Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, fun and a little bit daunting! We have shared some of our top tips to give your puppy the best start in life.
Love and affection
You should allocate significant time every day to bonding with your new puppy. Puppies generally need more care and attention than adult dogs, and dedicated bonding time will help grow and maintain a strong dog and owner bond. This might be feeding, playtime, grooming, training, or just some quality love and affection. After all, who doesn’t love cuddling their new puppy! Spending time with your puppy in the early years will lead to a happier, healthier life.
Exercise
It is important that your puppies physical, intellectual and social needs are met through regular exercise. This will make your puppy less prone to anti-social behaviours such as digging, chewing, barking or biting. This might be a daily walk, or an interactive exercise such as fetch that is fun for both the owner and the dog! Be sure to avoid any games that teach aggressive behaviours such as tug of war.
Mental stimulation
You should be interactive and intellectual toys that will challenge and stimulate your puppy’s mind. The toys should be large and sturdy enough that they can’t be swallowed, and you should alternate the toys during playtime so your puppy doesn’t get bored. Food dispenser toys such as the Kong Puppy are a great idea to keep your puppy mentally stimulated while you are out. You should also provide some chew toys to avoid your puppy from chewing your furniture, shoes or other household items instead.
Socialisation
You should offer your puppy opportunities to play with other dogs while supervised, to promote positive social behaviour. Introducing socialisation from a young age helps to develop good habits for a happy and healthy life. It is recommended to socialise your dogs with dogs of a similar age where possible to promote healthy relationships. The Woonona Petfoods Dog Park is a great way for your puppy to meet and interact with other dogs, and is open 7 days a week!
We hope these tips help you and your puppy get off to a great start! For a comprehensive guide on How To Look After A Puppy, be sure to check our New Puppy Guide!
