If you’ve just made the decision to bring a puppy in your life, you’re probably overjoyed by your new best friend. And while it might be tempting to let your puppy misbehave during playtime from time to time — since they’re just so cute, after all — letting these naughty behaviors go unpunished can lead to major attitude problems as adult dogs.
By working with the staff at your dog daycare or dog boarding center, you can easily stop these puppy-like behaviors before they worsen and become more aggressive over time. Here’s a look at the three playtime gestures that you should prevent your puppy from making:
Play that hurts or scares other dogs
It’s common for puppies to rough-house from time to time. But if you or your pet daycare’s staff notice that this rough-housing is becoming too rough — to the point of frightening or even hurting other dogs at your cage-free boarding center — it’s time to discipline your puppy. Training techniques like verbal cues, time-outs and sidetracking the bad behavior are all effective ways of training your puppy out of this aggressive play.
Nipping
Many puppies are also prone to nipping other dogs and people alike. And while it might be cute and playful as a puppy, nipping is much less cute in adult dogs — in fact, it could lead to your dog accidentally hurting someone. When your puppy nips, immediately say “No” in a firm voice and consider giving your puppy a time out.
Jumping up
Another common playtime behavior among puppies? Jumping up on their hind legs, placing their paws on your legs. It’s another behavior that’s cute during your puppy’s youth, but becomes more problematic as he or she grows into their adult size. You and the staff at your preferred doggy daycare center can discourage jumping by turning away from your puppy and saying “Off” in a firm tone while praising him or her once she stops jumping.
Detecting your puppy’s problematic behaviors can sometimes be a challenge, especially if you’ve never owned a puppy before. But with a little research and the help of your obedience trainer or dog daycare staff, you can detect these bad habits and stop them from developing into bigger problems later in your dog’s life.
