New Puppy Tips

So Santa Claus has left a little bundle of joy under your Christmas tree, and now you have to figure out what to do with this little ball of nose-licking tail-wagging fluff.

Well, the first thing that you need to do is schedule a trip to your local veterinarian to have the little bugger checked out. Puppies are like children, in that they need a lot of health care in the early months. Puppies should receive their vaccinations every 2-4 weeks beginning at 5-7 weeks of age and going until they are at least four months old. They need to be checked for intestinal parasites and dewormed at the same intervals. They also need a comprehensive physical exam, to make sure they are free from conditions like ear mites or mange, and that they don’t have any serious birth defects, like a heart murmur. Your veterinarian will work with you to establish a preventative care regimen that will make sure your puppy stays as healthy as possible.

Now that you know that you puppy is healthy, it is time to make sure that it is fed properly. Start with a quality puppy food, a brand name that you know and trust, and try to pick out the type that is going to provide the proper nutrition for the breed you have (small, medium or large breed formula). Almost every quality puppy food will have a feeding chart on it that tells you how much your puppy should get per day based on its age and weight. DO NOT OVERFEED YOUR PUPPY! Overfeeding a puppy makes it grow faster, and since soft tissue grows faster than the skeleton, this can cause problems like hip dysplasia later. Divide the recommended daily ration into 2 or 3 feedings per day, and leave the food down for 10-15 minutes. If the puppy wolfs it all down within just a few minutes, go ahead and give a little more, as long as you stay within the recommended range. If he doesn’t finish it, take it up after 15 minutes. This will assure a nice healthy growth rate.

Next, you’re going to have to housebreak the little whizzer. I recommend getting a cage or crate that is just big enough for the puppy to comfortably stand up and turn around in. This will keep him out of trouble when he is not supervised, and it will also teach him how to hold it. If your pup is using the bathroom in the crate and it doesn’t need a bath when you get home, then your crate is too big. He has got to have a few accidents in there before he realizes that that’s a bad idea. Now all you have to do is take him out frequently, about 368 times per day. Always say the same phrase every time (“Go Potty!”, “Poopie Time!”, or whatever), take him out the same door and to the same spot in the yard every time, and every time he uses the bathroom, give him lots of praise. You can give a treat every third or fourth time, but if you do it every time, it may backfire. In the house, if your catch him in the act of going, startle him with a stern “NO”, take him out to the potty spot and let him finish, and then follow up with some praise. If you don’t catch him in the act, clean it up and chalk one up to experience. Don’t bother sticking his nose in it, because he won’t have any clue what it is until he is at least five or six months old.

Now you need some toys. I recommend that you by toys for puppies like you buy toys for 2-year-olds. If there is anything that can come of it and get swallowed, you don’t want it. Good suggestions include, rope bones, rag bones, hard rubber and nylon toys (Nylabone, Gummabone, Kong), and plush toys made for puppies. Avoid old shoes and socks, because they have a tough time telling the old ones from the new ones, and avoid the animal body parts, like rawhide and pigs ears. These can cause an upset stomach. ReMEMBER also that the human body, and the clothes thereon, should never be a chew toy, no matter how cute it is.

These little tips should help you get started, but always reMEMBER to call your veterinarian if you have any problems. Puppies have a fragile immune system, and all health problems should be taken seriously and addressed promptly. This way, you and your new pet will be able to have a long, happy life together!