anyone raised a puppy before?

 

in terms of potty training, her meals were scheduled, no free eating. that way we could make sure she went outside right after. we would take turns letting her out at night, because puppies can't hold their waste in for a long time, and will generally not eliminate where they sleep. she was praised for getting it right, and her word association is still, "potty outside." DO NOT engage in punishment conditioning for potty training, i.e. yelling or hitting when they don't get it right. we just didn't comment on it.

 

RESEARCH. RESEARCH. RESEARCH. its very helpful so you know what to expect. I visited boxer forums, dog behavior websites, got dog books from the library, etc. A dog is an amazing companion, but you owe it to them to think on their level when raising them, so they become well-adjusted. logic has no place in a dog's life, association does. exercise is everything, its not fair to keep them locked up for hours at a time, so I don't recommend them for single people with jobs. good luck!