Care, Needs and Attention of a Puppy

Having a pet at home is a laborious task and full of responsibilities, you have to take care of them, take care of them and of course love them, for this reason, on this occasion you will find everything about the care of a puppy, who need even more of our attention and elements. as necessary as vaccinations.

Puppy dog ​​care

Dogs are animals that need a lot of attention in any of the senses, hygiene, health, affection and more, for this reason the person who decides to have a dog at home must be aware of the great responsibility that they are acquiring, it is not a matter of just have it in the patio or on the terrace and that's it, you have to give it everything it needs, since they can't fend for themselves and that's why you have to learn what care does a dog need.

Learning to give the best care to puppies, adult dogs and the elderly is an essential act, whether you are a novice in the area or already have experience, putting all the effort into this laudable work is very rewarding and our actions they will be rewarded in various points of view, since this puppy will always be grateful to us and will show it with his loyalty.

Whether you adopt or buy the puppy, you will surely be very excited, because now there is a new member in the family, doubts begin, you want to know how much it will grow, how its character will be, what its life expectancy is and more, all this can vary from one race to another, it is not the same in a Golden Retriever than in a Chihuahua.

You will have to solve all these doubts through the breed of the dog that you have just acquired, on the internet and books there is a lot of information of this kind, also for greater certainty go to the nearest veterinarian so that he can dilute any doubt you may have and so you can be calmer with the care of this puppy.

When to take a puppy to the vet?

This is usually one of the biggest questions, many people do not take the dog even once, while others take it periodically and even more than it should, the truth is that there is always a set period to take your pet to the vet Also, this tends to change from one race to another, since some need to go more often than others.

In addition, it should be noted that many times, even when there is an established period for each visit to the veterinarian, there are times when that next visit must be shortened, for example, in those moments when you begin to see strange behaviors in the dog, it is depressed , does not wag his tail as before, is not barking, or when he shows any illness, has a fever, sneezes a lot, diarrhea or vomiting.

Regardless of those options that were mentioned in the preceding paragraph, when you acquire a puppy or an adult dog, the first thing you should do is take it to a veterinary consultation, in order to rule out diseases, to establish the period of visits, to resolve any concerns and open a medical file.

Preferably seek necessary information from the doctor to whom you will take your dog, check if he is trustworthy and has good references, remember that the life and health of your pet will be in your hands, he will also be able to tell you how old your puppy is, that he will surely you want to know more precisely; possibly he will vaccinate him according to the time and his health in general, he will give you certain advice according to his race and much more.

Sanitary Calendar

Having control over your puppy's health is essential, so having a calendar where the dates of the visit to the veterinarian are established could be of great help and reminder, so that the indicated date is not forgotten or we have doubts about it.

From the first moment you take your dog to the vet, he will establish the period that you must take into account for the next visits, surely he will give you some table or cardboard, in which the control and visits must be carried out. of your dog

Through this calendar and in each visit you make to the specialist, he will be in charge of giving you advice and thus generate a better quality of life for the dog, he will recommend what you should do in each particular case, how you should act in cases of emergency, among others.

Some of the points that the doctor can establish for the dog's health calendar are:

• Vaccination
• Deworming
• Diet

When to deworm a puppy?

This is one of the care for a puppy The most basic and elementary care of a puppy, keeping them free of parasites should be a primary issue, whether these are external or internal, in either case, they could greatly impair the quality of life and health of your dog, they can even end your life if you don't attack in time.

Dogs can be exposed to worms in the intestines, they can suffer from gastritis in dogs through a bacteria or other factor, as well as being extremely vulnerable to fleas and ticks, these being the biggest parasites they can have and the most dangerous, so it is important to check them constantly.

Many of these parasites sometimes do not usually cause a major inconvenience, but you always have to be alert, especially if the dog is already elderly or if it has some other disease that can be worsened by the presence of these parasites, they can begin to suffer. anemia in many cases.

Another drawback that must be taken into account when they have parasites is that they could infect other dogs and cats, but humans can also be affected, who are also very vulnerable to suffering from this condition; For all these reasons, it is important to attack this evil from the puppy's first days at home.

As for the right products to eliminate these parasites, it will be prudent to consult with the veterinarian, they will know if it is necessary to use injections, pills or through the skin, depending on the case and the severity of your pet, there are also ways to remove fleas from home.

Puppy's first vaccinations

Carrying out vaccinations for a puppy is another of the basic and elemental cares if the greatest well-being is desired for them, but from what moment does the vaccination day start? You must be attentive from the first two months , at which time you should go to the vet and tell him how old your puppy is and that you want to give him the respective vaccines.

After the doctor evaluates him and gives him his vaccinations, you must go once every year from that day on, so that you do not forget this information, write down in a visible place the day you went so that you can keep it in mind in the following year, it could be placing it behind a door, on the refrigerator door or wherever you think is most convenient.

Likewise, the vet will surely give you a card with the date you went and the next time you should go, so either of these two options is appropriate.

The rabies vaccine is opportune and recommended, but it is not mandatory in all countries, so you should find out if this is governed by any legislation in your country and in this way you will avoid having any problem with the law.

Another piece of advice to keep in mind is that during the first months of the puppy, it should not be taken for a walk, at that time the doses of vaccines will be administered in several doses, and until that period is not completely over, the dog will not have developed a proper immune system.

Accessories and food for a puppy

If you go to a store selling animal items, you will notice the wide variety of toys and other entertainment that there are, which you will surely want to take to your children. puppy dogs, especially if it is for its care and well-being, some of the essential elements for your new pet are the following:

• Bed: What is more essential than the place where your pet will rest, you can get many sizes and designs of these, so that you can adjust it to the breed of your dog, the size of the house where it will live and the decoration that you have in it, although of course It is the first days and even the first two months it is better to use some old clothes or sheets, since they tend to break them as a game and experiment.

• Drinkers and feeders: that is, in the container where your puppy will eat and drink water, you can get it in many ways and any number of colors, so there will surely be one that you like, there are plastic, iron, ceramic or other elements, that you can adjust to your taste and even home decoration.
• Ride: This is another of the care that your dog requires, some more than others, it varies according to the breed and according to the physical activity that your dog requires, for example, a Border Collie It does not require the same physical activity as an Alaskan Malamute, so you should be aware of this information, but it is always important to take it out for a walk to interact with other people and animals.
• Hygiene: You should also buy a brush with which you should comb it often, especially if it is a long-haired dog like the... accompanied by the shampoo that is essential, to give it its corresponding bath according to the most recommended time for your species, perhaps every month and a half or two.
• Car: If you have a vehicle and you want to walk your dog in it, you must previously consult the regulations established for this in your city, since it will have certain care to be followed.
• Toys: there are some dogs that are more playful than others, also when they are puppies you want to play and break everything they see, so the best solution is to give them an exclusive toy for them, so that they can entertain themselves and not damage anything else in the house, but they should be special for dogs and more so for puppies, since they could cause harm by swallowing one of its parts.

• First aid kit: Whether you are at home or out for a walk, do not forget to take a first-aid kit with you, in which you must carry the number of your veterinarian for any emergency, as well as a thermometer, a disinfectant, gloves to treat any wound, muzzle, serum , gauzes and whatever you find more convenient. Care, needs and attention of a puppy.

How to educate a puppy?

Surely you will be asking yourself that big question, being a task that requires discipline, perseverance and dedication, but also a lot of patience, although there are some breeds that are more predisposed to learn quickly than others, but you should still do it if you want to have order in your house and when you go out with them without causing any problems.

The first and most basic thing is to educate your dog as to where he should relieve himself inside the house or if he should wait for you to take him out somewhere at certain times of the day; You should also teach him to sit down, shake your leg, when leaving, not to pull the rope, but something essential is education in terms of socialization.

The socialization of a dog should be a task that must be carried out from when it is a puppy, to avoid inconveniences when it is an adult, there are dogs that are very sociable by nature, but there are others that need to be shared with other puppies and people so that they do not become aggressive and jealous, as could be the case of those considered potentially dangerous dogs, such as the pit bull or the Rottweiler.

In many cities there are schools for dogs or people specialized in this work, you must get the necessary information to take them to one of those schools or hire a specialist who deals with the education of these animals through positive reinforcement, that is, by means of rewards and not punishments, you should not allow your dog to be mistreated under any circumstances.

Hygiene

An element that is more than important, if your dog lacks everything that hygiene refers to, it could be a target of diseases, in dogs as much as humans it is important to maintain hygiene. And we are not only talking about the corresponding bathroom, but also about nails, brushing teeth and fur.

The first question regarding the hygiene of puppies is how often should they be bathed? This being a very generic question, since for each breed of dog there is a recommended time, depending on whether it has long or short hair, how old it is, depending on whether it has gotten dirty or not, if it has any problem with its skin, the cold or how hot it is doing and other similar elements.

It is important to note that in the case of puppies, they do not have a fully developed immune system, much less if they do not have all their vaccinations up to date, therefore they are more likely to suffer from a cold, a respiratory infection, be subjected to high levels of stress, so it is not recommended to give puppies baths, unless the veterinarian establishes otherwise.

For the rest, it is necessary to maintain good hygiene in the dog, so that the house does not smell ugly and the dog does not contract illnesses due to the lack of it; on the other hand, the nails must be cut periodically in certain breeds, except in those that tend to file them through the ground, the veterinarian will teach you how to do it, since you must not exceed a certain limit, otherwise you can bleed.

The eyes and ears should be checked and cleaned with certain periodicity, since they may have fleas, fleas or more dirt in those places, the ears at least once a week and the eyes every time you can do it once or twice a week. day.

How Much Exercise Should a Puppy Get?

Physical activity is also essential for a puppy, as you know they are very energetic and playful, they like to explore and more, so all that energy must be channeled in a way that does not affect him or those around him.

That said, it is necessary that you take some time out of your day so that it can run, play, explore and more, it can be taking it for a walk around the neighborhood, taking it to the patio or the terrace, of course it should not exceed its Curiosities, since an injury can be generated, since their bones are not fully strengthened.

The most recommended for these to have their daily physical activity is that it should be around twenty minutes at least and at most forty minutes, by then they will have drained their energies and will be exhausted.

How much attention does a puppy need?

As much as a baby, these are now one more member of our family, so you have to take care of them and be attentive to all their progress, so when adopting a puppy or any pet in general, you must also take on the responsibility that this deserves, knowing that you will need time to give him all the caring for a one month old puppy and older than necessary, in addition to providing affection and company.

If you do not pay attention to your puppy, he may develop certain behaviors that are unfavorable neither for him nor for those around him, in addition, that as an adult he may be more aggressive and suspicious, at which time it will be more difficult for him to learn some behavior.

When do I know that he is sick?

You will be able to take into account several elements that will determine if your puppy is sick or feels bad, for example, he is very still, he is complaining as if something hurt him, he is crying a lot, he is not happy when you get home and he wags his tail , its temperature is very high or other elements that you should keep in mind, you should be aware of:

• Anorexy: which you can notice when your dog is not eating, if a day goes by and he does not eat anything you have provided, it may mean that he is suffering from anorexia.
• Fever: high temperatures in a puppy dog ​​can mean greater inconvenience, perhaps the fever is a manifestation or symptom of a more serious condition; the normal thing is that it has a temperature of thirty-eight and a half degrees and a maximum of thirty-nine and a half degrees, if it exceeds those degrees, it is a fever.
• Threw up: he is vomiting very frequently, he has been vomiting for more than forty-eight hours and he does not stop vomiting what he consumes.
• Apathy: shows no desire for much movement, spends the day lying down, does not react to any stimulus you can give him like throwing the ball, tickling him or taking him for a walk.
• Cough: whether it comes with mucus or is dry, you should consult the dog if it is very persistent.
• Diarrhea: You must be aware of how many times and how often your dog is defecating, so that if they persist for more than forty-eight hours, go to the doctor and you can give him this information that is very relevant.

Most common infectious diseases

There are certain diseases that are usually very common in puppies and in general in any adult dog, which often present those symptoms mentioned in the previous segment, some of these diseases are:

• Canine parvo virus: it is an infectious disease that is generated by a virus, the data shows that it is a disease that causes the death of many puppies; This produces vomiting and diarrhea from one moment to another, which are usually very frequent, and which also usually show blood, can be very acute and end the life of the dog in less than two days.
• Canine distemper: this, like the previous one, is generated by a virus, it is infectious, first there is normal breathing, but with high fevers, there is also a lot of coughing, the dog is downcast, lagañas, mucus and more, then a digestive picture appears which manifests itself through vomiting and diarrhea, and a third phase is with nervous symptoms, if it is attacked in the first two phases it is reversible, otherwise there is no turning back.
• Kennel cough: This manifests itself due to the presence of bacteria and viruses, it appears as a cough without mucus, it is dry and irritating, although it is not as dangerous as the previous ones, if it greatly weakens the organism, leaving it more immune to being a target of other conditions.