Little Gremlins

Inspired Canine Team
Nov 30, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Feb 28

New puppies are always an exciting and adventurous time for the entire household. Even when you think you have planned everything to be more than ready it can be unpredictable !

We have a few rules for the new little gremlins (aka cute fluffy puppies) in our home that help us enjoy the fun and antics.

Don't feed them after midnight - Well for us its nothing after 7pm.
DO get them wet - Get them accustomed early on to grooming techniques and pay attention to how they feel. Getting them used to brushing and nail clipping early in a positive way will benefit you all in the future. Take it slow, be patient and empathetic.
Watch Out! - If you are in a room, then your puppy should be too, unless they are in their crate, or contained play area. The best way to manage your puppy is to keep them in your sights and monitor them. This way you can reinforce the behaviour you want them to do more of.
If it's quiet.....check on them - Quiet puppies who are out of sight means you've let your guard down and they could be exploring something thats not appropriate so go see what mischief is happening.
Let sleeping dogs lie - don't wake those fluff balls if they are resting! Nap time is golden time so make sure they have scheduled naps, puppies can get overtired, cranky and bitey if they haven't had good sleep. And they need it puppies do lots of sleeping!
Toilet Time Every Time - after naps, eating, playing whatever it might be little pups have little bladders. Accident may happen but it's not their fault, consistency helps and they are quick to learn routine.
Routine - Toilet time, training, sleeping, food, play, bedtime etc will all be much easier if you create a routine for your puppy and family.
Socialisation is key - This is important and it needs to be positive and supported. Socialisation is not taking a dog to a dog park, its about having exposure to a variety of things (places, people, animals, experiences, substrates, sounds, etc) in a positive and encouraging way which will help to build confidence. Remember every is new to them in this world, absolutely everything.
Monitor - Manage dog to dog interactions! - having an attitude of "letting older dogs sort out young pups", or "it'll do him good to be told off by another dog" or "he needs to learn let them sort it out" isn't good for either dog involved. Some dogs (just like some people) need a little extra help and guidance from us when it comes to being in social situations with other dogs and people.
Don't over exercise! - Little puppers have growing bodies and they should not be over walked, play fetch excessively, jump/run down stairs, etc. Little bones need time to grow and mature and your dog will thank you for being mindful of this when they are a senior. Also, let's retire the phrase of "a tired dog is a good/happy/dog" it just isn't true. Dogs of all ages need mental & physical stimulation, a long walk to exhaust them once a day just doesn't cut it.
Playtime ends at 8pm - Human playtime with those beloved squeaky toys & tug ropes stops at 8pm and we have wind down time. Puppies can play by themselves, but human play switches off.
Autonomous play is A-okay - We don't want our puppers to rely on us for entertainment and want to make sure they know how to have fun on their own, in appropriate ways of course! Playing with their toys instead of furniture, or eating books and destroying toilet paper is something you want to reinforce, let them know when they are making good choices, and if they have strayed away from what's appropriate gently guide them back to where they need to be.
Hands are not toys - No bitey of the hands! Little land sharks need some guidance here. Ensure good toy play and teach them how to interact with you and how to play appropriately.
Pause - This is an important one. Just having that little space, that breath, before you jump the gun or while you wait after asking them to do something or after they chew your thong, there's room to pause all the time and it will help you build a better relationship while building their confidence.
One of a kind - Each pupper is an individual, so be patient, understanding and flexible.