Puppy Care 101

When you bring home a puppy, you are promising to provide a lifetime of love and care in exchange for undying loyalty and companionship. This may sound a bit extreme, but the care you give your new puppy will set the stage for your future relationship. Below are several tips for Puppy Care 101. Puppies are naturally curious, and need to be kept safe. They also grow very quickly, so it’s important to feed them nutritious food. Like children, puppies learn through play and require lots of attention.

Puppy Care 101 offers some basic tips for general puppy care. Specific breeds may require additional care, such as grooming and training. Puppies are very curious creatures and like to explore their environment; however, they may not know what is safe and what is dangerous. It is your job to keep your puppy safe and healthy. Before bring your new puppy home, you should be sure there are no cords lying around that your puppy may chew or pull on. While exploring, puppies may get stuck behind furniture so be sure you are available to “rescue” if this should happen. Small puppies may also have difficulty with stairs; whenever possible, block off stairways to prevent falls.

Puppies will grow quickly, this is especially noticeable in large breeds. It is important to feed your puppy nutritious food to facilitate her growth. There are a number of brands on the market that are made to meet the special nutritional needs of puppies. Look at the side of the bag to determine when and how much food you should give your puppy. You may want to put your puppy on a feeding schedule. Experts suggest this routine may eliminate obesity problems later in life and will help with housetraining.

Before bringing your puppy home, it is important to be honest with yourself regarding how much time you have to spend with a dog. Different breeds require varying amounts of exercise and play, but understand that no dog will tolerate being cooped up all day, every day. Playing with your puppy facilitates bonding. You should match your lifestyle and interests with characteristics of a breed. For example, if you imagine yourself playing Frisbee in the park with your pooch, consider a retrieving breed such as Golden Retrievers or Labs.

These tips offer basic advice for Puppy Care 101 when it comes to caring for a new puppy. The average lifespan for most dogs is twelve years or longer, so remember that you are making a commitment for many years. It is advised that you puppy-proof your home to keep your puppy safe. There are many brands of foods available that are designed to meet the unique nutritional needs of your puppy. Puppies need lots of attention and you should consider the energy level of your prospective breed before bringing him home.