Puppy

So you have decided you would love to welcome a new puppy into your home – but does it have to be a pedigree pup? If not, then animal shelters can offer plenty of great alternatives.

Sometimes your perfect pet happiness can only be found many miles away and you or your future dog will need to cross borders to start a future together. This is often the case for anyone on the lookout for a specific or rare breed, or those looking to home a dog without the help of animal shelters. Here are some tips if you are considering adopting a puppy from abroad.

The joy surrounding a new puppy is huge and we animal lovers usually concern ourselves at the start of the new friendship with subjects like diet, great toys or the right training. It's often the case that we only ask ourselves whether and how puppies can be bathed when they first jump in a muddy puddle. All important information is summarised in the following article in order to answer this question for you:

The birth of new puppies is always a very special occasion even for experienced breeders. But how does the process of dogs giving birth actually work? What problems can emerge when breastfeeding the puppies and how can the owner support their female dog during this full-on phase?

Being particularly social animals, dogs love the company of their pack. Nevertheless, every adult dog should be capable of staying on its own for short periods of time. This will need to be trained early on in life, as a fully-grown dog that has never been left alone will struggle to adapt.

Have you found your favourite breed? Then you can surely hardly wait to be able to take a small puppy home with you. But to avoid nasty surprises later on, you should only buy your chosen pedigree dog from a reputable breeder. You can put this to the test with the following questions for the dog breeder.

Puppies have 28 teeth from the age of around six weeks. These pinpoint mini weapons can prick unpleasantly but are unlikely to cause any serious damage. Nevertheless, all dog owners should focus strongly on their puppy learning to inhibit their bite. So, what can I do if my puppy bites?  From time to time we hear that bite inhibition is innate and doesn't have to be trained any further. However, this misconception can have serious consequences - this ability is significant for dogs and humans being able to live together safely. It prevents dangerous injuries should an abnormal situation arise from the animal's point of view. 

Is your puppy feeling at home with you after the stressful first few days? Then now is the best time to start attending a puppy play group. We will explain why learning through play under the supervision of a dog trainer is important, how to find a good puppy play group as well as puppy games for at home.

It's important to teach your dog to be relaxed on a lead. Your dog pulling can turn pleasant walks into a test of patience. Pulling can be a particularly serious problem if your dog is a large, heavy breed and difficult to control. Especially when your dog decides it wants to dart off in a different direction. Problems with walking your dog on a lead start from puppyhood, but with a bit of know-how and a little patience, you can lay the best foundation for happy on-lead walking in future.

After a few days of letting your new dog settle in, it is advisable to introduce your newest little family member to the vet. This allows immediate detection of any possible infections or parasites, and allows you to instantly treat any issues.