Visions of a Puppy Under the Tree?

Terry's Tips > Visions of a Puppy Under the Tree?

Most families are delighted at the thought of welcoming a puppy to the household. If you have visions of a puppy under the tree on Christmas morning, think it over. The successful integration of a puppy into your family calls for some planning. To shape the puppy into the companion you will enjoy for years to come requires quite a bit of time, especially the first few days home. Will you be so busy with festivities that you cannot make a puppy the number one priority? Christmas is not a fun time to potty train a puppy! (Brrr! Cold!) Will you be able to spend extra time supervising excited children and an impressionable puppy? If you really want a puppy this winter, celebrate the event on Christmas Day with a box of toys, dishes, a brush, collar and leash! Include a certificate for "one warm, fuzzy puppy" to be redeemed at a later date.

ABOUT PUPPIES: A puppy inherits personality traits from his parents. However, as soon as the puppy is born, the environment starts to mold and influence the pup's genetic temperament. Think of the puppy's brain as a series of sockets and plugs. All of this wiring equipment is there at birth, but it takes outside triggers to help the plugs find the appropriate sockets! This process is often referred to as "socialization". Most critical periods in a young puppy's development happen before the puppy reaches sixteen weeks of age. The wiring for fear responses and social behavior can be dramatically affected by the puppy's early experiences. If these experiences are good, the puppy will be more apt to be confident and at ease during life; if the experiences are inappropriate, your puppy might develop into a fearful, anxious dog that stresses easily in everyday situations. "Your SOCIAL Puppy" is a HeadStart Program by Terry Ryan. The acronym "SOCIAL" stands for our check list of carefully controlled experiences presented in class:

Strange Surroundings
Opportunity for Training
Care and Handling
Interesting Stuff
Association with Other Dogs and People
Living Happily Together