Bringing home a Cocker Spaniel puppy is an exciting and fun time for the whole family. As a responsible pet owner, you need to make sure that you are doing the right thing. The following tips will help you get off on the right foot with your puppy.
1) This is the time when you should start bonding with your puppy by spending as much time as you can together. It’s important that your relationship with your new puppy get off to a great start. By bonding and socializing your puppy early, you’ll get off to a great start in developing the Cocker Spaniel personality that we all love. Why not show off your new family member to your friends and neighbors? The more you socialize your puppy during the early stages of puppyhood, the better.
2) Always keep a close eye on your puppy. You may want to prevent the puppy from roaming around your home. Use entry gates or a crate whenever necessary to make it easier to keep track of your dog. When you leave for the night, let your dog sleep with you or close by in a crate so he can see you and feel close to you. The first few nights in a new home will be a bit stressful for the puppy. If you decide to let your puppy sleep with you for the first few weeks, you can encourage him to sleep in his crate.
3) Cocker Spaniel puppies love to be with their owners, as you will soon discover. They see you as the leader of the pack and want to please you. Your training should start from day one; For starters, play as often as you can over the next few months. Children should be warned not to play rough games with their puppy. Any game that leans toward aggression should be avoided. You do not want to encourage or develop aggressive behavior.
4) Take your Cocker Spaniel puppy for a walk and teach him to play catch and fetch. You will find that puppies like to sleep a lot. This is normal, especially after exercising. So if you’re looking to take a break, take your dog for a walk or let him play in your backyard with your kids. After about ten to fifteen minutes of running around your dog, he will gladly take a little nap.
5) Puppies will be puppies and will get into all kinds of mischief. You can expect your pup to get in a chewing mood from time to time. Teething can last up to a year or more. Your socks, furniture, remote controls and other belongings become an open game. This should be dealt with immediately. Just replace whatever the dog is chewing with a dog toy. Having a variety of dog toys available will go a long way in curbing destructive chewing. The trick here is to have eight to ten chew toys available. Your puppy will soon find his favorite. Dog chews are good, but you need to be vigilant to avoid chewing on small pieces that can be harmful to the puppy if swallowed.
6) Make sure your puppy is getting the right amount of food and nutrients to encourage a healthy growth period. Good nutritious food and exercise are very important during the growth stages. Check with your vet for guidance and regular checkups.
7) Find an obedience class. This will be the best thing you can do for your Cocker Spaniel. Proper training in the early stages will help establish a solid foundation for future training that you can do yourself. It really is about training people and the rewards are much greater when done correctly.
You are on your way to an exciting journey with your Cocker Spaniel puppy. Training your dog will reward you and keep the dog mentally active with desired behaviors. Always remember that a Cocker Spaniel does not respond well to yelling, yelling, or hitting. The only time you should correct your dog is when you catch him in the act, otherwise he has no idea what is bothering you. Always praise or reward your dog when he behaves properly.
The best with your new puppy!
