Tales of a Doodle Daddy
Tales of a Doodle Daddy
Week 27 – A Final Recap
It is hard to believe that Maisy has been part of our lives for the better part of a year now, and that she has grown from the tiny puppy we held on our laps on the drive home to 45 pounds of full-grown fluff, and it has been a truly amazing thing to watch that transformation as she learns and grows and discovers the world around her. There have been a lot of challenges along the way and a lot of things that ultimately went a lot smoother than I thought they would. But the biggest issue I’ve grappled with as I have written these stories is that she is just such a good dog to begin with – even for a puppy she really makes me stretch for material and I feel that at this point, I’ve documented as much advice in first-time doodle-parenting as I can give as a person with no formal education in dog training. So I wanted to take a moment to recap what I feel are the most important things I’ve learned on this little journey:
Week 27 – A Final Recap
It is hard to believe that Maisy has been part of our lives for the better part of a year now, and that she has grown from the tiny puppy we held on our laps on the drive home to 45 pounds of full-grown fluff, and it has been a truly amazing thing to watch that transformation as she learns and grows and discovers the world around her. There have been a lot of challenges along the way and a lot of things that ultimately went a lot smoother than I thought they would. But the biggest issue I’ve grappled with as I have written these stories is that she is just such a good dog to begin with – even for a puppy she really makes me stretch for material and I feel that at this point, I’ve documented as much advice in first-time doodle-parenting as I can give as a person with no formal education in dog training. So I wanted to take a moment to recap what I feel are the most important things I’ve learned on this little journey:
- Your Breeder Knows Best – If you buy a puppy from a great breeder, they will have lots of information to help set you and your puppy up for success. They do this for a reason, so use it! When we had difficulty with crate training, for example, we consulted the literature that River Valley provided for us and it solved the issue almost immediately. Whether it’s product recommendations or actual information and advice, don’t skimp on your supplies or research.
- Expect The Unexpected – There are certain things that most rational people expect when getting a puppy – that there will be some accidents while you’re getting house training down, or that your shoes might become chew toys if you’re not watching. But then there are the things you don’t expect…like having to run downstairs to get the mail every time the mail-slot opens so that your puppy doesn’t rip it to shreds. Or that after 10 months on this earth, she will still demand to be picked up and placed into your car when you want to go somewhere.
- When In Doubt, Exercise – When Maisy tries to nibble on our hands or clothes, or tries to wreak havoc on our furniture, the solution is usually as simple as picking up a toy and giving her a little one-on-one time. Or I’ll take her out to the dog run to chase a ball for a while. We all have busy lives but when we’re able to give Maisy more time, it makes all of us happier.
- Stay Positive – When your puppy does something unacceptable, it’s easy to get angry about it. But we have had much more success by simply reinforcing positive behavior and not rewarding the negative, as opposed to direct punishment.
- Training Is Worth It – If we had not taken Maisy to the training courses we did, I am sure we would have a much more challenging dog on our hands, right now. From getting her socialized to getting help with specific behavioral concerns, it really is worth it to enroll a puppy in formal training and it’s something I would do again in a heartbeat.