Feeding Your New Puppy
A puppy needs a lot of attention and care, especially when it comes to his food. Here's some information on how much food a puppy needs, and what special treats he might like.
So, now you are a proud owner of a cute, new puppy. Do you know where to go from here?
Let's start with talking about feeding the new guy. A puppy needs a lot of care and attention, especially when it comes to feeding. Some patience and perseverance is required but you will be rewarded with a loving and healthy dog.
Puppies grow very quickly and need high levels of energy from their diets. Bear in mind that since puppies' stomachs are very small, they need to get the proper balance of nutrients in a concentrated amount of food. Puppies' mouths are small too, which means that the product needs to be made especially for them. So remember that most adult dog foods are not appropriate for puppies. A few are appropriate, but only if they are fed at the right levels.
Another thing to keep in mind is meal sizes. Meal sizes for puppies will vary with the breed of dog, and depend on whether you feed meat or dry or a combination.
Here are some quick general rules that apply to most puppies.
- Generally, a puppy should be allowed up to 30 minutes to eat. After that, remove any uneaten food and serve a fresh portion at the next meal.
- Puppies should be fed only puppy food and not table scraps.
- All pets need to have fresh water available at all times.
- Puppies like to chew! Give yours some rawhides or chew toys.
- Routine veterinary visits are important.
New Arrival: Behavior for Beginners
What a feeling it is to bring your puppy home. There's joy. Excitement. And … the unexpected. That's why we've developed this Behavior Basics checklist - to help you recognize and respond to your new puppy.
Here's a Behavior for Beginners checklist you can refer to in those challenging first few weeks with your puppy.
So you've brought your puppy home. Though these are exciting times, you and your pup may be feeling a little anxious. That's okay - it will take time for both of you to adjust to each other. In the meantime, if you're feeling unsure about how your puppy is acting, check out this Behavior Basics checklist. It has some quick positive reinforcement tips to have on hand, when he's not making the best choices.
Puppy Behavior Basics
Shaking or crying at night.
Is it normal?
Yes.
Why is he acting this way?
He could be scared to be alone.
Try these suggestions
- Keep puppy's crate in your bedroom for the first few nights if he won't stop crying.
Barking, barking, barking. (And more barking.)
Is it normal?
Yes, though some breeds bark more than others.
Why is he acting this way?
He may be bored, happy or scared.
Try these suggestions
- Try to listen to him to figure out the reasons behind his behavior before trying to train him not to bark.
- In the meantime, give him a stimulating toy to keep him occupied if he's bored
Biting just about everything.
Is it normal?
Yes.
Why is he acting this way?
There's a good chance he's just teething.
Try these suggestions
- Give him his own toys to deter him from chewing your possessions.
- Always replace your possessions from his mouth with his own toys, and praise him for chewing the right ones
- Avoid 'tug-of-war' games
Jumping up.
Is it normal?
Yes.
Why is he acting this way?
He's probably excited and trying to greet you.
Try these suggestions
- First, teach your dog to sit; every time he jumps, give him the sit command to prevent him from jumping. If he does it, praise and treat him immediately.
- You can also try this one: when you come home, give your dog a "sit" command and reward him with a treat; soon enough, he'll be sitting pretty every time you walk through the front door - and best of all, he'll be less likely to jump up on your guests.
Going to the bathroom inside.
Is it normal?
Yes.
Why is he acting this way?
He's got a small bladder and bowel.
Try these suggestions
- Take your puppy out as often as possible, and praise and reward him when he performs.
- Though accidents can happen for young puppies, don't scold him if he makes a mistake in the house. Otherwise, try to train him to urinate and defecate on command. As he performs, add words you choose, such as "be quick" or "busy." Your dog will then build up an association of the word with the action, and feel good.
Socialization of Your Puppy
Expose your puppy to different sights and sounds
In a perfect world your puppy’s socialization would have started in his first months of life but even if your pup is eight months old it’s never too late to socialize him, and the process continues his whole life. Think of all the situations and environments that your puppy will need to be comfortable in: riding in the car, meeting strangers, having contact with the children next door (and children in general), walking along the street, tolerating large trucks and cars, large animals such as horses, vacuum cleaners, and washing machines – to name just a few.
You are basically aiming at preparing your puppy for all eventualities so that whenever he encounters anyone or anything new, he’ll greet it with inquisitiveness rather than fear or aggression. Expose your puppy to all sights and sounds gradually, and allow him to explore and learn for himself; for example, switch on the vacuum cleaner in another room to avoid startling him with a sudden loud noise, and let him go find it. Make sure that when he finds the vacuum cleaner, this is a rewarding rather than a threatening experience. You can easily do this by placing a piece of food next to the vacuum cleaner. If your puppy is quite shy and frightened, you can start off by placing a snack next to the switched-off vacuum cleaner, and then work your way towards your puppy tolerating it when the machine is switched on.
It’s essential that your puppy be completely comfortable being with people and children. So introduce him to all sorts of different people. Let him meet people of all descriptions: bearded, thin, overweight, tall, wearing hats or glasses, carrying bags, pushing bicycles, etc.
It is, however, important that children be taught the rules of handling puppies; an adult should always supervise children and dogs. Dogs may actually see children as a different species than adults, because they move differently, speak differently and react differently than adults. Start slowly by spending time in and around children's parks where your puppy will learn the sights and sounds of children playing. Start by having just a few children around your puppy, then build up to a larger number.
It is, of course, unrealistic and even impossible to expose your puppy to everything he’s likely to meet in the future. However, if you can teach him that new experiences are pleasant, he will grow up learning that unknown things and situations are something to explore, rather than to be fearful of. But don’t be surprised if your previously confident puppy starts to show apprehension towards objects he was fine with during his juvenile period (at approximately 14 months of age, depending on the breed), since this can be normal in some dogs at this age. If this happens, it’s important that you carry on with your socialization program by regularly re-exposing your young dog to novel experiences.
Interacting with other dogs
It’s also essential that your puppy learn to interact with other dogs correctly. Puppies, like all young animals, love to play, and games play a vital part in a dog’s development. Dogs develop their canine communication skills through playing with other dogs as puppies.
Through playing, dogs learn the behavior of not biting. When puppies play physical games, they soon learn that a litter mate or adult dog will not tolerate sharp teeth pulling on ears or necks. If a puppy "bites" another dog too hard, he will get a quick reprimand, with the other dog stopping the game for a brief moment. A puppy soon learns to limit the strength of his "bites," and will stop biting too hard when he’s playing with other dogs.
You and your family should continue teaching your puppy not to bite. Whenever your puppy uses his teeth on your skin, you should respond with a sharp yelp of pain (even if it doesn’t hurt), as this will teach your puppy to learn that touching human skin with his teeth is not allowed, no matter how gentle he is. Also, the game you and your puppy were playing should stop for a moment, which will help your puppy quickly learn that to continue having fun he must not "bite" you.
10 Best Training Tips
Ok, he's finally home. Training needs to begin immediately, considering the new pattern on the rug, not to mention the dog's breakfast he's made of your new Manolo Blahnik strappy sandals. But where should you start?
Whether you train your new puppy or dog yourself, take PETCO dog training classes, or hire a private trainer, some basic training tips should be tackled right out of the gate. These top 10 tips from professional dog trainers at the top of their game will help get you going.
Aside: When your puppy is old enough, think about getting him or her neutered or spayed, likewise if you adopt a dog.
Top 10 training tips
- Choose your dog's name wisely and be respectful of it.
Of course you'll want to pick a name for your new puppy or dog that you love.
If he's an older dog, he's probably used to his name; however, changing it isn't out of the question. If he's from a shelter, they may neglect to tell you that he has a temporary name assigned to him by staff. If he's from a breeder, he'll come to you with a long name, which you may want to shorten, or change. And if he's coming out of an abusive situation, a new name may represent a fresh start. But we're lucky: dogs are extremely adaptable. And soon enough, if you use it consistently, he will respond to his new name.
New name or old, as much as possible, associate it with pleasant, fun things, rather than negative. The goal is for him to think of his name the same way he thinks of other great stuff in his life, like "walk," "cookie," or "dinner!"
- Decide on the "house rules."
Before he comes home, decide what he can and can't do. Is he allowed on the bed or the furniture? Are parts of the house off limits? Will he have his own chair at your dining table? If the rules are settled on early, you can avoid confusion for both of you.
- Set up his private den.
He needs "space of his own," like a crate. From the earliest possible moment give your pup or dog his own, private sleeping place that's not used by anyone else in the family, or another pet. He'll benefit from short periods left alone in the comfort and safety of his den. Reward him if he remains relaxed and quiet. His den, which is often a crate, will also be a valuable tool for housetraining.
- Help him relax when he comes home.
When your puppy gets home, give him a warm hot water bottle and put a ticking clock near his sleeping area. This imitates the heat and heartbeat of his litter mates and will soothe him in his new environment. This may be even more important for a new dog from a busy, loud shelter who's had a rough time early on. Whatever you can do to help him get comfortable in his new home will be good for both of you.
- Teach him to come when called.
Come Jasper! Good boy! Teaching him to come is one of the best commands to teach first. Get on his level and tell him to come using his name. When he does, make a big deal using positive reinforcement. Then try it when he's busy with something interesting. You'll really see the benefits of perfecting this command early as he gets older.
- Reward his good behavior.
Reward your puppy or dog's good behavior with positive reinforcement. Use treats, toys, love, or heaps of praise. Let him know when's he's getting it right. Likewise, never reward bad behaviour; it'll only confuse him.
- Take care of the jump up.
Puppies love to jump up in greeting. Don't reprimand him. Ask him to "sit" and reward him with lots of treats. Never encourage jumping behavior by patting or praising your dog when he's in a "jumping up" position. Turn your back on him and pay him no attention.
- Teach him on "dog time."
Puppies and dogs live in the moment. Two minutes after they've done something, it's forgotten. When he's doing something inappropriate, redirect him to a more appropriate behavior like and then reward him.
- Discourage him from biting or nipping.
Instead of scolding him, a great way to put off your "mouthy" canine is to pretend that you're in great pain by yipping or saying "ouch" loudly when he's biting or nipping you. He'll be so surprised he's likely to stop immediately. If he does, quickly give him something appropriate to chew. If this doesn't work, try trading a chew toy for your hand or pant leg. The swap trick also works when he's into your favorite shoes. He'll prefer a toy or bone anyway. If all else fails, break up the biting behavior, and walk away from him.
- Make training sessions a positive experience.
"Excellent boy! Good job, Jasper!" He's worked hard to please you throughout the training. Leave him with lots of praise, a treat, some petting, or five minutes of play. This guarantees he'll show up at his next class with his tail wagging — ready to work!
