Remember Your Puppy Will Grow Up Someday

By Author: Keith Gilbert
Total Articles: 13
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Chocolate brown eyes, a warm nose and eager licking are classic images of an adorable puppy. From children to burly men, a puppy can level the playing field fast. There's something soothing about a little puppy who just wants to snuggle in your arms.

What dog owner hasn't thought, "I wish he would stay a puppy forever?" In less than a year, that tiny fur ball could weigh more than your teenage son and eat more than he does, too!

If you bring home your puppy at a very young age, you have the opportunity to train him to function within your environment. You also get to enjoy those hilarious moments when a puppy makes discoveries like chasing his own tail or catching a ball.

These times are so memorable. If you believe the old adage, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks," then you definitely want to start with a puppy and raise him the way you want him to mature.

As dogs age, they take on more of the natural characteristics of their breed. Even ferocious guard dogs were once cuddly puppies with looks that could melt hearts. Once grown, that same dog can stare a hole through an intruder instantly ...
... be prepared to rip his hearts out to protect his territory (and his owners).

Show dogs may be gentler, but they require intense, repetitive training. If you want the show dog to perform on command, you can't confuse him with occasional babying behaviors. Dogs who have roles to play take those roles seriously.

To keep a sense of the puppy pet for a lifetime, you can choose a small lap dog. Some breeds are content with frequently being held and petted. They have the patience to sit with idle owners for hours in front of the TV.

Actually, they have more patience with inactivity as adult dogs than they have as puppies. The nature of being a puppy is like that of being a toddler - it's a time for exploring, running and making mistakes.

Puppies are so excited about every new thing - whether it's a toy or a butterfly floating in the air - that they quickly forget the command you gave. They wander around, even outside the protective boundaries of your yard.

Life with a puppy can be both wonderful and exhausting. A puppy desperately wants your love and approval, so you have to correct it without being harsh. You can't compare one puppy to another, even if they are the same breed.

Each puppy has its own personality and abilities, so he'll progress with training at his pace, not the same pace as his siblings or the dog you owned previously. Dogs, like humans, can be charming babies and irritating adults - or just the opposite. So be prepared to love the dog you have for a lifetime.