How to care for a puppy

Before you get a puppy

This article is about how to care for puppies. If you are getting an adult dog, be sure to check out How to care for a dog.

It is very important to make sure you are ready for the life-long commitment of puppy ownership. Before getting a puppy, ask yourself these questions:

Can I afford it?
Owning a puppy costs hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year. Veterinary expenses, food, and training add up.

Is my lifestyle right for a puppy?
If you’re away from home a lot, raising a pooch will prove very difficult. Dogs get bored…easily. They don’t like their owners to be away from home too often. Take into account your children, if you have them. Are they ready for a pet?

Do I live in the right place?
Often, landlords don’t allow pets in their rental properties. If you’re renting, make sure to check. Also, do you have a yard? If not, where is the puppy going to play?

Is now the best time to adopt?
If you’re planning a long vacation, a career move, or another life altering event, you might want to hold off on adopting that dog. It is much easier to care for your new pup in a stable environment.

Are you ready for the problems a puppy might bring?
Torn up furniture, a ravaged backyard, and ruined carpets are common with a new puppy. Make sure you’re ready to deal with all the unexpected consequences of dog ownership

Choosing your puppy

It’s not difficult to find a puppy to adopt. Finding the right one, however, may prove a bit more tiresome. Shelters, breeders, vets, kennels, and pet stores are good places to start. Ask questions. Talk to professionals about your lifestyle and needs, and they can often recommend the best breeds.

To be sure, the best place to get a puppy is from an established breeder. Pet stores should be the last place you look for a puppy. Pet stores often use puppy mills and their puppies can cost thousands more than puppies from breeders.

Prepare your home

Your new puppy will need its own special place to eat and sleep. Pet-proof your house; cleaners, plants, cords, and breakable objects need to be moved out of the way!

Be ready to stick to a daily schedule for your pet – eating, sleeping, going outside, playing, etc. And, importantly, make sure you have everything you need before you bring your pet home. This includes a crate, a collar, tags, a leash, and so on.

Feeding your puppy

Quick tip
The recommended amount of food shown on dog food packaging is often inflated. Ask your vet how for recommendations on how much to feed your puppy.

Pick a food that is made specifically for puppies, not for adult dogs. And make sure to buy a name-brand food, available at pet stores, instead of the cheaper, generic, “grocery store” varieties. Make sure to pick out the right variety for your dog’s breed --- most foods have charts on the package that will help you determine what to buy. A call to your veterinarian can also help you determine which food to buy.

Try to feed your puppy three times a day. Often, a new dog won’t eat that much. After your puppy hits about 12 weeks, feeding twice a day is fine.

Do not give your puppy people food! Dog treats in moderation are alright, but human food can cause a multitude of problems for your dog later in life.

Treats, toys and bones

Especially if you’re gone a lot during the day, your puppy will need plenty of toys and bones. Make sure they’re big enough that your puppy can’t choke on them, and sturdy enough that he can’t chew them into little, dangerous pieces. Real animal bones are dangerous, so try Nylabones or other chew toys instead.

Puppy health care

Having a veterinarian for your puppy is crucial! Count on numerous visits early in your puppy’s life.

It is important to keep up on immunizations for your new puppy. Distemper, adenovirus (kennel cough), parvovirus, leptospirosis, rabies, lime disease, and bordetella must be administered during the first year of your puppy’s life. You and your veterinarian should develop an immunization plan, and make sure to keep all the records!

Heartworm medications must be given to your puppy once a month, in most areas. Check with your vet. And even though you’re giving your dog the medicine, make sure to get annual heartworm tests. It’s much cheaper to cure heartworm early on.

Training your puppy

Training tip
If your dog eliminates in the house, try feeding him in that same spot. Because dogs naturally don't want to soil their own areas, this will discourage future bad behavior and "accidents".

The first thing you and your puppy will work on is house training. Feed your dog inside, and then let him out; this trains him when it is time to go. Take your puppy outside after he wakes up, after a lot of excitement, after he drinks water, and when he’s sniffing around the house for a good place to go. House training takes work, and often professional help is valuable.

Training your dog to exhibit good behavior is similar. Repeated praise will condition the dog to do what you’d like. Make your new puppy sit before you pet him, and use your attention, praise, and petting as rewards. Small treats also prove to be excellent motivators! Also, consistency is key; make sure everyone in the household trains the new puppy the same way.