Give your new puppy a good start

YOU’VE made the decision and adopted a puppy.

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, but to ensure you’re giving your pup the best start to its new life, it’s best to be well prepared from the second the new family member arrives.

Here are ten tips to make the transition an easy one, setting you and your puppy up for a fulfilling and healthy life

Before your puppy comes home

The commitment of bringing a puppy into your home is a serious one that will last the entire lifespan of your new pet.

Do all you can to ensure you’re starting out on the right foot by investigating the environment in which the dog spent its first weeks of life.

This is extremely important to their development, and the following questions should be asked:

• Are they with their mother and litter mates?

• Have they been introduced to elements that they will encounter in their adult life?

• Have they suffered any abuse that will lead to trauma in certain environments?

ALSO READ: Love your pet enough to go for a weight check

Ask about the food they’ve been weaned on – puppies have very specific nutritional needs and should therefore, wherever possible, be fed a puppy-specific commercially prepared pet food from a Pet Food Industry Association of Southern Africa (PFI) member brand.

Also make sure that the entire family is on board to share the duties of a new puppy and that you’re all in agreement about the approach to training.

Consistency will go a long way in getting unwanted behaviour under control quickly.

Welcome home!

Be ready for your puppy’s homecoming – a bed, collar and lead, water and food bowls, food, appropriate puppy treats and toys are essential from the moment the puppy enters your home.

Get your home ‘puppy ready’ by blocking off any areas that they should not have access to, and safeguarding items from sharp teeth that are looking for something to gnaw on.

Remember the swimming pool is a drowning hazard for naive puppies who may walk into them.

If at all possible, it’s best to have a few days with the puppy to help it through the challenges of the changes and allows for bonding to begin.

See if you can arrange a couple of days off from work or arrange a pet sitter to help.

Start training as early as possible.

Enrol your puppy in a reputable puppy school that uses positive methods of reinforcement to allow socialisation to continue even after leaving the litter.

But remember that every interaction at home is an opportunity to train your puppy, so have treats ready to reward the behaviours you want to encourage.

Read and understand your puppy’s body language – if the introduction is proving to be overwhelming, retreat to their safe space and try again later.

Avoid an upset tummy by continuing to feed the same food that the puppy has been eating (unless it is truly not acceptable to you).

The huge adjustment of moving into a new home is stressful enough, so it’s imperative that the gut is supported during the transition by maintaining a consistent diet.

Once the puppy is settled and if you need to, switch to another brand, one that is a member of the PFI.

Whenever doing a food swop, do so slowly and gradually over one to two weeks, allowing the puppy’s digestive system to become accustomed to the new food formula.

Get into a routine as quickly as possible as this will provide reassurance and stability for your puppy.

Find a vet that is close by and one that you are comfortable with, then keep up their vet visits to ensure the best start to life (there are many in the early stages).

The cost of vaccinations and health checks should be considered when making the decision to adopt an animal.