So you’ve found the perfect puppy for your family, you’ve bought a bed, toys and bowls, and now the day has finally arrived to pick them up. You bring home your tiny new fur baby and suddenly it’s like, "what do I do now?".
Raising a puppy can be very daunting. You want to do the best for your them, and so you start researching online. But there is such a lot of information out there, and at times the advice being given can be conflicting.
So to help you get started here are my top 5 tips for raising your puppy:
1. Socialisation - a positive introduction to the world around them can help raise a confident dog. Which means less chance of developing unwanted behaviours such as fear aggression. Socialisation does not necessarily mean introducing them to every dog and every person you see. It is also important to teach them that they are not going to say hello to everyone they meet.
2. Train your puppy - it is never too early to start! Keep sessions short (approx. 5/10mins) and finish with either a little scattered kibble or playtime with their favourite toy.Getting a good foundation at this stage in their life will make things so much easier when they become teenagers!
3. Don’t over exercise - depending on breed and size your puppy's joints will not be fully formed until they are about a year old. Too much exercise as a puppy can cause more damage than good as it has been linked to early onset of arthritis. A good rule of thumb 5 mins per month of age, twice a day.
4. Good Diet - like us food can affect behaviour so it is important you get a good quality food for your puppy. For advice and brand reviews check out this website: https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-feeding-guide
5. Enrichment games - these can tire your pups out more than physical exercises and are super fun too. Try this Facebook group for ideas: https://www.facebook.com/groups/canineenrichment/
Thanks for reading!
Kat
The Rewarding Dog Trainer
- Passionate about giving puppies the best start in life.