Puppy Rearing: The Essentials Attention, Exercise, and Mental Stimulation Puppies need social interaction, physical exercise, and mental stimulation – just like children do – in order to grow up to be healthy and well balanced. When these needs are not met, many behavior problems can develop. Attention: How much daily social time does a puppy need? A good rule of thumb is that a puppy should spend at least half his waking hours each day interacting with other dogs and people. Like humans, most dogs enjoy a mix of old friends and new encounters – so make sure your pup meets at least one new dog or person each day. While puppies do need to learn to spend time alone, too much isolation will mak

"Obedience training is one of the most important aspects of raising a dog. In fact, a well trained dog is by far a happier dog! Why? Because a trained dog requires fewer restrictions. The more reliable the dog, the more freedom he is given. For example, many stores and businesses that normally won't allow dogs on their premises will make an exception for a puppy or a dog that will heel nicely by his owner's side, or will do a sit-stay or down-stay without hesitation. When company arrives in your home, there's no need to banish a well-behaved dog to another room for fear that he will be a royal nuisance. Moreover, because a well-mannered, obedience-trained dog is both appreciated and welcome,