Puppy Care

Basics all puppies need such as types of food, brushes, and shampoos for their well being and care.

Much thought should be given before adding a new puppy to your household. This newest addition to the family is going to require much time, patience and love. It may require a great deal of upkeep too. All of these things must be considered and taken into account when you go out to buy the basic necessities for your new puppy.
If you are getting a puppy from a breeder, you will be able to find out what type of feed he or she has been using. Even if you plan on changing the diet, you will want to purchase a small bag of the original feed and switch over to your choice during a transition period of about seven days.

Puppies require an actual puppy food. A new born baby would not be expected to eat fried pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy because its digestive system (not to mention eating ability) couldn’t handle it nor could their bodies make use of the nutrients involved. The same can be said about puppies. They require a higher protein and calcium level than the regular adult brand foods can provide.

Owners should also be aware that there are differences in the qualities of dog puppy food. The better foods do cost more in short term but over longer periods of time they actually cost less. There are many excellent brands out there that have the higher digestibility. Higher digestibility means the animal gets more out of what they eat and in turn eats less of the food. Some of the brands are Iams/Eukanuba, Science Diet, Pro Plan, and Nutra Max. These types of brands not only cost less to feed over time, they cause smaller, less frequent, and firmer stools. They can also be found in veterinary clinics, pet stores and even some of the larger chain grocers.
If you do change foods, do so over several days by gradually decreasing the amount of the original food until you are feeding the new food exclusively.

By having food, you will of course need a bowl to put it in. For young puppies, you will want a small bowl.

Depending on the breed of dog, you may have to purchase another bowl at a later date. When looking for a bowl, remember puppies like to chew and carry things so a glass or easily breakable one should be ruled out. Stainless steel is usually the ones used in veterinary clinics because they are sturdy, stack well and they can be sterilized in a number of ways. The super heavy, ceramic/stoneware types can be used but again, watch for breakage or chipping.
Another bowl or an automatic waterer will also be needed. The author’s personal choice is a bowl until the puppy is past the chewing stage.

A decision will need to be made as to the living and sleeping arrangements of the puppy. Crates are a marvelous idea for both indoor and outdoor pets. The dog will come to consider the crate their own little house and a place to escape when things get too overwhelming. A crate will aid in housebreaking an indoor puppy because most dogs do not want to soil their immediate living space. Outdoor dogs can benefit from a crate because they are a shady place in summer and are easily covered and kept warm in the winter.

Crates should be large enough for the expected adult size dog to be able to turn around and lie down in comfortably. They are readily available at stores such as Walmart, K-Mart, Target as well as any pet store. Being lightweight, they can be placed and moved whenever needed.
Another advantage to the crate is the puppy will already be used to it if he or she ever needs to travel by plane or need to go and stay at a veterinary clinic or boarding facility.
Any breed of dog will need to be kept clean and parasite free. Human shampoos are not formulated for dogs and can actually cause flaking and skin irritations. It may be tempting to purchase the cheaper brands of flea shampoo at grocery stores but avoid them if possible. They often contain higher levels of detergents as well as salt for thickening. These can also cause dryness and skin irritations. This is one area where quality does make a difference.
Flea collars do little good whereas products such as Frontline and Advantage will work for a month or more with very little effort. Both of these products have an age limit on them so discuss their use with your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Many owners feel that all dogs have fleas so why bother. Fleas are an external parasite that feeds on the blood of the animal it lives on. With sever cases of flea infestations anemia and even death can occur.

They are also the source of tapeworms in dogs so every attempt should be made eradicate their existence on the puppy.

Another basic need for all puppies, regardless of breed, is the proper brushes and combs. The sooner you start getting the puppy used to standing and being brushed or combed the better. A six week, eight pound Collie is much easier to handle than a six month, sixty pound hair mass that won’t stand still.

Shorthaired breeds are easy to buy for. A slicker brush will give a shine and aid in developing a healthy skin. Longhaired breeds such as Chows, Collies, Shepherds, and such will need a double-toothed comb as well as a good, long bristled brush. The author has found nylon or boar bristle brushes better for these breeds than the old-fashioned, wire bristled brush many pet stores will try to pawn off on you.

Some breeds such as the Poodle, Maltese, Bichon, and Yorkshire Terrier will need to be groomed almost from the time you bring it home. You will need to decide if you plan on doing all the grooming yourself or if you plan on taking the puppy to a groomer on a regular basis. Regardless, the puppy will still need brushing from you between trips.
Puppy nails are a sharp as needles and will need clipping on a regular basis. There are several varieties of nail clippers on the market but for new puppies, human toenail clippers will often do an adequate job. Eventually you will need to purchase a pair of dog clippers as the nails of older dogs won’t work with human ones. There are two basic styles to choose from and personal choice will be the deciding factor here.

All puppies should have some basic obedience training. There are hundreds of classes nationwide called “kindergarten” for puppy training. Most of these classes will require a six-foot leash and a training collar. Training collars are usually of the “choke chain” variety and should only be used for training. Nylon web collars should be used otherwise to hang vaccination tags on. Breeds like Dachshunds and Bassets will often do better with a harness instead of a collar.
A word of warning concerning collars; puppies grow at an amazing rate so make sure you change the collar to fit the need. Almost every veterinarian has seen at least one dog whose owners didn’t keep watch on the collar and it ended up growing into the neck. This is especially true with the hairier breeds where the collars are often out of site and out of mind. Many times the removal of the collar will involve general anesthesia and surgery. This problem is extremely painful for the animal and can be avoided by the owner taking just a minute of his or her time to check once a week.

The two things a puppy needs that can’t be bought are time and love. Both are needed in great quantity so your new puppy can bond with you and become a true member of your family.