by Regina Hill

Created on: January 17, 2009   Last Updated: August 04, 2011

The puppy is soft, cuddly and sweet. The four year old boy has an expression of curiosity as the puppy licks his hand and squirms to be set free from the heavy grasp he has around his new pet.

"Sit him on the floor," his mother tells him with a smile, "when he squirms like that he's asking to be put on the floor." And, the lessons begin.

The child has already been told, over and over, about the responsibility accompanying puppy ownership. His new best friend, hopefully, will understand that his new owner is being trained, just has he is.

"Allow him to move around on his own sometimes," his mother explains, "he doesn't want to sit on your lap all of the time anymore than you would want to sit on mine all of the time. He needs space, just like you do."

Feeding, watering and potty training are definitely interesting pursuits, as are bathing and grooming. With each new and unusual puppy predicament, there is a new lesson to be learned for the four year old.

Puppies like snacks between meals, just like you do, his mother tells him as she searches the pet food aisle for doggy treats. She allows her son to choose the colors for a collar and lead while explaining that he will need to walk the puppy on the lawn every hour until he's been properly trained on the benefits of going outside to use the restroom.

After much ado, the puppy has been tagged Elijah and his new purple collar has been adjusted to fit his small neck. The child begins learning how to walk the puppy properly while having patience for those moments when his pet needs to be given space.

In a matter of weeks, Elijah has become the family mascot and the little boy has learned to feed, water, walk and give space with all the insight of a true puppy trainer.

Most of all, he has come to the realization that responsible puppy training actually equals a new and delightful best friend who will accompany him through much of his young life.

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