Bringing a new puppy home is one of life’s most thrilling experiences! Puppies bring us a never-ending supply of delight and company. It’s crucial to remember, though, that caring for a new puppy needs effort and dedication from the start in order to establish excellent habits. We’ll give you our best advice for new puppy owners in this guide.
Puppy-Proof Your Home
To a puppy, your house is a playground. Therefore puppy-proofing your pad will both protect your new puppy and also your belongings.
Baby gates can come in handy when it comes to your new puppy. You can use them to barricade the rooms you don’t want your puppy to enter at first (at least until they’re housetrained). Because it is impossible to supervise your new puppy 24 hours a day, having a “puppy-safe room” for them to explore is a great idea. Put some toys, as well as their crate, bed, and water, in the room. Make sure to put away any chewable objects that can be swallowed, and also puppy-proof any electrical cabling by hiding it behind furniture or covering the cables.
When you think the job is finished, examine it from a puppy’s point of view, which includes under the sofa and in all of the places you wouldn’t normally think to look. This may seem silly, but it’s a great way to ensure you don’t overlook anything.
Register with a Veterinarian
It’s important to find a local vet who is reputable, offers modern facilities, and with whom you and your puppy feel comfortable. A good ‘litmus test’ to see whether you can trust your puppy to a clinic is to have them walk through a vaccination schedule, desexing, deworming, and parasite control.
Alternatively, it may make more sense in your case to also find a 24/7 Online Vet, where you can find support from a team of licensed veterinarians anytime during the day.
Choose the Right Puppy Food
Always feed a growing puppy food rather than an adult or senior food. The choice of dry or wet puppy food is a matter of personal preference, as both can be well-balanced diets. Make sure to read the nutrition label and choose a food that lists named meats as the first four ingredients. Follow the feeding amounts based on the feeding guide on the pack. When it comes to puppy treats, choose natural ones like carrots or broccoli or high-quality commercial treats with healthy ingredients.
In terms of how often you should feed a puppy, divide your daily food allowance into four equal portions and spread them out throughout the day. Reduce your puppy’s meals to three per day once he or she reaches the age of three months, and after six months, switch to twice-daily feedings.
If you’d like a comprehensive guide to the best puppy food based on consumer reviews, check out this guide from https://petcareadvice.com/best-puppy-food/.
Correct for Behavioral Problems Early
Remember that behaviour that may appear ‘cute’ when puppies are young can become irritating or even dangerous when they’re fully grown. Undesired behaviour such as crawling or jumping onto your lap could become a problem in the future.
Therefore, consider correcting behavioural problems early on. For example, you can prepare your puppy for future teeth brushing by regularly examining your puppy’s mouth and running your fingers over their gums. You can also use a brush to groom them and handle their feet frequently to prepare them for nail trimming. We guarantee your vet will thank you later!