A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Getting a Puppy for the First Time

What could be more exciting or cute than having a puppy as the new family addition? If someone has children, they’ll be over the moon. In time, the parents will stay fit by taking the adult dog for daily walks. Right from the start, puppies give so much love, and it just gets better. Having said that, it’s important to go into this with one’s eyes open. That’s what this article is all about.

Being Sure of the Decision

Some hard questions have to be asked before the decision is made to buy a puppy. This is crucial both for you and the pet. When looking at Georgia Puppies Online, the experts said it’s essential to consider such things as whether one has children and what type of house and garden one possesses. They also say potential owners must be sure they can give the time and energy needed to achieve this task. There is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing abandoned dogs in shelters, desperate for new owners.

Advance Preparation

Once things have been decided, it’s best to give a couple of months’ preparation before bringing home the new puppy. It will need some toys to play with and somewhere to sleep, be it a crate or a bed. A lot of dogs have comfort blankets (like some young children) as it’s something that can be taken on holidays to help the pet feel relaxed. The home has already been deemed suitable to have a puppy around, but it must be big enough for when it grows into an adult dog! Anything dangerous for the pet will need to be removed. They love to chew on things and explore, but this can pose problems too. Do some homework about local vets, the best pet insurance to choose, and where puppy classes can be taken. 

Collection Day

It’s a really exciting moment, but it’s important to have a complete list of things to do and ask. If the puppy is with its mum and siblings and appears well looked after, things can proceed. Hopefully, the puppy is beginning to learn how to go to the toilet properly. Ask the owner what puppy food is currently being used so the same brand can be continued at home. This will help avoid such things as constipation or possible problems with digestion. The puppy should have had a vaccination by now, so be sure to take all the details, ready for your vet.

The Next Three Months

The puppy will begin to settle in at home. It may even experience small trips in the car to familiarise itself. Puppies like to have you around all the time, but obviously, this is unsustainable. Be sure to have small time segments where no one is at home. A routine will begin to be established, and gentle exposure to other dogs and cats, so they can befriend other pets after some time. They can’t be avoided, so it has to be done. Puppies thrive on a rewards-based training regime, and it’s never too soon to start.

Longer-Term

As time goes by, the vet will need to be consulted over issues like worms, fleas, vaccinations, and neutering. The puppy will need to be trained formally, and this will later develop into classes, for now, adult dog. Before you know it, it’ll be fully grown and weaned off its puppy food forever. 

It takes more than the desire or excitement to successfully bring up a puppy. Everyone will need to pitch in, and the diary will have to be ready for each milestone of care to be reached. In return, the pet will be a friend for life and a much-loved member of the family.