Embarking on the responsible ownership journey is a wonderful and rewarding endeavour which can bring years and joy and companionship between a dog and its owner, and while having a dog has numerous positive sides, first-time owners often fall into traps that can make their relationship with the dog difficult in the long run.
Unless your dog understands that you are the pack leader it will quickly assert itself as one and start to boss you around. A disobedient dog causes more headaches than pleasantries so make sure you are strict and your dog knows its place from the start.
Socializing puppies early on is extremely important as they need to get used to being around people and other dogs.
Exposing them to encounters will different individuals and other people’s pets will help them transition from puppyhood into mature age with superb social skills that will make it easier to navigate the everyday life later on.
Please don’t let your dog tug or pull the leash used to walk it. It’s stressful for both you and the pooch and it doesn’t look nice. Teach the dog how to properly walk beside you as soon as you start taking it outside. Don’t forget to adjust your pace to the dog’s pace as your walking might be too slow for a large dog and you should keep up so that the dog gets proper exercise.