become used to your household and understand their role within it more readily.