A new puppy at Christmas time is a cause for wonderful excitement. It’s important to remember that they are not just on his/her Christmas holidays he/she is there to stay. Safe-guarding your puppies future health and well-being is paramount from an early age as the first 3-6 months are without question the most important in his/her development.
Safe Environment; Puppies in their playful self will just about investigate everything you have in the house: toys, small objects, liquids, bins. etc. This can potentially put him/her at risk if the wrong substance/item is explored. “Puppy-proof” your home by covering rubbish bins; storing household chemicals in a lock up cabinet and keeping electrical cords and wires out of site.
Feeding the new puppy; Growth should be ideally at a slow and steady rate during puppyhood. Rapid growth is ill advised. This is best achieved by using the formulated puppy foods available at your local vet shop. These are specific to the needs of a growing pup and does not require any supplementation making them super handy. Dry food is the healthiest for puppies as it reduces the risk of dental disease long term.
Veterinary care; It’s a good idea to have your pup seen to by a vet at an early stage. A general check up will ease your mind in terms of his/her general health and freedom from potential congenital anomalies. Here you can ask any questions that you may be unsure about. In addition, we would strongly recommend vaccinating your pup from 8 weeks of age onwards. A vaccine protects your puppy from potentially fatal diseases such as parvovirus, leptospirosis and distemper. Prevention is certainly easier than cure.
Regular worming is also necessary every 2 weeks until the puppy is 12 weeks old to protect the puppy from tapeworms and roundworms which can affect puppy growth.
Toilet training; Patience is key and accidents will happen. Be prepared for a few mishaps. Puppies should be taken outside to do his/her business every 2-3 hours. Reward your pup when it’s performed in the right area. Negative punishment when mishaps occur will only make your pup nervous and build an associated “bad vibe” with going to the toilet and more importantly with you as the owner. At night it’s also advised to confine your pup in a small puppy proofed room with paper bedding.
Socialisation; Socialisation is an integral step in your pet’s cognitive development. It’s easy and can be fun for you and your family. Build up new experiences slowly as opposed to too much excitement all at once. Once vaccinations have been completed puppies should be allowed to mix with other dogs in a controlled environment as this helps the puppy to mature and become a more rounded and confident dog. Again meeting one dog is easier to take in than meeting 5/6 at one time. Try make these experiences as positive as possible which will help your new pet be a more emotionally stable adult.
And Finally…..
ENJOY the process of bringing up a new pup. It has wonderful benefits for children in terms of their socialization and integration when performed in the right manner. Remember: putting in the required time at an early age will help ensure your pet is a well rounded and easy going adult. For more information or if you would like a puppy information pack drop into us on Old Church Street, Athenry.
Written by Maurice Connaughton, MVB, Kelly Veterinary Athenry
