What I have learned from life with dogs - part 3

If you've ever wondered what life is like with a puppy, this is our family's honest down to earth experience.

While I'm writing this blog it's almost four o'clock in the morning and our puppy Nala is crying close by in her puppy play pen.

She just woke up, needing to go out for one more successful round of "potty-training".

As I'm not a professional dog trainer, what I've learned is one take away from an everyday dog owner.

I've gathered wisdom from my puppy's breeders advice, several dog raising books and a few dog raising series on the Disney streaming channel.

There's no one way to understand dogs and to train them, I've learned, yet finding your way brings clarity.

So here comes some of my nuggets for you.

🐾 Your puppy's and dog's needs come before your wants.

If I want to play with the puppy while they're already over tired and stimulated, what is the best choice?

I choose to put her to her playpen to learn to fall asleep on her own.

This way she doesn't end up biting my hands when her tiredness tales over uncontrollably.

🐾 Good enough dog ownership is what you'll want to aim for.

If you'll consider that you'll be a dog owner for the next decade, establishing good routines that are doable is the long term key.

It helps your family and your dog.

What are the elements for your dogs wellbeing that you can follow through everyday?

My puppy is just a few months old, and can only run around in our yard for a sec. 

Since it's freezing outside, some minus degrees Celsius, she could easily get a urinary infection. 

Nevertheless, I'm training my dog owner skills with a habit of walking, preferably for a longer while.

I tell my family I'm going for Nala's walk.

They know it's thirty minutes.

🐾 Set your boundaries.

Our dog doesn't go to or sleep in our beds or don't go to the kids room - thus the puppy gate.

She's going to be a big dog as a Labrador Retriever and we're training her with that in mind.

We don't give her food from the table either.

She follows her own meal times, right now three times a day.

We warm up water to soften the puppy large breed dog pellets.

We've learned about poisonous things for dogs, and keep away from her anything that could harm her.

Even in our garden there's a plant that's poisonous for her and we won't allow her to chew on it.

🐾 Training pays off.

Already we can see how our "potty-training" is paying off.

There's been no mess to clean after the first night, that would have happened during the night.

And during the days taking Nala outside to bathroom breaks has lessened the mess and accidents inside.

We're training her to come to us when we whistle twice.

She loves her treats and comes gladly when she hears the whistle.

She gets her food when she sits down and waits.

She is growing with patience to let the food cup go lower, and can now wait until it's down all the way.

Calming herself down and falling asleep on her own is one of the things we let her practice.

🐾 There will be mess.

We're cleaning the stinky surprises every now and then and our "potty-training" phase is still ongoing.

We're cleaning the mess after the meal times from the floor all around.

Bathing a Labrador is fun for the dog as well and within the few last week's time we've already done it a few times.

We even brush Nala's teeth with a puppy tooth brush and paste, so her breathe doesn't smell as much and to keep her teeth healthy.

🐾 Your dog will learn from your praise.

I'm being mindful of paying attention to things I want to reinforce.

I praise Nala when she does something I want her to do more.

When she sits nicely or lies down calmly, I praise her and pet her.

When she sits nicely and is not whining I go to take her from her play pen.

🐾 Puppy phase lasts for a little while.

Soon you'll have a grown up dog who knows a lot more.

This puppy phase is rewarding and at the same time you're eagerly waiting for all the things you can do with an adult dog.

Now Nala is asleep again and I'll go sleep some more.

See ya!