Behaviors to Look Out for In A New Puppy

When welcoming a new puppy into your life, understanding their behavior is crucial for ensuring their well-being and preparing them for a lifetime of positive experiences. Behaviors to look out for in a new puppy can provide valuable insights into their overall health and readiness for various encounters.

Here are 6 behaviors to look out for in a new puppy:

1. Socialization: Puppies should be eager to interact with people and other animals. Early socialization is fundamental for overall development and helps to build confidence.
2. Playfulness: A healthy puppy is typically curious, playful, and energetic. A puppy should engage in play with toys or other dogs, demonstrating normal social behavior.

Free Puppy Social Hour

Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center—located in Doylestown, PA—offers a free puppy socialization program on Thursday evenings for puppies two to four months old and on Friday evenings for puppies up to 6 months old. The puppy-only program encourages free exploration and play with other puppies and people. The class helps the puppies understand that being away from mom or dad can be a positive experience. Socialization also helps reduce the chance of developing separation anxiety. Experienced daycare teachers provide full supervision and gentle guidance on proper play.

3. Grooming Behavior: Puppies usually engage in self-grooming. Watch the condition of their fur, skin, nails, and ears. Some coats can become tangled or easily matted, which can become uncomfortable for the puppy and cause irritation to the skin. This condition is a clear indication that a grooming appointment is necessary.

Puppy’s First Groom

The pet resort and its pet grooming salon, The Spa on State, offer a Good Start Grooming service for puppies. Introducing the puppy to the grooming process during the first year helps them become accustomed to the grooming tools and process. The grooming process should be a positive experience. All breeds benefit from professional grooming, but for many breeds that require professional grooming, a lifetime of visits to the salon will be easier when gently introduced to the process at a young age. The first appointment usually includes a bubble bath and blow dry, a quick trim of the fur around the feet, sanitary area, and face; a nail trim; and ear cleaning. Our professional groomers proceed at a gentle pace, always ensuring the puppy feels comfortable.

4. Exploration: Curiosity is a natural behavior in puppies. They should show interest in their environment, sniffing and exploring different objects and spaces.
5. Chewing and Mouthing: Puppies explore the world with their mouths. While some chewing is normal, excessive or destructive chewing may indicate boredom or anxiety.

Dog Daycare

Yes, puppies can enroll in a dog daycare program. Puppies are active and dog daycare is a great place to get the amount of daily exercise, stimulation, socialization, and rest they require. Enrolling in a puppy socialization class provides a gentle introduction to the larger group experience. For the second year, Holiday House Pet Resort is offering a Winter Scouts Daycare program every Saturday from January through March for puppies up to one year old. The classes focus on enrichment activities, manners and basic skills, and good, old-fashioned puppy play. Puppies can also participate in the weekday daycare program which offers an Explorers program for daily enrichment activities. The dog daycare experience improves social skills, reduces boredom—which leads to chewing things a puppy shouldn’t chew—and can reduce anxiety.

6. Training Readiness: Assess their ability to focus and respond to basic commands. Of course, puppies aren’t born fully trained, but a willingness to learn and follow simple instructions are positive signs.

Professional Training

Training your puppy is about creating a foundation of trust and communication. Teaching basic obedience establishes that shared language and sets expectations for good behavior. Training a dog takes practice, patience, and consistency—all of which take time. If time is your concern, the professional training programs at Holiday House Pet Resort are the solution! The popular Stay & Learn and Play & Learn programs are fully customizable to meet your training goals. The immersive, concentrated curriculum offers lasting results. Stay & Learn combines multiple daily training sessions with all the amenities of a resort stay—a convenient program while you are away on business or vacation. The Play & Learn program combines training with our engaging dog daycare program, which helps to reinforce basic obedience and manners. Both programs include a private, final lesson with you and your dog—and ongoing support—for a smooth transition from active learning to continued practice at home.

These initiatives offered by Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center aim to create a positive environment for puppies, setting the stage for a lifetime of health, happiness, and harmonious companionship.