It is always both exciting and a little overwhelming when you bring a new adorable, furry addition to your family. Between all the warm snuggles and zoomies, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with raising a happy, healthy and well-mannered dog. If you are wondering what to do next, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

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1. When should I bring them to the vet?

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Depending on where you acquired your little one; be it breeder, shelter or marketplace, it’s important to know if they already have been health checked and had their first vaccines. Much like humans, puppies need a series of vaccines to protect against the common canine viruses. Puppies need to have vaccines starting as early as 7 weeks of age and continuing every 4 weeks until they are at least 16 weeks old. Distemper, Parvo and Bordetella are highly contagious diseases for which most veterinarians strongly recommend vaccination. Rabies is a deadly virus and our government regulates that all dogs 3 months and older be vaccinated for the disease.

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If you are still unsure, just stop by or give us a call and we can go over what is needed to set up your first appointment. We are here to help!

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2. What the heck should I feed them?

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We feel it’s very important for puppies to get all the vitamins and nutrients they need to support them during their rapid growth. An easy way to do this is by feeding a high-quality puppy food that’s appropriate for their breed size (yes, large breed puppies have different needs!), and stay on puppy food until they are at least 1 year old. It is best not to quickly change a puppy’s diet, but to gradually switch them over a 5–7-day period. Puppies also require more frequent feeding intervals than adult dogs. We recommend 3-4 meals a day, for the first few months and gradually wean them to two meals around 6 months of age. A common misconception is that dogs should have NO human food, but we say a little variety in moderation is ok. Raw vegetables and fruits (no grapes or raisins) as treats are just as beneficial to them as they are to us! Avoid feeding them fatty foods and scraps from your plate that are seasoned.

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If you ever have any nutritional needs or concerns, our team is here to help!

 

3. To crate or not to crate, that is the question.

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Teaching your puppy to love their kennel is an essential skill we highly recommend ensuring they have. Crates play a significant role in the lives of many dogs, whether at a veterinary clinic, during grooming sessions, or simply when they need to be contained at home. It’s important to understand how to handle a crate properly in all these situations.. Being able to have your dog enter a crate calmly and relax while in the kennel is essential. Crating at home also protects your puppy from potential harm such as injury from chewing on inappropriate surfaces (walls, electrical cords, etc.) and prevents your puppy from ingesting potentially dangerous objects like chemicals, toxins, plants or objects that can get stuck in their gastrointestinal tract. Crating also helps control access to the house during potty training and can speed up the learning process.

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Developing a positive association with the kennel starts the day you get your puppy home. Feeding and playing games in the kennel will help your puppy understand that it is a safe and fun place. Having the crate available for your puppy to use to nap or relax in will help make it your dog's safe space. Do not allow children or other dogs to bother your puppy while they are relaxing in their crate to reinforce that it is the safest place for them.

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Patience and repetition are key with any training but especially with kennel training. Decide on a schedule for your puppy with your family and stick to it. As your puppy adjusts to their crate, some barking and crying is to be expected—sometimes even from the owners! However, with consistency and patience, your puppy will come to love their kennel.

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Want more information? Check out Susan Garrett’s Crate Games for an awesome training plan to help your puppy love their crate!

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4. Socialization, more important than you think!

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When most new dog owners think of socializing their puppy, they consider meeting new people and other dogs as what needs to be done. They picture a social dog as one who excitedly greets every person and dog they see. Proper socialization is much more than that. Appropriately socialized dogs do not need to interact with everything in their environment. Instead, they have learned to stay calm and focused in various settings with various distractions.

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When your puppy is young, we have a very short window of time to build positive associations to their world. A puppy’s socialization window is from about 3 weeks old when eyes and ears open, to approximately 4 months old. During this time, we want to expose our puppies to as much of the big world as we can. Bringing your puppy to busy sections of town, around school yards and parks, around other friendly, healthy, vaccinated animals, busy streets, different ground/flooring textures, odd smells and pet friendly stores (i.e. Canadian Tire) are all good ways to expose your young dog to the world. We do recommend you stay away from the dog park and pet stores until at least 2 weeks after your pup’s final booster vaccines.

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Keep new interactions positive, in 5-10 minute intervals or until your puppy becomes bored. Avoid situations where you cannot control how close your puppy gets to something new (kids, over-excited dogs etc.) and always advocate for your puppy if you feel they are overwhelmed.

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5. Puppy classes, always a good idea!

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A great option for all puppies (and older dogs too!) is group classes. Group classes allow your puppy to learn to work in an environment with lots of distractions. Group classes also have the benefit of having an instructor who can help you with little issues that come up. They also offer a great socialization option that is a safe and controlled space for young dogs.

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Many people feel that because they've had a dog before they know how to train. While prior experience helps, you cannot replicate the environment of group classes at home. Most beginner classes will help with the basic cues of sit, down, stay, recalling and leash manners all while learning to focus in a distracting environment. Many will also cover typical challenges you may face during your puppy’s growth and training. Some will offer extended classes to those who want to perfect skills or develop more advanced training with their dogs.

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Locally there are many options for classes. Our training facility, The Dog Gym, offers classes for all ages and breeds of dogs.