Welcome New Dog Owners

Welcome to NewDogOwners.com! A site where new dog owners can learn what to expect with new puppies and how to teach them the rules of your home. Many people get puppies not fully understanding how much work they really are and many (way to many) get rid of dogs within weeks of bringing them into their home. This hurts everyone involved and can give that dog issues with getting close to people and even worse, ending up at the pound, just to be put down. We are here to hopefully help you with the new member of your family and to cut down on how many dogs are given up on and passed from home to home.

Plan ahead and make sure your are ready for a new dog

Many people decide they want, and go out and get a new dog without much thought. This can be one of the biggest mistakes a person can make. Picking the right dog for your family is the first and biggest decision one will make.

Things to think of are:

• Do you plan on moving in the next 10 years? You have a duty to your pet to plan ahead and know you are accepting responsibility to take care of your pet.
• Do you have children and do you plan on having more in the near future? Puppies are wild, would it be better to get a dog that is a little older and out of puppy stage?
• All puppies start out small and cute. Some will grow and grow, others bark more than other breeds. Research the breeds to get an idea on what temperament is common.
• What size dog would fit with your family. As mentioned above, all puppies start out small. Larger breed puppies grow fast, are clumsy and do not fully understand their strength/weight. They might not be the best fit around young children.
• How much are you gone and how active are you outside at home. Dogs like Lab’s want (and require) to run and play outside a lot. Some dogs are more active than others and require more exercise.

All Puppies Chew!

If you learn nothing else, please know that all dogs chew! People seem surprised when they bring home a new puppy and find them chewing on anything they can get into their mouth. Just like a teething baby, they need something to help them cut teeth and they will use almost anything. Chewing is the number one reason that people get rid of new dogs. If you know this in advance and get through the puppy stage, things get better and your family will be happy in the long run. If you can not deal with a new puppy chewing on everything in your house, a 2-3 year old dog might make a better fit.

Training is the secret for new dog owners. Doing it correctly and focusing on the right areas will make your life much happier. We are always adding new puppy tips, but if you find that you have a question that is not covered here on this site, feel free to contact us or leave a comment and we will work on it.

Image by Willem Siers of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Want to learn more? Read how Rosco was almost given up on and why I stated this site here.