If you’ve recently become a paw-parent for the first time, you’re bound to have a million questions about whether you’re doing everything that you’re supposed to be doing. Naturally, you’d want to do it right the first time, and raise a dog who’s well-behaved, obedient, and fun to have around.
Very often, first time owners make the mistake of over pampering their dogs, and eventually need to hire a trainer once they grow into adults and become unmanageable.
However, all this hassle can be avoided if you raise them well right from the time they are a pup—we’re going to give you 5 of the most important tips you should keep in mind when raising a dog for the first time, which will benefit both you and your pet in the long-run. Now let’s get started.
1. Get the Basics Right
Before anything else, you need to make sure you’ve got the basics covered. This includes quite a few things, and all of them are equally important and should be one of the first things you do as soon as you get a dog, or even right before you get it. Here’s a list of the basics that you’d need to think of prior to getting your dog:
- You need to think about where you’re going to keep the kennel or sleeping area for the dog. Most people prefer having a kennel outdoors for the dog to use during the day, and a separate sleeping area inside the house for the night.
- Think about dog daycare, especially if you’re going to be working a 9 to 5 and live alone.
- It’s also a good idea to start considering pet insurance for your dog—if you’re feeling lost about this and don’t know where to begin, don’t panic. All you need to do is some research about the types of insurance policies in your city or country - for instance, if you’re situated in Australia, you can find out how much pet insurance in Australia costs by looking for articles that are specific to that region.
2. Nutrition Matters
Once you’ve gotten your dog, you need to make sure that they get the nutrition they need everyday, especially during their pup and adult stages. It’s a good idea to incorporate a mixed diet, which combines both wet and dry foods to give them variety.
An important point is to avoid giving them the food you eat, no matter how tempting it may be to sneak them a snack every now and then. Some human foods can be extremely harmful for a dog’s health in the long run.
3. Start Training Them Immediately
Don’t make the mistake of waiting too long before you begin training them. This will only make life harder for you, and for your pet - since they can find it difficult to suddenly follow new rules once they’re an adult.
It’s best to begin training them from the time they’re a puppy - whether it’s potty training, not jumping on the couch, leaving the newspaper alone, not howling at nights, etc. There are a number of sites online and on Youtube which will teach you how to train a pup to be obedient.
If this doesn’t work for you, there are online trainers you can find who will be willing to help you out as well - the point is that no matter what, don’t neglect training them. Otherwise, it might be too late to begin later, especially if they’re big breeds.
4. Physical Activity is Essential
Nowadays, many dog owners, especially people who live in apartments, have a tendency to neglect exercising their dogs on a daily basis. However, this can lead to other problems, such as frustration and obesity—that’s why it’s vital to either hire a dog walker, or find a means to exercise your dog despite your busy schedule.