Cleaning Muddy Paws
Raising a puppy has never been easy and I know that first had, but I hope to help you so that if you ever get a puppy maybe it will be easier
Meet Frejya, my five month old Golden Retriever mix puppy. She is a delight to have, but I knew when I got her that I would have some new responsibilities to take care of on a daily basis.
December 15, 2017
Having a puppy is a lot of responsibility. You should be sure you can take on these responsibilities before you get a dog. Some include exercising him/her, picking up after him/her, feeding, and making sure your dog is healthy. But some parts of raising a puppy are fun, like playing with him or her and training the new addition to your family. All of this should be approached the way that is best for you and your dog. Below are some tips about how to raise a puppy.
Welcoming Your New Puppy to Your Home
A kennel is usually a necessity unless you plan to take your puppy or dog everywhere you go. You should try to introduce the kennel as a safe place, otherwise its going to be hard to leave your puppy in it without him or her barking and clawing to get out. Consider always giving a treat to him or her when they go into it of their own accord or you need them to go in there. This way he or she is convinced that is is a good place to go. However, sometimes dogs do best when they are outside a kennel. For example, if you live somewhere with a large fenced-in yard you can leave him or her outside.
While putting a kennel on a bed may seem like a strange idea it actually gets your puppy used to sleeping on the bed and makes sure your puppy does not go to the bathroom on your bed. If you don’t want your puppy to sleep on the bed then I would recommend putting the kennel around your bed so that he or she does not whine or bark.
A bed is usually a good idea when you are getting your puppy adjusted to its new home. I have a bed outside her kennel and inside her kennel which helps her to not have to be in her kennel all the time. It’s also a good place to pet or let your puppy sleep during the day or night. As a side note, Freyja has a tendency to poop around her bed or on carpets. If your puppy does this make sure he or she knows it is a bad thing and scold him or her when they do it. As for cleaning up, use paper towels to clean the area and then use your choice carpet or floor cleaner to sanitize the area.
Training
“Sit” is a basic command when training your dog. Generally all people have their own ways of doing this, but I trained Frejya very simply. I first showed her that I had a treat in my hand and then held my hand about a foot above her her head and told her to sit. Usually this will cause her to look up at my hand and then sit down and when she does I tell her “Good girl, sit,” and reward her with the treat. Sit is a useful command to learn because when you walk your dog you can use ¨sit¨ to help your puppy get used to stopping while you walk.
“Down” is also a basic command and I trained Frejya like this: I first showed her I had a treat and had her sit. I then brought my hand down to the ground, still with the treat in my hand. If she claws at my hand I won´t give it to her but if she calmly lays down I’ll give her the treat.
Food, Water, and Medicine
Food can be different for all dogs, you may want to do research or contact your vet about what is the best food for a growing puppy. You also want to give your puppy the proper portions of food. With water you should try to always have water for your dog and should have a bowl inside and outside if you can. One thing I’ve found with food is that puppies like to have accidents. You should try to let your puppy out side after he or she eats.
As for medicine, do not give your dog any random medication thinking it’s for the best. You should always contact you vet about any medication you use for your puppy. Also, make sure he or she is up on all his or her shots in order to prevent your puppy from getting seriously sick.
Play Time
Play time is Freyja’s favorite time. She likes to play with her brother Max, (my other dog), and tennis balls. Puppies need a lot of exercise and if you do not have a fenced in back yard make sure you take your puppy on frequent walks or go to the dog park. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog.
Toys are an all important thing for play time. Most dogs have their own preference of toys, so make sure to get toys that you think would fit your dog’s personality. If you don’t have another dog you will have to spend time exercising the puppy so he or she can sleep at night and will not be hyper. You may also want to think about what times it’s okay for your puppy to go outside. Setting up a time during the middle of the day, if you are not there, for a neighbor or family member to let him or her out is also a good idea to prevent accidents from happening.
Puppies are one of the most fun animals to have but the owner needs to know how to take care of the responsibilities given to them by the dog. Whether this is feeding or playing with your puppy, you should always strive to give your dog a good life. If you have any other ideas about how to raise a puppy or how to take care of a puppy please leave a comment below.
