Helpful tips for your new puppy
Its so important to have proper care and training in a puppy’s first few months. The things your puppy experiences now are going to affect him or her for the rest of its life. No pressure, right? Here are 10 tips to get you up and going fast!
1. Being left at home
First you will want to make sure you have a plan in mind for who is going to care for your pup during the day if you work full time.
They won’t be able to be left for more than an hour or so at most for a couple weeks, so planning ahead is a good idea.
2. Puppy proofing
Doing things like puppy proofing your house before your puppy arrives, will make it easier during those first days together.
Adding baby gates to the doorways especially if you have stairs, buying a puppy playpen and removing any access to small objects or cables will all help. Make sure you have chew toys to prevent the puppy from chewing on things you don’t want it to. Clike here for more puppy proofing info
3. Food
Puppies need puppy food. Feeding puppies a complete and balanced puppy food ensures they get the proper nutrition to develop and grow into healthy adult dogs.
Discuss your puppy’s diet with your veterinarian, as it can vary by size and breed. Studies show between 25-40 percent of household pets are overweight, and pet obesity can lead to serious health issues.
4. Vaccinate
You should visit your vet as soon as possible. Some people and Vets have slightly different opinions and schedules and I wouldn’t let that worry you. Consult with your Vet to find the best vaccination schedule for you and your puppy. Be careful what you expose your puppy to before its vaccinated. Click here for more vaccination info on our saftey page
5. Enroll in a puppy class
As soon as our puppy has its vaccines, enroll your pup in some basic obedience classes, the real benefit of puppy classes is socialization with other puppies and people.
6. Handling
Supervise your puppy at all times and interact with him/her regularly. From day one, touching feet, nails, tail, ears, mouth, teeth, and belly with love. Your vet will thank you.
7. Items you may need
- Premium puppy pet food to get your new puppy off to a good start
- Stainless steel, non-tip food and water bowls
- Identification tags with your puppy’s name, your name and phone number, and your veterinarian’s name and phone number
- A collar and a leather or nylon 6-foot leash
- A home and travel crate that’s airline approved and that will accommodate your puppy’s adult size. This crate will serve as your puppy’s new “den” at home, when traveling, or when riding to the veterinarian’s office. His scent in the crate will provide comfort and a sense of security during these stressful times. It can also aid in potty training.
- Stain remover for accidental soilings
- Brushes and combs suited to your puppy’s coat.
- Dog shampoo, toothbrush, and paste
- High-quality, safe chew toys to ease teething
- Flea, tick, and parasite controls
- Nail clippers
- Treats
8. Identify your puppy
Provide your puppy a collar with ID tags. Your puppy will be microchipping and you will want to register it. You can’t guarantee that your dog won’t ever get out of the house or yard, whether by accident, during a natural disaster, or by theft. His ID tags and microchip could be his only chance of returning home to you.
9. Training
During training, puppies respond better to positive reinforcement than punishment. Positive reinforcement makes your puppy want to do more of the things you want him to do.
It’s quite easy to get your puppy to repeat the behaviors you like by rewarding him with praise, treats, and games. Ignore or redirect your puppy when he misbehaves and reward good behavior. Soon, your puppy will be offering good behavior on a regular basis. Click here to visit our training page
10. Take photos
Your puppy will grow up so fast, so be sure to enjoy every moment with them, even if he can be frustrating from time to time. Document your moments together by taking many photos, people will want to see your new little bundle of joy.