Just got a cute puppy in the house? Or have you had a soft cuddly friend for a while, but don’t know how best to train that puppy? Don’t know exactly how to raise, care for and keep such a doggie healthy? What do you pay attention to when feeding?
Then read on quickly.
Puppies are a lot of work. They will gradually become more social if they are around people a lot, but teach the dog to listen to you. Take care of your pets. They need to be fed, given fresh water, taken out for walks and need lots of love. Make sure your pup has fresh drinking water daily. The rule of thumb is that a dog drinks about 50 ml of water per kilogram of body weight per day.
Is your dog growing well?
Is he already used to the house?
They also need to be taught how to behave in the house and not to chew on things they are not supposed to. Reprimand them every time he does something wrong, repetition is important.
One of the most important parts of raising your puppy is their diet and nutrition.
The tips below will help you out. These are really good for your puppy:
Give them attention and brush them every day. Don’t let the hair get too long, as tangles could develop, for example behind the ears. Make timely appointments at a dog grooming salon. Active dogs should be walked at least once a day. Read here how best to tackle ‘learning to walk on a leash’.
Dogs are loyal, loving and love spending time with their owner, no matter what they do. From the ninth week onwards, I recommend that you also take that puppy to dog school already, that way he will learn how to behave and you will gain authority over your dog. If you are not sure about your boyfriend’s behaviour, care and digestion, consult a vet.
Feeding puppies
There are many dog food options and you should choose a diet that best suits your pet’s age, lifestyle and activity level. Always remember that dogs need protein in their diet.
A few tips for successfully feeding your puppy:
Give your puppy kibble and dog snacks instead of table scraps like charcuterie or a piece of meatloaf. This teaches them to eat dog food and not beg for human food from the table or kitchen counter. Some foods are harmful to your doggie. Never give chocolate or other sweets! Has your pup ingested a piece of apple or a strawberry? Then again, this is not as bad, as fruit is healthy for dogs too.
Start feeding your puppy kibble as soon as he is weaned from mother’s milk. After eight weeks, you can already feed the puppy kibble. After a while, they will get used to this kind of food. Which means it will be much easier in the future if you want to switch to adult dog food.
After the first month, you can expand with additional canned puppy food. At this stage, make sure the puppy eats about five to six times a day. If your pet is older than two months, has stomach problems and a limp bowel movement, it is better to give four smaller portions. So that it does not get too heavy, he would feel even worse if you serve too much.
How often. Filling a jar three times a day can be more than enough for some small dogs. After six months, it would be best to change that to twice a day. It is better to give them something in the morning and in the evening. It is best to do this at a fixed time, for example, at 8:00, 12:00 and 18:00 (then in the evening).
Avoid stress and make sure the puppy can eat undisturbed. Also make sure he can rest a bit after eating, so don’t take him out immediately after eating; rather do it before.
Make sure your dog gets a daily dose of oral care If you notice changes in your dog’s chewing behaviour or appetite, it’s time to have him examined.
Natural Greatness has a number of organic wet food cans.
Dry or wet?
Dry food is easy to pour into the jar. Dry kibble is definitely the most popular. Why not try wet food? Let’s look at the benefits of wet dog food.
Advantages:
That food is more palatable for dogs.
Wet dog food is easier to digest than dry dog food.
It is great for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Wet food can help keep your pup hydrated.
It can generally help your pup drink more water, which can be a problem for some dog breeds.
Wet dog food can be useful for dogs with dental problems and can help with obesity due to its low calorie content.
Sit! Paw! Lie! Jump! Spin! Crawl! Follow!
Puppies need to eat regularly, but of course they also need regular exercise. They love to play, jump around and sprint. There are so many things you can do with them! Playing fetch is a great way to get your pup to burn off some energy. You will also want to teach them to sit, lie down, purr (spin) and roll over.
While training, make sure your body language is more important to your pup than words. Dogs respond to overall body language. By the pitch of your voice they also understand what is expected of them, the more powerful and loud, the more the dog will pay attention. Then he knows you mean business. Stay calm and the dog finds high-pitched voices more pleasant. One of the first tricks they learn is to ‘give their paw’. Take a dog treat, show it to your puppy and say “Paw(s)!”.
Another good word to teach them is, “Look!” This allows them to focus and really listen to you. Take a dog biscuit or toy and hold it in front of you, moving back and forth. Now the puppy should follow your hand with its eyes. When the puppy has done well, it gets a reward. Dogs find children very pleasant. If your children can handle the puppy gently, they will become best friends.
Use the time to teach them tricks so you can have fun together!
A dog’s life is quite unpredictable. There are so many things they have to learn, from eating kibble to walking on a leash. And while it can be hard work teaching them new tricks, it’s great fun!
Author:
Caitlin Scherrens
Communication student: content marketing,
journalism
at Arteveldehogeschool Ghent
Sources:
How much and what can a puppy eat and drink? – Yarrah https://www.yarrah.com/blog/wat-mag-een-pup-eten-en-drinken-tips-over-de-juiste-voeding-voor-pups/
Pawness: “Puppy training: 4 basic skills every puppy needs to learn”
Martin Gaus – Paula Nowak, CPDT-KA and CTDI
Walking: The Bolster, the connection method:
