1 - They don’t turn up understanding anything you expect of them. Show them how to get by, don’t just wait to have a go at them when they get it wrong.
2 - Puppies are puppies. Expect them to bark, bite, piss, shit, growl, jump, whine etc. It’s what you sign up for when you get a puppy. Appropriate training will help both you and then live in harmony.
If you’re not sure how, get a decent trainer to help you.
3 - They are not out there to dominate anyone or anything. They are just trying to get by in your made up world. Help show them how to get by.
4 - They need a lot of sleep! Don’t try to tire them out, they don’t need to be exhausted. They just need down time constantly throughout the day.
5 - Play with them as much as you can. Reinforcement is what drives a behaviour and most people use food. But if you use play from the get go you’ll build a much better reinforcer that they will likely want to engage with as they get older no matter what the competing motivators are. Especially if you play with them in a way that they REALLY love. Get a trainer to show you how.
6 - Expose them to things but don’t over do it. Socialisation is about teaching dogs to be less sensitive to things they will need to be around as they get older.
We don’t want them to be excited about these things, we just want them to accept and be comfortable around these things.
7 - If they’re acting up, the chances are they are tired. Don’t try to train them, create an environment that they can relax in.
8 - Use their food to reward the stuff you like. Don’t just feed them out of a bowl. Use their daily allowance and capture the stuff you like so they offer those behaviours more often.
9 - Expect them to frustrate you. Raising a puppy isn’t always fun. Expect things to go wrong. If you get through the puppy stage without them shitting in the carpet I commend you. Just don’t lose your shit towards them.
10 - Don’t listen to a word the dog daddy says. He’s a twat.