- It’s one of the worst times of the year to get a puppy: The holidays are full of excitement, noise, and family. Your new puppy or was recently removed from their litter family and needs to transition to your family. The chaos in the puppy’s new environment can cause additional stress. This additional stress can turn into a lousy puppy training experience. Typically, you’d introduce stressors slower. Depending on where you are in the world, Winter can be brutal. You will have to be available at all hours of the night to potty train your puppy every 1-3 hours.
2. People get a puppy for the kids as a gift: The intention was to give your child or family member a gift. You asked or expect your children to care for it. Most children go to school or are not of age to take on the responsibility of training a puppy. It’s the adult’s responsibility. Please make sure you’re aware of that. Have realistic expectations of your children. The puppy will need potty and handling training supervised by an adult.
3. It’s a dog in training: Training a puppy is the most crucial stage before a dog matures. Puppy potty training and crate training are the two most time-consuming things. The puppy will soon develop adult behaviors that you need to learn to stop or manage.
4. High surrender volume: You have allowed the dog to wander around the house getting into mischief and now he’s home alone while the family leaves to fulfill obligations. You start noticing your home destroyed, and your neighbors report the puppy cries or barks all day. Within a few months, the dog is very destructive and has separation anxiety and needs a new home or returned to the shelter.
5. Picking the wrong one: There’s a strong chance you picked one by looks. You saw a picture and decided the chosen one. I suggest you analyze your family’s lifestyle, work hours, and available training time to dedicate. Asking a professional may help you make an informed decision on breed or if you are ready for a dog.