Connecting With Your New Puppy

You’ve got a new puppy in the house. You’ve finally brought home a four-legged friend that’s perfect for you, and now you need to train them, and teach them ways of life within your home. And most of all, your new puppy needs to connect with you, and you’d love to have that picture-perfect owner and dog relationship we all dream of when thinking about what dog to bring home with us. 

But you’re probably finding that this dream is a lot more work than you first thought it was; your puppy misbehaves all the time, is loud and messy, and you’re convinced you’re never going to house train it! 

However, connecting with your new puppy doesn’t have to be as difficult as you’re finding it. As long as you’ve got a bit of professional advice on your side, or you’re asking around your friends or looking on the net for advice, there could be so many different things you could try out here. You can connect with your new puppy, and become the best of friends, and you could very well put some of the tips and tricks below to good use. 

Pay Attention to Them

Your new puppy needs plenty of attention. It needs to know it’s loved and respected, to ensure it looks at you with the same feelings in its eyes. It’s not always going to be easy to pay attention to your new puppy – you need to eat, sleep, and work the day away as well, but ensure there are points throughout the day where you can have some one on one time with your new pet. 

One on one time is easy to come up with; think about when you’re usually free throughout the day, and then make sure you give your new puppy your full and undivided attention. Make sure you pet them and play with them, and even think of this as prime training time if you haven’t had much luck with that either. 

So, we’ve established that one of the best things you can give your new puppy is attention, but be careful. Of course, you need to ensure you’re giving out attention at the right times, to ensure they’re not getting the wrong signals from you. You can accidentally train a pet to make a mess or sit and beg for food when you’re eating by giving them plenty of attention (looks, speaking to them, even giving them table scraps) when they’re acting out with these behaviors. 

Puppies know when they have your attention, and they can be quite crafty in their ways to get attention when they want it. Make sure you know about these methods – if they’re suddenly acting out and peeing on the carpet, it’s because they want a little bit of attention from you! 

Take Some Time to Train Them

You’re going to need to train your new puppy, and thankfully, whilst this is a labor of love, it’s one of the best ways to connect with your new puppy! Training your new puppy is essential in ensuring they become a healthy and happy member of your household – as long as your puppy knows the rules, and knows where the boundaries are, it won’t be hard to connect with them in a meaningful way. 

You’re going to want to approach training them on a day by day basis; you need to be consistent and committed when it comes to puppy training. Of course, some dogs are going to be easier to train than others – dogs such as the English Lab, Border Collies, German Shepherds etc., are going to respond to your efforts here better than dogs such as Bull Dogs or Beagles. 

Dogs love knowing they have something to do, and they love having attention whilst doing so. Dogs need to be kept entertained and stimulated, so ensure you keep up with a training program, and have plenty of petting and treats to hand out to stop them from being bored. Because once you’ve got positive reinforcement to dish out to them, they’re going to look to you as a figure of authority and affection all in once. 

Learn About Body Language 

You’re also going to need to learn about your puppy’s body language if you’re planning to connect truly and deeply with them. You need to be the person that knows your dog better than anyone, and that includes being able to read their body and their behaviors, and ensuring you’re abiding by what signals they’re putting out for you. At the end of the day, it’s all about boundaries and respect. 

Thankfully, puppies are a lot more expressive than older dogs. A lot of what they want you to know can be garnered from their head and face. Look at their eyes – are they wide and open? If so, your puppy might be feeling playful and aggressive, and you shouldn’t try to outstare them here! Plus, you can look at their mouth – if it’s open, panting, or even seems to be ‘grinning’ in a carefree way, your dog is super happy to see you! But watch out for bared teeth and gums; those are a very obvious sign something is wrong. 

Of course, dogs have one big tell you can always rely on: their tail! If they’re wagging their tail away, they’re happy and carefree, right? Well, not always. If the dog is panting freely, or their whole body is shaking with excitement whilst their tail is wagging, sure they’re happy! But if it’s a slow wag that’s a bit stiff in its movements, it could mean your dog is feeling anxious or angry towards you and the situation. 

Your new puppy needs you to connect and bond with it, especially as it grows older and settles into life with you. Make sure you keep the points above in mind when trying to train and get to know your new four-legged friend. It’ll certainly mean a lifelong friendship!