6 Tips for Caring for Your New Puppy

Aww, a new puppy!

But, having a pet is not all fun and games, you are also responsible for keeping your new puppy safe, happy, healthy and mentally stimulated, as well as showing them with all the love and affection they need.

This is quite a big responsibility!

To help you get through that new puppy phase, we’ve put together a helpful list of key tips and ideas for caring for your new puppy.

Puppy looking lovingly at something

After months and months of waiting, you’re finally ready to bring your new baby home. That is, your new fur baby!

When you decide to bring a puppy into your family, it’s important to remember what a great responsibility a puppy is.

You are their new pack leader and being the leader means instilling rules so that by the time they grow into those enormous paws, they know how to behave.

#1: Set some firm rules

There are rules for the puppy to learn, and also rules for you and your household to learn!

Everybody in the household should be on the same page when it comes to rules.

Otherwise, your puppy will get confused about what they are and aren’t allowed to do.

Here are some things that you should all agree on:

Where the puppy will sleep;
Who will feed the puppy and when;
Who will take the main role of training the puppy;
Which areas of your house or yard are out-of-bounds for the puppy; and
Where the puppy’s toilet area will be.

It’s also a good idea to settle on a name for your puppy as soon as it comes home.

Ensure that everyone uses the same name, rather than a selection of confusing nicknames.

That rule is also essential for proper and effective training, so make sure that you agree on the words you will use when you want your puppy to sit, stop, come and heel.

#2: Puppy-proof your home

Puppies are a lot like small children in that they put everything in their mouths and can escape in a moment of distraction.

They can easily hurt themselves by eating the wrong thing or escaping into the wrong area and they can cause considerable damage to your home and possessions if not adequately supervised.

You can puppy-proof your home by taking the following measures:

Set up baby gates to protect the puppy from dangers such as steep stairs and poisons (like cleaning chemicals). These gates are marvelous for protecting your ‘good’ rooms!
Audit your home for any potential escape routes, whether it’s the back door that doesn’t always catch, to the window above the couch that you usually leave open.
Secure your rubbish bin! Otherwise, your new puppy will thank you for the wonderful feast you’ve left out for them!
Check for poisonous houseplants and keep them out of the puppy’s reach.

Outside, it’s important to check for the same sort of hazards, from easily accessible poisons like snail bait and weed killer to escape points through the fence and toxic plants and shrubs.

You’d be surprised by how small a gap your puppy can squeeze through, so ensure your check is really thorough.

Gaps in your fence? Palings falling over? Does your entire fence need replacing? Call Jim’s Fencing on 13 15 46 today for a free measure and quote service or for advice on fencing to protect your new puppy.

And speaking of safety fencing…

#3: Puppy-proof your pool

Depending on the breed, your puppy might take to water like a fish. But not all dogs are born to swim, which is why you need to be extra careful about letting your new puppy outside alone if you have a pool or pond.

Furthermore, any fencing you have to prevent children from getting into the pool will probably be ineffective against a puppy who will likely be able to squeeze through the gaps.

To prevent your puppy from drowning in your pool or pond, install a puppy-proof pool safety gate around any bodies of water.

#4: Do your research

Before bringing your puppy home, take the time to do as much reading as you can about the breed you are buying. Every dog breed will have different requirements and needs, so it’s best to be prepared.

You might like to conduct this research as a household so that everyone is up to speed on the basics of puppy behaviour, training, socialisation, and care.

Dogs in cute outfits

#5 Decide on a grooming routine

In no time at all, your sweet little puppy will start to leave a trail of odour through every room of the house. Unlike cats, dogs do not self-groom.

Decide on a grooming routine before the puppy even comes home. Select who will be responsible for washing the puppy and where and how you will go about it.

Provided your puppy has a healthy coat and skin, you can get away with a weekly wash if you use a gentle shampoo. Any more than that can dry out your dog’s skin leading to itching and sores.

If you don’t have the time, ability or resources to wash your new puppy, this is a job that is easily outsourced to professional dog washers.

A great idea is to find a service that will come to you, such as Jim’s Dog Wash, meaning your puppy is not taken from its comfort zone, and you don’t have to put that smelly pup in the car!

#6: Enlist help

There’s no doubt about it – puppies are a lot of work.

From house training them to cleaning up after them, you will spend much of your time caring for your new arrival.

When you run a busy household or are working full time, you might find yourself getting overwhelmed at everything that comes with caring for your new puppy.

No matter where you are in Australia, Jim’s Pet Patrol has services available to help you care for your new puppy, including:

Dog walking;
Flea/tick treatments; and
Feeding services.

Jim’s franchisees can even assist in the messiest of all puppy-related jobs…

Poo clean-up! That’s right; you can now outsource the least enjoyable part of puppy ownership! Have a Jim’s Pet Patrol team come to your home and clean up your puppy’s waste from your yard, deodorise and sanitise the area and leave your yard fresh and clean!

You can never be too prepared

No matter how much you prepare for your new arrival, they’ll still find ways to surprise you. As long as you do your research ahead of time, ensure the whole family is on the same page and prepare for chores and tasks, your new puppy will soon fit into your family’s routine.

If you would like a quote on any of the services listed above to help you prepare and care for your new puppy, contact Jim’s Group today on 13 15 46.