Bringing a puppy into your life is exciting, but it’s also a big responsibility. Your job is to keep them safe, build their confidence, and help them navigate the world with ease. Puppies aren’t born knowing how to live alongside you, but they’re eager to learn. With clear guidance and positive reinforcement, they’ll grow into well-adjusted companions that others enjoy as much as you do.

If your dog suffers from anxiety, you’re not alone. Many factors contribute to your dog’s distress. For decades, dog anxiety was attributed to isolation distress, AKA separation anxiety, while reactions to people, dogs, noises, and other stimuli were dismissed as mere character flaws. Now, canine anxiety is studied, diagnosed, and treated compassionately to address a range of behaviors once considered maladaptive, such as destructiveness, leash reactivity, accidents, excessive barking, and aggression.

If a natural disaster strikes, you should have an emergency kit and a plan for your pets. You're also wise to consider what would happen to your pets if you were in an accident or became ill suddenly and landed in a hospital with no time to prepare. ©Corners / Adobe StockMake sure your pet wears an ID tag with current contact information.

Recognizing why and how your dog behaves can help you to take on the role as pack leader to give your dog the cues, guidance, and consistency she needs to shape and develop good behaviors.Understanding your dog's body language and the proper methods of discipline, along with using basic, yet helpful, commands will go a long way in developing your pooch into a well-behaved companion.

If you're interested in breeding dogs, take a look at how the AKC (American Kennel Club) classifies dog breeds. Whether you're considering becoming a dog breeder, or just looking to find one, go through a list of practices that a reliable dog breeder follows.American Kennel Club (AKC) classificationsCurrently, the American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes 150 separate breeds of dogs.

Keeping your dog healthy and happy involves having the right supplies, toys, and medicine on hand, knowing when to take your dog to the vet, and practicing preventive care.Photo: Alvan Nee / UnsplashThings to Buy Before Bringing Your Puppy HomeIf you plan to get a new puppy (or just did), be sure to have the following essential items either before, or shortly after, you bring your puppy into its new home.

A designer dog is a dog whose parents were both purebred dogs of different breeds. For example, a golden doodle has one parent who is a purebred golden retriever, and another parent who is a purebred poodle. His mother may have been the poodle, and his father may have been the golden retriever — or vice versa.