Enter a keyword below to search for articles and products.
Bringing home a new puppy is a fun and exciting event for a first-time dog parent. Congratulations! If you have recently brought a cute little puppy home. We know the joy that comes with welcoming a tiny furry pup into your family; however, with a newborn pet comes new responsibilities. And the most important responsibility as a dog parent is being prepared with the right puppy essentials. These essentials will help you ensure that your four-legged angel feels comfortable in its new home.
However, if this is your first time being a pet guardian, you might be nervous about getting the right items for your floof. You might even get overwhelmed with the items that you need to buy for the health and safety of your fur baby. Therefore, you must be prepared with all the essentials well in advance. Since this is your first time, you must also learn basic skills like how to pick up a puppy. After all, you don’t want to make your pooch uncomfortable.
Puppies are cute and cuddly, which makes it impossible for new pet parents to not have the urge to pick and hold them at every instance. But before you rush to pick up the cuddly fur baby, you need to know how to pick a puppy in the correct way. Since its body is still developing, you must know how to hold your pooch without hurting its body. Given below are a few steps to follow for picking up a new puppy after bringing a puppy home.
Before you bring home your dog, make sure you have all the things needed for the puppy at home. Welcome your little one by keeping the new puppy checklist ready:
You need to arrange for a few things as your puppy is cosying up at the new place. The following are a few things you can do to make your puppy feel at home in its new abode:
Ideally, take your kids along when adopting a puppy. This way, the children will feel more connected to the newest addition to the family. Once you get the puppy home, it is natural that your kids will want to play with the new family member. However, don't let them play together for longer durations as both puppies and babies need a lot of rest. Limit puppy-children play sessions to a maximum of 15 to 30 minutes twice or thrice a day. However, you should constantly observe them as both kids and puppies need constant guidance for safety.
Puppies are curious and clueless. They need constant observation to avoid accidents and clashes. You need to be vigilant and alert when introducing your new puppy to other pets. It is best to introduce the puppy to other pets once they have settled in the new place. Take the puppy to the senior dogs and allow them to mingle. Do not worry if they sniff or lick each other as it’s a normal way of greeting. However, you might need to intervene if they start biting or barking at each other.
Although bringing a puppy home is a joyous occasion, do not forget to get all the puppy essentials to welcome it to its new home. Make a new puppy checklist consisting of all the essential items that you need to get for the fur baby. Food, grooming kit, bedding, and treats are some of the most essential things you need to arrange for the new fur baby. However, along with arranging for materialistic things, you also need to create a safe, secure, and nurturing environment for your dog to grow in.
New puppy checklist is important to keep a track of essential items that you should buy before the pup comes home. This checklist covers all important things ranging from food, leashes, crates, and more.
There are many things needed for a puppy from time to time. Along with nutritious food, rest, and regular training, they also need a secure and enriching environment to grow in.
On your puppy’s first night home, it should sleep in a dog crate. Add blankets and cushions to ensure that the crate is cosy.
When visiting the store, dog owners can get overwhelmed by the array of dog food options available, from dry kibble to canned wet food and more. These processed foods may not be appealing to humans, but they contain all the nutrients that dogs need to stay healthy. Like humans, dogs also need a variety of nutrients from their food, not just from meat as their main diet, but also from grains, vegetables, and fruits. This kind of balance is usually weighed by pet food labels in kibbles or wet food in grams for different types of dogs.
For optimum health, dogs need food that is tailored and customized to their life stages, starting from when they are puppies and all the way into adulthood. Puppies have completely different nutrient needs compared to adult dogs as they are still in their early stages of life. They need enough nutrients to fuel a speedy growth, especially after transitioning away from their mother's milk. Puppies require complete and balanced nutrition with protein to help build their tissues, fats or healthy skin, hair, brain, and vision, carbohydrates for energy, vitamins, minerals, and water.
The need for balanced nutrients in puppies starts with the mother during pregnancy, followed by lactation and growth. Sufficient nourishment for the mother is pivotal in enhancing the puppies’ growth inside the womb and preparing them for life after birth. Both mother and puppy should receive well-proportioned antioxidants, DHA, and prebiotics to support their health and growth as provided by the IAMS product line, which contains DHA that is essential for puppies' brain development while also supporting the mother's pregnancy and quality of milk produced.
While puppies need the primary nutrients for growth, adult dog food has a different level of complexity. Adult dog food requires the same make-up of nutrients as puppies do but tailored to their specific needs. Recent research indicates that an adult dog requires at least 10% of its daily calories from protein and at least 5.5% from fat. Adult dogs need quality protein for firm muscles and a healthy immune system. Additionally, an adult diet can contain up to 50% carbohydrates, with fiber ranging from 2.5 to 4.5%. There is no specific prescribed amount of fibre for adult dog consumption daily, however, it is still one of the most important components in dog food to address constipation and support a healthy weight.
Adult dogs in their prime also require a balance in antioxidants to reduce systemic inflammation and restore active muscles. They should receive Vitamin E and C to support their immune system, joint health, and prevent inflammation. As they grow older, they may be exposed to different diseases from diabetes to cancers, which can be prevented by polyphenols. Parents to adult dogs must acknowledge the most suitable food for their loved one that is comprised of the right amount of nutrients and can look to the IAMS line as they are formulated to support healthy bones and joint health, scientifically proven for healthy digestion with a good fibre and prebiotic blend, as well as antioxidants for a strong immune system.
Besides life stage, balanced nutrition should be adjusted to their breed, which give insight to different factors like weight, mouth size, and energy level. This will then determine the type of kibble and food given. Smaller breeds tend to be more active, requiring the same essential nutrients and prebiotics for a healthy body as well as smaller-sized kibble designed specifically for their smaller mouths. As smaller dogs relatively have a high metabolism, higher levels of protein, fat, and essential fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6 are some of the important nutrients that should be available in their food. On the other hand, larger breeds require foods that are lower in fat and calories, contain slightly lower levels of calcium and phosphorus, and have a specific balance of calcium-to-phosphorus ratio to support stronger bones and muscles. Owners can look to products like the small breed line from IAMS, containing 7 essential nutrients to build strong muscles, support their tiny immune system while protecting their healthy skin and coat, and the product line for adults for large breeds.
Dog parents must acknowledge and understand the unique needs, life stage and characteristics in their dog to choose the right dog food so their furry ones can grow into their healthiest selves. Make sure to visit your vet regularly to check these components as well!
