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DO - be 'top dog' from the first day

DON'T - be taken in by your pup's amusing antics or those appealing eyes - a Dandie who is the 'top dog' in the house can be very unpleasant to live with 

DO - listen to advice from the breeder - the chances are they have more experience than you 

DO - start as you mean to go on and quickly correct any anti-social behaviour - a good guide to anti-social behaviour is to think about your puppy doing the same thing as an adult - would it be acceptable? 

DON'T - forget that your puppy is a true terrier and not a lap dog - expect him to behave as such 

DO - give your puppy a daily routine which includes regular sleep times, a grooming session, play and socialising times. Regular 'sleep times' are very important - how can your puppy grow and develop properly if it is always running around to exhaustion point? 

DO - get your puppy used to grooming sessions from a very early age. This is important as this makes it much easier for all concerned at a later stage and a pleasant experience as opposed to a battle! Imagine not brushing your own hair for several weeks and then the pain and time involved in de-matting it. The breeder of your puppy should give tips on thorough grooming which should include regular attention to feet, nails, teeth and ears. It is a good idea to brush the puppy on a table or similar, as any activity on the floor is a game in the puppy's eyes. 

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DON'T - be too eager to make your puppy walk with a leash (lead) - by all means develop this skill with your pup but . . . .     DON'T - be tempted to take him on a 'route march' - free exercise around the house and garden is much better for your puppy - over-exercising on a lead at too early an age can hinder correct development. 

DO - discipline yourself when feeding your puppy . . . .   DON'T - be tempted to give a ' little bit extra' because the puppy has devoured its meal in seconds and therefore must still be hungry - Dandies are notoriously greedy and always 'hungry'! An overweight puppy is neither healthy nor happy 

DO - teach both puppy and children to respect each other 

DON'T - encourage your puppy to run up and down the stairs or jump on and off the furniture - sometimes easier said that done but definitely detrimental to physical development and may cause problems in later life 

DO - reward good behaviour eg during house-training or after grooming and your puppy will soon get the message about what is expected of him 

DO - put your puppy down on all four feet - never only front or back feet first 

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DO - provide your pup with his own toys or else your furniture is definitely in danger!  but . . . . DON'T - forget that Dandies have very strong jaws and teeth and the toys should reflect this to prevent chewing and swallowing of materials that could cause serious problems 

DO - remember that Dandies will eat anything - so do try and be aware of what he is chewing 

DON'T - keep your puppy with you every hour of the day and night - you will only make the proverbial 'rod for your own back'. Initially a good time to leave the pup is during 'sleep time' and progress from there

DON'T - expect miracles from your puppy in such areas as house training or obedience - they need to learn the rules like anyone else and some take longer than others 

DO - remember that Dandies are great 'advantage' takers - give them an inch and they will take a yard! 

DO - provide your puppy with it's own 'space' - for example a basket or a play pen 

DON'T - be put off by this list! Most of it is commonsense and basic 'good husbandry'

By Janice Murray of Kennel Blaven

[A nice little tale from Janice - when she got married to David, she was given a wedding present of a dog. David was already involved in various breeds but Janice was given the choice of the new 'wedding present' breed - she chose a Dandie - and that is how Blaven Dandies began . . . . . . . . thank goodness she did!  ed]