You have (or are getting) a new puppy. Congratulations!!!! Now don’t mess up this perfect little bundle. You’re completely overwhelmed with how to treat him to mold him/ her into the perfectly model dog citizen everyone would like to say hi to at the cafe.
It’s tough when you need to choose between following the rescue, breeder, vet or internet’s advice. Is raw fed fed, should you give them pet milk, should you crate train, where does my dog sleep, will he ever stop weeing in the house, which tricks to teach him first if any, how to stop barking, how to stop biting……..
I’m a dog photographer, so I work with a lot of dogs, have my own little (someitmes naughty ;-) I’m not perfect) puppy too and am giving my advice on where to focus your efforts for the best possible outcome.
Before we get to the tips, I wanted to take a moment to just really appreciate the puppy breath, the softest, cuddliest little new member of your family, the clumsiness of getting used to their little bodies and their new homes. Their fat little bellies. Ah I just can’t help myself but love and gush on them!
I asked my friends on Facebook to share some of their cute puppy photos.
👇From left to right, baby Rilo (he’s totally my doggy Max’s twin, even though they’re not the same breed - see the hero image), Goldie, Rosie, baby queenie Nadira and Dagon.
I don’t have all the RIGHT answers to your long list of questions, but I have noticed this:
You need to expose your puppy to different kinds of sounds and environments, people and dogs from day 1.
I meet a lot of scared puppies who have been locked up in the house since their gotcha day, and only once they’re fully vaccinated, is taken outside, to walk the kids to school, to go to dog friendly places, to meet other dogs. What you usually get, is a terribly afraid puppy and an owner who doesn’t understand why their doggy is so timid. If we keep them away from the world until they’re fully vaccinated, we’re not giving them the best chance to be a happy confident pupper.
Think about the kind of dog you want your dog to be when he’s grown. If you want him to go most places with you, do that now. If you want him to go to work with you, if you want him to commute with you on your bicycle, have a lot of car trips, send them to the groomer’s (a lot of places offer free puppy grooms {I used Krystal Dog Grooming in Hobsonville} to get them used to it), trim their nails, brush them, brush their teeth, visit the vet just to say hi and more…
Places you can safely take your pup without being fully vaccinated:
dog friendly hardware store in New Zealand, Mitre10/ Bunnings
the beach at low tide
paved areas that are not dog heavy
your friend/ neighbour’s dogs who are up to date with vaccines. Let them play often!
puppy school at your local vet. It’s important to know which household things are toxic (I never would have known that about toothpaste), but your puppy’s exposure to other little pups of a similar age is absolutely priceless. This is another great place to ask questions about feeding, training etc.
Take them for walks around your neighbourhood - carry them, if they’re too big, push them in a stroller. There’s A LOT of new sounds and sights to take in, and the sooner your pup gets use to them, the sooner he’ll know it’s nothing to be afraid of. All of this will give your pup so much confidence, all the while being close to you and being safe.
Join local groups on Facebook or Meetup to meet other likeminded dog owners. The dogs can run & play and you can bounce ideas off each other on what they’ve experienced.
Dog trainers on Instagram that I like who my dog community has referred me to:
Must read for new pet parents
Essential book reading for dog owners #ad
The Forever Dog by Rodney Habib & Karen Shaw Becker, A New Science Blueprint for Raising Healthy and Happy Canine Companions #ad has the world of dog lovers talking. I’m in a dog bookclub myself where we’re discussing the Forever Dog at the end of the month and am so happy to be reading it and gaining new knowledge to help my own dog live his best healthy life.
Take a lot of photos - they change and grow so quickly! Before you know it, your fluffy bundle will be a teen and then suddenly all grown up in front of your eyes.
These are just a few of my favourite puppy portraits that I’ve made for my clients in Auckland.
If you think you would love to have a beautiful photograph made to remember your precious little ball of fluff by, email me at [email protected]. Read more here to find out what a dog & family photoshoot with YELLOW LAB is like.
PS this is my own advice as a dog owner and my own observations. I speak from experience. Check with your vet if you’re not sure. I know you have all the love in the world already for your little pup and you are going to have an amazing, long and happy life together!!! <3