Puppy Care
Having a dog as part of the family quickly turns out to be a wonderful experience for most people. Many like to start by choosing a puppy. While becoming a puppy owner is exciting it also comes with a lot of responsibility.
Making Sure Dog Ownership is Right For You
For those who have never owned a dog before and especially a puppy, it should not be a decision that is made on the spur of the moment. Puppies are cute but they do not remain puppies forever. As dogs get older, they will continue to need care. Usually, before getting a dog consider walking a neighbours dog for a while as this is just one of the significant responsibilities that come with dog ownership.
Choosing the Puppy
Once the decision is made to get a puppy, then it means choosing one that is going to be compatible with the family and the home environment. If there are children in the family, it means finding a breed that tends to like kids. Also, if the home is small, then a smaller breed would be a wiser choice.
Buying What the Puppy Will Need
A puppy is going to need a collection of items. These will include:
- Puppy feeding and drinking bowls
- Puppy food
- A collar and leash
- Puppy Toys
- Puppy crate
- Puppy training pads
Getting the Puppy Used to a New Home
Most often a puppy that has just been bought will be leaving his mother and siblings for the first time. This takes a period of adjustment. For the first few nights, the puppy may cry. Making sure the puppy is kept in a secure place like a puppy crate with a warm blanket will help the puppy to adjust fast.
Training the Pup to Go Outdoors
A puppy is like a baby and needs a lot of attention in the first few weeks. One of the first responsibilities will be training the pup to go outside to relieve himself. Different approaches can be taken to train the pup to do this.
- Paper Training: Some individuals like first to train their pup to go on paper to relieve themselves. Then once the pup has adapted to this, they move to the next level of introducing them to the outdoors. As soon as they see the pup headed for the paper, they pick the pup up and take him outdoors.
- Direct Outdoor Training: Another approach is to take the puppy outdoors on a schedule to get him to relieve himself at certain times. The times focused on are after the puppy wakes up from a nap or has eaten, as well as first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
