A Brand New Puppy: What To Expect And The Basics Of Small Dog Training.

Congratulations on your brand new puppy! Meanwhile, my condolences regarding your new rug... and your couch, and your new pair of shoes, and pretty much everything else you own. If it weren't for that lovable puppy face and those adorable puppy paws, your role as a dog owner would be nearing an end. Am I right? It takes more, however, than a cute face to keep an owner from losing their mind. The key word? Training! I'm no dog whisperer but I do have small dog training advice for everyday pet owners out there who can't afford weekly house calls from Cesar Millan.

When I was eight years old, I told my dad it was a "doggie dog world". He laughed uncontrollably and for good reason. Little did I know how true that statement would be nearly 20 years later. With a 6 year old Rottweiler and an 8 week old Shih Tzu, I truly live in a doggie dog world.

Last December our male Rottweiler passed away. It was one of the most heartbreaking and traumatic experiences we've ever had to go through. Anyone out there who has lost a pet can understand the pain that comes with losing such a companion. Though my fiance and I were heartbroken, it was even harder watching our female Rottweiler miss him terribly. After a couple of months, we decided it was time to get her a new puppy. We began browsing ads for small, non-shedding dogs. After a few weeks, we decided to visit a litter of Shih Tzu puppies.

Lesson #1: You Don't Choose Your Puppy, Your Puppy Chooses You

When looking for a puppy, it's important to pay attention not only to your feelings but to the puppy's feelings as well. We knew that we wanted a male puppy and there were two of them in the litter. The first one that we picked up was obviously nervous and shook in our arms. Then we picked up the other male. Immediately he began licking our faces and wagging his tail. We knew that we'd found the new addition to our family!

My fiance wrapped our new Shih Tzu puppy, who we named Snax, into his coat and we drove him to his new home. The first step was to introducing him to our Zoey, our Rottweiler. Zoey had had three litters of puppies in the past and her maternal instincts immediately kicked in. She began to lick him up and down. Snax didn't seem to mind one bit.

Lesson #2: Kennel Training A Puppy Is A Must!

Before we brought our puppy home, we'd gone to PetSmart to pick up a dog kennel, dog dishes, and wet and dry puppy food. It's absolutely a must to have a secure place for your puppy to sleep. If you give your puppy the run of the house, or even a small room, you are setting yourself up for a morning of cleaning up accidents. Another risk you run is having your puppy get into something that could harm him such as chemicals, electrical chords, or small items that they could swallow. Your dog may hate his kennel - Snax cries and barks for the first 15 minutes that he's in there - but soon enough they'll get used to it and you'll save yourself from a potential disaster. (And I mean "disaster" in every sense of the word!) In a lot of ways, puppies are just like toddlers. If you respond to their every temper tantrum, you're giving your child the power. I don't mean to go all "dog whisperer" on you, but you're in charge - not the dog. If your puppy cries when you put him in his kennel, ignore it. Give it time, and they'll go to sleep.

Lesson #3: House-training Your Puppy: It's All About Positive Reinforcement

On our first morning with Snax, I thought we'd hit the jackpot. I took him out of his kennel and into the backyard. He pounced around on the lawn for a few moments and then went potty. Little did I know, this was merely by coincidence and not at all because my puppy was a genius. As the day rolled on, the accidents in the house increased. I'd read somewhere that picking one loud, annoying noise to make when you catch your puppy in the act, is the easiest way to teach him that what he's doing is naughty. Your puppy will begin to recognize this noise as a sign he's doing something he shouldn't be. It's also important to take your puppy immediately outside after an accident. This helps them associate going potty with being outside.

It's easy to forget that positive reinforcement goes a long way. When your puppy does go outside, make sure you let them know that you're happy! Use their name and let them know how good they are. (Note: Our veterinarian gave us great advice. She told us to NOT use our puppy's name when we're scolding him. You want to teach your puppy that their name has a positive connotation.) Also, be sure to only scold your puppy when you catch them in the act. Your puppy will not understand if you scold them for an earlier offense! And, as always, make sure to make frequent trips into the yard with your puppy. This will not only give you the chance to use that positive reinforcement, but it will save your floors from taking a beating!

Lesson #4: You Choose What Your Puppy Eats

I think we may have the only puppy in the world who does not like wet puppy food. Inside of his 3 lbs. body, is a 130 lbs. beast. Snax goes straight for Zoey's dog kibble. The kibble is, of course, much too big for him. It also lacks the nutritional value that puppy food has to offer. It's essential for puppies to maintain a proper diet in order to put on weight and absorb nutrients. We had to experiment with a couple brands of puppy food, but we finally found one that he'll eat. Wellness - Just For Puppies seems to be his meal of choice. It's completely natural. With dog food, you get what you pay for. Sometimes the really cheap brands of dog food have sugars and preservatives that, over time, can cause tooth decay and other health problems. It's worth it to fork out the extra couple bucks for high-quality puppy food.

That being said, you also should monitor what your puppy doesn't eat - or, rather - chew. Sure, it's cute to watch them gnaw on a shoe, but when those teeth are in full effect, you may not have any shoes left for them to chew on. Chewing is part of what makes puppies who they are. You can't stop it. But what you can do, is provide your puppy with chew toys. So they at least have an allowable option. Still, it's a tough thing to control. The best thing you can do for yourself is to remember to pick up anything off of the floor that you desire to be in tact. A baby gate is also not a bad idea. This confines your puppy to one area while allowing them to explore outside of their kennel.

Lesson #5: Let A Sleeping Dog Lie

Like newborns, puppies need lots of rest. A puppy is generally one extreme or the other. They're either full of energy (shown in the video below) or they're out cold. If you have kids, it's important to teach them that even though they want to play with the puppy, the puppy does need his rest. I'll admit, it's tough to follow my own advice on this one. I just want to pet him and play with him constantly. But the more rest they get, the better off they'll be.

Again, I'm not an expert. I don't profess to have a PhD in puppy psychology. I'm not a veterinarian and I don't have my own reality show. I'm an average dog owner, just like you are. The only difference between us is that I've decided to share some advice and fundamental puppy tips that work for us! Puppies are a lot of work, a lot of money, and a lot of responsibility. They are also one of the greatest sources of joy and laughter. (I'm told that this is also true of children, though I hope to not experience that until several years from now!) For now, my love and devotion is dedicated entirely to two dogs named Zoey and Snax.