Photo by Austin Kirk on Unsplash
Bringing home a furry friend for the first time is always an exciting process. Most people dream about this time, finding it hard to keep themselves from biting the bullet and adopting a dog to join their family. Of course, though, animals are far more complicated than they seem at first glance. Looking after a puppy won’t be easy, and you will have to put in a lot of work, though this will be worth it to have the chance to raise an animal of your own. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the key areas which need to be considered when you’re going through this, giving you the chance to get it all right on the first try.
Vets
While your new dog will be perfectly healthy when you first bring it home, it’s worth giving them the chance to see a doctor. A vet will be able to give you advice, check to make sure that they are developing properly, and give you any medication they might need during the early stages of their life. Regular visits will be important, and it will be worth thinking about getting your dog spayed. This will cost a little bit of money, and many dog owners are shocked to find how much their vet visits can set them back. You can get insurance to help with this, though it will also be worth putting some time into making sure that your dog is kept healthy.
Hygiene
Dogs don’t care about things like hygiene, and wouldn’t think twice before doing things which would make most people want to throw up. While you can’t always be in control of this, you have the power to make their time at home as clean as possible. Keeping their environment clean will be a big part of this, with items like food bowls requiring a regular clean to keep them from becoming caked in dirt. As a big part of this, it will be worth putting some time into washing the blankets and other fabrics which they come into contact with.
Along with their environment, it also makes sense to make sure that they are kept clean. When they spend a day rolling around in mud or swimming in water outdoors, it makes sense to give them a good shower. Some dogs will enjoy this and can be showered indoors, while others will create a big mess and a hose pipe will be far more suitable. You can find dog shampoo online, with loads of companies making products like this, giving you plenty of options when it comes to choosing one for your pooch.
Food
The food a puppy eats will have a direct impact on the way that they develop. For example, if you give your dog too little, it will be hard for them to grow, and they could end up smaller than they would if you had given them enough. There are a range of different factors which should go into picking the right food for your dog, and this is something to keep an eye on as they grow, with their needs changing as their body develops.
Size
Both the future and current size of your puppy will play a role in deciding how much food you give them. Larger dogs will always need to eat more, as they need more energy to keep themselves going. Some smaller dogs won’t require as much protein, but will still benefit from other nutrients, and this will also mean that you have to look at the type of food you’re buying. You can learn what to feed big puppy dogs by researching around the web, with loads of resources dedicated to helping with this.
Breed
Along with thinking about their size, you also need to think about your dog’s breed when you’re choosing food for them. Different types of dog need a different balance of nutrients in their lives, and this makes it crucial that you factor this in when you’re buying their first meals. This is another area which can be researched online, making it worth breaking the laptop out to start getting an idea of what your dog should be eating.
Age: Most people get their puppy home within a couple of months of being born, though this isn’t always the case. As a dog ages, it will need to have different food to give it all of the nutrients it needs. Assuming that your dog is already off the milk, you will probably be able to wait until their are a year or so old before changing the food you give them. This is worth keeping in mind, though, especially if you buy your dog chow in bulk.
Play
This next area is one which will be unique to most dogs. Each animal will want to play in a different way, with some dogs loving fetch, and others being far more entertained when they are chasing a human around. You have to take some time to figure out what will work best for your puppy, but this time and effort will always be worth it, as it will make your furry friend all the happier. A lot of people ignore this when they are picking a puppy. These animals need exercise, though, and giving them a walk each day often won’t cut it when they are a puppy. It’s crucial that you put enough time into playing with a dog when they first join your home, and this can be an excellent bonding tool.
Getting a puppy is something which many people find themselves dreaming about. No matter how old you are, it will be hard to keep yourself from getting excited about something like this, and it will be worth putting in everything you can to make sure that your dog is on the right track. Keeping a puppy happy is easy, but keeping them healthy can be a lot trickier, making it worth spending the time to learn about it before you pooch gets home.
