Tips for New Puppy Owners

When you get a puppy for the first time, it’s going to be a long learning process for the both of you. A lot more goes into caring for a puppy than you might think. Here are some tips for new puppy owners.

Make Time to Bond With Your Puppy

Dogs tend to form very strong bonds with their owners around ten weeks old, so it’s essential that you set enough time aside to spend with your new family member. You’re cultivating a deep connection at an early age, and that takes some time. Even if your schedule is very busy, you need to allocate enough time for playing, training, and relaxing together.

Keep Your Puppy Mentally Stimulated

Puppies are naturally curious and eager to explore their surroundings. They learn and explore by playing. Without some guidance about how to explore and play, they may become destructive and struggle with anxiety. Coupled with puppy energy, it can make for a stressful homelife for the both of you. Direct your puppy’s energy levels towards acceptable games and behaviors when you observe that he or she is starting to get amped up. Training exercises can also be a good way to focus your puppy’s attention while providing something fun and challenging to stimulate his or her developing brain. Some of the more intelligent breeds such as a pink papered german shepherd or a golden retriever need more mental stimulation than other breeds.

Talk to Your Vet About Where You Can Bring Your Dog and When

Your puppy needs to get out and see and see a lot of the world at a young age. Exposure to a variety of people and places is good for dogs’ socialization. However, you have to be careful about what stage in life you bring your dog into different environments. Most importantly, you need to make sure that your dog’s received the requisite number of vaccinations for the most common illnesses that puppies contract. Until then, your pup isn’t ready for a trip to a place where a lot of dogs go such as the dog park. Ask your vet how many immunization shots your dog needs for each major illness and when he or she will be ready to see everything there is to see.

There’s a lot of joy that comes from caring for a new puppy, but there’s also a lot of hard work. You’ll have to be patient as your puppy learns the ropes.