And They Call It Puppy Love...

The word cute just doesn't do justice to those big, round eyes looking at you from that adorable puppy face. You can't wait to hug that wiggly little body covered in soft, silky fur and examine those huge feet! The kisses lavished upon you by this furry little creature say that he feels the same way about you.

Face it, you have been bitten by the puppy love bug and now this little ball of energy is coming home to live with you forever. In your mind's eye you see your new canine companion as totally devoted to you and eager to obey. He will demonstrate an almost uncanny ability to read your mind and will never do anything contrary to your wishes. It will be like having your very own Lassie!

The next morning, after a sleepless first night together, you come to your senses and realize that you don't have a clue how to teach this little bundle of energy how to be quite at night, much less go potty outside.

What do you do next? Call the breeder, right? She tells you that the puppy is crying because he is lonely. Just provide a toy animal for him to snuggle with and maybe a ticking clock to simulate a heart beat. Most of all you need to be patient and provide firm, consistent discipline. Sounds easy enough, so after following her instructions to the letter, you snuggle into your own bed to catchup on the sleep you missed last night.

By midnight you are ready to shove a sleeping pill down his cute little throat!

STOP! Control that urge.

All you need is some basic education in how a dog thinks and some ideas on how to apply that information.

Part Two of this article is the Hubpage entitled "Thinking Like a Dog..."

Part Three of this article is the Hubpage entitled "How To Get A Good Night's Sleep..."