Exercise

Puppies and all breeds of adult dogs need regular exercise each day to satisfy their mental and physical needs. Time spent in the garden (no matter how large it is) is no substitute for a good walk with their owner. 

Puppies should be taken on 2-3 short walks on a daily basis and build up gradually as they grow, this will ensure healthy physical and mental development. Over exercising your puppy can lead to an increase in undesirable behaviours due to them being over-stimulated. An average pup should be sleeping around 16 hours a day. 

Never exercise your dog on a full stomach as this can cause a life-threatening condition known as stomach torsion or bloat. 

On the day you collect your new dog, take them for a walk around your neighbourhood. Let them take their time sniffing around their new area. 

When giving your dog the freedom to run free, leave a 30- 50 ft ‘trailing line’ on as a precaution against them running off, this will give you comfort and confidence knowing it is there, just in case. NB. a trailing line is a 50ft lightweight nylon lead. Homemade lines can be made with rope, although if choosing this option, be careful of rope-burns. 

Toys and games 

Establishing safe toy play from day one is important, playing with two toys and encouraging your dog to drop the toy in his mouth for the second one, adding in a drop command. If your dog becomes over stimulated it is time to slow down your play so this does not escalate to any negative behaviour 

This is especially important if you have children in your family. Establish rules of play with the children before allowing them to play with the dog. Children should only be allowed access to the dog under adult supervision. 

There are many types of games you can play with your dog that incorporate different activities and are a great form of mental stimulation for your dog, there are books written on this subject as well as lots of rescores online, so get researching and have some fun!