3 Tips For A First Time Puppy Owner
Posted on: 11 March 2016
There are few things as cute as seeing a puppy running around your floor- but becoming an owner of a puppy also comes with a lot of responsibility. Understanding what you need to do to successfully raise a puppy into a good dog will make the process of adding a puppy to your family much easier. If you plan to get a puppy in the near future, use the following tips:
Purchase a Crate
Some people think that crate training is mean, but in reality a crate will probably become your new puppy's safe place. Dogs are natural den animals-- in the wild canines usually have small, secure places to sleep and hide from other predators. Crate training is a great way to help housebreak a puppy, as dogs typically will not urinate or have a bowel movement in their sleeping area.
While crate training can be a great way to help housebreak a dog, never leave a puppy in a crate for an extended period of time. Puppies have small bladders and can only control their bowel movements for so long.
Create a Teething Plan
Much like human babies, puppies have a teething period as their new teeth grow in. If you want to avoid having your puppy chew up shoes or go to town chewing on the legs of your dining room table, it is important to have a plan. One of the best things that you can do is limit the area that your puppy has access to when you are not home. Using baby gates or a crate is a great way to restrict where your puppy can go. In addition to restricting access, make sure your new puppy has a variety of toys designed for puppies so he or she can fulfill the chewing instinct.
Switch Food Slowly
When adopting or purchasing a puppy, it is important to know what kind of food he or she has been eating. If you would like to feed your new pup a different brand of food, make sure that you make it a slow process in order to prevent stomach problems. Your best bet is to begin feeding the food that your pup is used to eating with a small amount of the new food. Over the course of a few weeks, you can adjust your new puppy to the diet that you want to feed him or her. Contact a business, such as Bar R Kennels, for more information.
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