So, you’ve made the life-changing decision of having a dog in your family? Congratulations! Welcome to many wonderful years of joy and cheers. To help you on your journey, we’ve collected the top five important tips that first-time dog owners should know. Read on and learn. And please feel free to share this with your family and friends!
Tip # 1: Have everyone involved.
Involve your kids in the caring and training process. Your kids should help in letting your dog know when to sleep, eat, play, and be happy alone. Clear boundaries should be set by everyone. The earlier that this is done, the better. Be consistent.
Tip #2: Work on his name.
Name recognition is one of the first few things that you should do. You should dedicate time and effort to making your dog know his or her name. They should know that they should always respond when their names are called.
Tip #3: Doorway Etiquette
Your dog should know how to wait in doorways. This is best as they won’t ever dash through your doors if they’d learn this. They should know how to wait for you to open the door for them. Use release words like “okay” or “free”.
Tip #4: Teach Your Dog How to Sit
This trick is one of the easiest to teach to your dogs. It will come in handy when you have guests around. It’s the best trick to teach if you want a well-behaved pup.
Tip #5: Research
Know everything about your dog. Know his or her birthday and everything about his or her breed. You should keep all his or her medical records to ensure that he or she is updated with all necessary vaccines and biannual check-ups.
BONUS TIP: Enjoy the process every step of the way!
