It's a new year! Did you gain a new furry family member along with a fresh calendar? In this month's article we will talk about the basics of a new puppy.
Just like a new human baby, a puppy has 5 basic needs: eating, sleeping, eliminating, entertainment, medical care. And, just like with a human baby, it's up to you to make sure all of these are provided safely and in a timely manner. A puppy up to about 12 weeks of age needs to eat 4 times a day. The amount and type of food will vary depending on the size and/or breed, but in general very young puppies can only eat a small amount of food at a time and need to eat frequently. After 12 weeks the frequency can drop to 3 times a day, then twice. Many dogs stay on a twice daily schedule for the rest of their lives; some prefer to only eat once. A lot of families free feed adult dogs, meaning they leave food down all the time. This is fine for a dog with no weight concerns and no housebreaking issues but is not recommended for puppies.
This brings us to the next topic: elimination. After each meal a puppy needs to go outside and be encouraged to urinate and defecate. Of course, trips outside may need to be more frequent than that, and at first the puppy may need to urinate at night. As they get older this need should rapidly disappear. Don't let the puppy make the rules! By 12-16 weeks most dogs do not need to go out at night and by 5 months most are fully housebroken. Some dogs take longer, of course. The most effective way to teach a dog to not eliminate in the house is to crate train. We can discuss this fully at your first puppy visit.
Depending on the age of the puppy at adoption, it may have had one or more sets of vaccines and/ or dewormings, and may even be spayed or neutered. Try to get records if at all possible. If no vaccine record exists we will assume none have been given and will start from scratch based on the puppy's age. Puppies need vaccines every 3-4 weeks starting at about 8 weeks of age and ending in the 4 month range. The best thing to do is come in with a new puppy as soon as you adopt him. A visit like that will give you an idea of what you should expect medically, and will also be a great resource for information about feeding, housebreaking, toys, classes, and anything else you need to know.
Don't forget safe playtime! Puppies need a lot of physical and mental stimulation to prevent boredom and destructiveness. Toys should be size and age appropriate and preferably difficult to destroy. Puppies chew-that's what they do. The more redirection available, the better the chance for survival of your shoes and furniture.
We look forward to seeing you and your puppy this month and for many years to come!