With the start of a new year often comes a lot of new family members of the furry kind, gifted over Christmas, cute as ever, ready to be loved, spoilt and spend the next eight to 15 years bringing you lots of joy.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After the initial excitement wears down, it's good to make sure you're fully ready to deal with what comes with new puppies. You may be surprised to hear it, but they can be as much work as newborn babies.
Your first few weeks with puppy will involve toilet training, vet appointments, teething, and practicing some basic training.
Ask friends and locals to recommend who they consider to be a good vet and especially one who is very familiar and interested in puppy care.
Your puppy will need several check-ups over their first months to ensure they are fully-vaccinated and for , checking growth and general health. Puppies need certain vaccines to even be able to be taken for a walk and to socialise as they are particularly susceptible to certain life-threatening illnesses which can only be prevented through their shots.
You also may want to seek out a well-known and loved dog trainer who does specialise in puppy training, as training adult dogs is entirely different. Dogs do not learn basic commands and manners on their own, it's something that needs to be taught and constantly brushed up on to ensure good behaviour and a happy home. A professional puppy school will not allow your puppy to attend classes unless they are fully-vaccinated.
Puppies, just like children, lose their baby teeth and out pop their adult teeth. During this stage your dog is going to want to chew everything in sight. So it's best to keep them in secure areas where they can't access anything that should not be ingested and offer a wide variety of chew toys. You will have to learn to pick up anything that lies around at puppy-eye-level as it will all be fair game to them. Puppies cannot tell the difference between your old sheepskin slippers or your aptly-named Jimmy Choos.
So just like with your new baby, keep them away from electrical sockets and small hard pieces of plastic.
Also remember that your puppy is quite a small they can slip through tiny holes in fences. Once outside of their usual confines, new smells could take them far away from those who love them.
Make sure you introduce them to a collar with name tag and leash early on in their lives, so they can be identified should they go missing.
Your new puppy's first year is when you teach them how to be your best dog ever and it is imperative to remain on top of health and behaviour
