You got a new puppy, how exciting! Puppies are so much fun and very adorable to look at, but they can be a handful at first. With the potty training and behavior problems, taking care of a puppy is a lot like taking care of a baby. You need to make sure all of their needs are met and raise them to behave well. 

Below are the five most common puppy behaviors that you will want to fix early. If you are needing some advice on how to help with these puppy behaviors, such as chewing or jumping, then keep reading along! 

Chewing

Similar to babies, puppies put things in their mouths to explore. They go through a teething stage for about 6 months which causes them discomfort. Chewing on certain things feels good on their gums, but it is important for your puppy to know what is okay to chew on and what is not. 

If you catch your puppy chewing on something they shouldn’t be, make a loud noise or stomp your foot on the ground to get their attention. Then trade them their chew toy in exchange for what they are chewing on. When they take the toy, praise them for chewing on their toy. 

Biting

If you have ever raised a puppy, you know how sharp their puppy teeth can be! Puppies are not aware that we have sensitive skin, this is something you will have to teach them yourself. 

When playing with your pup, let him take your fingers in his mouth. When he bites too hard let out a yelp of pain, this will cause him to stop temporarily. When he stops, praise him and continue playing. Continue this over and over until your puppy realizes they cannot bite your skin.  

Jumping

Although a puppy jumping all over you might be cute at the moment, a grown dog jumping all over you can be a struggle. If not taken care of early enough, your grown dog will be jumping on all of your guests and knocking things over. 

Training your puppy not to jump on you is a difficult one, because you have to ignore them at first. Let’s say you just got home from work and your puppy is exhilarated to see you, hopping all around and jumping on you. Don’t give them any attention until they calm themselves down and stop jumping. 

After enough times of you coming home and not giving them attention until they are calm, they will learn that in order to get the attention they want, they must remain calm with all four paws on the ground. 

Whining

Your puppy whining isn’t completely abnormal. Obviously make sure they aren’t hungry, thirsty, or need to go potty. Many times your puppy will whine because they need something from you. 

However, some puppies will whine excessively if they learn that whining gets them what they want (this can be food or attention). If your puppy learns that whining will result in getting what they want, that’s a problem! 

If you give in to your puppy while they are whining (if they don’t have an actual need for something) you are teaching them to be in control. If when they whine, you give them attention or food, they have just conditioned you! 

Ask your puppy in a gentle tone to stop their whining. If they continue, add some aggression to your voice. Your puppy may feel scolded at first and it will take more than one try, but after a couple times they will learn that they can’t whine to get whatever they want.

Potty Training

Probably the #1 thing a pet parent wants to teach their puppy young, is to go potty outside. Nothing is more frustrating than stepping into a pile of puppy pee or poo, or having your new rug ruined by puppy accidents. 

The best way to potty train and avoid accidents is to take your puppy outside after they eat/drink, after naps, in the morning, before bed, and every 30-60 minutes throughout the day. When they do go potty outside, praise them! Give them a treat when they come inside!  This can be a long or short process, depending on how often you are taking them out and praising them. 

By taking them outside this often and rewarding them after they go potty, your puppy will soon learn that when they need to go potty, they need to go outside. 

Conclusion

Raising a puppy takes a lot of work (and patience). Making sure your pup learns good behaviors is something you will want to work on as soon as you get them. The younger they learn, the better! 

All in all, make sure your puppy is happy and knows that they are loved! Training a new puppy takes time, and it isn’t something that scolding or punishing will fix. Remember patience, and showing your puppy what is right from wrong. After a little time, they will learn what it takes to be a loving companion!