Being a pet parent is one of the most wonderful things that can happen to one's life. Dogs, for one, are very loyal companions that share very similar expressions which make them highly regarded as “man's best friend”. This bond has been present for thousands of years! Historically, they are also “man's first best friend”.
However, they also have needs that are different than ours. To take care of the bond between you and your dog, here are a couple of things to consider before taking your new best friend home!
Prepare your home
First off, even before picking your puppy up from the shelter or shop, just like in preparing for the coming of a new baby in the family, you have to make sure that you prepare a “dog zone”. Allotting a specific zone for your growing dog will allow you to closely monitor him or her, and to provide a safe area for your furbaby. Ideally this has to be well ventilated, away from toxic chemicals and electrical hazards, with easy to clean floors and no small objects (Yes dogs are also prone to choking hazards!) lying around. Make sure that it is also not along the walkways.
Remember, your dog has very strong senses compared to ours, so they get stressed easily compared to us. Make sure this is an area with less “stimuli” or constantly changing conditions like loud noises, strong odors and odd surfaces. It takes them quite a while to adjust and adjustments can be stressful!
Gather supplies
Visit your local pet store or where you have picked your dog up, to gather supplies. Safety and comfort will be our top priorities!
Always research about the materials used for these products; you’ll never know which one they will chew on! Get a leash and collar to be able to ‘control’ your dog whenever needed. A cage or crate with enough space can be used to easily monitor your furbaby. Pet fences can also be set up. Dog beds are useful to make sure that your dogs have a good night’s sleep. Make sure to clean these supplies regularly!
Meet your pet basic needs
To keep your furbaby happy and healthy, we need to make sure that all his or her basic needs are met!
For food, they can be fed with home-cooked pet diets based on recipes and books or commercial dog food. To make sure that your dog gets enough, high-quality commercial pet diets have been formulated to keep your furbaby healthy in every kibble. Vitamins and minerals should be abundant. Note the content and quality of fat, fiber and protein.
Puppies should be fed three to four times a day, while adults should be fed two to three times a day. We want to take advantage of your puppy’s growth!
Regular grooming plays a big role in their overall health. Especially for long haired breeds, the hair has to be brushed at least once a day. For indoor dogs, the nails should regularly be monitored and maintained.
Bath time is also very important. This makes sure that the dirt, debris and nasty micro-organisms are regularly removed. For healthy dogs, one to twice a week bathing is enough. But for dogs who have special skin disease conditions, 2-3 times a day may be warranted.
PRO TIP: After each bath, the use of pet dryers allow a more efficient and faster drying of hair coat. Leaving the hair wet or even just moist predisposes your dog to diseases by promoting bacterial and fungal growth and might change how the body adjusts to the environmental temperature.
Find a great vet
Develop a veterinarian-patient-client relationship with a local, experienced veterinarian. They will be your partners in taking care of your dog. Not all information on taking care of your dog can be seen in the internet.
Compassion and good communication are traits that we find in a good dog-doctor.
Before visiting the vet, make sure to make a list of your questions and concerns. If you are monitoring a particular problem, be very specific and observant to easily relay your concerns to his or her doctor.
Ask about vaccinations, preventives and to do’s. Prevention is still better than cure!
Train your dog
At around 2-3 months of age, puppies learn a lot faster, and like in humans, they have a formative age too! It will be good to train your dog on your home’s ‘house rules’, where to poop and pee, where to stay, where are the off-limits zones. Read a good book on animal behavior and training. Dog should be trained using positive feedback to avoid developing bad feelings and misdirected aggression.
You can also hire or consult a trainer. Some medium-sized to large dogs might need obedience training.
You can also let you furbaby learn tricks or understand commands in foreign languages – neat!
Be responsible
Getting a dog means being a parent! Most people compare having a dog to having a baby, it is similar but definitely different! We can usually relate easily to the needs of human babies, since basically these are also our needs. Dogs are a different species and will have special ‘dog-needs’! Make an effort to understand dogs and treat them according to their needs.
It is your role to take care of this furry bundle of joy, be a responsible pet-parent!
