Living with a new puppy is such a wonderful time. There’s puppy breath, sweet cuddles, and loads of playful fun! But, sometimes we forget there can be a little more to it.

 Puppy behaviors are important to pay attention to; some are normal, while others require a little more training.

We have put together a short guide on some normal puppy behaviors, and some to keep an eye out for. 

Normal Puppy Behavior

1. Chewing: When your little guy chews or mouths on things this is completely normal. All dogs have an urge to chew, and chewing is good for tooth health! Just make sure they chew on their toys or bones.
2. Barking: This is how your puppy communicates with you! Barking can let you know if they need to go potty, are hungry, or need a little attention. Now we know you don’t speak dog, so it may take a little while to decipher what your pup is trying to tell you. Just be patient with yourself and your new puppy.
3. Separation Anxiety: When your puppy is young, crying when alone (even for short periods of time) is a defense mechanism to keep them safe. As your pup grows older the crying will subside.

These were just a few behaviors that can seem worrisome, but are actually quite normal. 

Below we have a list of behaviors that should be corrected at an early age, and may require some training.

Undesirable Puppy Behavior

1. Jumping: Puppies will jump on you to get your attention, this starts very early on. To help curb this behavior, push them off while sternly stating “off” and turn around to ignore them until all four paws are on the floor. If your pup knows the sit command use it here as well.
   • If your puppy does not have any training, maybe look into some training courses near you. If you are in the Spanaway, Puyallup, or Tacoma area click here to find out more on training courses.
2. Biting: While some biting is considered normal, say if your pet feels threatened or needs to protect themselves and their territory, other times the biting is just too aggressive. Sometimes your pup will bite to show dominance, and they need to know who the leader of their pack is. By socializing and training at an early age your pup’s biting will be under control. One way to socialize is to have your puppy in daycare a couple times a week, where they can play with other dogs! Click here to find out more about daycare.
3. Timid/Shyness: Puppies can be somewhat shy, and unsure of everything going on around them. Shyness can turn into scared behavior in adult dogs. One way to help with shyness is to exercise your puppy! Go for walks frequently, around the same time each day to keep a good routine. Another way to exercise your pup is to take them to an agility course. Lucky for you we have one here in Spanaway, click here to find out more!