1. Dog getting used to the new home
It will take your dog time to get used to the new home. Regardless of whether you brought a puppy or an adult dog into the house, the animal will adapt to new living conditions for some time. You will need to be patient for this time. You can get your dog his or her own blanket to establish homeostasis and evolve some familiarity. You can find a dog blanket at Pet Parents, a site that also has some great pet tips.
At first, the pet may be depressed or scared, hide from you and get nervous because of new smells and new people. The opposite is also possible: at first, the dog will seem relaxed and very calm. After getting used to the house, it will become very active. Some animals need 1-2 days to adapt. Others get used to a new life for several months.
Adult dogs usually take longer to learn, especially if they have lived in a shelter for a while. Also, puppies have to be taught more and longer, especially at home. In any case, it may take several months before your life with your new pet gets back on track. You must prepare in advance for the appearance of a new family member: buy everything you need, create a space where the dog will sleep, and another area where it will eat.
2. Learn all about how to raise and educate a dog
The puppies are amazing, but it is not easy at all! You have to learn a lot about adequately educating your new pet, how it develops, and which steps you should take as an owner. Socialization, education, and vaccinations are just a few of the things you will need to take care of.
Caring for a puppy, especially if it is tiny, will take a lot of your time and effort. It is more like a job. You should study all the useful articles about games, food, sleeping place, visiting veterinarians, etc., on this issue before the puppy crosses the threshold of your house. But the biggest thing to find out before buying a dog.
@svetikova / Freepik
3. Learn as much as you can about caring for your dog
Now that you have become a proud dog owner, you need to learn how to groom it. Every dog needs proper nutrition, warm housing, physical activity, social interaction. Once you understand what is required of you and are ready to implement it, you begin to build a happy life for your pet. It is better to learn how to care for a dog and what exactly it needs in advance. Then it will be much easier for you to organize everything correctly after the pet lives with you.
4. Find a good veterinarian
Every dog needs the very best veterinarian in the best clinic existing! Clinics are one of the first and most essential steps of caring for your dog because regular examination can prevent many serious consequences. The doctor will monitor your pet’s health, prescribe medicine, and, for example, more or less physical activities. Find a veterinarian you like as a person and professional both. Look for clinics with high ratings and good staff. Try always to be in touch with your doctor. Politely ask for the phone number or another fast connection line. This may save the life of your pet if something terrible happens.
5. Purchase everything you need
In a new home, a dog will need a bunch of things. You may not foresee all her needs in advance. Still, significant acquisitions will need to be made before the pet settles with you. Be prepared to plunge into the world of dog products: leashes and collars, beds and toys, bowls, and special clothing. Look for pet store sites that you like the range, prices, and delivery terms. Ask your friends who are also dog owners which brands they prefer, why they choose this type of food and not another. Do not be afraid to admit you do not know many things – that is how you can learn everything about dog life fast.
6. Choose the right diet
Proper nutrition is the foundation of your pet’s health. But there is a vast assortment of dog food on the market right now – you can get confused by them. You need to master the basics of dog nutrition and build a feeding regime for your pet based on it.
@freepik / Freepik
There is no definite correct answer, what exactly to feed the dog. Some people prefer natural food, which is also called wet, and fans of dry food usually look like oats. There can be one criterion: if your animal feels good, looks great, and is active with the food you give, you are doing everything right. And of course, the diet should be balanced – ask the veterinarian about proportions of all needed elements to not overfeed or starve the dog.
There is also a lot of controversy about grain-free nutrition, it can be not easy to determine if this is a good option for your beloved pet. Now, this is a burning issue, mainly because of our concern about it, as it relates to our own nutritional choices. A range of grains are found in foods, and they each have their own contribution to the overall nutrition. Common grains include rice, wheat, oats, barley and corn. Rarer grains, or technically pseudo-grains, include millet, buckwheat and quinoa. “Unless your dog has an allergy to a particular grain, there is no reason to avoid any of these grains in their diet”, – as experts explain in this review.
Basic rules for Feeding Dogs:
- 1Do does not give food from the table. A person consumes food with various spices and other ingredients that can be especially harmful to the dog’s body.
- Do not overfeed the animal. The daily diet should be calculated taking into account the age of the dog and its breed.
- A number of feedings – 3-4 times a day for puppies and 2 times a day for adult dogs. During pregnancy, lactation, and illness, the dog can be fed 3-4 times a day.
- The daily diet of an animal must contain elements beneficial for its organism. 50% of the diet is meat and protein food, about 20-30% is allocated to cereals, about 20% – dairy products, and no more than 10% – vegetables and fruits.
- It is better to feed the dog according to the schedule, for example, 1.5-2 hours before the walk or an hour after the walk.
- After feeding the dog, do not leave in the bowl the leftovers. The container should be cleaned of food debris and washed carefully.
- If there are several dogs in the house, each of them must be provided with a separate bowl for food and water.
7. Training is essential
Every dog needs it! Training will allow you to control the animal, and the dog will understand how to behave. Exercising together will make you and your dog happier, strengthen contact, strengthen your bond. Training has to be held regularly to master and consolidate the basic knowledge. Only then you and your dog should move to more complex exercises.
8. Be prepared for behavioural problems
Dogs are wonderful animals, but they are not perfect though. Most owners sooner or later face some kind of behavioural problems. These can be more common problems (excessive barking, the urge to gnaw and break everything) or more severe difficulties (aggression, anxiety). In any case, it is better to study the possible behavioural problems of the dog and methods of their solution in advance to be prepared for a difficult period.
9. Be prepared for health problems too
In the life of every dog, at least some health problems arise. Hopefully, it will be something uncomplicated and common, something that is easy to deal with. We wish you not to face severe cases, and even more so – with the need to provide urgent assistance. But you need to understand that everything is possible and be ready for it. Be sure to take all preventive measures to preserve the animal’s health: vaccinate, protect against ticks, keep its paws hydrated (some tips on this here), etc.
10. Be a responsible dog owner
This is one of the most important things a dog owner should keep in mind! What does it mean? You need to devote yourself to your dog for its entire life to be responsible for all the actions of the beloved pet. Take good care of your animal while respecting other animals around you. If this is how you understand your role as a dog owner, then you are on the right track!
