Taming the Untamable Puppy

---

     So there you are . . . at the pet store or local rescue shelter. Your daughter's pigtails sway as she rushes to pick out "the one" that makes her heart bounce high. You clench as she passes the golden puppy on the right that has drug his food bowl all across his pen, ripped the head off his squeaking Santa toy and managed to destroy his padded bed in one swift chewing session. Just keep walking. Just keep walking. You reason inside your head. But no luck . . . she has fallen head over ballet flats for this little rascal ?and you just don't have the heart to tell her "no way".

Maybe things will get better once you get home right?

But then it happens, you set the puppy in the living room and it's like you set free the Tasmanian Devil! You can see it's going to be an uphill climb . . . but she loves the darn thing too much to give it back. Besides it's not really your style to give up so easy. You might be stuck with problem pup now but you don't have to be stuck with that problem behavior. With a little patience and these tips you can change that problem pup into a prized pal.

Stay Clam

One of the most amazing things about animals, especially our pets, is that they can sense your emotional state. Perhaps this derives from their ability to get "in sync" with the leader of the pack in the wild. Since YOU are now the leader of the pack your pup will be looking to you for emotional cues. This is why it is imperative that you remain calm and in control. Freaking out will only send mixed signals. When you react to a no-no simply remain calm but use a calm authoritative voice when training the puppy to nix a behavior.

Enlist the Help of Your Kids

Because your puppy probably does more playing with your children than with you the best advice that you might not implement is helping your kids know how to reward the puppy for good behavior. Discipline is a bit harder for kids and it might be hard for them to send the pup to his kennel for shoe chewing but rewarding them is always fun and easy.

Encourage your child to praise the pup for good behavior. Shower him with love and affection . . . the more over the top the better. This helps the puppy to really soak in what's going on and associate good behavior with approval and praise.

Don't Give Up

At first, conquering the problematic behavior of a new pet can seem like it will never end. Maybe you have taken your "tinkling on the expensive couch" pet outdoors a zillion times and you are simply getting frustrated because he can focus enough to pee on the exact same edge of the Lazy Boy but when he gets outside he starts chasing a squirrel . . . in a circle. These types of instances are what make you want to give up. It's not exactly the monotony that gets you instead it is the little things that make the job just so much more difficult!

While it is certainly a daunting task it is not an endless one. If you are dedicated to seeing a change and put in equal parts love and training you won't have a problem pet forever. Just like children, some pets just need a little extra love and attention to grow and thrive.

Consider the Possibilities

When the going gets tough remind yourself that this relationship can be a win win. Did you know that people with pets have been statically live longer? (Yes. Even those with pets like YOURS.) Pets are now even prescribed to patients with seizures, anxiety disorders, emotional issues and other needs that go outside the realm of what a typical service dog provides. Your pet can do the same for you . . . you just have to keep on keeping on.

Right now the way sure looks rough right? But if you're reading this you are taking the first steps to making it work and implanting a good plan of action. So just keep trying. When you do, you're sure to find that they begin to leave less and less paw prints on your prized begonias and more and more paw prints on your heart.