In order to prepare your puppy for a well trained, well socialized adult life you must keep it safe from hazards just as you would a child. Before your puppy gets home there are several things you should check prior to letting your puppy loose in your home.

• Small objects can choke a puppy. Once a day you should check your floor to make sure it is clear of items your vacuum cleaner might miss - such as rubber bands and paper clips.]
• Puppies love to chew. Electric wires can mean instant death to puppies. If you are not using it unplug it or put it up out of puppies reach. You can buy a pet repellent such as Bitter Apple to spray on the article/cord you do not want the puppy to chew on. Furnish chew toys or a hard rubber ball for the puppy to play with. Be sure the toys are made for dogs.
• Garbage cans are another potential source of danger. Most puppies like to root through the contents. Make sure the lids are on tight.
• Some puppies are capable of opening cabinet doors, especially those that are ajar. If you keep bleach, detergent or poisons in these cabinets either move them or put a childproof lock on the cabinet.
• Keep toilet lids closed, or better yet, keep your bathroom door closed. Some puppies love to get a hold of toilet paper and either shred it or run down the hall with it.
• Check your yard, fence and gate and make sure that your puppy can not escape. Always be on the look out for loose dirt around the fence that might be an indication your puppy is trying to dig his way out.
• Remember, house training takes time. If you need to leave your puppy alone during the day or for any extended period you need to crate train your dog.
• Before bringing your new puppy home, select a veterinarian and set up an appointment for a checkup. Your puppy will need to have regular checkups.
• A few of your common household plants, shrubs and trees can be very toxic to your puppy. Make sure you place or remove these poisonous plants.
• If you do any gardening, make sure you have all of your supplies locked up or out of reach. Don't forget, many Tibbies are good "climbers" and can get to many things you wouldn't think about... like your kitchen table when you leave a chair pulled out.
• As with any medications, please make sure you do not leave any bottles or pills where your puppy can get to them.

Your new puppy will bring you a lot of joy and happiness. One of the best ways of showing your love for your puppy is by making sure your home is safe. Remember that your puppy is still a baby and you need to protect it. Crate training is no different than putting your baby in a playpen.

Recommended Dog Training Books:

• How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With - by Rutherford & Neil - Excellent book on selecting, training and housebreaking your new puppy. Highly recommended for all new puppy owners.
• Don't Shoot the Dog - by Karen Pryor - Excellent book on training. Great information on clicker training and positive reinforcement.
• More books...
• Web sites...

Many dog owners, breeders and veterinarians recommend dog cages (also known as crates) as the best way to raise a puppy.

The dog crate is your pet's home. It is his sanctuary where he can go and be alone. Like your puppy's relatives, he instinctively seeks the safety and security of a "den." Even though we might see the crate as a very limited or very confining space, the dog sees it as a secure haven.

When puppies are left alone and allowed to roam your house, they become anxious and often bored. By utilizing crate training you create positive behavioral patterns (i.e. housebreaking) and reduce fear and insecurity. You will find that crate training makes it easier to travel with your puppy.

In order for crate training to be successful there are several things you need to remember:

• You must have a positive attitude toward crate training.
• Be sure to purchase a crate large enough for an adult dog to stretch out comfortably.
• The placement of the crate should be in an area away from drafts and direct heat, but near the family (i.e. kitchen or den).
• Place the puppy in the crate before bedtime, nap time or whenever you need to go out and offer him a treat. Then shut the door and leave.
• As soon as you take your puppy out of the cage, take him immediately to your chosen outside elimination spot.. Praise his performance and go directly back inside. The puppy will then be able to make the association that this is what you want him to do when you first take him outside.
• Don't give in! You are not being cruel. At the first sign of any resistance, use a firm voice and say "no" or "quiet." Your puppy will settle down after about three to eight attempts at emotional responses.
• After the puppy has been quiet inside his create for about ten minutes, let him come out. Do not immediately praise the puppy as this can reinforce the desirability of leaving the crate.
• Wait for about an hour and crate your puppy again. Extend the puppy's quiet time to about thirty minutes. Gradually extend your absent periods and before long you can be gone for several hours.
• Provide soft, washable bedding and a chew toy for your puppy in his crate. Do not put a water or food bowl inside the crate as the puppy can spill them and make quite a mess. Use the water and food dishes provided with the crate.
• If the puppy wears a collar, be sure to remove it to prevent possible entanglement.

For more information on crate training: Perfect Paws, Housetraining Your Puppy, American Dog Trainers Guide to Crate Training.

Even though we think our precious little Tibbies are the best dogs in the world, occassionaly their strong-willed personalities might appear out of no where in the form of unwanted behaviour. Here are a few links that could be useful in dealing with those bevavioral problems.

• Dr. P's Dog Training - Excellent site for everything from housetraining to socialization to chewing & biting.
• Biting
• Does your little dog bite?
• Spiteful Urination
• Aggression
• Possession Aggression