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Most people know that raising a puppy requires training. But few are ready for the reality of what it takes to turn a puppy to into a well-mannered family pet, or how long it actually takes.

If you are thinking about getting a puppy, read this first. Print it out, carry it in your pocket and when you go visit that litter of puppies, take a deep breath, step outside, and re-read it. If you still want that puppy, at least you have a sense of what your future holds!

Many new puppy owners have been told that they need to socialize their puppy, but very few are given instructions on how, when and where to socialize their puppy. Even worse, some people are told by breeders and veterinarians not to take their puppy outside for up to 6 months!

Between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks is known as the "critical period" for socialization. That is because anything that happens to your puppy during this time will be forever imprinted on his brain. So, if your puppy gets frightened by a man in a cowboy hat at 9 weeks and he doesn't have a positive experience with other men in cowboy hats, he will grow into a dog that is fearful of, or even aggressive towards, men in cowboy hats.

This is why it is inadvisable to take a new puppy to a dog park (aside from the health risk) which is often full of dogs will poor social skills and bully play styles.

Socialization means making sure that your puppy has positive experiences to every object, place and type of person they are likely to encounter as an adult dog for the first 16 weeks of their life (but don't stop there! Keep going until your puppy is at least 1 year old). Failure to do so is one of the leading causes of behavior problems in dogs.

"Oh, I know puppies are a lot of work. You have to teach puppies not to chew, dig or jump and how to go potty outside."

Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? And yet the classifieds are full of ads from people who "don't have enough time" for their puppy, a euphemism for their failure to teach their puppy these basic concepts.

What many new puppy owners fail to understand is that "teaching the puppy" doesn't simply mean teaching them once, or twice, or for a couple of weeks. Mike Bibby's high school basketball coach didn't just show him once or twice how to shoot the ball. It took years for him to master the skills necessary to become a professional basketball player. The same is true when teaching a new puppy skills and concepts, many of which go against his very doggie nature.

The puppy stage (chewing, digging, jumping, etc.) lasts a minimum of two years. Yes, I said TWO years, longer in some breeds like Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. That means all of those basic concepts, or at least most of them, are going to have to be practiced over and over again for the first two years of your puppy's life before he is ready to go pro.

There is a reason that the average age of dogs relinquished to shelters and rescues is between 6 and 18 months of age. Adolescence. A time when the cute, roly-poly puppy has been replaced with a lanky, teenage jumping and chewing machine with 50x the energy level of the average Border Collie.

Even if you have never had teenage children, you were a teenager at one time. If you don't remember what you were like back then, ask your parents. That should give you just some idea of what's in store when your puppy hits adolescence.

Independence, failure to obey commands that he previously excelled at...and then there's the chewing. Oh, the chewing. Chewing on furniture, trees, shoes, underwear, your hands and toes, remote controls and anything else within reach. After puppies lose their puppy teeth, all those big, beautiful adult teeth are still settling into the puppy's jaws, causing teething pain. But now, instead of those cute little needle-like 12 week-old puppy teeth, your adolescent has big dog teeth. The kind that can really do some damage to your antique dresser.

When frustrated, owners of adolescent puppies are advised to repeat the following, "When you're 3 years old, you're going to be a great dog." Repeat it until your blood pressure drops and you no longer have the urge to become a cat person.

When you were a baby, your parents did not leave forks lying next to the light sockets and then reprimand you when you electrocuted yourself. Your parents kept you safe by managing your environment. Cribs, playpens, swings, baby gates and socket covers all prevented you from experimenting with metal and electricity until you learned not to.

Managing your puppy's environment requires the same amount of supervision and prevention. But, here's the good news: puppies are full-grown at 2-3 years, whereas human babies aren't fully grown until 18 (at least legally).

Managing your dog's environment also requires you to be physically and mentally present when your dog has access to things that you don't want chewed up, urinated on or buried. Your dog can do a lot of damage in the same room as you if you aren't paying attention. If you cannot be both physically and mentally present with your puppy, confine him with a crate, ex-pen or baby gate.

Does this sound like more work than you were expecting? You're not alone. Raising a puppy is not easy or fast and if you can't fully commit the time and attention necessary to that puppy for at least 2 years, then perhaps an adult dog over the age of 3 will be a better fit for your lifestyle.

If you decide you still want a puppy and are ready for the commitment, congratulations. You are in for an exciting and humbling journey. And at the end, if all goes well, you will have a great companion for many years to come. And don't forget to repeat, "When you're 3 years old, you're going to be a GREAT dog."

BEFORE AND AFTER GETTING YOUR PUPPY - Dr. Ian Dunbar

Outlines everything you need to know to select the right puppy, as well as all the crucial lessons a puppy must be taught during its impressionable early development. In clear steps, Dr. Dunbar presents a structured yet playful plan built around six critical developmental deadlines: 1. Completing your education about puppy education 2. Evaluating your prospective puppy's socialization & training 3. Errorless housetraining and chewtoy-training 4. Socializing with new people 5. Learning reliable bite inhibition 6. Preventing predictable adolescent problems.

PARENTING YOUR DOG - Trish King

Don't let the title fool you - this is not a book about treating a dog like a "baby." Trish analyzes each stage of a dog's physical, mental, and emotional development in great detail; includes sections on puppyhood, adolescence, adulthood and aging, plus problem behavior. Offers numerous tips and guidelines detailing how dogs can adjust to and become part of the family dynamic. Formatted for quick reference.

Practical advice and information.  Trish is one of our favorites!

OUTWITTING DOGS - Terry Ryan

From world-renowned dog trainer Terry Ryan, with Kirsten Mortensen. Uses more brain than brawn to motivate dog behavior with positive training techniques and helps readers understand the minds of their canine friends. Focusing on problem solving and prevention with puppies as well as adult dogs, you'll find techniques to cure: the chronic chewer, the leash puller, the dog who jumps on people, the dog who hates to be left alone, the dog who won't come, the dog who barks too much, the biter, the aggressor, and more. You'll even learn how to outwit the neighbor's dog, socialize your puppy, teach your own dog tricks, outwit dogs and kids at the same time, and much more.