From Woofs to Wags:
A new puppy in the family is a privilege and a joy, but also a very large long-term responsibility. The benefits that fur-friends hold for us have been extensively studied and are well known. They help us relax, increase our self-esteem, lower our blood pressure, help lonely elderly people live longer, and encourage us to play and walk with them, with obvious benefits.
BREED SELECTION
Before you get a puppy, it is important to consider your needs and circumstances and seek advice on the best breed or individual dog for you. Elderly people or families with young children should not keep large, aggressive dogs. It is important that you can physically handle your dog and, for example, lift him if he is sick or injured. You must also be able to trust the dog.
Besides the dog’s adult size, his character traits must also be considered. Although I am a strong advocate of adopting dogs rather than buying them, it is well researched and known that certain breeds and breed types consistently exhibit certain traits (and unfortunately also disease risks).
Breeds that are genetically still closely related to their wolf ancestors include Chow Chow, Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Sharpei, Akita, and Shiba Inu. These breeds show higher aggression and less need for affection and attention. They are often stubborn and harder to train.
Guard dog breeds like Mastiffs, English Bulldogs, Boxers, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Boerboels have been selectively bred for aggressive traits to protect their environment and sometimes to hunt large animals.
Dogs bred to herd livestock like Border Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, Saint Bernards, and Irish Wolfhounds have been selected for loving traits and trainability since shepherds historically worked with the dogs during the day and slept with them at night.
Male dogs of any breed are generally more aggressive and protective than females. Females learn more easily and are more affectionate. Some breeds bark a lot, while others are more prone to mess in the house. Good animal welfare organizations typically do behavior evaluations before allowing dogs to be adopted. Your vet or their staff can often give advice as well.
There are many other breeds and groupings. Find out as much as possible about the breed you want to acquire before taking the plunge!
OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENT
Make sure you create a safe environment for the little puppy. Electrical cords that he can chew on should, for example, be out of his reach. The ideal time to take your new puppy away from his mother is between 6 and 8 weeks. Immediately vaccinate and deworm the puppy if the breeder hasn’t already done so. Insist on a certificate from a vet as proof. Puppies should receive a series of 3 to 4 vaccinations starting at 6 weeks of age, with intervals of 3 to 4 weeks. Only one or even two vaccinations cannot provide sufficient long-term protection against diseases.
VACCINATIONS
Your vet will guide you on the best program in your area. After the initial series of vaccinations, the recommendation is that dogs be vaccinated annually, although this may vary slightly depending on the vaccine your vet uses and the diseases involved. As a general rule, dogs are vaccinated against distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and hepatitis. Rabies vaccination is mandatory in some parts of our country and recommended everywhere. In some areas, leptospirosis vaccination is advisable.
SPAYING, NEUTERING AND TAIL DOCKING
Docking puppies’ tails is illegal. Vets can only do it if there is a medical reason. If your puppy’s tail has been docked by the breeder, make sure the wound is completely healed.
Spaying and neutering are recommended for various reasons. The main reason, in my opinion, is to try to limit the growth of the dog population with associated animal welfare problems.
However, there are also behavioural and health considerations.
Females spayed before their first heat will not get mammary cancer. Most vets will recommend that your dog be spayed at around 6 months. Some animal welfare organisations spay and neuter dogs (and cats) much younger than this. More recent studies indicate that there are definite breed differences when it comes to the optimal age. Certain breeds, like Golden Retrievers, show an increase in joint problems and certain cancers if spayed or neutered younger than one year. These are conditions the breed is already susceptible to, but research indicate an increased risk.
It is now recommended that Golden Retrievers, Labradors, German Shepherds, and possibly other large breeds prone to joint problems be spayed or neutered at one year. Preliminary studies on several small breeds do not show increased risks from early spaying and neutering. In some breeds, there is a slight increase in incontinence (urine leakage) in females spayed young.
It is advisable to join a pet medical fund early in your puppy’s life. Veterinary medicine is an expensive service to provide, and a serious illness or accident can be costly.
If a condition, such as an allergic skin condition or heart disease, is diagnosed before you join, it will be excluded from benefits.
BRINGING HOME YOUR FUR-BABY
Your puppy’s first night in his new home is usually the first time he has to sleep without his mother and littermates. A crate that you can close near your bed is ideal. Get the puppy used to the crate during the day without closing it. Provide soft, warm bedding. It is ideal if you can put something in that smells like his mother. For example, take a soft toy or blanket when you collect him and rub it on his mother. Then put it in his bed. You can add something that smells like his new family members.
Feed him before bedtime and take him outside to do his business before putting him in the crate with a treat. It is important that he forms a positive association with his crate from the start and does not see it as punishment. If he whines, you can reassure him at first, but do not let him think he will get attention every time; otherwise, it will become a habit. Be prepared for a few restless nights! If you prefer to let the puppy sleep elsewhere than your bedroom, you can gradually move the crate over several days to his permanent sleeping place.
If you have a calm, tolerant older dog, the puppy can sleep near the other dog from the start.
HOUSE TRAINING
Your new puppy must be taught to go outside to relieve himself. If the puppy was adopted from an animal welfare organization where he was forced to mess in his sleeping place, expect to spend more time on this.
When the puppy wakes up in the morning, take him immediately to a suitable place outside. Stand still without speaking until he has relieved himself. As he prepares to relieve himself, you can use a word of your choice to associate with the process. Reward him when he is done. Until then, do not distract him in any way. Once he is done, take him to his feeding place, give him food, and play with him.
If he hasn’t relieved himself, put him back in his sleeping crate for another 15 minutes and repeat the process until he has emptied his bladder and bowels. Do not let him run loose before the process is complete, or he will undoubtedly mess inside.
After this, you can let him loose in a confined area where you can watch him. As soon as he starts sniffing the ground or shows other signs that he wants to relieve himself, take him outside immediately. Take him outside regularly through the day, 15 to 20 minutes after he has eaten or drunk, just after waking from a nap, or if he stops playing and starts sniffing the floor. Reward him when he relieves himself in the right place. If he doesn’t relieve himself, place him in his crate for 15 minutes. He should nap in his crate several times during the day. Repeat the process every time he wakes up. If he relieves himself outside, play with him. What you want to achieve is for the puppy to see each trip outside as an opportunity to relieve himself, and when he is inside, not to have the opportunity to make a mistake. Although labour-intensive, this is the quickest way to teach the puppy where to relieve himself.
After a week, most dogs will relieve themselves outside if taken out, but they will sometimes have accidents inside. The routine should be maintained for several months until there are no accidents for several weeks before it becomes established.
Do not get upset or punish the puppy if he relieves himself inside. If you catch him in the act, pick him up and quickly take him outside to finish. If you punish or scare him, he will just hide from you when he wants to relieve himself inside.
Yes, in most cases, it is a long, drawn-out process, but it is much better than having to clean up your dog’s messes indoors for his entire life. If you visit someone else with the dog, he will need to go through the process again for a day or two until he learns where the new ‘toilet’ is.
A puppy that sleeps quietly and peacefully and does not mess inside too often is just the first step!
