No story makes my blood boil more than families adopting pups and returning them to the humane society a week later because "they peed all over the house and were too much work.
Embrace the crate
I cannot recommend crate training enough. First, realize that crate training is not cruel. It helps the puppy learn good potty, feeding, and sleeping habits and gives you piece of mind that the puppy won't trash your house while you're away.
Start training early. And hire a professional
We did good teaching Sullie, my first dog, 10 years ago, but we could have done better. Despite being the loveliest and best-behaved dog ever, she is no pleasure to walk on a leash.
Be patient with potty training
I dreamed Zoey would be potty-trained a week after arriving home. WRONG. Despite my careful crating, watching for signals she needed to go, and frequent visits outside, we had so many accidents.
If you want a cuddly dog, love your puppy from the start
As you know, I love cuddling with my girls. When Sullie was a puppy, I was told to hold her belly up to show her that I was the alpha and to trust and relax. It worked great.
Keep your puppy close
Watch pups like a hawk. Turn your back or let them go into another room and they may have a toilet accident or get into things. I locked Sullie in whichever room I was in, and Zoey's trainers advised us to leash her to us.
A tired puppy is a good puppy
Regular play and walks tire puppies, but you also want to mentally stimulate them. After 30 minutes with her trainer, Zoey slept for 3 hours. It ruined her! Remember, mental and physical stimulation.
Provide a range of chewable items for your puppy
Period and end, puppies chew. To prevent them from eating your furniture, give them lots of acceptable chew toys. Every dog is different, so offer different textures, shapes, and sizes and follow the manufacturer's age requirements.
Mess with your puppy
As Sullie was a puppy, we frequently mistreated her, such as putting bows in her hair. Our methods included gently pulling her ears and tail, putting our hands in her bowl, rough play.
Socialize your puppy
Remove your puppy from the house! Sullie accompanied us on local and long-distance journeys. We organized play dates once she received the vaccines to play with other dogs.