With your furry bundle of joy in your arms, you are now officially a dog-parent! If it’s been a while since you’ve raised a puppy or if this is your first time, here’s a few points to give you a head start.
Complete Your Puppy Ownership Transfer
The ownership of your puppy will be transferred to you by the person who sold or gave you the puppy. To complete transfer of ownership, ensure that you have a profile with NSW Pet Registry and to pay the registration fee if it is due. This is a good time to check that all the details of your puppy are correct, including your contact details and microchip number.
Understanding Your Puppy’s Routine
Knowing about your new puppy’s usual routines can make the transition of settling into a new home easier on your puppy. It’s a good idea to discuss this with the previous carer to find out what your puppy has previously been fed and how often, as well as sleeping habits, level of toilet training and unique preferences your puppy might have.
Feeding Your Puppy
Generally, a puppy’s main diet will be a commercial dry or wet food that is specifically formulated for puppies, fed three times a day. The packaging usually indicates a daily amount which you would then divide into three meals over the day. Puppies require more frequent feeding due to their high growth needs and smaller digestive systems. Water is a healthy source of fluids for your puppy and a fresh supply should always be available. If you choose to offer milk to your puppy, ensure that it is puppy milk that is lactose free.
Naps and Playtime
During the day, puppies have bursts of energy and playfulness followed by a nap. Puppies are usually awake for about an hour at a time, to eat, play and go to the toilet. Naps can be very short to a couple of hours. To ensure that you puppy is resting well, allow them to be undisturbed in a designated sleeping area such as a dog bed or crate. Your puppy will have established a nighttime sleep routine at their previous home and it’s a good idea to continue this routine if you can.
Training Your Puppy at Home
It is good to know what stage your puppy is at with socialising, toilet training and simple commands before arriving at their new home with you. This way, you can ensure they either don’t forget all the good routines they have learnt, or you can understand how you can help them learn from where they left off and prevent frustration in your puppy and yourself by working beyond their level of training.
Vaccinations and Preventative Care
At adoption, you also received your puppy’s important health records. These usually include a vaccination record, a record of preventative treatments for deworming and fleas, microchip information and desexing certificate (depending on your puppy’s age). The vaccination record will show if they have completed their puppy vaccinations (usually a course of 3 puppy vaccinations). Once your puppy has completed their puppy vaccinations, they can now safely mix with other dogs without fear of catching a serious contagious dog disease. Whether your puppy has completed their puppy vaccination course or not, the vaccination record will indicate the date when the next vaccination is due. Vaccinating as close to this date is recommended, as delays in vaccination can result in missed socialisation opportunities or needing to have additional vaccinations. Also be diligent with maintaining your puppy’s preventative treatments to optimise your puppy’s health and growth, as well as protecting you and your family from disease.
Be reassured that you are, or will, become a great dog-parent! There is always more to learn about dogs and a visit to your veterinarian will help you resolve any concerns you might have about your puppy’s health and wellbeing.
Author:
Debra Leong, B.V.Sc., Experienced Veterinarian and Trainer at Greenwood Academy