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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.
Dogs are goofy and cute animals that do the strangest things at times. We have all noticed puppies and dogs roll in the mud, lick their paws, or even sniff other dogs. Yet, the most disturbing sight is to witness a dog eating poop. Yes, dogs often try to eat their own poop, and at times another animal’s poop as well. This strange habit of dogs can be very worrisome to its caregivers, but why do dogs eat poop? Is there a valid reason for dogs to eat poop? Also, what happens if dogs eat poop? Well, there are numerous reasons to why dogs eat poop. Read the following to know more about this condition and why it occurs.
Coprophagia is a medical issue that conditions dogs to eat poop. It is a common condition and is believed to affect at least one in six dogs at a serious level, while at least one in four dogs have been caught trying to eat poop. This condition often occurs because of a decrease in the absorption of essential nutrients. Limited nutrients cause gastrointestinal issues which sometimes lead to coprophagia. A dog suffering from coprophagia finds their own as well as other animal’s stool appealing and appetising. If you have noticed your dog eating poop or sniffing poop, then you should try to understand the reason for it before the condition exceeds.
Although coprophagia can cause dogs to eat poop, what causes this condition? Why do dogs eat their own poop because of coprophagia? Read the following to understand the various hypothesis that may be contributing to your pooch’s poop-eating habit.
Most new and nursing momma pooches are found eating their puppies’ poop. Female furballs often do this to keep their kennel clean after their little one has littered the area. Your pet might eat its puppies’ poop to protect it from predators that might follow the poop’s smell. This condition can easily be controlled by always keeping your fur ball’s bed and kennel clean. You can install a puppy pee pad that can be regularly changed and cleaned to ensure the newborns are in sanitary conditions. Keeping the mother dog and puppies in a clean and tidy environment can immediately stop their willingness to eat poop.
Poop is basically digested food. Therefore, one of the reasons for your dog to eat poop could be they simply find other animals’ stool more appetising. If you notice your pooch trying to eat certain animal poops such as rabbits, cats, cows, etc. then they might like the taste of digested plants. In such cases, you can always consult their vet and get a preferred dog food prescription that might help in curbing your pet’s cravings.
One of the reasons your dog prefers eating poop could also be linked to anxiety. Dogs often get anxious because of new surroundings, unfamiliar sounds, and other similar reasons. Anxiety can lead to dogs getting involved in displacement behaviour such as eating poop. At such times pet parents should try to identify the cause of anxiety and resolve the issue to control coprophagia.
Sometimes dogs might feast on a stool to make up for the nutrition they are lacking. Feeding your pet, a nutrition deficit diet can lead them to eat poop. Indigestion, underfeeding, lack of vitamins and minerals, and parasites are some other reasons that might cause a lack of nutrition and an increase in the dog's urge for eating poop.
Dogs are also notorious for seeking attention with unusual activities. Your canine friend might do the most absurd thing to get some extra attention. Eating their own poop or others' poop can be one such act. In such situations, you can easily get your pooch to give up the habit by training it and giving it some extra love and attention.
If your dog eats poop there are chances of it suffering from numerous health concerns. Poop is simply waste that might carry harmful pathogens which can cause illness and uneasiness if consumed. Your pet might suffer from gastroenteritis, vomiting, decreased appetite, nausea, intestinal parasites, and diarrhea after consuming poop. Hence, it is necessary to identify the root cause of this habit and treat it at the earliest.
Now that you know the several reasons why dogs eat poop, it is time to understand how to stop your pooch from eating faeces. Given below are a few steps that you can take to control and eventually stop dogs from eating poop.
It is easy to train your dogs to follow a certain command or pattern. Therefore, getting your dog to stop eating poop can also be taught through training. You can simply train them to not eat poop by using a stern and commanding voice each time they try to eat stool. However, ensure to treat them with their favourite treat each time they listen to you. Follow this activity regularly until they stop trying to eat poop. Training a dog can sometimes take weeks, so you need to be patient and consistent while training.
If your pet eats poop to seek attention or out of anxiety, then you can easily get it to stop by giving them some attention. Starting a game of fetch, offering their favourite toy or treat, or simply calling their name are some ways to distract your pooch from consuming stool.
Keep the pooch away from the general toilet area and use a commanding tone every time they try to get needed poop. This will make them stay away from poop to avoid trouble. Making poop less appealing and treating it like a hazard can make your furball eventually stay away from poop. Potty training your dog and clean up soon after they have done the deed also helps in controlling their urge to eat poop.
Although coprophagia seems like a very serious condition, it is a very common condition. As mentioned previously one out of six dogs suffer from this condition, but with a little guidance and training, you can easily get it to stop consuming unpleasant hazardous things like garbage and poop. You should also try changing your dog’s food to more nutritious and nourishing food with high protein content, the right amount of fiber, and other nourishing elements like vitamins and minerals. However, if they continue eating poop, then you should visit a veterinarian doctor to get the condition diagnosed and treated at the earliest.
