What to do when you bring a puppy home?
A new furry member has arrived in your family and I’m sure everyone will be very happy to have him but rules must be established from the beginning and responsibilities must be delegated , in this article we will indicate guidelines to make his adaptation easier.
The first day you take him home, do not immediately let both people and animals get too close to him since he may be scared because everything will be new to him. Take him to a quiet place where he will not be disturbed so that the other furry members of your family smell him from afar and get used to his smell and do not forget that it is normal that at first he moans or cries sometimes since he will miss his mother so You can pamper it and caress it a little so that it gets used to you.
Find him a drafty-free place to sleep, possibly a box or basket, and put old sheets on him to keep him warm. Also get him an age-appropriate toy to keep him from wanting to play and chew on furniture around the house.
When a prudent time passes and the other animals in the house have smelled the puppy from afar and the anxiety to meet him has diminished, you can introduce him, do it one by one from the calmest to the most energetic or “problematic”. You bring it closer so that they smell it so that they are not facing each other but the face of one with the tail of the other and vice versa, after they have sniffed each other you leave them to interact but always supervised to prevent or interrupt possible confrontations and thus trigger any behavior, insecurity or adaptation problem for the puppy . In the event of an attack, you act immediately applying non-violent corrections to prevent it from being repeated in the future.
From 2 months of age you should feed it 3 times a day with strict schedules in the morning, noon and in the afternoon. Food should always be given in the same amount depending on the age of your puppy, if you want to establish the appropriate portion you can guide yourself through some food packages that have a small guide on the back. If the puppy left food, you must remove it, complete the appropriate portion and place it again at the following time, never leave the food within reach because then it will know that it can eat at any time and it will spend the whole day eating little by little and so it can start with gastric problems, in addition to the fact that the food for moisture reasons can create mold which is even more dangerous for the little one.
At this stage he will burn a lot of energy so you should provide him with a diet rich in protein so you should talk to your trusted veterinarian to advise you on the best food for the puppy. Do not give them milk , this can cause digestive problems , they no longer need it because the mother has provided the necessary for their development. Puppies should be fed three times a day until they are one year old, then twice and you change the food to one for adults.
You should bathe him once a month with the soap or shampoo recommended by the veterinarian, but keep in mind that some soaps are not recommended for puppies, even if they are especially for dogs, as they could be toxic to the puppy if he ingests them. The first bath can be a bit difficult for the furry one, so we recommend that you bathe it with warm water and dry it very well, try from the beginning that this activity is not traumatic and on the contrary, it becomes a fun routine for all involved.
Do not forget vaccines and deworming , in previous articles we talked about it, but it is important that you approach the vet and ask for advice on the vaccination schedule , remember that it varies according to the area or country. If the puppy does not have all the vaccines, you should not expose it to sources of contagion such as the street or parks, since the furry is not yet sufficiently immune to the diseases that it is in the environment, you must wait that it has finished its scheme of vaccination .
After finishing his vaccination schedule you can take him out for walks but not so long because they tire very quickly and not after having eaten to avoid possible vomiting and discomfort. Buy him a leash collar, name tag, and if possible a harness so he can get used to walking in it. The puppy must keep the collar on at all times and it must be very comfortable so that it can easily get used to it. At first you can leave the leash long but then you should train it little by little so that it goes by your side and with the short leash, try to be very patient.
It is important to start teaching them where to relieve themselves so when it is done in a place that should not be done, do not scold or mistreat them, wait for them to finish and take them to the area indicated for this purpose, congratulate them and the next time you see them giving turns with a behavior that shows that he wants to do his physiological needs, you take him carefully, transfer him to the right place for it and when he finishes you congratulate him by showing affection so that he positively associates performing his needs in said placeand as it grows it will look for that place when it needs it, so it should have easy access to that site. If in your home there is no area where the above-mentioned task can be carried out and you want your pet to fulfill its needs in the street so that later you can collect the waste, you must establish strict schedules for this work, which can be short walks before of each meal , although the amount of these walks varies according to the species and age of the animal. Remember to be very patient because if you teach it without effort the puppy will learn sooner or later.
Repeat his name constantly so that he begins to understand you and do not forget to take him to the vet when you see him acting strange, without appetite and not wanting to play, they are very energetic and you should pay attention to any changes in their normal activity.
Sherry Fluharty, is an Activist, animal activist, community manager, and blogger at Tom Cat Wiki in order to make people aware of the responsible ownership of pets. And in charge of writing content and responsible for the project.
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