CHENNAI : Puppies are adorable. But parenting a new puppy is no walk in the park. If you are working professional, a first-time pet parent or a family with infant (s), a pup is not ideal for you. He/she will need 24/7 supervision and will have to be fed every few hours. And once teething begins, they will bite every single object in your house. Which is why, I emphasise repeatedly that bringing up a pup is not easy.
Patience, perseverance and commitment are key ingredients to raise a pup. Before you get a puppy, ask yourself a few questions. Will you have the time, space, and money to care for your pup? Is a pup really ideal for your situation or should you go in for an adult dog? Getting a pet should always be a well-thought-out decision. Most importantly, it should be a practical choice and not an emotional or impetuous one. If you are ready to commit to a pup, adopt one from a shelter or rescue groups instead of buying one from a breeder.The first thing you need to do is puppy-proof your house. Like babies, puppies too explore with their mouths.
Stock up on few things before you bring home your new pet: Pup-friendly food, leash, harness, collars with tags that include your phone number, water and food bowls, dog bed, grooming brushes, chew toys. Soon after the pup settles in, schedule his/her first vet visit. Set up a vaccination plan with your vet. Discuss safe options for controlling parasites, both external and internal. Ideally until your puppy has had all her vaccinations, he or she should be indoors and inaccessible to other animals. This helps reduce the spread of viruses and diseases.
No walks are suggested till your pup has completed his vaccination course. For the first few months, puppies are more susceptible to sudden bouts of illnesses that can be serious if not caught in the early stages. Lack of appetite, poor weight gain, vomiting, swollen abdomen, lethargy, diarrhea, wheezing or coughing, pale gums, eye or nasal discharge, inability to pass urine or stool needs to be addressed immediately.
Grooming
It should be an important part of your daily routine with the pup. Brush the coat everyday. It will help him/her get used to grooming. Keep nails short, as long nails can stress a dog’s wrist joints as well as hurt people and furniture. Trim nail tips on a weekly basis, and start this practice when he/she is young, so she’ll be okay with clipping. Clean his/her ears too.
Feeding
It is a crucial growth period for your pup, so make sure he/she gets well-balanced home-cooked food with the right amount of nutrients, and fresh and abundant water. Feed your pup every few hours. But don’t make the mistake of feeding your puppy from your plate. More important, some food we eat, including grapes, raisins, onions, avocados, sugar, salt, and chocolate, can be toxic to dogs.
Housetraining
It should be your top priority. Here, patience and plenty of positive reinforcements are the key ingredients. Two signs your pup needs to potty are when he sniffs the ground to find a good spot, or when he races around wildly. When you see him act this way, pick up your puppy and place him outside. After he has relieved himself in the right place, praise him. Puppies relieve themselves every few hours, so expect a few accidents. Knowing when to take your puppy out is almost as important as praising him/her whenever he/she relieves outdoors.
Obedience training
It is also critical for the pup to grow into a well-adjusted dog. By teaching your puppy good manners, you will set your puppy up for a life of positive social interaction. In addition, obedience training will help forge stronger bonds between your puppy and you. Small treats are vastly more effective than punishment. Just like obedience training, proper socialisation during puppyhood helps avoid behavioural problems down the road. At approximately two to four months of age, most puppies begin to accept other animals, people, places, and experiences. If you are a parent to a young kid, remember that you need to educate your kid too about dog handling etiquette.
As much as kids and dogs love to play together, a puppy is still learning the ropes and may play roughly. There’s also the chance that rowdy kids could play too hard with their pup. Watch puppies and kids at all times so they both stay safe.Puppies don’t stay little for long. It’s a special time that you’ll treasure long after your puppy grows up. So make every day cunt for you and your little one with plenty of love, appropriate discipline, and play.