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Just about everybody loves a puppy. What’s not to love? Okay, maybe there are a few things — like accidents in the house, chewing your things, nipping…

Here are a few things that you should know about your new puppy:

1. When you bring your new puppy home he doesn’t know very much. He’s spent most of the first weeks of his life living with his mother and siblings, who are dogs. That means he knows some basic dog things, like how to whimper and bark to get attention. He knows how to poop on papers. His breeder may have taught him a few things but there wasn’t time to teach him very much. Your puppy is pretty much a blank slate. It’s up to you to teach him everything he needs to know.

2. Your puppy is a little animal, not a small person in a furry suit. He has animal instincts and will always react as an animal when he doesn’t know what to do. That means that your puppy can bite and scratch and hurt somebody if he’s not supervised and trained. He needs training while he’s young so that he doesn’t grow up to be a badly-behaved dog.

3. Puppies need socialization. Socialization is the process of introducing your puppy to the big, wide world and everything in it. Your puppy needs to go places, see new things and meet people. He should learn that new things and new people are good. Socialization teaches a puppy to be confident and helps him later in life. Puppies that are well-socialized tend not to develop behavior problems later on.

4. You should begin training your puppy early. You can train a dog throughout his life but it’s always easier and advisable to start training a puppy when he’s young. Teach your puppy good manners and some basic obedience skills like Sit and Come. You can take him to Puppy Preschool or Puppy Kindergarten classes where he can learn some simple obedience and enjoy some socialization at the same time.

5. Your puppy will most likely chew on things so you should try to “puppy proof” your house as much as possible. Put away your shoes and other things that he can reach. When your puppy chews on things take them away. If you catch your puppy in the act of chewing on something he’s not supposed to chew on, you can correct him (no physical punishments). Otherwise, if you don’t catch him, you should let it go. There is no point in correcting a puppy or dog for something that has already happened. Your puppy or dog won’t know why they’re being corrected.

6. Puppies may nip, bite too hard when playing or simply get too raucous. When they do, you should stop playing with them and ignore them. If they continue, you should call a time-out. Time-outs work with puppies just as they do with children. If your puppy nips you, you should yelp and let him know it hurts. If he even touches his teeth to your skin, yelp and don’t play with him. If you stop playing with him whenever he tries to nip he will stop nipping.

7. If you have children teach them that they can’t mistreat a puppy. Tell them not to stare at a puppy or otherwise make the puppy uncomfortable. They puppy may lunge at them. And, if they run away screaming from a puppy, the puppy will chase them. Not all kids are happy about that fact. Children under six should be supervised when they play with puppies.

8. Puppies may whine and bark and whimper for attention. Sometimes you will have to ignore them, especially if you want to get any sleep.

9. Do make sure that your puppy gets all of his vaccinations on schedule. See that he takes heartworm preventive and flea medication if he needs it in your area. Your puppy’s health and well-being depend on proper veterinary care. You should also make sure that you are feeding him a good dog food with meat protein sources.

10. Puppies are adorable and they will make you do whatever they want.

Those are a few things you should know about puppies. Have fun with your puppy and may he (or she) grow up to be a wonderful dog.

10 Things You Should Know About Your New Puppy courtesy Dog Articles.

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1. Water. You probably already know that dogs need fresh, clean water at all times. All of us do. But if you want to remove as many toxins as possible from your dog’s water and do everything possible to keep him healthy, think about using a water filter. Tap water can contain many unhealthy chemicals such as lead and low levels of prescription medications. A water filter or purifier can help remove as many toxins from the water as possible and make the water healthier for you and your dog.

2. Food. There are an amazing number of dog foods on the market today. Unfortunately, many of them are not made from very healthy ingredients. They may technically pass government standards but they can contain ingredients that you wouldn’t want your dog to eat. You can choose healthier food for your dog by doing some research and learning to read dog food labels. Look for foods that contain more meats than fillers. Most of the better foods contain much less corn and other cereal products. It’s not necessary to go completely grain-free but you should look for foods that have named meat sources, such as lamb, lamb meal, chicken, chicken meal, and so on.

You should also avoid foods that contain the preservative ethoxyquin. This same ingredient is used in making tires. It’s not something that you want your dog to eat. Instead, look for natural preservatives such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C, citric acid and rosemary. These natural preservatives all have antioxidant properties and are healthier for your dog.

3. Vet care. Good vet care is, of course, important for your dog’s long term health. This means flea control, heartworm prevention and receiving the necessary vaccinations. However, all of these issues are the subject of some debate. Flea control and heartworm prevention often involve using strong chemicals. Some people feel that pets are being over-vaccinated. You should familiarize yourself with these issues and discuss them with your veterinarian. We are not advising you to leave off topical flea control or chewable monthly heartworm prevention. Heartworms can kill dogs and flea infestation can make a dog’s life (and their human’s) miserable. Vaccinations are necessary, at least at some intervals. We are recommending that you do further reading and talk to your vet about what is necessary for the health of your dog.

4. Exercise. It’s very important that your dog gets the proper exercise. As much as 40 percent of the dogs in the United States are considered to be overweight or obese. This is often because owners overfeed them, give them too many treats and table scraps, and because the dogs don’t get enough exercise. Taking your dog out for a daily walk is a good way to help your dog stay in shape. Add a weekly run and your dog will be a much healthier dog.

5. Spend time with your dog. All of the other things you do for your dog’s health — providing him with good water, food, vet care and exercise — will be meaningless if you don’t spend time with your dog. Enjoying your time together can do more than almost anything else to keep your dog healthy and happy. Dogs have been shown to have a beneficial effect on human health. The same is true of humans and dogs — we have a beneficial effect on their health. Just petting a dog can improve the way he feels and acts. Spend time with your dog and he will be a happier, healthier dog throughout his life.

The Top 5 Things You Can Do To Keep Your Dog Healthy courtesy Dog Articles.

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