Providing Your Pet With Quality Emergency Care

If you have decided to get a new puppy as a family pet, you need to make sure you start your dog off on the right foot with both behavior and health care. With a good start, your puppy can have proper development. Follow these five tips for new puppy care so you can enjoy your dog for years to come. 

1. Begin potty training immediately.

When you bring your new puppy home, your first priority is to help your dog become properly house trained. You want to decide what you intend to do for your dog to train them. For example, if your home is to have your dog go to the bathroom outside, don't use puppy pads indoors. These will teach your puppy to use pads, and transitioning to outdoor training can then be harder. To contain messes, keep your dog in a desired area, such as a kitchen or boot room, until potty habits become more scheduled and predictable. Then, slowly introduce your dog to other rooms of the house.

If your dog begins to go inside the house, say firmly, "No," and immediately remove your dog outside to the place where they should be going to the bathroom. Take your puppy out after naps, meal times, and before sleeping. If you keep your puppy in their crate during these times, training can be easier, since dogs instinctively do not usually soil in the place they sleep. Remember that negative enforcement does not work for potty accidents. Consistency and rewarding your dog when they do what you want is much more effective. Punishing your dog can actually make potty behavior worse instead of better. 

2. Keep up with immunizations. 

Your puppy might have already come with a few rounds of vaccines. You need to continue with the vaccine schedule to help protect your puppy against dangerous infection. Some diseases, like parvovirus, are almost always deadly to puppies. 

3. Schedule an appointment to spay or neuter your pet.

When you take your pup to the vet for the first time, ask about when to get them spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering your pet is one of the simplest things you can do to help ensure their health. Female dogs will have reduced risk of certain cancers, they won't experience traumatic pregnancies, and you won't have unwanted puppies that can end up in shelters. Males have reduced aggression, reduced risk of disease, and more desirable behaviors, including reduced spraying and more controllable energy levels. 

For more information, contact your local pet clinic.