Care of a New Puppy
Going Home
The day you collect your puppy from the
breeder is an exciting one for you but for them it is an anxious time facing a
strange new world without the company of their litter mates and the comforting
presence of their mother. It is now that
the all important bond between both you and your pup should be forged. Their future well being depends largely upon
the measure of your reassurance to them.
They are still very young and it should be remembered that they need
good nourishing food, plenty of sleep, they have little control of their bodily
functions, and during the wakeful hours, they need companionship.
Feeding
This is perhaps the most important aspect
of care for your puppy and the key to their future health. A good balanced diet is essential to provide
the necessary vitamins, minerals and a balance of carbohydrate, protein and fat
required for growth.
A puppy up to 12 weeks of age should
receive 4 small meals a day (rather than 1-2 large ones). As they get older you can start reducing the
number of feeds, especially if they are getting too heavy or they don’t want to
eat as much.
The easiest way to ensure your pup is
getting the best diet possible is to feed a commercially designed ‘complete and
balanced’ puppy ration (these have been specially designed for growing puppies
as they have different dietary requirements than adults and consequently they
have a lot of trouble efficiently digesting and utilising adult food).
Supplementing the diet with
calcium/phosphorus etc. is not necessary as long as a complete and balanced
ration is used in the recommended amounts.
In fact too much calcium can do just as much harm as too little.
Table scraps should not make up more than
30% of the diet eg. gravy, vegetables, rice, etc.
Bones should form part of the diet as they
provide good dental exercise, however take them away once they start to chew
them up - this will help avoid splinters and internal blockages. Brisket bones are food for small dogs. Large canon bones are best fed to medium -
large dogs. NEVER feed cooked bones.
Milk is not necessary if a balanced ration
is fed. It can cause diarrhoea in some
individuals. It is important, however,
that there is ad lib water available at all times.
Accommodation
Your puppy should have a place of it’s own
and a cardboard box, with one side cut out for easy access, is quite
adequate. Remember that it may be all
very well for a young puppy to cuddle up beside you on the couch or on your bed
but this is not so acceptable in a large muddy dog and rule changes are hard
for them to understand. START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON.
Dog owners are required by law to confine
their dogs to their own promises unless they are out on supervised exercise,
and so either a fenced section, or a kennel and run are essential. Chaining a dog is not a good idea and the
boredom that ensues brings the tendency to bark.
Training
The basis of training a puppy is to use a
regular routine so that the puppy learns to know what to expect each day. Their clock is mainly their stomach so
regular meals are important. Your number
one priority will be house training so your vigilance here in putting your
puppy out on the lawn on waking and after meals is the first step towards
cleanliness. It is a good idea to use a
command when they do go to the toilet - this will help them to understand what
you want as they get older.
Try to anticipate your puppies actions and
don't leave your shoes or toys laying around to be chewed. They do not easily differentiate your old
sneakers from your brand new leather shoes.
Give them their own toys and encourage them to play with these.
The most welcome words to your puppies ears
are ‘GOOD DOG’ and if they do misbehave remember that their natural mother
would not beat them but would growl and perhaps shake them gently by the scruff
of the neck. You own tones of
disapproval should be enough.
Exercise
A young puppy does not need to be lead
walked. In fact, the larger the breed of
dog, the more careful you need to be with exercise. Don't let them jump up and down lots of steps
or in and out of cars without assistance and try to minimise the amount of
running around they do. All of these
actions will add extra strain to growing bones and may cause irreversible
damage.
Health Care
Vaccination
Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus and Kennel
Cough vaccines should be given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age. Leptospirosis should be added in at 12 and 16
weeks of age. Puppies should be confined
to their home environment until 10 days after the final vaccination. Boosters are given annually.
Worming
Treat for roundworms at 2 week intervals
from 1-2 weeks through to 12 weeks of age.
Once over 3 months, they need a combination of roundworm and tapeworm
treatment every 3months.
Fleas
Flea Control
Fleas are very common in warm climates like
Auckland, especially in the summer months.
Thus, flea allergy dermatitis is one of the most common skin conditions
encountered by veterinarians.
Flea Treatment
It is important to keep up with flea
treatment in ALL ages but with pups and kittens less than 5 months of age care
should be taken to use only products registered for this age. Once past 5 months use some form of regular
flea control such as flea collars, weekly rinses o monthly flea sterilisation
tablets etc.
Teething
Baby teeth are generally lost and replaced
by adult teeth between 4-6 months of age.
Breeds with pricked ears will often have their ears drop during this
stage for a temporary period.
Grooming
This is important in all breeds of
dogs. It serves the dual function of removing
excess hair and knots and helps remove fleas.
Regular grooming also helps you notice any abnormal lumps, cuts,
scratches etc. that you may otherwise miss.
It is also important to check ears, eyes and teeth. Getting them familiar and comfortable with
this will help the vet when doing regular check ups.
Registration
Registration of dogs is compulsory in Australia
and New Zealand and must be done before the dog reaches 3 months of age. This can be done through the offices of your
local council.
Local bylaws must be obeyed and users of
public places should be respected and not be annoyed by your dog running
wild. Its important that faeces are
removed from public places so take adequate precautions against this or be
prepared to clean up after your pet.
Remember that if all dog owners act responsibly we shall not be further
burdened with restrictions.
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES OR PROBLEMS.
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