responsable owner

Having a new puppy is a not a big task, it is a big pleasure. However, unlike big pets, these small furies have weak immune systems and organs which warrants special care.

All you need is some level of smartness and the knowledge of ideal health conditions that work well for them. Here is an absolute parenting guide to an alltime energized, loyal, happier and healthy puppy.

Caring for the newborn pups

You will always be at a crossroads when it comes to caring for a small furry aged between some few weeks. The worse happens when the pup lives in absentia of its mother—where the baby dog is orphaned, rejected or separated from its mother. At this point in life, you need to bottle-feed the pup with milk, provide warmth and inculcate some basic social skills to its life.

When feeding puppies at a tender age, it is of ultimate importance to stick to only required types of milk. You can talk to your vet on the best type of formulated drink to give. Secondly, the vet should provide you with the best feeding timetable for proper feeding to curb health conditions such as diarrhea. Universally, pets below two weeks in age should be bottle-fed every two hours. Syringe feeding is appropriate for the newborns.

However, the feeding intervals of the baby pets increase with time. Usually, how often you feed the pets heavily depends on the type of breed you are parenting. After about four weeks, you are free to introduce solid foods such as puppy kibbles. For easy ingestion and absorption, the dry kibbles must be soaked in warm water and thoroughly blended.

The puppy’s mind is almost blank. The commands you impart in the blank page is what will define the pup's general behaviour.

One of the major risk factors to the pup's health is cold weather conditions. Make sure to keep the puppy warm through the use of well-monitored pads. Otherwise, you need to take the baby for a medical check-up for assessments on weight gain and other cues for normal health. This should also be followed vaccinations against diseases such as rabies.

The first contact

Introducing the puppy to a new environment make sure that:

• It got a full package of the required vaccinations from the first parents
• It had been introduced to some basic socialization skills
• The home is puppy-proofed and safe for both the new pet, your kids and belongings
• Installed the relevant accessories for the puppy’s stay
• Get pet insurance, training classes and pet classes

Once the puppies steps into your compound, the first thing to do is to name it. This helps a bunch when it comes to imparting socialization skills into the puppy’s head. When naming your puppy remember to:

• Choose the most favourite name that you are going to use for the rest of the pet's life
• Choose a simple name that is precise with rings attached
• Go for a unique name that is not so much popular among the neighbourhood
• Use names that highlight a sense of personality
• Choose a name that is easy to utter in the mouth for easier memorability by both the pet, your kids and you

Choosing puppy foods

Food should be your first worry since it is the main pillar when as far as the pup’s well-being in the new home is concerned. Alongside energy, food in pups helps in multiplication of the cells and defining the immune system of the new kid.

Until the pup hits the one-year age mark, it will need high-quality foods. There are formulated foods in the market that are ideal for pups in different age brackets. In reality, you will be weaning different foods, as the pup grows older. These foods come handy with different nutritional values for efficient growth and development. Engage your vet whenever you feel like transitioning the diet.

Pup’s diet should:

• Contain protein as the primary nutrient
• Contain rapid-growth formulated foods for larger breeds
• Contain DHS for skeletal, eye and brain development
• Contain supper foods and antioxidants to boost the immune system
• Contain smaller and Kibble-like surface areas for easy ingestion and digestion
• Be safe from impurities to prevent food poisoning

When serving the pup, make sure to use safe and easy-to-wash bowls. Some of the best bowls in the market feature stainless steel and ceramic surfacing. They are dishwasher safe and do not easily get infected with bacteria. It is prudent to avoid plastic surfaces as plagues.

Training your puppy

Obedience training is a core factor to consider for effective puppy care. It is what defines the roles of your pet in the family and diverse societal setting. It determines how the dog will relate and interact with visitors in and around the homestead.

The puppy’s mind is almost blank. The commands you impart in the blank page is what will define the pup's general behaviour. Therefore, you should be armed with necessary accessories to make the whole process easier. During the training:

• Try to personalize the dog's behaviour to fit your daily life
• Watch out for the negative behaviours and teach the dog to avoid them
• Do not limit the training sessions to specific areas
• Reward and motivate the pup whenever it does anything right
• Keep the training short and consistent
• Try and understand all the pup’s sign language

Caring for the puppy is not just about food and cleanliness. It goes the extra mile to capture the personalization of the pup's behaviour. And, since puppies rely on sign language, the whole process of parenting is not always a walk in the park. When you think you are not eligible for the training, it is advisable to rope help from professional trainers. Otherwise, a veterinarian should be your all-time friend until the pup grows of age.