Getting a puppy is incredibly exciting, especially when you have kids who are eager for an animal companion. However, if you’ve no experience with looking after a dog, then it can be quite overwhelming trying to balance their needs with your family’s.
There’s no reason to freak out, though. Every year, thousands of other people in the same position as you manage to adjust to being new pet owners by following these tips. As long as you have the right information at your disposal, balancing a puppy and kids should be perfectly manageable.
Dog-Proof Your Home
Ensuring that a home is safe for someone who’s curious yet vulnerable is something that every parent is probably already familiar with. You may well find that there’s little you need to do to make your own home more secure because you already went through the necessary procedures for your children. Still, it’s best to familiarize yourself with these suggestions for dog-proofing so that your puppy is protected when they come to live with you.
It’s not hard to lock away dangerous products – and food! – keep wires out of reach, and hide anything else you don’t want getting chewed up or eaten. The extra effort is more than worth having a home that’s safe for both your kids and your pet.
Go On Plenty Of Walks
If you’ve had kids, you don’t need to be told how much work is involved when you’re responsible for another life. Getting a pet isn’t something you do unless you have the time, energy, and patience to look after them because they demand a lot of attention. For instance, they need to be exercised every day, and that means more than simply letting them run around the garden.
It’s advised that you go out for several daily walks so that they can stay active and use up their energy. The more active you are with your puppy, the more behaved they’re likely to be at home. After all, if you’ve walked them for several hours or done a lot of running together, they’re bound to be tired. That means less destructive behavior and less keeping you up at night, which is probably music to your ears.
Get Them On A Good Diet
What you feed your puppy every day is important. You want them to grow up happy and healthy, which is why it’s best to start them on a diet of raw puppy food. This resource should tell you everything you need to know about raw food, such as how much to feed your pet, and it also includes the option to order a subscription. You can get high-quality natural ingredients shipped straight to your door when you need them, meaning one less thing to worry about.
It also highlights the benefits that raw food provides over processed stuff, including better digestion and a boosted immune system. That means you probably won’t have to make quite so many trips to the vets in the future.
Have Them Spayed Or Neutered
If you’re new to being a dog owner, then chances are that you’re not thinking about adding any further puppies to the family anytime soon. In that case, you might find it beneficial to get your dog spayed if they’re female or neutered if they’re male. This prevents any undesirable consequences occurring should they happen to get close to another dog. The last thing you need is a litter of puppies if you already have your hands full looking after one pet.
There’s an additional benefit to these procedures, too, in that they can reduce the risk of cancer developing in your pet’s reproductive organs. Taking one potential health problem out of the equation is definitely something worth doing.
Microchip Your Puppy
Hopefully, nothing bad will ever happen to your puppy. However, there’s always a risk that they might go missing when you let them off their lead. You definitely don’t need that stress in your life, which is why it’s wise to get your pet microchipped as soon as possible. This way, you have the best chance of being reunited with your animal companion should anything happen.
Obviously, this is in addition to getting a collar and ID tag which lets people know that the dog has an owner and how to contact them. It’s important that you think carefully before getting a tag engraved, though, because there’s some information that you shouldn’t put on there.
There’s a lot to love about puppies, and the joys they can bring your family far outweigh any trouble they might cause. However, it’s important not to get a pet without knowing how best to look after them; otherwise, you might find the pressure too much to handle. Hopefully, these tips have given you a good idea of what to do with a puppy so that you and your family can enjoy your new companion without any unnecessary stress.
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