Yes, we know. You and your adorable little puppy are the greatest housemates. With just some food, water and a whole lot of snuggles, you and your pooch have the time of your lives together. However, have you ever thought about whether you and your fur-baby are good neighbors?
If you’re not sure your neighbors see you and your puppy in a favorable light, you may want to look at our 5 tips to being good neighbors, just to make sure you’re doing at least one of these things.
- Avoid leaving puppy poop.
You should never leave your puppy’s poop lying around after your puppy makes a pit stop. Along with being very unsanitary for the environment (and other people walking nearby), it is also extremely rude, especially if left in a neighbor’s lawn.
- Teach your puppy some personal space.
While walking, you might just come across some people who are just as enthusiastic about your puppy as you are. Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same way. It’s a great idea to teach your puppy not to bark, growl, or jump on passersby. This saves you a lot of trouble and keeps you on your neighbor’s nice list.
- Train your puppy to stay close
It’s tempting to just drop the leash altogether and let your puppy’s free spirit roam free around the neighborhood. We recommend avoiding this to prevent run-ins with non-puppy lovers or poopy stops on neighbor’s lawns. If you use a retractable leash, make sure your puppy doesn’t roam far from you. Supervision is key.
- Learn why your puppy barks.
If you’ve got a pooch who loves to bark, there could be an underlying reason as to why. Of course, you may feel the need to let your puppy bark all day as you head on to work and other responsibilities, but that usually doesn’t sit well with neighbors. Take the time to learn why your puppy barks and address the issue accordingly.
If your puppy is super energetic, you will likely need to exercise them more by taking longer walks or playing appropriate puppy games. Your puppy may have separation anxiety, and if such is the case, you will need to talk to your vet and a dog trainer to help ease your puppy’s anxiety.
- Introduce yourselves to your neighbors.
By introducing yourself to your neighbors, you’ll be able to find out how they feel about dogs (and pets in general!) and any concerns they may have. You can also develop a friendly relationship with your neighbor, which helps if your dog ever escapes. Make sure to let your neighbors know they can come to you with any concerns they may have.
Being a good neighbor can be a bit tricky the first few times but once you establish a neighborly relationship with the folks around the block and teach your furry friend some manners, you’ll be on your way to a good start!