A guide to caring for a dog in the early days

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Have you decided to get a dog, but don't know how to prepare for its appearance in the house? Lifehacker's tips will help you get the first days right and make them less stressful for your pet.

Hurray, we will have a dog! What is the first thing to know?

• Features of the breed: the intensity of salivation, molting, aggressiveness, life expectancy, common diseases.
• Mode of daytime activity and sleep. This information will help you to organically fit new cares into your schedule and not leave your dog unattended.
• The conditions in which the dog was kept before going to you. Prolonged stay of the puppy without contact with people, abuse, early separation from the mother - all this can damage the psyche of the dog and cause a lot of problems.
• Recommendations for nutrition. Find out if it's worth buying food or sticking to homemade food, how to determine portion size, and whether you need to add vitamins.

And besides food, do you need to buy something in advance?

There are several essentials to purchase:

• leash;
• a collar with an identifier token;
• stove bench;
• tray;
• toys;
• goodies;
• bowls for food and water;
• cage, aviary or fence.

You also need to determine and equip the space for the pet in advance.

How to arrange a space for a pet and why do you need to do it?

At first, it is important to restrict the movement of the puppy around the house, so choose a clean place and surround it with an aviary or fence. Place the purchased items inside the fence: a couch, toilet, bowls of food and water, toys.

All small sharp objects, poisonous and dangerous substances must be out of the pet's reach.

In order not to take out the insult on the animal later, remove in advance all valuable and fragile things that the puppy can spoil.

And so that other members of your family do not harbor resentment, discuss the appearance of a pet with them in advance.

Why conduct any explanatory conversations with relatives?

If you start a dog on your own initiative, discuss in advance all possible troubles and inconveniences: loud barking during rest, partial damage to furniture and shoes, and other troubles.

If you have a pet together, assign responsibilities. Who will feed the dog, with whom the dog will walk in the mornings and evenings, who will clean his place. Make sure everyone agrees with their responsibilities.

Everything was settled with everyone. Now how do you bring your dog home?

If you are transporting a dog in a car, you must not let him walk freely around the cabin - this is dangerous for both the pet and you.

There are several options for transporting your pet safely:

harness with attachment or special harnesses for dogs;

• in the bag on the passenger's lap;
• in a dog carrier, strapped to the seat.

Some dogs feel sick while driving, especially when they are not used to it. Therefore, drive slowly and carefully, choose streets over freeways, try to shake the car less.

If you have a long drive ahead, stop every three hours to get your dog drunk, warm up, and release the stored energy.

You can open the window a little so that fresh air circulates through the car. But do not open the windows wide: the dog may try to jump out of a moving car, even on a harness.

When you get home, take your puppy to a place prepared for him so that he can recover from the trip and begin to get used to the house in a relaxed environment.

How can I help my pet in the first days in a new place?

• Show your dog the space prepared for her. At first, the pet should stay in its place - encourage the dog with treats, get interested in toys, show where the bed is.
• Show where the toilet is. Place the puppy in the litter box and wait for him to do his thing. Be patient and take your pet to the toilet more often at first. This will help him quickly remember where to relieve himself.
• Take a tour of the house. Once the puppy is used to his place, you can introduce him to the rest of the house. If the dog tries to go to the toilet in the wrong place, stop him with a strict "no" and immediately take him to the designated toilet area.
• Protect your dog from stress: noisy gatherings, increased attention from people or other animals.

How, then, to introduce a puppy to a new family?

• You need to start getting to know family members gradually - one person at a time.
• Before introducing the puppy to your children, remind them not to scream loudly in front of the dog, do not squeeze or grab it roughly.
• If you already have dogs or other pets, don't leave them alone with your new pet until they get used to each other.
• Be sure to give the dog time to explore the territory on its own, let it be alone for a while, in peace and quiet.

And do not worry if the puppy from the first days does not enjoy your arrival, does not show friendliness and playfulness. A drastic change in environment is stressful for the puppy and takes time to get used to.

How long will it take to get used to it? How can I help him?

Each dog has its own character and temperament, which affect the behavior and timing of adaptation. A day is enough for one dog, for another it will take at least a month to get used to and fall in love with new owners.

You, in turn, can speed up the addiction a little.

• Show care and love, do not leave your puppy alone. For example, you can bring him home on Friday and stay together all weekend.
• Never scold or punish the puppy in the first days. He simply cannot do something "in spite", most likely you are to blame for his faults.
• Protect him from stress and shock, play more often. Once the puppy gets used to you and feels safe, he will begin to show his love.

Be wise and patient. A dog is for a long time, and her love and devotion are forever.