Puppy care and training (part one)
In order to enjoy life to the full, your puppy needs mental as well as physical exercise.
Taking on a puppy
Making the choice to take on a puppy is a major responsibility and commitment, and should never be rushed into.
With luck, you are looking forward to a relationship that will last 12 to 14 years, so your choice of dog should never be decided on a whim or impulse. There is little doubt that the majority of dog problems arise because so many people adopt the wrong puppy or dog.
Having a new puppy is the same as having a new baby.
The responsibilities
The first responsibility is to the dog who, in return for the love and devotion he so willingly gives, deserves to enjoy a reasonable quality of life. To some people this means feeding the dog well, going for a daily walk, which is often on a lead, and giving a lot of love. In many ways, this type of existence does not sound unreasonable, but there are hidden dangers. It is the so-called love provided in abundance which leads some owners into over-pampering and overfeeding their dogs, thus slowly but surely shortening a dog’s life.
In order to enjoy life to the full, your puppy needs mental as well as physical exercise. He needs to live like a dog, not like a human – rolling in the grass, and, in permitted areas, allowed to gallop freely without the restriction of a lead. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find open spaces where a dog can run free, but it is important to be able to provide suitable exercise for a young, healthy dog.
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