As with any young being, a puppy needs to learn, run, and grow in order to be able to be smart enough to take care of himself. When you have a puppy in your life and in your family, there are some things that you should be doing to make sure that you are preparing him for the world without allowing him to be hurt by accident.

Preventing Injuries

It is very important for you to prevent puppy injuries whenever you can. Your puppy is a natural explorer - he is going to want to run around, to learn, and to play as much as possible. All of these are learning experiences that he is going to like to have, and they are all going to be good for him - except for the fact that he won’t know the difference between things that are safe for him to explore and things that are dangerous for him. This is where you come in.

As a puppy owner, it is your job to make sure that your puppy is as safe as possible. You need to be sure that you are puppy proofing your home before you even allow a dog to be a part of your family. You need to act as if you are baby-proofing a home. First, remove anything that might be in the dog’s reach that might be dangerous to him. Electrical cords, poisons, and any small objects he might eat should be moved so that they aren’t going to be a problem for him. Remember that when he does get a hold of something that he shouldn’t’ have, you should remove it from him, tell him “no” firmly, and then replace it with something that he can have, like a toy or a treat. Be sure that you give him plenty of things to chew on and play with, because when a puppy is bored they are going to be more likely to be a problem. Therefore, keep him occupied.

You also want to keep your puppy in a safe place when you aren’t around to keep an eye on him yourself. You should be sure that he is going to be somewhere that is safe for him to be, and that you aren’t allowing him to be anywhere that might be dangerous. Keep him in a kennel when you aren’t home, until he is older and you know what he can be trusted to do. If you have him wear dog clothes, insure that they fit him right and that he won’t be able to choke on them.

When you are away from your home with your puppy, always keep him on a leash. Remember that puppies will run away if they have a chance, and it is all too easy for them to be hit by cars, stolen, or to fall into something that they shouldn’t. You want to be sure that you are doing your part to keep your puppy safe at all times, so that he can grow up to be that perfect dog.

So you have a dog and you have realised that you need a place to train this dog. Most people just look in their telephone book or some go on the internet to search for dog behavior training programs.

While the telephone book is very handy it is probably quite limited, especially if you live in a small town, and the internet is so vast that it can be overwhelming trying to sort through the endless information to see what is relevant.

Once you start to research this topic you will see that so many companies claim to have the best program. Obviously they think that or they wouldn’t be promoting it.

Your job is to look thorugh all these different sites. The secret is to narrow your choices down so you end up with the best program you can find for you and your dog.

The first step is to take a good look at who has written this program.

1. Does this person have any real experience with training dogs? Read through all the information and learn their background.

2. Do they have a proven track record with dog training basics? Check for information on their results and how long they have been training.

3. Do they give easy to follow instructions with real solutions, not just vague comments? They should give specific examples of what you’ll get.

4. Do they expect results with methods that are cruelty free and adaptable? You will be able to tell from the tone of their comments as well as what they actually say.

The next step is to see how accessible the program is.

5. Is the program available to you right away? You don’t want to wait weeks to receive your information - you need it now!

6. You will also need to know if the program covers all areas of dog training basics such as: - housebreaking, - dealing with aggression, - training with praise, - jumping problems, - biting problems, - chewing problems, - communication, - speed of training, - and using food for training.

The program you use should also address issues around choosing puppies and raising puppies, as well as advice on different kinds of dogs.

Then you need to know if the program you have chosen is guaranteed.

7. Do they offer a 100% moneyback guarantee? If they believe in their product they should definately stand behind it.

Lastly you need to know that the program is successful.

8. Can you ask for references or testimonials from others that has used the program? If they have lots of different testimonials that’s a good sign.

9. Are they freely and openly giving you access to these testimonials?

10. Are the testimonial specific and detailed? Read them carefully to see if they sound like the kinds of issues you need to deal with. If the program worked for someone with similar issues to you, then it should work for you.

If you follow these rules you will be able to find the dog behavior training program that suits your lifestyle, your dog, and yourself.