Speaker 1Hello and welcome back to another episode of Hey Shelby the podcast to answer all of your questions. I'm your host Shelby and this episode is full of fun furry friends. I'm so excited. I love talking about dogs. I love dogs. Anything about dogs. So let's get right into it. Hey Shelby, I just recently
Speaker 2got a new puppy and I'm wondering do you have any tips and tricks for when you're adding a puppy to your family and what kind of things should you expect to happen and from your puppy in the first couple months? Okay, thank you.
Speaker 1I'm so excited for you listener. I'm so excited that you got a new puppy. I'm excited for anybody who gets a puppy, a dog, a fur legged, anything. Dogs are the best. So let's answer that question. You've got a new pup. So here's what to do. So some tips and tricks definitely when you've got a new little fur baby in your life is obviously to go shopping and to prepare your home because hopefully you have already prepared your mind in the sense that you are going to be taking care of another little life. A little life that's going to love you just unconditionally. It's going to be so much fun. I'm so excited. I'm so excited. I'm so excited for you. Let's get right into it. So dog bowls, you're going to need two. If you don't want to splurge on this right now, like a lot of this stuff you don't have to buy besides like dog food and all that kind of shenanigans. But dog bowls, if you've got like an old bowl or an old Tupperware, use that first and then you can go and buy the dog bowl, especially depending on the breed. So when we had our first dog, we had a dog that was a little bit older than us. So we had a dog that was a little bit older than us. They're these little teeny, teeny beanies. But then they grew into these huge little horses. So buying bowls at that stage, you know, we kind of went through them really quickly and then we were stuck with these bowls. So on our second dog, we were like, no, just use an old bowl. And when she gets older, that's the stage that she is going to need a permanent bowl. And usually when they're about a year to a year and a half, you can actually see their true size and how really big they do get. And especially when you're buying bowls for your dogs, they can get arthritis and a bunch of back problems too. If the bowls that they eat out of are too low, if your dog, you see that they're straining, like you can see their shoulder blades straining to reach their bowl or to eat like that. It's not really good. Like I know in the wild, you're not going to see any wolves with. These lifted bowls, but come on now, they're domesticated animals in your home. So give them the lifted bowl. If you don't want to splurge on the really nice lifted bowls, you know, shop at TJ Maxx and outlet store or something like that. Go for that or put it on a box, but you definitely want to make sure that your dog gets comfortable when they're drinking their water or eating from their bowl. Another thing that when we first had our dogs, we got those bowls that could hold a lot of water. They look like little water containers attached to a bowl. And we got those because we weren't going to be home all the time. And so the most important thing for a dog to have is water on hand all the time. And then we just got bigger bowls depending on it. Your dog is not going to drink all the time, but. If you're not home or if it's a really hot day or something like that, you just want to make sure that they've got water. So that's the big thing about the dog bowls. Just take your time. Don't stress out too much. Don't get the, you know, newest, latest, greatest things right off the bat because your puppy is going to go through it. Sometimes they chew on it, depending on the breed, depending on if they're mentally and physically stimulated enough, if they're bored, all this kind of stuff. So just try and fill your puppy out first. You want to get a bed. You probably want to get a bed that's kind of cheap because your puppy may or may not have an accident or your puppy may probably most definitely chew that thing up if they did not have adequate toys to chew on or things that they like to chew on or anything like that. I started off as simple as just having like a couple old blankets around. But you can definitely go out and buy a really cheap bed. But yeah, just make sure that your puppy's got a bed so that it's their own space. I really do recommend that they have their own crate or a box or something. It's so cute nowadays when you go and see these cute little cat beds that are these little cocoons basically. That is great for a little puppy because it makes them feel safe and they're a little cozy little homes and you can tell your puppy like go to bed and they're in their little bed. So it's super cute. Especially when they're puppies when they get older, they're not going to need all of that comfort. Sometimes they will depending on the dog if they've got some anxiety or things like that. So then you just get a crate and you put a blanket over it so that they feel comfy and cozy. Then besides the crate, you may want to get some type of kennel or gate or something that is not specifically for crate training. I am a huge fan of crate training because it definitely helps your little puppy. So if you have a little pup to strengthen his or her bladder, usually dogs do not want to pee or poop where they sleep. So they will try and hold it and you want to strengthen their little bladder so that they can hold it for longer. They don't have any accidents. You know, it's like potty training a kid. I'm assuming I don't have a kid. I'm so sorry if that's wrong. So then you want to make sure that they've got a crate and they've got a safe place. And you want a gate for a safe place. So if you're going to keep them in the kitchen where there's probably a tile and you want time to clean or you want time to yourself or maybe puppy just made a little accident and you want them just out of that space and you want to quote unquote put them in time out, but you're not throwing them in their crate. You can put them in their space and that is their space, the kitchen or wherever. You want to make sure that they've got a dog brush, maybe a dog. A toenail clipper, a toothbrush, all the type of things that you will need for grooming, you know, shampoo, wipes, all that kind of stuff. These are all things that you can add on while you have puppy because you're going to want to learn how to clip their toenails. You can't go too close. There is a vein that grows within that nail. Now if you let that nail grow too long and you don't cut it, that vein within the nail will grow with your puppy's toenail. You have to be kind of really careful. If they have a white toenail or kind of like a clear-ish toenail, those are a lot softer, a lot easier to cut. If it's black, then it's a little harder. It's a little harder to cut. Now if you are not a fan of cutting, I am not. I get too nervous. Take your dog out for a walk on concrete or on gravel or let them dig around in dirt. That actually just naturally files their nails down. If you're going to get a little filer, if you're going to go and try and do a little filer, just understand that everything is new to them. So all of these noises, all of these things that you're putting on them, it's new. It's scary. So you need to calm down. You need to be patient. So have treats, have a loving person to help you through this. I think I'm going to sneeze. I'm so sorry. Oh yeah. Oh. And you're going to groom them. Just be really patient and go really slow. And speaking of groomers, when you get a new pup, lots of the times, depending actually on the groomer, they may want pup to already have all their shots. Now, if this is a independent groomer, they may be fine with it because sometimes they go to your house. Sometimes you go to their facility, but usually you want to make sure that your puppy has all their shots. So that when you take them to these facilities where other dogs have inhabited, they don't get sick. It's kind of like when you take your baby out, you don't want to take them to the, um, what is it like a kid park? Oh my gosh. A playground. Jesus. And, you know, introduce it to all these germs too early. Um, so same thing. You might be interested in getting a carpet and steam remover or something with a spray that you can just spray. Okay. Just in case they have an accident, they will have an accident. Get over it. They are puppies. Uh, if you don't want an accident, then put a diaper on them. But seriously, this is going to be a learning time. The more diligent you are on training them to pee or poop within their area, the faster it's going to go. Your puppy is going to learn and then they're going to feel the energy that you have when you're excited about them peeing or pooping in the right place or when you're not excited about them. with him when they peed or pooped in the wrong place um so just be diligent. Like when they wake up, make sure that they're in their pooping or peeing area. When they eat, just let them stay in that little pooping or peeing area so that they can use the bathroom right there. If they go out, if you do things, if they get too excited, you just watch your puppy and you'll kind of see a trend for when they have to use the bathroom. So then at least you'll be on top of that. Another thing that you might want to do while you're training them are training pads. There are the paper ones with the little plastic liner underneath. You can use newspaper, any kind of recycled material like that. One that I just found out about, which is so stinking cool, are reusable ones. I heard that you can get them at Costco. You could also kind of just make this on your own. If you've got a sewing machine and you want to wash this all the time, go for it. It's like a. It's a big diaper. So that's really cool that you'll need. Puppy shampoo. So back to grooming. You can use head and shoulders. You can use that horse and mane tail thing. You can use coconut oil. Just be a little careful when you're bathing your puppy too often. You can actually dry out their skin. You can use Dawn soap. Dawn soap, the blue one, is a little bit more of a. It's a little bit more of a. The blue one, apparently, just the blue one, is really good to clean them from all the excess oils and debris that they get if they're outside and kills little ticks and fleas. So let them just lather up in that Dawn and then rinse them off with some warm water. Also, when you are bathing your puppy, make sure that it's warm and it's a very fun environment. Usually, if it's a basin of water, they're a little bit more receptive to it than if it's a hose or something like that. Unless your puppy loves the water or is one of those dogs that are those water breeds like Labradors, all that kind of stuff. They just naturally love water, but they do have that double coat. So you got to really rinse them through. But for other dogs, it's not a fun experience, but eventually it can be as long as you make it a fun experience for them. You can give them treats, give them praises. If you praise them in a high-pitched voice, then they're more than welcome. They're more receptive to it. So just make sure that anything new that you're introducing puppy to that you don't want to struggle with in the future, that is really fun for them. So just make sure that you're in the right headspace, that you're very patient and that you're very loving to your puppy during this time or else they're not going to have a great time and you're going to kind of scar them. And it may take a while to get them to be okay with this after, but it's all a learning curve. We're all learning together. So just make sure that you're together. And if this is your first pup, congratulations, you've got a lot to get ready for, but you're taking it on and good for you. Chew toys. So definitely go out and either purchase them or make them. I personally have found that like raw hides or those chew toys that they actually can eat and make sure that they're U.S. You can read up all about it. But if you're getting chew toys that they can eat, that is actually a really good chew toy. If they're teething and you can tell when they're teething, when they want to bite everything, you can go and get bully sticks. That's my dog's personal favorite. I've never seen them so excited about these bully sticks and it takes a long time for them to chew on it. It's kind of stinky, just FYI. It's a little stinky treat. And if you don't finish it, it's a little nasty thing that just gets left around the house. But if you're like my pit bull, that thing is gone. It's not going to stay around for long. But if you're with my mixed breed, she will chew on it, chew on it, and then put it in a corner, come back to it, throw it around, chew on it, chew on it. So yeah, it's a really good treat for them to chew on and it'll get that those chewing urges out. Now, if you don't want to give them chew toys that they can eat, definitely go ahead and make some. And it's really easy to just make some chew toys for them. So get an old shirt, old towels, old clothes, anything actually with your scent on it is really good. And I know that you're thinking, but if it has my scent on it, then they're going to chew on my clothes. That's not necessarily the case. Like old socks or stinky clothes, stinky socks, all that kind of stuff is actually, kind of like an aphrodisiac for dogs. So they're more attracted to scent than they are actual taste. So, you know, like say you're cooking something in the kitchen and you see that your dog is drooling or salivating, they're salivating over the smell and not the fact that they know what they're going to eat. So try and make them something with some old clothing and or stuff like that. You can just use an old towel that doesn't have your scent on it. That's totally fine. And then the other thing you can do is you could cut it into strips, braid it and tie knots at both ends because that'll help them have something to chew on. You can just cut it into one or two long strips and then just tie knots throughout it so that they have something to chew on. And then there's soft places for them to pull on and all that kind of stuff. And just make chew toys because the whole thing about chew toys, they're going to chew it up, they're going to rip it up and then you're going to throw it away. So unless you don't want that and you want to go out and buy it, go for it. But they're a puppy, so start off with some cheap stuff first. And then when you have these chew toys, the trick about the chew toys that are edible, you might want to just give that to them as a really good treat or when you leave the house or something like that because that can spoil puppies appetite. So if they're not eating, that could be the reason because they've been basically eating all day long, snacking on this treat. So just FYI for that. Speaking of treats, I suggest waiting on this. I'm not a huge fan of buying treats for puppies right out of the gate only because your puppy is so new and so young to this world that you have to ask the breeder or the pet shop or whoever you got this puppy from to buy it. So if you're not a huge fan of buying treats for puppies, if you've adopted, which woo woo for you, you want to ask them what they've been feeding their puppy first because technically you're supposed to wait a year to change over your dog's food. And with puppies, their tummies are so sensitive and they need all these nutrients and vitamins that you have to stick with a puppy food. So just be a little bit aware about that. And since they have to already be on a diet, the specific for puppies, what I like to do as a treat is treat them their dog food. So the little pellets and stuff that they have, um, just treat them with that and it works just fine. Now, if you're doing something special like bath time or grooming or anything like that, that you're like, I need a little bit more attention. Then you can go ahead and use like those Kongs, those, um, really durable doggy toys and treats. Um, and they've got these cute little things that you can either with like their peanut butter spread or their cheese spread or bacon and cheese. I think there's another one. Go ahead and fill those up. Um, when you're playing with your puppy and trying to really reinforce them, but huge fan of just giving your dog its own dog food as treats. Also be careful on what types of treats that you do give to your dogs. Um, and just watch that you give them to your dog. It's too rich for them and they could just all come out. So my dog, when we first got him so excited, you know, everybody was giving us treats. We were buying treats, all this kind of stuff. And we got him this salmon treat and you know, we were training him and doing all this stuff. And then one day he wasn't eating, he was throwing up everywhere. And we were like, Oh no, what's going on? And come to find out the treats that we were giving him were just too rich in fats and all these nutrients that his poor little tummy couldn't digest it. So definitely a huge advocate for just giving your puppy the food that they're already eating. And if you're going to really treat them, uh, with something that isn't their dog food, just little bits of it, uh, and start off slow. Also, if you're feeding your dog, um, I recommend maybe like a teaspoon of coconut oil with your dog's food. And you just mix it in, uh, it'll help with their breath. It'll help with their gum health and it'll also help with their coats. So if you bathe them a lot, their skin dries out just like how our skin will dry out. So you want to replenish their skin with moisture. So you can actually rub coconut oil straight on them, but you may not like the feeling of that. So if they eat it, then it'll come through their skin and go on their coats and it'll leave them a lot less rashy and less likely to scratch. So you may think that they've got fleas or ticks when actually, actually it's not. their skin is just so dry. So just remember when you are bathing them, maybe do it once a week, maybe do it every other week. If they're not an outside dog, less is more. There's also these like dry shampoos for pups nowadays. Go ahead and spritz your dog with that if you want it to be clean or use the wipes. You can make your own wipes, you know, with some little vinegar, a little bit of lemon, dilute it with some water and just wipe them down. It's fine. You don't want to over bathe them because you don't want their natural oils to be stripped from them. Also, it'll make their coat really nasty and dry. And the whole point about having a cute little furry friend is the fur. So speaking about their skin and their fur and things that's on them, having a collar and a leash are definitely important. Things to have when you have a new pup, because when they get older, those are things that you need when you are working with them. So having a collar on them all the time. I'm not a huge fan of it, but I do understand why you need it because when you do put a collar on them and they get used to it, it is so much easier to get them to put the collar on. So my pit bull, he's not a fan of it. So he'll turn his head. He'll turn his head away when we have to put the collar on. I mean, he'll be fine with it now when it's on, even with the leash, he's fine with it, but we'll always get just a little bit of hesitation before we go out anywhere when he puts his collar on. My lady mix, she will, she always has a collar on. She's fine with the collar. She doesn't like having the leash on. So that is just some things that you want to try and nip in the bud early, because that's kind of hard to get them to like later on, or you just got to work on it. And a lady, she will actually ladies, the mix, she will actually just walk herself because she doesn't like that pulling. So she will hold the leash in her mouth herself and just walk herself, which is super cute. But technically I don't think that counts as your dog on a leash. So yeah. Uh, if you're going to have other collars and stuff on them, you can definitely use a flea collar. There's flea jobs. Um, when you get a new pup, you should definitely, you should be looking into finding a vet, especially for the first year of their life. And then you can move vets. If you don't like them, I'm a huge believer in finding the vet that you guys like, and that works with you and your pup. It is going to be an experience that they have to see at least once a year. So make sure it's with somebody that you actually like, and they'll tell you and go to details about, you know, what to put on your dog for fleas and ticks and all that kind of shenanigans. Um, and they'll also tell you what kinds of shots and things you have to do. Now, if you are your own breeder or, you know, other breeders and stuff, and you guys want to do your own shots, you definitely can. I'm not a huge fan of that only because that's why there's veterinarians just let them do their job. But if you want to go ahead, do that, you definitely can. Um, there are stores like that. I do know that now something that I think gets overlooked sometimes besides being microchipped and besides getting a dog tag for your dog, you want to make sure that they're licensed in registered in the state that you live in. Um, you just go and Google that in your state. Uh, you just fill out some paperwork and it gets done. So definitely make sure that you're abiding by your laws in your state. Now, if you don't, then that's up to you, but that's just a tip and trick. Another tip and trick is probably having a dog trainer. If you're not interested in going to Petco, PetSmart, whatever pet store is around you, there are a lot of little local places to go and train your dog. Um, you can also just watch some videos on YouTube. Nowadays, YouTube's got everything. But, um, a lot of the times there will be just, you know, local communities that will have like dog training and all that kind of stuff. So you can do that as well. I'm a huge advocate of having your dog and you go to dog training just because it'll be something that someone will give you hands-on work with. You can see what your dog likes and doesn't like. Also, if it's dog training with other dogs, that is the best way to do it. So if you're not interested in going to Petco, PetSmart, that is the best way to help socialize your dog. And that's what you want to do. You want to socialize them. You want to get them to, um, see as many new people as possible in their first stage of life, which is that first year. You want them to see as many dogs as possible. It'll help them in the long run. So when they do see dogs or they do see other humans or other little humans, jumping at them, barking at them, running away from them, biting, anything like that. So you want to kind of desensitize that so that they understand what that is and they don't see it as a threat. So definitely dog training has a lot more pros to it than just you and your dog going to classes. Also, it's a really fun time and the dog trainers can definitely teach you things and help you understand why your dog reacts to certain things, certain ways. Um, unless it's a group thing. So that was my first experience with dog training. It was this huge thing that you took them to the park and they told you, you know, what to do and how to do it and what materials that you needed. But my dog Conan, he did not want to walk in the sun. He did not want to walk around in the rain. It was so embarrassing. So we just had to do a lot of the dog training on our own after that, which isn't hard. He's a really smart dog. I mean, he figured out how to walk around. So it hasn't been difficult in that sense, but you know, figure it out as you go along, just be patient with yourself, love your new pup and you know, just make sure that they know who's the boss. That's another thing that I feel like a lot of people who get new dogs, um, either a dog or a puppy or anything like that is that they let their dog, especially if it's a little teeny thingy and that is not a good thing. At least I don't think so. You should be the alpha. You are top dog. Your puppy needs to learn that you're the one that holds the key to the house. You're the one that makes the demands. You're the one that they need to follow, not the other way around. So make sure that you're the alpha and it's the simplest things to do. You don't have to be mean or cruel or yell at your dog or anything. It is just, you know, you're the alpha. You're the alpha. You're that you need to show them that you're the boss. You're the one that holds the rules. You're the one that holds the authorities. You're technically the one that feeds them. And yeah, so you're the boss, you're the alpha, and then they'll respect you. And then when you're good to training and you do all these training things, it's a lot easier too. So when you're, um, in training and doing all of this stuff, just remember that no attention is worse than any attention like loving or bad attention. Like if you're scolding them or yelling at them, your dog is going to want attention, no matter what it is. They don't understand what type of attention you're giving them. So it's so unfortunate. If you think about it, like if you hate your dog, they don't know that that's bad. I mean, it may not feel great, but all they want is your love and attention and attention to them is anything. So if they're not doing something that you don't like, do not pay attention to them. Do not yell at them. Do not get angry. Just turn your back, cross your arms and just ignore them and trust and believe you're going to see a difference. And if your dog is stubborn, you have to be just as stubborn. So do not give them any attention and you will see a difference. And I promise you, but you have to be patient and you have to just remember that they are learning just like you. They do not speak human. They're trying to understand you just like how you're trying to understand them. So please, please, please be patient. Set your boundaries. Be consistent. That's another thing. If you've got other people in the household, like you're introducing this to a family, let everybody know this is how we say hello. We don't say hello in a super excited voice because that's going to get puppy all excited and then puppy will jump and learn these bad habits. So what we want to do is be very calm with puppy, you know, touch puppy very softly, all these kinds of boundaries and rules and stuff like that. And be consistent. One thing that happened in our household when we had lady is that I would treat her one way and my ex treated her another way. And so she had two different styles, I guess, of doing things. She would listen to me more, but then she would do naughty stuff with him. And so she would listen to me more, but then she would do naughty stuff with him. It just wasn't consistent, so you just want to be consistent. it just makes everything easier. Uh, also crate train your puppy. That's gotta be consistent too. Do not give up until that, probably that year. If you can do everything, all of this training until they are a year old, you have successfully trained your puppy at least hopefully, but you gotta be consistent until that year because they're going to test you. You're going to be up for that alpha ship and they're going to say like, okay, you're alpha. Let's see. I think I'm alpha. So just be consistent with it. Also, um, when you're socializing, you also want to desensitize them. Uh, so this is something that I really, really looked into, especially because our first dog was a pit bull. I love pit bulls. They are the cutest, most loving dogs. In the world, their faces are basically hearts. They are so loving. Uh, so I really, really wanted to make sure that Conan was set up for success. So every time that he was eating or had some kind of toy or chew toy in his mouth, I would with no fear now have no fear. You are the alpha. You are the one that's setting the rules and setting the stage for, their success. Put my hand in there. Uh, now we got him as a puppy. So if you are adopting them and they're kind of old already, be a little hesitant when you do do this, because you don't know if they've got any anxiety or any stress when it comes to this. So you can start by going slow by just standing next to them when they eat, sitting down next to them when they eat, maybe touching their back, but you got to really read if this is not a puppy puppy. So he was a puppy puppy. And we got him straight for the puppy puppy. So we got him straight for the puppy puppy. from one of my dad's friends and so what I would do I would always touch his face when he was eating I would cover my hand over his food to kind of stop him from eating and if he growled then I knew that that was a bad thing but usually he was very soft-tempered and so I would just pet him be like good boy good boy and then I would let him continue to eat same with his water I would play with his water I would play with his face I would play with him very gently like I'm not tugging on his tail or tugging on him but I'm desensitizing in that sense that he knows that I'm safe this is safe I don't have to be super aggressive towards my food now when other dogs or anybody else comes up to him when he has food he's not trying to bite at it he's not trying to bite at another dog he's very loving and sharing and he desensitizing to that so even if um like kids that's another thing if you're introducing a new puppy into a home that has kids this is actually super crucial you want to socialize them with your kid a lot or kids in general a lot and then take them away so that they have their own space to kind of just regroup and then bring them back so regroup bring them back if you're socializing them to children when you're desensitizing them to children you have to make sure that you're socializing them to children and then you have to make sure that you have to teach the children how to touch the dog you know softly no poking the eye probably no pulling the tail all that kind of stuff um but if you desensitize your dog and you know you kind of smush their face and like squeeze their face and kiss their face and squeeze their bodies and rub them all over and you know hold their feet if a dog lets you put your hand over their feet then you are the alpha um if not then that's just a little game of tug of war that you gotta go and do because if they're trying to put their foot on top of you they're saying i'm alpha so if you can cover your hands over their feet and they're just chill and they don't pull away great also if they're submissive and they show their tummy to you great you're alpha if they don't that's just something you've got to just practice you know do some tricks like roll over all that kind of fun stuff but you really want to make sure that you're desensitizing them to children and then you have to make sure that you're desensitizing your dog especially if your dog is going to be around children or people or if they're going to be a big dog um or little yappers actually you know what any dog any dog desensitize them then um another thing that you want to really really kind of just be aware of um is to keep things loud and what i mean by that is that you want to make sure that you're desensitizing your dog so that you're not just like you know you're just like you know you're just like you're just like when they're sleeping or when they're at rest put on some loud music put on some loud tv kind of talk really loudly that also desensitizes them so when it is quiet and all of a sudden there's a noise or um there's just a lot of ruckus and stuff it doesn't give them anxiety and they can sleep through it and they're relaxed through it um when they're up and about yeah it you can have the tv on but it's when they're at their most vulnerable slash relaxed and they're at their most vulnerable state is when you kind of want to make some noise so that will desensitize them if you're living in an area that has a lot of noise like if you hear a lot of traffic or cars or all that kind of stuff then you don't really have to worry about this but if you're in a quiet neighborhood especially when puppy is sleeping you might want to have some noise and stuff and i'm not talking soothing music like let's just put on some rap or some loud action movie or something and that'll help desensitize them to noise because if you're living in an area that has a lot of noise and you're don't want them to be anxious around loud noises or things like that that'll just create stress for you and pup um when you're training puppy if you're going to a dog trainer if you're training them at home just remember training puppy isn't just to get them to do shake get them to do tricks training them is to mentally stimulate their minds so you know like when you go to work and you come after a long day you're exhausted you may have been sitting at your desk all day long or just answering phone calls emails doing whatever and it hasn't been physically tiring but it's been mentally tiring same thing for pup so if you're wondering why your puppy has so much energy and you just took them out for like a five mile walk they're mentally still excited so they still want to do things they still want to jump around they still want to be around you they still want to see all the noises and whatever even though their body is tired you can fight through a tired body you cannot fight through a tired mind and a lot of dogs especially um when they're young and stuff they need a lot of sleep and the bigger the breed is they actually need more sleep when they get older so you want to make sure that you mentally stimulate them when they're puppies so that they poop out all the time and a lot of the time and also leave you know physically stimulating them to keep going making sure that they go on walks making sure that they do things that are active i'm a huge fan of getting those little cat lasers or dog lasers and it's a little pointer and all you do is just um point it to the ground and they go nuts over it and they just run around and if they're a little pup you just have them run around all throughout the living room or in their safe area so that will physically poop them out and then um introducing your puppy to the family if you don't live with the family or if um this is your first time having a dog and a family just remember to be calm because your puppy is going to be reading your energy and your family's energy so if they're all really really high energy and your puppy is being introduced to this just be calm kind of soothe them just pat them um give them a good little hug and you just be like you know good boy good girl for being calm um and then just let your family know if you can like hey you know a new puppy just let's be a little calm a little quiet and then eventually you can work up to that higher energy um because if they're nervous you can hold them and pat them but you still want to let them and then if they're teething meaning that they're biting on everything or they're ripping things or chewing things up you want to make sure that you replace whatever they're chewing with with a toy or something for them to actually munch on so like i said you can do your little diy chew toys all that kind of stuff make sure that you're fearless make sure that you are that authority figure in this public space and you're not just a little puppy you're a little puppy you're a little puppy life be the alpha be the adult uh socializing is great so do it often desensitizing you should do that all the time do that to your puppy all the time stick a finger in their mouth and just just desensitize them to all that kind of stuff it will help calm your puppy the older they get too so just i'm i'm gonna say roughhouse them but don't roughhouse them so much that it's too much um but you know put your hands all over their face all over their body you know so that that's desensitized and before you bring this dog into your house and before you even own a dog I hope you puppy proof your apartment your house or the space that you're going to have this pup outlets cords things that you don't want them to chew on shoes all that kind of stuff get it off the ground get it away and you'll have a very successful life with your pup so remember to just be patient any kind of crate training that you're going to do be it's a positive experience because that is their safe place that is their home if you want to put them in like a timeout area make sure pup has an area and then the crate so that it's not technically like a timeout time you don't want to make any space negative actually but if you have to have space from your pup and it's not the crate like for them to go to sleep then have an actual space where puppy can be free to just be puppy love your puppy make sure that you give your puppy so much love and so much affection because you are their new owner you're going to be their new provider this puppy or dog will rely on you solely for everything in their life so just remember that you're taking care of a little life now be the alpha have that authority and you gotta have that authority or else your dog is going to run your house and if you're okay with that then go for it mentally and physically stimulate them make sure especially that you practice your tricks at least 10 to 15 minutes a day or just practice it until they get it down but you want to mentally stimulate them every day especially when they're a puppy and switch it up you know so if they already know how to do shake then do stay and then go back to shake and then do stay again so you can switch it up like that if they only know two tricks or so socialize them it's great especially when you're introducing them to family make sure they're around as much people as much age groups as possible especially if you know that in your future you're going to have kids or in your future you're going to live with an older parent or an older adult or something like that and my biggest tip and trick for everyone will be to desensitize your puppy so loving up on them when they're eating loving up on them being all up in their face putting your fingers in their mouth so that they don't bite you and they know that you know if a finger goes in my mouth i'm not gonna bite i'm not gonna roughhouse and um the energy that you give to your pup you that they're gonna give to you so if you come in with high energy they're gonna try and come in with high energy so just remember that so if you want a calm puppy just try and react really calm to a lot of things i am so excited for you this is a great new journey the expectations in the months to come is just to be really patient with yourself really patient with your puppy and just to enjoy this time because that year is going to be a lot of fun and it's going to be a lot of fun for you to go by so fast and you're not gonna have your little pup anymore and it's going to be a big old dog unless it's a small breed then it'll stay a puppy size but that cute little puppy energy and stuff that'll all go away so enjoy this time this is a great time to have a dog and thank you so much for that question i will hear from you guys next week thank you bye thank you for listening to episode number four for our fur-legged friends four-legged fur-legged um thank you so much i just want to let you guys know that you can ask me anything you want at my email at he asked hey shelby uh gmail.com or you can download the anchor app who is our lovely sponsor and record a question like how this episode was so let me know if you've got any questions thank you so so much i am so grateful and i can't wait to hear from you bye
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