Puppy Management: Tips To Remember If You Bought A Puppy

1. Best age to bring a puppy home

2 months is the best age to bring a puppy home. If a pup gets mother milk for up to 2 months, then he has a stronger immunity compared to his fellow mates. At this stage, his body is stronger enough to fight general infection and he will not get sick easily. Always look for the health card of the pup while buying one. He should have got his 1st shot of vaccination and Deworming also. These two things should be mentioned on the health card of the pup.

2. Time for adjustment

When you will bring the pup home. He will take time to adjust to his new home. This time may vary from one week to two. During that period you will observe that he is not so active, sitting in the corner. It is the best time for you to create a bond for life. Spare some time and spend it with him, make him feel comfortable. More the time you will give him less the time he will take to adjust.

3. Vaccination

The most important thing for your pup is vaccination. Never be lenient in this it. Vaccination generally starts at the age of 45 days. Your pup gets a shot of 7 in 1 vaccine at 45 days of age. But you can start vaccination as early as 30 days of age and your pup will get a shot against DP (Canine distemper virus and Parvovirus). Every vaccine ampoule has a sticker on it which should be pasted on the health card. This is the sticker you should look for while buying a pup more than 45 days of age, or when the breeder says that he has given the 1st shot of vaccine to the pup by himself.

4. Deworming

The second most important thing to be noted is Deworming. As the pups have the habit to sniff everything and every time, they are prone to parasitic infection. So regular deworming is important in pups. It should be started at the age of 30 days and should be repeated every 15 days up to 3 months of age. Various syrups are available in the market for deworming of the pup. The dose rate for every syrup is 1ml for every 1kg bodyweight. So if your pup is of 3kg give him 3ml of this syrup. Deworming should also be mentioned on the health card of the pup.

5. Multivitamins

Small breeds of dog grow up to 80% of their body weight in the first 8 - 9 months of their age. Similarly, large breeds of dogs grow up to 80% of their body weight in the 1st year. This rapid growth generally leads to a deficiency of multivitamins, which can be seen as licking the walls and eating the soil.

Therefore it is very important to give your pup multivitamins during the 1st year of their life.

6. Bathing

The most common mistake that we make after buying a pup is bathing him daily to keep him clean and groomed. I know you just got a pup and it's your love towards him. But you should never bath a pup before 3 months of age. The reason behind this statement is that the pup's body is very vulnerable, he might get sick and get cold after bathing. So what you can do is, give him dry baths. Many dry bath shampoos are available in the market. All you need is a piece of cloth, put some dry bath shampoo on it, and just wipe the body with it. You don't need to wet his whole body, just dry bath him and he will be clean again.

7. Toilet training

Now you are tired of cleaning poo and pee again and again. Remember that the pup will do the poo just after feeding. So, just after feeding take him to the part of the house where you want him to poo. Pups have the habit poo in the same area again and again. He will get to that place by sniffing.

8. Avoid collars with bell

Collars with bell always fascinate us and help us to track the pup in the house. But remember the hearing capacity of the dog is much higher than us. So imagine, having a big bell (mandir ka ghanta) around your neck and listening to the 'tunn tunn' whole day. Getting irritated with the thought of it! Well, this is exactly what it does to your pup.

9. Don't let him out until 3 months

As I have told you that the pup's body is very vulnerable, he gets the infections very easily. Never take your pup out of the house until 3 months of age or until his vaccination is completed. There are some diseases in India which are widely spread all over and are fatal for the pups. Canine parvovirus infection, Canine distemper, and Rabies are the few of them.

10. Feeding

You bought a pup, brought him home. Now what to feed him? The Breeder told you to feed him cerelac and you are doing the same. Well, that's correct but not completely. Your pup can have only 3 things up to the age of 3 months which is pet cerelac ( never the human cerelac), Curd (always mixed with water), and the starter feed. He needs feed 5 to 6 times daily. Feed him after every 3 hours up to 3 months.