iPuggle

Book recommendation: A Member of the Family: Cesar Millan's Guide to a Lifetime of Fulfillment with Your Dog

Puggles are very intelligent dogs and eager to please their humans. It's one of the things that makes them such a wonderful pet. All pets have to be socialized. It's very similar to raising a baby. You have to establish boundaries early and be consistent and patient in teaching them to your pet.

Decide in advance what the boundaries for your Puggle puppy will be - then communicate them with all members of the household and emphasize that everyone must be proactive in following them. Children have an especially difficult time with this but it's a good exercise for them - which is why having a pet can be a very important socializing tool for your own children.

Jumping on people and furniture

If you allow your Puggle puppy onto the furniture or to jump up on people, he or she will continue this practice into adulthood. Puggles do not grow very large - a large Puggle is approximately 20 pounds. This is one reason they make an ideal pet for apartments, condos or smaller homes. Therefore, it's not as annoying to have a Puggle that jumps onto a lap or the furniture as, for example, a German Shepherd. Still, you need to decide if you're going to allow this behavior. Rather than letting the Puggle jump up onto furniture or laps, it may be better to train your Puggle to wait on the floor for an invitation and not allow him or her on the furniture without one. You should gently remove the puppy from the furniture if he or she jumps up or is on it without permission. Training your Puggle to wait for invitation will spare your furniture and make your pet more likable to guests, who may not appreciate having a dog of any size on their laps.

You should absolutely discourage your Puggle from jumping up onto people who are standing, whether they are coming in the door or otherwise. This is a very annoying habit and can be harmful, not only for children and your guests, but also for your pet.

Begging and feeding

It really isn't a healthy practice to feed people food to a dog, and it isn't good manners for a dog to beg at the table. There are three things necessary to teach your dog not to do this:

1. never, ever feed your pet scraps from your table or your kitchen;
2. feed your pet before you eat, in a location away from the area where you eat; and
3. keep your pet away from your table when you are eating - any food dropped to the floor, even by accident, will undo all your efforts.

If necessary, put your Puggle in the crate before your family sits down to eat. Make certain children and guests understand the rule of not feeding people food to your pet, ever, anywhere.

If you give dog treats to your pet, do not do it in association with any meals served to people. Treats are on par with eating, and should not be associated in any way with people eating their meals.

Taking your Puggle puppy out

It's important that your Puggle puppy be socialized to different situations. Remember that a puppy has had limited exposure to the outside world and may be stressed at too much, too soon. Introduce different places and people slowly and build on small successes.

The Beagle part of your Puggle is inquisitive and active and easily bored. Acquaint your puppy with the neighborhood with daily walks. If you have children, involve them in this activity - it's good exercise for them and helps them learn how to be responsible pet owners.

Always ask permission before taking your Puggle to the home of a friend or neighbor and keep in mind that they will be more open to having your pet in their home if he or she is well behaved.

Dogs are pack animals and, for the most part, like being around other dogs. Take care to protect your Puggle puppy from sick or aggressive animals when allowing play with other pets. Most dogs will enjoy playing with others and this is a good socialization behavior for them.

Of course you need to regularly exercise your dog because it's good for the dog's overall health. What you may not know is that regular exercise is also a useful training tool for your dog. Dogs love to exercise and they love to spend time with their humans.

(We suggest this excellent resource: Cesar Millan's Mastering Leadership - Volumes 1-3.)

Giving a dog - especially a high-energy puppy - exercise will make them easier to train. Puggles are high-energy dogs, but they are also intelligent. The beagle in them is inquisitive and eager to learn.

Dogs that have been exercised are more likely to listen and obey. Walking the dog also gives you the opportunity to spend time with your pet. If you have children, dog walking can become a fun and relaxing way for the entire family - including your pet - to get some exercise and spend time together. Everyone will benefit!

Exercise will also help you keep your Puggle from using excess energy in the pursuit of destructive behaviors. A dog that is frustrated and has too much pent-up energy will dig, chew and destroy until they become a nuisance, not a valued and lovable member of the family.

Dogs need regular exercise to keep them from getting overweight and lethargic. Even if you have a large yard, where the dog is free to run, it quickly becomes boring. Most yards are not large enough to provide the kind of exercise a dog needs on its own. Don't think that a large yard substitutes for human interaction! You can tire your dog out by playing fetch, but you still need to go out and play fetch until the dog is too tired to continue. This, however, is not a substitute for walking. Walking socializes a dog to you and the neighborhood in which you live. It familiarizes your pet with the sights and smells of people and other animals in the neighborhood.

Regular walking and other exercise is essential to your dog's physical and mental health - and it's not so bad for you and your family, either!