If you watch puppies at play, you’ll discover they interact with one another in a number of different ways their body language is quite remarkable to observe.
There’s no mistaking the adorable ‘play-bow’ position that dogs and puppies adopt when wanting to play but do you recognise any of their other many poses and their vast array of noises? It helps if you can as this is an insight in to your puppy’s little world.
Most people think that their new and fluffy puppy shouldn’t be walked on a lead until it’s quite a bit older and bigger. This is true to a certain extent but you can certainly introduce your pup to the lead prior to his/her initial walk.
Whilst your puppy is still indoors pop a very soft collar on them. Leave it literally for about five minutes and if there is no major reaction praise and offer a treat as a reward. By major reaction I mean throwing a bit of a ‘wobbly’ whining and running around etc, etc. Most puppies will display minor signs of discomfort or slight concern at the strange object placed around their neck. You’d expect some indication of knowing the collar’s there. Perhaps scratching at it or zooming around in circles whilst trying to remove it or rubbing their head against an object or along the floor.
Just because you already share your home with other furries doesn’t mean that you can’t also welcome a puppy into your world. You do have to be sensible though. You can’t simply assume that every other animal is going to adore your new bundle of fluff as much as you do!
It might well be that your furries are housed in their cages away from your pooch and that they’ll probably never actually meet nose to nose but you still need to be certain that your puppy isn’t startled by them and begins to lunge at their cage. The best solution with cages is to purchase some sort of partition to place up around the cage. It doesn’t have to be strong as such but just simply something to let your puppy know that crossing that line and moving the partition is wrong.
With it being Easter time and us all consuming fattening chocolate and cakes it’s only natural for us to pile the pounds on but what about your pooch? Now is the perfect time to be thinking about losing some of that extra weight in time for the long summer days.
So what can you do to help your canine chum if he has indeed become a bit chubbier than normal? To begin with hunt around for a lighter food as this will assist with the weight loss but still provide your dog with all the required nutrients and vitamins. If you’re feeding your dog treats as a reward for training then this needn’t stop completely but simply change the treats you’re using for a lighter alternative.
Sat in front of you looking up with huge saucer-like eyes sits your new canine companion looking as innocent as ever, your task now is to transform this cute little puppy in to a well-behaved adult dog. Now the main question new owners ask is, ‘so when do I begin with the training?’ and the simple answer is, ‘now.’
If you don’t begin a training regime with your puppy now you’ll regret it later when you’ve a fully grown adult dog that’s completely disobedient and out of control.
Going to the vets with your puppy needn’t be a struggle and the easiest way to ensure that this remains the same way even when your bundle of fluff becomes a fully grown dog is to start whilst your dog’s still young.
It’s always a good idea to take your new puppy along to see the vet when you first acquire them just for a quick check-up and their initial injection. The vet will examine and weigh them. The examining part’s the important part to introducing your puppy to being handled and you can begin this at home with your puppy.
Is there such a thing as an easy dog to care for? The simple answer is not if you do it properly. There are certainly easier breeds than others to look after in different ways and this is a very important factor to consider when thinking about welcoming a canine chum into your life.
For instance a long-haired breed will take a lot more time grooming than a short-haired breed so to home an Afghan Hound with its luscious coat will take considerably more effort than a Jack Russell with its shorter coat. Yes Afghan Hounds are truly stunning dogs but to maintain their flowing coat takes a daily brush. Most breeds are generally the same with other aspects of grooming such as claw clipping and showering/bathing these tasks aren’t daily or even weekly unless of course your pooch is involved in the show-world where appearance is everything!
Puppy and dog toys come in all shapes and sizes, so much so that it can be quite a daunting task selecting a toy from the huge array available in pet shops today.
Now your initial task is to decide what you want your canine chum to actually do with the toy, and don’t just say ‘play’! There are puppy and dog toys designed more towards fetching, chewing, swimming, training and even toys to make your doggy friend think and interact. The last group come mainly in the form of board games for dogs, yes you did read that correctly, the general concept’s the same for each one. Your dog has to work out what to do in order to receive a tasty treat, they actually have to use their nose or paw to move objects.
Many novice dog owners innocently think that all breeds of dogs are the same when it comes to their energy levels, not quite true I’m afraid. They vary enormously from your couch potato dogs to your speed freak dogs; it’s the second group this article is going to look at.
There are several different breeds that fit into the ‘high energy’ group of dogs. These are dogs who don’t know when to sit still or rest, dogs that would be on the go literally all day & night given half a chance. Their minds are always thinking & planning their next move & the spooky thing is they’re also thinking about what you’re going to do next! These dogs are generally a step in front of you & guess your every move.
When people consider welcoming a new puppy into their lives they don’t always think about the security side of things, security for their puppy that is. It’s a legal obligation to ensure that puppies/dogs wear a collar with an identification tag attached to it anyway but it’s also strongly advised to have them microchipped.
Microchipping is a very simple procedure, it was introduced in 1989 & since then many owners have decided to have their canine chums done. One advantage is that your puppy will not need an anaesthetic although some owners do wait until their pup is being spayed/neutered & whilst they’re having the operation they can be microchipped too. My pups have had their microchips done when they’ve had their second routine vaccination but it’s really a personal choice to be honest.
