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| Hops loves fall just like her mommy! |
Meet Hops.
She's 50% beagle, 50% bulldog, and 100% awesome.
Hops is also the first puppy I've ever had. I've had adult dogs before, but a puppy is a whole new ballgame. With the help of some friends who have survived puppy-hood with their own canines, an experienced dog trainer, and a TON of research on my part - I feel that Hops and I are faring pretty well. Therefore, I would like to pass on a few nuggets of wisdom to all you new puppy mamas!
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| Hops was wore out after a particularly hellish day |
1. You WILL have bad days... And that's ok.
There are some days that I feel Hops and I have it all figured out. She naps on cue and always seems to make it outside to go potty. Aaaaaand then there's days that I'm 100% convinced that my dog is a demon sent to test me (just kidding... kind of). Even on the worst days, it's important to not take your puppy's behavior personally. Remember that he or she is primarily motivated at this point to get his or her needs met. If she's gotta poop, she's gonna go!
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| Hops has sit down to a science! |
2. Start training ASAP
Studies show that just like kids, puppies can absorb new information faster than their older counterparts. Take advantage of this by starting obedience training as soon as you get your puppy. I can't stress enough that formal classes with a qualified trainer are a god send. Not only will your dog get the training that you desperately want, but they also get to socialize with other dogs their age. A bonus is also that you get to talk to other puppy mamas about the furry babies. It's a great way to get advice!
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| Hops getting to know another dog at puppy school |
3. Socialize, socialize, socialize
Getting a puppy is super fun, especially because you get to witness so many of his or her firsts! Although this is fun, it's also crucial to your puppy's development. Puppies young than 16 weeks are in the prime stage to introduce them to new things. Socializing your puppy during this time period means that your dog will be less anxious or aggressive when approaching new situations. For example, if as a puppy your dog never saw a man with a beard - he or she may be anxious when they meet their first bearded man. It will be easier on you and your dog if you take the time to introduce them to all kinds of situations and people as a pup instead of waiting until they're older.
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| The offending toad |
4. Don't believe everything you read online
This sounds like a no brainer, but it's something that I've had to remind myself several times. the most memorable example would be when I walked outside to find baby Hops licking a toad. I know what you're thinking, it's just a toad right?? WRONG! Poor Hops started foaming at the mouth and acting very bizarre. I knew my vet was closed, but instead of calling the emergency number like I SHOULD have done I googled "dog licked toad." Holy moly. Every post I read said that the foaming was just the beginning and that my poor puppy was going to get much worse and probably die. Of course I became absolutely hysterical and called that emergency number I mentioned earlier. Thankfully, a very calm vet tech explained to me that we do not have poisonous toads in this area and that Hops was just foaming because toads taste really really bad! Hops was fine and I felt stupid. So yeah, don't believe Google.
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| Hops was pooped after her first vert appointment! |
5. Get to know your Vet and their staff
Having a vet that you trust is absolutely essential. You love your fur baby and you need to have full confidence that his or her vet will be taking the best possible care of your pet. However, it is also very important to get to know the staff as well. Often they will be the ones who will be doing the preliminary assessments of your dog and talking to you about your pet! My vet hosted an open house and I made sure to be there. I felt better about Hops getting spayed after seeing the kennels and sterile rooms that are used for surgery.
Those are my top tips, but I would love to hear from you guys about tips that you may have for me!!
