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Behavior Problems?  Find Out What to Do to Get Help!
 

If you've not made the leap, please read "I Want a Puppy!", first.  Many people start out wanting a puppy -- with all the best intentions... but then quickly come to realize that it's NOT the happy, flowery, serene experience they thought it would be.  That's how we end up with all these dogs in rescue.

There are people, though, who are able to handle the extra burden in their lives -- they've researched training methods, and breed-specifics, and their schedules allow them the flexibility necessary to give the puppy the attention and care it needs.

Puppies Take Time.

Your number one consideration in bringing a puppy home is the TIME involved in properly caring for him... because puppies DON'T just lie at your feet, like many adult St. Bernards do.  A 12-week-old Saint puppy needs training (I recommend 3 10-minute sessions per day), walks (2 20-minute walks), bathroom breaks (1 every hour), constant CLOSE supervision, and LOTS of socialization.  This is just the PRACTICAL side of things -- you'll also want to spend lots and lots of time cuddling and talking to your new family member... people often don't realize just how truly exhausting this can be!  Set up a schedule!

If you've already got your puppy, and have found out that the time just isn't available, there are creative ways available to allow you to keep him.  If you didn't consider your work schedule (or, if you just need an occasional break!), consider doggie daycare for your puppy.  Puppies need GOOD social interaction with other dogs in order to become well-socialized, and a good doggie daycare will provide this, in spades!  If you have a GOOD doggie daycare available in your area, I highly recommend making use of it -- even 2 hours, 2 to 3 days a week will help alot -- it provides the puppy with the opportunity to play in ways that just aren't acceptable, with humans (all that puppy NIPPING!!)  If daycare simply isn't an option, consider trading "puppy-sitting" with a friend or co-worker.  This sort of conscientious socialization prevents boredom (puppies often chew out of boredom, as well as teething!), and will allow your puppy to learn limitations in his bite (called bite inhibition).  Playing with other dogs and puppies also provides the necessary exercise to build strong musculature -- this is what supports the skeletal system, and this exercise is incredibly important in preventing or deterring problems like crippling dysplasia.

Puppies Take Patience.

Even those of us with the best of intentions find ourselves becoming frustrated... the sleeping schedule for the puppy doesn't meet the sleeping schedule you need in order to function, or the pooping schedule isn't meshing, or he's chewed your shoes AGAIN, or you've found out that puppies are incredibly vocal -- often at THE most inopportune times!!  And, with giant breed puppies, this phase lasts longer... where other breeds are "matured" at a year, Saints are puppies emotionally until they're 3 years old!!  Of course, they're mostly housetrained by then {grin}, but if your puppy learns to chew inappropriate items as a way of relieving boredom, or learns to bark to gain attention, these problems carry right on into adulthood (and the problem gets bigger along with the dog's size!) -- and, of course, Saints DIG as well!!

So: when all of this starts compromising your relationship with your puppy (and the rest of the world, as well! {grin}), what can you do?

Crate him.  When you need to go to work, or to the grocery store, or to the bathroom (without company!), or to sleep, or to have 20 minutes of "non-supervising time"... crate him for his own safety.  

Puppies Take Gentleness.

Training methods have evolved tremendously from 30 years ago... it used to be recommended that owners wait until their puppies were 6 months old, before enrolling them in an obedience class -- that's because the methods used were entirely too harsh to be withstood physically by young puppies.  In my opinion, they were entirely too harsh for the adult dogs -- and many trainers still use many of these methods, today.

Lots of owners don't like the idea of training their dogs, because they remember those nightmare training methods, and they think that those methods are what's necessary in order to teach obedience.  They're NOT.  Training methods and tools have evolved to the point where it's entirely possible to raise your dog to be a loving, well-mannered, trusted member of society -- and even title him in obedience, flyball, agility, tracking, whatever  -- without even once hitting him, or jerking his leash.  There have been amazing strides in this area!

Giant breed puppies require training -- sooner, rather than later -- their sheer size demands it.  Using total positive reinforcement methods, you can turn training into a game, and make it an incredibly bonding experience for both of you.

Puppies Take Humor.

Lighten up.  The sofa is replaceable.  The carpet can be scrubbed.  The shoes are replaceable.  The puppy is not.  Use your God-given sense of humor to get through whatever rough spots you may hit along the way -- I can promise you that it's worth it. 

He didn't chew the sofa out of revenge, or poop in your shoe to teach you a lesson in dominance.  These are a part of PuppyHood -- they're normal.  Pick up a newspaper, roll it up tightly, walk into the bathroom and close the door -- and smack yourself in the head with it. {grin}  A couple of times, if need be.