Ed. Note: The following content was provided by Cinema Veterinary Centre, who is a client of KHTS AM-1220.

Common problems for pet owners with new puppies– such as potty training and toy or food aggressiveness –can be frustrating, but a Santa Clarita veterinarian is offering helpful advice on these issues and more.

When it comes to toys or food, Dr. Jaimie Ronchetto of Cinema Veterinary Centre attributes early signs of aggressive behaviors in puppies to their desire to be the “alpha” in the home.

“They’re trying to assert their dominance over you, which is certainly not what we want– we want the humans to be the alphas in the family,” she said. “Working with them and training with them from an early age will help with that.”

To prevent a puppy from becoming too possessive over their food, Ronchetto advises pet owners to remain beside them during feeding times and to pick up the bowl and set it back down throughout the meal.

Related: Santa Clarita Veterinarian Offers Advice For Dealing With Anxiety In Pets

“It’s hard if the puppy has already developed the aggressive tendencies; a little bit more work has to be done for that,” she continued. “Making them sit and wait for their food– waiting until they get permission basically to eat –will help with that as well.”

Keeping a puppy from getting too excited during playtime can also help prevent possessiveness over toys.

For instance, if a pet owner notices their puppy becoming overly excited or showing signs of aggressiveness during a game of fetch, they should stop before the puppy gets too overstimulated, according to Ronchetto.

Similarly, Ronchetto advises pet owners to keep tug-of-war games “light play” and to make sure their puppy learns to let them take the toy away.

“You always want to be the pack leader,” she said.

As far as potty training, a common problem Ronchetto hears from pet owners is that their puppy will only “potty” on grass or cement, or even “potties” while walking.

“If (a puppy) is walking and peeing at the same time… a lot of that can be marking behavior,” Ronchetto said. “They go a lot by sense of smell, so if he’s smelling where other dogs have gone, then he wants to go too.”

“As far as defecating in certain areas, a lot of dogs prefer different substrates, so some dogs will only go on the grass while other dogs will never touch foot on the grass. Some of that is just their personal preference.”

Pet owners can experiment with different substrates to determine what their puppy prefers and then keep potty breaks to one “central area” so it’s easier to clean up.

Cinema Veterinary Centre

23460 Cinema Drive

Valencia, CA 91355

661-253-9300