Getting a new dog? Mindset

When you first get a new dog (puppy or adult) or even before, it’s best to start thinking about what you're going to teach it, and what behavior you want out of the dog for the next say 10 years. In other words you need to have a game plan by which you are going to raise your dog to be what you want it to be. Many people get a dog based on looks; some wanting a long haired, short haired, big dog, small dog, or particular breed that they may have grown up with. But at the end of the day, we all want certain behavior out of our dogs. If you ask most people, ten out of ten would probably say they that they want a dog who comes when it's called, doesn't pee or poo in the house, and doesn't chew up their iPhone or really create a lot of problems in their life. Most people want a dog that they can enjoy as a family dog or companion minus a lot of headaches. So your mindset in raising the dog has gotta be aligned with what you are after in terms of behavior. The cute fun stuff in the beginning is fine, but that can’t be all there is to it. As time goes on your focus will have to be more on shaping behaviors and personality so that you can actually enjoy your dog for a lifetime! More on mindset in my future posts.