Do you think that a quick guide to puppy care is sufficient? Think again! If you want your puppy to grow and develop into a healthy, well-behaved and loving dog then there are quite a few things that you should be aware of.
Read on to find about a few of them.
Young puppies need psychological support to adjust to their new environment.
They need your undivided attention for the first few weeks.
They have to be nurtured and allowed to become confident.
This is important if you want your puppy to develop a positive personality.
Keep in mind that they are just like babies.
Never leave them alone for long and keep them close at night and check on them frequently.
Just "be there" for your puppy when it needs you.
It is important to socialize your puppy as soon as possible.
Try to introduce your pup to different people, situations and environments so that it becomes confident and recognizes a potential friend in everyone.
"Puppy parties" are also a great way of socializing your pup with other healthy puppies and dogs.
If you want your visits to the vet to be at least bearable then start desensitizing your puppy to touch as soon as possible.
Touch or gently grab folds of skin on the back, abdomen, neck, tail and other parts of your pups body quite often.
The goal is to get your pup used to human touch.
Puppy potty training is probably the most difficult part of puppy care.
Accidents are bound to happen and resorting to punishment is not going to help you train your puppy any sooner.
Puppy housebreaking will take time and you have to be patient and pay close attention to successfully house train your puppy.
Puppies require special diet and the safest option for you is to buy puppy foods that are approved by AAFCO.
Make sure that you feed your puppy the right amount of food at the right time.
Avoid feeding table scraps to your puppy as it is not only bad practice but also disrupts his otherwise balanced diet.
Remember that each puppy is unique and have unique temperaments and you have to adjust your interactions accordingly.
For instance, timid puppies need to be encouraged a lot, while hyperactive puppies need to be gently admonished to discourage their unruly manners.
From day one make sure that you retain the alpha status.
Dogs are basically territorial species and if you are not firm then you will lose control.
Train your puppy to understand that their food has to be earned.
Use a single-word command like "SIT" and serve the food only when your pup responds appropriately.
Puppy training is about soliciting desired behaviors from your puppy for positive consequences and not forcing your puppy to obey in fear of punishment.
Do not hesitate to consult with your vet if you have any questions about caring for your puppy.