Building a positive relationship with your new puppy is the cornerstone for the way he/she will live his/her entire life. There are steps you can take right now to ensure that your dog will live happily and healthily into its geriatric years. You can take action now to prevent such problem behaviors as separation anxiety, dominance or aggression.

One of the most overlooked aspects of raising a puppy is socialization. Dogs' primary socialization occurs up to the age of 12 weeks. During this time, you should be exposing your young dog to various stimuli and as many different people as possible. If you don't want your dog to fear children, for example, make sure that you take him/her on walks to the playground. Pair children with your attention and praise or a favorite treat. Make the first experiences with children positive ones and you won't have to worry about your dog becoming anxious or aggressive around them later. As simple as it sounds, bringing your dog to the pet store with you to shop for his/her food and toys can make a huge impact on his/her acceptance of a variety of people. By allowing various people to approach your dog throughout the store, petting him/her or offering your dog one of the many treats you're keeping stuffed in your pockets, you show your dog that people are to be politely greeted, not feared. And it doesn't end there. There are many pet stores and dog parks in the Twin Cities where your dog can meet others of the canine species. As a very young puppy, your dog should be learning the rules of canine engagement and play. Think of it as canine kindergarten. The games may get a touch rough at times, but resist the "overprotective parental" urge to get involved and break it up. It's important for your pup to learn the rules of play as opposed to learning that these furry friends are to be feared. You also don't want to teach your dog to run to you for protection. This can lead your dog's becoming overprotective of you, even territorial. If you get your puppy over the age of 3 months, don't despair. There's a secondary period of socialization up to 8 months of age, after which it dwindles. Socialization is not impossible to recover in an older dog, just more difficult. Take advantage of every opportunity to have friends visit your home after you bring in a new pet. The more and varied your socialization can be, the better off your dog will be.

Another way you can start building your relationship with your new puppy is through positive play. Go for walks with your dog, but don't limit yourself to the same 20 minutes walk every morning and evening. Go in different directions, exposing your dog to different environments for increased stimulation. Fetch can be a great "lazy man" game to play with a puppy. Of course, you may not get the ball or tug toy back at first. So don't chuck the toy 30 feet out into your backyard and expect your dog to instinctively know what to do. Start by throwing the toy on the ground and then exchanging it for a small biscuit or piece of cheese the first few times. Then drop the toy to one side or the other, increasing the distance gradually. Your dog will catch on quickly. When your dog returns the toy to you, resist the temptation to struggle to get it back. Wait until your dog drops it in front of you. Then you can pick it up and the game begins again. If your dog refuses to drop the toy, you remain neutral. Trust that the game is not as much fun this way. If you do decide to play tug with your dog, he/she must readily drop the toy when you say "enough". Your dog's mouth or teeth should never touch your skin. Go Find is another great "lazy man" game. Start by throwing a handful of your dog's food on the ground right in front of them after clearly saying the words "Go Find". Repeat by dropping the food a little to one side or the other, always pairing the action with the phrase "Go Find". Soon, you will build up to chucking handfuls of your dogs food into your backyard and watching your dog "hunt" for his/her dinner. Remember that all games must have absolute rules. You must initiate and end all play activity. Your dog should get approximately two to three hours of mental and physical activity per day. It may seem like a lot, but if you incorporate some of these games into your daily life, you'll find it quite manageable. Making toys fun for your dog when you're not there is another way to increase mental stimulation. Don't just go out and buy all the latest toys, throw them down on the floor in front of your dog and expect him/her to go to it. Try putting a tablespoon of peanut butter or cheese whiz in a Kong before you leave for work in the morning. Boil a Galileo last night's meat scraps. They'll smell wonderful to your dog. bone in beef bouillon before giving it to your dog. Or keep your dog's rawhide bones in a baggie with

Finally, when building a relationship with your new best friend, make sure that your interaction with him/her is calm, neutral and relaxed. Angrily scolding your dog for things you don't want him/her to do simply doesn't work. You will only establish fear between you and your dog. You may think your dog is better behaved, but at what cost to your friendship? A better move to improve your communication would be to get into a positive-based obedience/behavior class. Starting things out right from the very beginning will prevent the kinds of problems you would otherwise need to "scold" later. Finally, have fun! That's what dogs are for, right? Don't lose sight of why you got a dog in the first place...unconditional love, companionship and lots of cuddling!