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Caring for your new Dog or
Puppy
 Thinking about buying a
Puppy?
When deciding to buy a Puppy, it is easy to
to forget about how much much care they need. The average dog will
live for up to 10 years or maybe longer. You will need to provide it
with lots of companionship and provide regular meals and water. All
dogs will need regular excerise and taking for walks 2 to 3 times
per day, even in the middle of winter!
Bringing the Puppy
home
When first bringing your puppy home, remember
that it will be a very stressful time for the puppy, especially if
this is the first time away from its mother and family. You should
give it time to adjust to the new surroundings in your
home.
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High Quality Food (Hills Science Plan, Royal
Canin, Iams, Pro Pac)
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Check what
innoculations have been
done and still need to be done
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Tick & Flea Control (Frontline Plus,
Advantix, Ultrum Ultimate)
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Food & Water Bowls
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Dog Bed
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Brush
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Puppy Treats (to help in training your new
family member)
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Toys to keep your puppy
occupied
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Lasty lots of love and
attention | Make sure that the puppy knows where its bed, food and
water bowls are. The puppies bed should be a refuge to retreat to if
things become too stressful. It needs to be warm, dry, comfortable
and draught free. You can use either a strong cardboard box or a dog
bed/basket. Make sure the bed has a warm blanket to keep the puppy
nice and warm.
Most puppies have a habbit of crying at night
time, especially during the first week in a new home. The warmer you
can make its bed, the more comfortable it will feel.
Its
advisable to take your puppy to the vets during the first week you
bring it home to get it checked out. The vet will be able to arrange
its vaccinations if it hasnt already had them.
Introducing other pets and
children
If you already have pets in your home, it
is probably best to let your new puppy explore its new surroundings
first, before introducing it to your other pets. When you do
introduce your puppy, do it gradually and make sure you are there to
watch.
Be careful when introducing or leaving the puppy with
children. Make sure the children don't treat the puppy like a toy,
instead let the puppy explore your children and dont let them pick
it up too much. Teach your children to respect the dog.
Feeding
When you first take a puppy
home it is important to feed it on the same food it has been used
to. A sudden change of diet combined with the stress of adapting to
a new home can cause stomach upsets and diarrhoea. If you want to
change the diet, do so gradually by mixing it with the puppies usual
food.
Taking out for walks
You should try
to get your puppy used to walking with a lead when it is still very
young. Your best to use a non-choking collar, and put it on the
puppy for a few minutes each day so that it can get used to
it.
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