He won't be nearly as expensive as your new car and probably won't last as long as your home, but your new puppy is bound to be more a part of your everyday life than any other single acquisition you can imagine.

The handsome, healthy, well-mannered dog that you have adored on television, at the local dog show, or at your neighbor's house, did not get that way by accident. Rather, his care and upbringing were deliberate and well-planned in order to produce a rewarding companion and a focal point of pride within the family.

Know What You Are Getting Yourself Into

The owner who is truly compatible to his pet has surely spent some time thinking about what type of dog would be most suitable for his home, time limits, energy requirements, and purpose. Many breeds and mixed breeds can be too large, too energetic, or just plain too difficult to groom for the average owner.

To get the most pleasure from owning an animal, you should consider very carefully what you want most in a dog and how much time and effort you are willing to devote to his everyday care and upkeep.

If you are ready to take on any challenge, then great, simply choose any breed or any combination of breeds that you desire. However, if your time or willingness to cater to a dog is limited, give it some serious thought as to how much you can offer your new puppy when the fun period of puppyhood is over.

A full-grown Collie, English Sheepdog, Afghan Hound, or Poodle can be quite a chore to groom a yearly and the non-trained Irish Setter adolescents will surely wear out the otherwise placid dog owner to complete and utter exhaustion. Likewise, Your average Italian Greyhound is not suitable to protect a large country property nor can a mixed breed dog be shown in conformation or obedience competitions. So start off on the right foot by making the correct decision about what type of puppy to choose.

Take The Age Of The Pup Into Consideration

Age is an important factor in selecting a puppy. If the choice is up to you, try to bring your puppy home when he is exactly 8 weeks old. Studies have proven that this is the most ideal time for a pup to leave his dam and littermates in order to start a new relationship with a new human family.

Before a puppy is eight weeks old, he has not yet completed proper socialization with his canine peers and after that point, may develop too close an attachment to his littermates and dam, which can inhibit the strong bond that he could otherwise form with humans.

However, if the dog you are considering is not precisely 8 weeks old, and he has definitely stolen your heart, then of course do not pass up the opportunity to bring him home. Do keep in mind, however, that potential problems may come up with temperament or behavior and will require patience, extra love, and special handling later in time.

The early environment of the newborn puppy, particularly in the critical weeks when he's looking away from his mother and his siblings to the humans around him, can provide a healthy period of socialization. On the other hand, this critical period can also be the spark which starts illness, an accident, or psychic trauma that can affect the puppy's temperament in a very negative way. In addition, you, his new owner, can be a bad influence on what might have started out as a pleasant puppy.

Most Puppy Buyers Are Not Educated Enough To Properly Choose A The Right Puppy

The average puppy buyer is looking for a companion for the family, particularly for the children. Unfortunately, most puppy buyers do not know what to look for when it comes to attitude. And the attitude of a puppy is the number one overriding consideration when choosing your puppy.

I will say it again- This is the number one thing to look out for when choosing your puppy- The attitude.

Ready? First, a nervous puppy makes an unsatisfactory companion for children under almost any circumstances, and one that is moody is potentially dangerous.

Some people prefer dogs of mixed breeding and assume that they will always have more stable attitude. WRONG! This is not true. There was a tragic attack a few years back where a mixed Chow-Spitz killed a young child. The dog had been passed on to the family after having a history of killing small animals and giving other indications of poor temperament. This alone should make you think twice about taking on a puppy which has not worked out in someone else's family.

I'll cover more tomorrow.

Check out the #1 resource for puppy training… once you've chosen your puppy.

The best hope for any prospective puppy owner is the prevention of trouble by choosing the right puppy from the beginning.. We assume that this prospective owner has already realized that he is taking on a living creature for what may be a decade or more of his life, and he will spend thousands of dollars on food and care, and that he will be liable under the law for any damage this animal does to humans or to property.

People often ask if it is not unfair to a puppy to keep him in the city, in small quarters, confined to a leash outside, or left in the house while the owner goes to work. But in reality, the most unfair thing that you can do to a puppy is to take her on when you're not prepared to keep her for a lifetime, and to face up to all of the inconveniences that will go along with owning a puppy… and then a full-grown dog.

We"ll cover where a Bad Attitude Come From tomorrow.

I just wanted to let you know that it is going very well with potty training my yorkie, Gizmo. It has been 5 more days and we have not been confining him to his crate at home anymore. He has not made one accident in these 5 days, and if we do not see him doing his business on the right place he barks to call us to show off his good behaviour, and to claim his treat. This is so cute!

At work Gizmo still stays crated - for my convenience, but I could not believe how fast this works. Literally 5 days. Gizmo gets up at 5am in the mornings, and is then left alone in the living room to play by himself - not even then does he make a mistake. He is only 9 weeks old.

I know that there might be some more mistakes around the house, but this is a huge improvement. And applying some of your other tips Gizmo can now sit when receiving his food, kiss and beg. Next week we will start bite
prevention training as he is quite fond of chewing.

I have been starting to think that my dog is just superbly intelligent, that is why he learns so quickly, but I must give you some credit too!

Karlé le Roux
Potcefstroom, South Africa

To get your puppy training off to this kind of start- check out the fast track system.

But Goldens do require a bit more care and attention than some other breeds. Anyone considering one of these magnificent animals should think carefully. When I got Sally, I thought housebreaking her would be easy. WRONG!

IT was a pain in the butt. She almost went back to the PetSmart. But looking back, I am so glad that I kept her. She has been my companion for over 2 years and you couldn't buy her from me.

Owning a Golden Retriever can be tough but the rewards are immense. These beautiful, loving animals will give back tenfold all the attention they receive. That unique Golden Retriever look as they face you smiling tells the whole story.

To find out more about
housebreaking a golden retriever…

Puppy kennels are also a fantastic way to easily housebreak a puppy.  All in all, a good puppy crate is an invaluable training tool regardless of what type of puppy you have.

Puppy crates are also a perfect solution to puppies that become overexcited. All you have to do is put your puppy inside the crate in order to help him relax. If your dog has to be left in the house unattended for a few hours, then having a crate is a stress-free way for you to be gone from the house and not worry about your puppy getting into trouble around the home or soiling the carpet.

Dog crates are also a great way to feed your puppy in case he becomes easily distracted. Simply put his food bowl inside and off he goes in an enclosed area where he can focus on eating his meal.

And here are a few more tips when it comes to puppy crate training:

1. Make sure that you get the appropriate size crate based on your puppy's height and width.  This is especially important if you are housebreaking your puppy with a crate. If the box is too large then your puppy may use the bathroom on one side, but keep sleeping on the other side, which defeats the purpose of crate training in terms of potty training.

2. If you have a fast-growing puppy, then consider buying a large crate that is meant for an adult dog but that has a divider built into it. This way you can divide the crate in half so that your puppy will be able to lie down comfortably and still be able to turn around if needed. A divided puppy crate can also be used for your larger puppies by removing the division bracket.

3. One last aspect of using a crate that you should consider is the type of bedding that you place on the floor. Some dog owners have noticed that their puppies still use the bathroom inside even though the crate is the appropriate size for potty training. In most instances it turns out that the bedding that they laid down was a little too thick and had a tendency to induce urination in dogs. Instead, try to lay down less comfortable bedding that your dog does not consider to be used for urination, like newspaper for example.

Scolding occasionally for accidents but ignoring others, feeding at irregular intervals, lack of praise for soiling
on the dog's papers or in the yard – all will only serve to confuse and discourage your puppy. So be consistent
and have total awareness: your awareness of your puppy's whereabouts, his needs and urges, and his signals informing you of what's on his mind.