Everybody loves puppies. These adorable creatures can make even the sternest among us crack a smile with their fluffy cuteness and energetic antics. But raising a puppy is hard work. Follow our tips to smoothly transition a new puppy into your family and raise your pup to be a well-adjusted and healthy dog.
Consider Your Puppy to be a Whole Being: When you remember that your puppy isn’t just an endearing bundle of fluff, but a whole being comprised of body, mind, and spirit, you’ll be better able to understand your pup’s needs and not be distressed by confusing behaviors. Your puppy comes to you with a distinct set of characteristics based on a combination of genetics, early life experiences, and conditioning. Introduce your puppy to your veterinarian as soon as possible after bringing your pup home and together you can get to know your furry bundle of joy. Your veterinarian will examine your puppy, hopefully giving him or her a clean bill of health, and have recommendations on best diets, how to exercise and train your puppy, and what vaccines are recommended. Be sure to review our post on Vaccine Safety and talk with your veterinarian about the most appropriate schedule for your puppy.
Nurture Your Puppy with a High-Quality Diet: Continue using the food that your puppy’s previous caregiver was using for seven- to ten- days. After that, if you prefer to switch your puppy’s food, do so gradually by substituting small amounts of the new food for the old food, increasing the amount of new food every few days until the dog is solely eating the new food. During this process, keep an eye out for any signs of digestive problems. As long as the dog is tolerating the new food without issue, continue substituting until the transition to the new food is complete. Keep in mind, however, that the stress of moving to a new home may also lead to digestive symptoms in puppies, so if your dog is having tummy troubles, it may not be the food. Wait a few days until your puppy feels more comfortable then try again.
When choosing a new food for your puppy, be sure to select high-quality, wholesome, natural, and organic food and be sure to add Earth Animal’s Daily Health Nugget or Earth Animal’s Daily Raw Supplement, if serving raw food. These products help provide balanced nutrition for the newest member of your family.
Avoid Chemical Flea & Tick Treatments: If you can avoid it, do not use any chemicals, pesticides, or drugs to treat for fleas and ticks. If fleas and ticks are an issue where you live, use Earth Animal’s Nature’s Protection line of natural flea & tick prevention products, including Herbal Flea & Tick Spot On, Organic Herbal Flea & Tick Drops, Daily Internal Powder, Herbal Flea & Tick Collar, Herbal Spray, and Herbal Shampoo. Our products naturally repel fleas and ticks without exposing your precious puppy to harsh chemicals.
Vaccinate With Wisdom: Work with your veterinarian to create a schedule of core vaccines that is right for the specific needs of your puppy. Spread out the timing of the vaccines as much as possible to give your puppy’s immune system time to re-balance after each injection. Never vaccinate a puppy who is ill or immuno-compromised from a disease.
Keep Tabs on Your Pup’s Emotions: Watch your puppy for any emotional imbalances, such as separation anxiety, aggression, compulsive or destructive behavior, or depression. Remember that your puppy is a whole being and, as such, will be adjusting to the change of joining your family just as you are adjusting to the change of taking in a new family member. Stress like this can take a toll on your pup’s immune system, which can lead to health problems down the road. Consider administering Earth Animal’s Emotional Balance or Herbal Calm Down if needed to help your puppy through this adjustment period.
Feed Your Puppy’s Body and Mind: Give your new best friend the best nutrition, plenty of pure, filtered water, tons of fresh air and exercise, and, most of all, a generous dose of communication, love, and affection, and your puppy will grow up happy and healthy.
