When bringing home a new puppy it's important to set a routine and boundaries as soon as the puppy comes home. Puppies thrive on a routine as it creates predictability and aids with potty training. It may take a few days and some trial and error to figure out what works for you and your household but puppies adjust well to change quickly once routine is established.

Establishing boundaries also needs to be implemented as soon as your puppy gets home. Your puppy might be cute and small now, but you need to remember that puppyhood is a short amount of time and they're not going to be little forever. Eventually, they will grow into an adult dog. If you already know there are certain rules you want your dog to follow such as not getting on the couch or staying out of the kitchen, you need to establish that now when they are still young and small.

Setting realistic expectations for your dog will also help with training. Understand that not all dogs will be social butterflies. Some will want to just hang around with humans instead of other dogs. On the other hand, some dogs are more outgoing and confident, while others are shy and nervous. Some dogs pick up on training faster while others do not. There are a lot of contributing factors that make puppies the way they are, so make sure you take a good look at your dog and your training goals to set realistic expectations. Remember the expectations can change as your dog gets older and learns more commands.

Key Lesson Concepts:

• Establish a routine, set boundaries, and expectations as soon as you bring the puppy home.
• Puppies thrive on a set routine.
• Rules and boundaries need to be set now when the puppy is still young and small.
• Look at your dog and set realistic expectations for them.