Young Puppy & Raiser's Bill of Rights
By Andrea Loughry
Raiser has the right not to have his eardrums pierced by puppy yowls.
Never gratify puppy tantrums by opening the crate door. Insist on at least two seconds of “quiet” before letting a new puppy out to get attention. Then slowly increase the time until the puppy learns yowling doesn’t work and has nice crate manners
Puppy has the right to relieve himself in a timely manner to avoid accidents and feel comfortable.
Raiser has the right to get a reasonable amount of sleep.
Gradually increase the time between relievings and the number of relievings during the night until the pup can make it all the way to the alarm clock.
Puppy has the right to not spend too much time in the crate.
Raiser has the right to eat dinner unmolested.
It’s O.K. to crate the puppy when you’re involved in an activity during which you cannot fully monitor him.
Puppy has the right to make mistakes.
Raiser has the responsibility to clean up after them.
Usually puppy mistakes are a direct result of raiser inattentiveness to the puppy’s needs or signals. Don’t get mad, learn from the situation & get vigilant--as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a gallon of Nature’s Miracle.
Puppy has the right to have appropriate toys to satisfy his need to chew.
Raiser has the right to have shoes, socks, furniture, curtains, etc. unmarked by puppy teeth.
Provide toys & teach your puppy the difference between HIS things and YOUR things.
Puppy as the right to go on outings.
Raiser has the right to go on a date without a puppy in tow.
Choose appropriate outings to help your puppy learn. It’s O.K. to leave him home sometimes.
Puppy has the right to be a puppy.
Raiser has the responsibility to set clear, consistent boundaries, and teach mannerly behavior.
Young pups have never had to do anything they didn’t want to do before they met you. Be patient and teach manners and commands instead of punishing “bad” behaviors.