Bringing a puppy into your life is a rewarding experience, but it’s crucial to understand their needs. Puppies require proper nutrition, a warm environment, and lots of companionship to thrive. Avoiding certain actions is just as important as providing the right care, ensuring your puppy grows into a healthy, well-adjusted dog.
What Should You Not Do With a Puppy?
Don’t Overfeed or Underfeed Your Puppy
Puppies need to eat three to four times a day from weaning until they are about six months old. After that, you can feed them twice a day until maturity and once daily after that. Puppies need twice an adult dog’s maintenance requirements of energy and nutrients for proper growth from the time they are weaned until they reach about half of their expected mature weight. Steady growth on a weekly basis is ideal, and there should be no excess fat around the abdomen. Overweight puppies are candidates for crippling bone diseases if they are too heavy during the critical growing months. On the other hand, feeding too little will result in poor growth and lack of energy.
Don’t Neglect Socialization
Dogs need company and are happiest when they are an integral part of the household. Puppies thrive and learn when included in the household routine early on, strengthening the unique bond between human and dog from the beginning, which makes training easier.
Don’t Skip Exercise
All dogs need exercise, some more than others. Regular stimulating exercise is essential for good health and temperament. Puppies should be allowed to run freely without restraint, but not pushed beyond their limits. As dogs mature, jogging or walking on a lead can be introduced, but any forced exercise should be withheld until the dog is fully grown.
Don’t Isolate Your Puppy
The term companion animal means that dogs need company. They are happiest when allowed to be an integral part of the household. Puppies thrive and learn when they are included in the household routine at an early age. Training becomes easier when the unique bond between human and dog is strengthened from the beginning.
Don’t Neglect Sleep
Sleep is almost as important as nutrition for puppies. A warm, quiet place for them to rest is essential for normal growth. Puppies will usually play vigorously and then suddenly fall asleep. Their need for sleep decreases as they grow into adulthood, but dogs spend a great deal of their time sleeping when they are not stimulated to activity.
People Also Ask (PAA)
How much exercise does a puppy need daily?
Puppies need regular stimulating exercise for good health and temperament. They should be allowed to run freely without restraint, but not pushed beyond their limits. As they mature, jogging or walking on a lead can be introduced, but forced exercise should be withheld until fully grown.
What are the most common mistakes new puppy owners make?
New puppy owners often make mistakes such as overfeeding or underfeeding, neglecting socialization, skipping exercise, isolating their puppy, and neglecting sleep.
How can I ensure my puppy grows up healthy?
To ensure your puppy grows up healthy, provide good nutrition, warmth, and companionship. Feed them appropriately, ensure they get enough sleep and exercise, and include them in household routines to strengthen your bond.
Understanding what not to do with a puppy is crucial for their well-being. Avoiding these mistakes ensures your puppy grows into a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted companion.
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