Puppy Care & What They Shouldn't Eat

Bringing a new puppy home requires lots of time and some careful planning. The first weeks of a puppy's life involves lots of sleep, eating and socializing all of which are usually handled by the mother. If the puppy and mother have been separated, it becomes necessary for owners to provide care. The first few months are essential in building a happy, healthy relationship and make the puppy a functional member of the family.

  1. Feeding

    • Most puppies will spend the first four to six weeks nursing before moving onto solid foods. When it comes time to select a dry food, it is important to find one made specifically for puppies. If your puppy is a large breed, purchase a food designed for large breeds. The amount of food will vary, but owners should consult a veterinarian, as overfeeding or over supplementing may contribute to health problems, particularly hip dysplasia. Finding a quality food is important for puppies, as they are more likely made with quality ingredients and have more balanced nutrition. Food should be given three times per day for the first three months, then reduced to twice per day. Divide meals into morning and evening feedings, this will avoid overeating or food boredom. Puppies who are bored with their food or overeat are more likely to have weight problems later in life and become pickier eaters.

    Training

    • House training a puppy may be a long process, and it requires patience and dedication from owners. House breaking may begin any time after the puppy reaches five weeks of age. Dogs will have a natural instinct to prevent soiling their living space, which is ideal for house breaking. Avoid giving meals outside because of this instinct, and if there is one inside location for accidents, that is an ideal spot to place food. Puppies should be taken out after meal time and after drinking water. Keep an eye out for the puppy sniffing around, as this is usually an indication that it needs to go. If consistency and praise are given regularly, the process should be fairly quick. Within a week, the puppy should know where to go, though a schedule will still be required, which may take a few weeks.

    Health Care

    • First vaccinations are an important part of health care for puppies. As with human babies, they aid in building up resistance to disease. Puppies should be given a rabies shot, as well as protection against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza and parvovirus sometime between six and 16 weeks of age. These shots should be repeated every year to keep immunity strong. Depending on the area of residence, additional shots for corona, lyme disease, kennel cough and giardia may be necessary. It is important to keep puppies younger than five months away from kennels or other areas with lots of dogs, and separate sick animals, as they are most susceptible to disease during this time. Treatments to prevent worms -- heartworms, roundworms and tapeworms -- are serious health concerns for dogs of all ages. Treatments are given in pill form and largely depend on weight. These pills are generally given on a monthly basis and are available through veterinarians or at pet stores.

    Foods to Avoid

    • Puppies have very sensitive digestive tracts, and it is important that they be given proper nutrition. Avoid feeding people food of any kind, since it may overwhelm the system and be too large to chew properly. To keep puppies healthy, quality pet foods meant specifically for them are essential. Chocolate, nuts, dairy products and alcohol are all dangerous. Symptoms of toxicity include lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulty and possibly death. Owners who suspect toxicity should get their dog to a vet as soon as possible.