Nothing evokes Christmas joy more than seeing a puppy with a santa hat appear on Christmas day!
Don’t forget though that Christmas morning is just one day and you need to think about the other 364 days.
I have some tips for you if you are planning on a Christmas puppy and a special Puppy Workshop just for you!.
Here are my TOP TIPS for finding the perfect puppy
Evaluate the dog before you buy
One of the most important things is to get a competent trainer to help you assess your future four-legged friend!
I help owners consider traits of a future puppy or dog that should be included in the decision process beyond an adorable face. It is my goal to give you the tools you need to help you evaluate the dog and determine which puppy is best for you in terms of temperament, mind-set, and energy.
I also assess prey drive, pack drive and defensive drive! A dog’s natural traits have a huge impact on the kind of life they need to live to be satisfied and fulfilled. It matters to know who your dog is before training, in order to make a match that fits with who you are!
Breed of dog does matter
Like it or not, it’s true. Select a breed that is best suited to your season in life, where you live, how active you are and how much time you are willing & able to invest in training your pooch. You must be honest with yourself! If you want a husky but you only walk around the block once a day in your neighborhood, you are setting you and your dog up for failure.
Find a good breeder
If you are purchasing a puppy, find an amazing, ethical, intentional breeder that health tests its breeding animals. Make sure this is a breeder you can work with and that you trust. Meet the parents whenever possible. MEET THE PUPPY! Spend time either in person or spend lots of time on FACETIME. See that puppy ‘real time’ interacting with people, other dogs, sounds, noises, etc. If you have a young family, pick a dog that is not startled by noises and doesn’t mind being touched happily. If you are a senior that lives a quieter life, don’t get the puppy that is bouncing off the walls, look for the puppy that is a bit more reserved. If you are working from home, have a yard and have time, are consistent and persistent, you can select a more energetic puppy.
Work with an ethical rescue
If you are rescuing a puppy or dog, find an amazing, ethical & honest rescue that can give you an accurate assessment of that dog’s natural temperament. SPEND time with the puppy or dog in a variety of situations to actually SEE who that dog is. You must be realistic about what you are seeing and understand those implications to you and your life. DO NOT TAKE anyone’s word for it. If the dog has been returned 3 times from a family with young children, and you have a young child, you should run the other way. Unicorn thinking does not help you when assessing rescues.
Get prepared
Get Puppy Prepared. Find a great trainer that is well versed in a variety of tools and methods to get you started out on the right paw! We are having our ACADEMY WORKSHOP-Puppy Edition starting in early January!
The January Academy Workshop, PUPPY EDITION includes…
The Pillars of Pack Leadership Academy – The online course with 35+ videos covering the entire APBC training philosophy.
APBC stand alone Meet and Greet Guidance video – this is an enlightening training video of how you and your dog should be interacting with the world (and them with you) when you are out and about.
30 days in the Insider Club. Which includes two new training videos every month and the APBC team answers all your training questions. You get immediate access to the library of past training videos.
2 weeks in a private Facebook group where you will be personally guided by Aly through her Pillars of Pack Leadership Academy. She will break it all down and answer any questions you have as you move through the material together.
AND the first 5 people to join will get a FREE one-on-one consultation with Aly!
There are always bonus offers and content appropriate to the workshop topic that we love to throw in too!
I hope you join us for our course in the new year to help you get your puppy off to a great start!
