Congratulations, it’s a Puppy!

So we heard that you have a new addition to the family. A sweet, small and cuddly bundle of joy that has you saying  hello to peaceful days, and dreading sleepless nights. It’s with warmest regards that we welcome you to parenthood and congratulate you on the arrival of your precious little puppy. 

So before you spend countless hours reading parenting books filled with all the wrong advice, find three minutes in your busy mum or dad schedule to fit us in and find out everything you need to know about raising the perfect pawchild. 

First thing’s first: puppy-proof the house.

The thing with puppies is that they go through the baby, toddler and child phase within their first 12 months. If you were to compare that to a human being, just think of all the mischief children between the ages of six months to five years old get up to. In order to make your home pawfect, you need to ensure that any poisons have been put out of reach, have set up an indoor area that is designated for your puppy with all the pee mats, squeaky toys and puppy treats in the world, and provide them with either a basket, crate or kennel to sleep in. While this is where they’ll spend most of their time sleeping and lounging around, it is also the area that you will use to leave them unsupervised and alone for short periods of time so to prevent separation-related behaviour or anxiety. 

Get serious about parasite protection.

Imagine bringing home your new pupper, only for them to get sick from little nasties such as fleas, ticks, worms and parasites? It is important to keep your new puppy in tip-top shape so it can grow and develop as needed, so take some time to think about how you are going to protect your doggo from illness. If you are a stickler for routine, you may be fine with a parasite protection program from the vet but let’s be real – many of us forget to give our pets their flea, tick and worm tablets on time without being in the haze of new puppydom. Instead, look for a monthly subscription like Pet Lovers Club that delivers personalised flea, tick, worm and parasite protection straight to your door; all you have to do is register your puppy’s details with Pet Lovers Club, and their vet will create a protection program tailored to your pet. 

Familiarise yourself with local vets, enrol in puppy school and get pet insurance.

By doing these three things at the start of your pooch’s journey with you, you won’t have to worry about shopping around later in life. Another helpful thing is that these three necessities can usually be located in the one place. Local vets tend to run puppy schools and also have information packs about pet insurance, having you ticking all the boxes in no time. 

Introduce your furbaby to family and friends.

As it’s recommended to introduce your puppy to other dog’s once they’re fully vaccinated, use the time in between to familiarise your pooch with their human counterparts. Doing this early on will help reduce social anxiety and could prevent any anxiety-related behaviours that may result in them aggressively barking or snapping at people later on in life. It’s also good to have your pooch bond with a trusted friend or family member that may need to look after them on a day or time where you may be unable to. Once they’re familiar with people and your vet gives the tick of approval for your four-legged friend to meet other tail waggers, take your puppy to the local dog park or beach so that they can learn to interact with their canine duplicates. 

Feed them real food, and forget the ones that are pumped with preservatives.

Acing your puppy’s diet from a young age is crucial to their development. While it may be cheaper for you, don’t get your canine companion hooked on the heavily processed snacks or colourful dry food, as it won’t be doing them any good. If you’re unsure of which type of food is right for your dog, reach out to your vet as they will be able to point you in the right direction. 

Don’t forget to dedicate quality bonding time with them

This could be as simple as taking them on routine walks or talking to them while you give them a bath. Show your furbaby that you adore them whilst also setting boundaries so that you don’t undo all the right behaviours they learnt in puppy school. Afterall, they’re a member of your family and you adopted them into your life to be loved. 

Like any newborn, parenting can be both a rewarding and daunting experience. Instantly, your priorities have changed and your day-to-day life now revolves around your new addition. And while a puppy may not be a tiny human, it’s still a baby and will need all the love, care and support it deserves.