Paws and Play Pet Sitting
HOME      I am your puppy.
I AM YOUR PUPPY 
 
 
I am your Puppy, and I will love you until the end of the  Earth,  but please know a few things about me. I am a Puppy, this means  that my  intelligence and capacity for learning are the same as  an 8-month-old child.
 
I am a Puppy; I will chew EVERYTHING  I can get my teeth on. This is how I  explore and learn about the  world. Even HUMAN children put things in their  mouths. It's up  to you to guide me to what is mine to chew and what is not.
 
I  am a Puppy; I cannot hold my bladder for longer than 1 - 2 hours.  I cannot  "feel" that I need to poop until it is actually beginning  to come out. I cannot  vocalize nor tell you that I need to go,  and I cannot have "bladder and bowel  control" until 6 - 9 months.  Do not punish me if you have not let me out for 3  hours and I  tinkle. It is your fault. As a Puppy, it is wise to remember that 
 
I  NEED to go potty after: Eating, Sleeping, playing, drinking  and around every 2 -  3 hours in addition. If you want me to sleep  through the night, then do not give  me water after 7 or 8 p.m.
 
I am a Puppy, accidents WILL happen, please be patient with  me! In time I  will learn.
 
I am a Puppy, I like to play. I  will run around, and chase imaginary  monsters, and chase your  feet and your toes and 'attack' you, and chase  fuzzballs, other  pets, and small kids. It is play; it's what I do. Do not be mad  at me or expect me to be sedate, mellow and sleep all day. If  my high energy  level is too much for you, maybe you could consider  an older rescue from a  shelter or Rescue group. My play is beneficial,  use your wisdom to guide me in  my play with appropriate activities  like chasing a rolling ball, or gentle tug  games, or plenty of  chew toys for me. If I nip you too hard, talk to me in "dog  talk",  by giving a loud YELP, I will usually get the message, as this is  how  dogs communicate with one another. If I get too rough, simply  ignore me for a  few moments, or put me in my crate with an appropriate  chew toy.
 
I am a Puppy; hopefully you would not yell, hit,  strike, kick or beat a  6-month-old human infant, so please do  not do the same to me. I am delicate, and  also very impressionable.  If you treat me harshly now, I will grow up learning  to fear being  hit, spanked, kicked or beat. Instead, please guide me with  encouragement  and wisdom. For instance, if I am chewing something wrong, say,  "No chew!" and hand me a toy I CAN chew. Better yet, pick up ANYTHING  that you  do not want me to get into. I can't tell the difference  between your old sock  and your new sock, or an old sneaker and  your $200 Nikes.
 
I am a Puppy, and I am a creature with feelings  and drives much like your  own, but yet also very different. Although  I am NOT a human in a dog suit,  neither am I an unfeeling robot  who can instantly obey your every whim. I truly  DO want to please  you, and be a part of your family, and your life. You got me  (I  hope) because you want a loving partner and companion, so do not  relegate me  to the backyard when I get bigger, do not judge me  harshly but instead mold me  with gentleness and guidelines and  training into the kind of family member you  want me to be.
 

I  am a Puppy and I am not perfect, and I know you are not perfect  either. I  love you anyway. So please, learn all you can about  training, and puppy  behaviors and caring for me from your Veterinarian,  books on dog care and even  researching on the computer! Learn  about my particular breed and it's  "characteristics", it will  give you understanding and insight into WHY I do all  the things  I do. Please teach me with love, patience, the right way to behave  and socialize me with training in a puppy class or obedience class,  we will BOTH  have a lot of fun together.

I am a Puppy and  I want more than anything to love you, to be with you, and  to  please you. Won't you please take time to understand how I work?  We are the  same you and I, in that we both feel hunger, pain,  thirst, discomfort, fear, but  yet we are also very different and  must work to understand one another's  language, body signals, wants  and needs. Some day I will be a handsome dog,  hopefully one you  can be proud of and one that you will love as much as I love  you.
 

Love, Your Puppy

 

May  be posted, reposted, cross-posted and used with permission as long  as credit  is given. Copyright 2000, by J. Ellis - Southern Shadows  Rottweilers.