The Challenges Of Raising A Puppy

In August 2009, for the first time, I adopted a puppy. I had had plenty of experience working with dogs to that point, and my brothers had raised their share of infant canines, but I had never owned one personally. I soon discovered that with the joy came plenty of challenges, and, as you likely know already, one of the biggest of these is potty training and minimizing the mess that invariably accompanies pets.

Fortunately, however, I soon learned how to cope. Not only was my pup soon house-trained, but I could also keep my home clean. Let me lend you some advice that was so valuable to me during this period.

The best way to teach a puppy to a potty in the right place is through simple repetition. Puppies between the ages of eight and 12 or 14 weeks should be taken out about every two hours or even more often if possible. They should also be escorted outside to a potty within about 10 minutes of eating or drinking. If you cannot see to this job yourself, enlist a neighbor, family member, or friend to assist you while you are at work or otherwise away.

Don’t scold your furry friend if they have an accident they will understand that you are angry, but they won’t know why. Take them out to give them another chance to go and then clean up the mess soon and thoroughly. But praise them (calmly) when they have gone potty when and where they are supposed to.

To avoid unnecessary sickness, don’t feed your infant pup treats. Their digestive system cannot handle them, and they will probably vomit them up, which is no fun for anyone involved. Talk to your vet to find out when and in what amount it will be all right to reward your little guy with treats.

During the few months in which your puppy is growing up, it would be wise to have your carpet deep-cleaned more than once. While you can usually do a thorough job by getting to the stains soon enough, sometimes the offending substances penetrate deep, so we should trust a professional to undo the damage.

The same is true for upholstery on furniture, so if you want to keep that couch looking (and smelling) like the quality sofa you paid for, call reputable carpet cleaners in your area.

While you’re away, keep the puppy in his kennel or in a tiled area like the bathroom or kitchen, which is much easier to clean. Be sure to disinfect thoroughly after an accident. But if you persist in potty training duties, that shouldn’t be much of a problem for long!