Love Your Pet. Free
Information
"7
SIMPLE SECRETS that you can learn RIGHT NOW to extend your pet's
life..."
These 7 Secrets are QUICK, SIMPLE and You can begin DISCOVERING them
today for FREE!
Whether you're looking for general pet-care
guidelines, hints on finding animal-friendly rental housing, information
on the importance of spaying or neutering, or advice on coping with the
death of your beloved companion, you've come to the right place. Our
pet-care information will help you develop and maintain a long and
rewarding relationship with your animal companion.
Selecting a puppy:
Select your new family member with your lifestyle and living situation
in mind. Primary considerations in addition to personality include
temperatment, size, and coat. Some breeds have traits that may be
objectionable in certain circumstances, such as hyperexcitability or a
tendency to bark. Dogs originally bred for specific purposes tend to
retain these characteristics and may require additional training and
patience. Your veterinarian is a valuable resource and should be
consulted before you acquire a puppy (or a pet of any kind).
Before bringing your puppy home:
Prepare your house for your puppy's arrival. A special place should be
designated for it to eat, sleep, and eliminate. Obtain any necessary
accessories (eg, collar, leash, ID tag, crate, and dishes) before you
bring your puppy home. You will need to puppy-proof your home just as
you would child-proof your home to avoid accidents. Harmful cleansers,
plants, electrical cords, and breakable objects should be kept out of
reach. Open windows should be screened.
Housing:
A crate is a combined sleeping area, housebreaker, and preventer of bad
habits; basically, it's one of the best investments you'll ever make for
your puppy. Select a crate that is large enough to house the dog when
fully grown, and insert a divider to make it smaller for housebreaking.
The reduced area should be small enough so that the puppy can't
eliminate in one end and sit/sleep in the other. To make the crate a
friendly place, appropriate bones (choose carefully and consult your
veterinarian) can be placed within it and the puppy can be fed inside of
it. Puppies should only be left in their crates for short periods
initially, so that they learn that they will not be confined in them
permanently.
Housebreaking:
Begin as soon as the puppy arrives in your home. Young puppies should be
taken out immediately upon waking and just before retiring, as well as
multiple times during the day. Most puppies cannot "hold it" for long
periods so it will be necessary to take the puppy out almost every hour
at first (especially after periods of play, naps, and mealtimes), and
then gradually increase the amount of time between visits to the
"bathroom." Take the puppy to the same area each time and praise it
immediately and enthusiastically when it eliminates. Do not play with,
or talk to, the puppy until after it has eliminated. Remember, if the
puppy doesn't eliminate outside, its urine and feces are being saved for
deposit inside your house!
Meals:
Feed a high quality diet designed for puppies. A wide variety of diets
and formulations are available and your veterinarian should be your
primary source of information as to the best choice for your puppy. The
amount fed will vary with the type of food and the individual dog, but
in general, should only be as much as the puppy can consume in 5 to 10
minutes at a given meal. Puppies are usually fed 3 times daily when
between 6 and 12 weeks old, 2 times daily when 12 weeks to 6 months old,
and may be fed 1 or 2 times daily when older than 6 months. For certain
large breeds of dogs, your veterinarian may recommend that several
smaller meals be fed rather than 1 large meal (even when your dog
becomes an adult) because an association has been suggested between the
consumption of large meals and a serious medical condition called
gastric dilatation/volvulus or "bloat."
Health Exam/Vaccinations:
You will want to have your new puppy examined by a veterinarian to
ensure that it has no major health problems and is started on a program
of preventive care. Your puppy's health care plan includes a series of
vaccinations against distemper, parvovirus and coronavirus
(gastrointestinal diseases), infectious hepatitis, and respiratory
infections (adenovirus, parainfluenza, and bordetella). Vaccination
protocols are designed on the basis of your puppy's risk of infection
and may vary depending upon your puppy's age, breed, and environmental
exposures (eg, in certain locales, vaccinations for Lyme disease and
leptospirosis may be considered standard parts of the protocol).
Vaccinations are usually given at 3 week intervals from 6 to 16 weeks of
age. At 15 to 16 weeks of age, the puppy receives its first rabies
vaccination. Puppies should be checked for intestinal parasites (usually
2 stool samples 3 weeks apart), fleas, and heartworm disease (depending
on age), and appropriate treatment or preventatives administered.
Grooming:
Regular brushing, bathing, and nail care are essential. Protect your
puppy's eyes and ears when bathing, and don't allow the puppy to become
chilled after bathing. Your veterinarian may recommend that you do not
bathe your puppy when it is younger than 10 to 12 weeks unless
absolutely necessary (especially if your puppy is one of the smaller
breeds).
Obedience Training and Socialization:
A MUST for every good family dog, regardless of size or breed! Puppies
may start classes when they are as young as 8 weeks old. Check with your
veterinarian for class recommendations.
Spaying/Neutering:
If you don't plan to breed, spay or neuter your puppy. Letting children
see the miracle of birth is NOT a good reason to breed your dog; only
serious breeders who have the desire, expertise, and time to breed well
should breed at all. Spaying your female dog can help to prevent cancers
of the reproductive tract, including breast cancer, and will decrease
the incidence of reproductive infections. Neutering your male dog will
prevent testicular cancer and can decrease the incidence of prostate
problems. The incidence of certain behavioral problems has also been
shown to be reduced when dogs are spayed or neutered. The decision to
spay or neuter your puppy is one of the best decisions you can make for
its well-being. Your veterinarian can discuss with you its benefits and
the best time to schedule the procedure.