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Having a dog as a companion can be one of the most rewarding things life has to offer. The unconditional love a dog may offer is comparable to nothing else in the world. As a dog owner, however, you have many responsibilities beyond feeding and sheltering your dog. A responsible dog owner trains his or her dog to be a well behaved member of the canine community. One behavior that dogs must learn is how to walk on a leash. Dogs are not born knowing how to do this, so it is your responsibility to teach your dog proper leash walking etiquette. If you have a hyper puppy on your hands, this may sound like a monumental task. But follow the steps below and you will find walking a well trained dog to be one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Step One – As soon as you welcome a new puppy into your home, get the puppy used to wearing a collar. You want your puppy to be comfortable wearing a collar so when it is time to begin leash training, the whole procedure of collar wearing and leash attachment won’t be a foreign process. Make sure the collar you choose is appropriate for the size of your puppy. Many puppies will try to scratch at a new collar or roll around in attempt to get the collar off. This is normal and the behavior will go away once your puppy is used to wearing a collar.

Step Two – After your puppy is accustomed to his or her collar, you can attach a leash to it so he or she may get used to that as well. Again, when you are trying to leash train your dog, you do not want the novelty of a leash to be a distraction. So let your puppy get used to the leash by letting him or her wear it around, even dragging it around the house a bit. Just be sure to supervise the puppy at all times while the leash is being worn because you would not want the leash to get hung up on something and the puppy to get trapped or injured.

Step Three – Now it is time to pick up the leash and take a few short walks. Praise the puppy and offer treats when he or she walks with you. If the puppy pulls on the leash, do not yank or pull the leash back towards yourself. Simply stop walking and, while still holding onto the leash, summons the puppy back to your side. It is also important to remember not to keep walking if the puppy pulls on the leash. By continuing to walk while the puppy is pulling on the leash, you will train the puppy to pull on the leash when he or she wants to go somewhere or in a specific direction. This is the exact behavior you want to avoid and extinguish immediately. Remember, your goal is to have a puppy walking next to you with a loose hanging leash.

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When I first got my small dog, I spent weeks searching for the perfect bed for her to enjoy. Of course, I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible in her new home and I knew a big step towards that would be a dog bed that she would be happy with. There was only one problem with the dog bed I chose; my dog wasn’t quite as happy with it as I was. When you set out to buy your small dog a bed, remember that even though you’re the one doing the purchasing, it is your beloved dog that has to sleep on your final decision.

There are some very basic, essential tips to keep in mind to ensure that your dog absolutely loves his or her new dog bed. The first is to pay careful attention to the dog bed’s height. This point is especially important for owners of small breed dogs. You don’t want a situation where your dog is forced to jump into bed every night. It may be amusing to watch at first and might even be fun for your dog to jump on occasion, but having to leap into bed every night will get annoying for your dog to have to endure over time. Also, in all seriousness, your dog can sustain needless and sometimes serious injuries by falling from a bed that’s too high for him or her, especially small breed or toy dogs.

Second, be wary of strong odors in bed materials. Dogs have highly developed and sensitive senses of smell, much more sensitive than human beings have. Therefore, when you’re picking out a bed for your dog, avoid beds made of materials which have strong and overpowering smells. For example, certain woods, such as cedar and cinnamon, may smell good to you, but may be too pungent for your dog. On a related note, be mindful of the bedding you choose.

The comfort of your small dog should be paramount. If you live in a colder climate, opt for heavier materials, such as lamb’s wool, which absorb heat and keep your dog warm and cozy. If you live in a more temperate zone, opt for lighter fabrics, like cotton hybrids, which will keep your dog cool and comfortable. Most online stores, like swankpets.com, have a wide variety of small dog beds to choose from and you will be able to find the bed that fits your dog and its needs best. If you have a brand new small breed puppy, a blanket for the dog bed would be a wise investment too in order to keep your puppy warm through the night.

When training your dog to use his or her bed, don’t be a pushover. Dogs can be very persuasive and persistent when they want something. When you get a new dog bed, there might be times when you have to be quite stern to get your dog to stay in its bed. Ultimately, dogs are creatures of habit, so it’s important to be consistent and firm when training them to use their beds. They will love you for it in the long run.

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