BEFORE THEIR ARRIVAL
SETTLING IN!
Out of home
BEFORE THEIR ARRIVAL
A FOOD BOWL AND A WATER BOWL
Choose appropriate bowls for your dog's size. Opt for materials that are easy to clean, such as stainless steel or ceramics.
A COMFORTABLE BED
When they are puppies, dogs sleep for many hours per day. Find a comfortable, dry, warm bed so that they can sleep peacefully.
TOYS
Puppies are very curious and often chew everything they find. Select toys that will help them to strengthen their jaw and keep them entertained.
SETTLING IN!
Discover the basic care tips that you need to bear in mind for welcoming your puppy into your home and helping them to settle in.
A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO THEIR NEEDS
On arrival at your home, the best thing is to leave your puppy in a limited, enclosed space so that they feel safe and can gradually adapt.
Try to remove anything that would pose a risk to their safety, such as electrical devices or wiring, chemical products and medications, etc.
FOOD: THE KEY TO DEVELOPMENT
Opt for specially formulated puppy food that is suitable for their age. This will help to support digestion during this developmental stage, as well as optimising their physical and cognitive development, ensuring healthy growth.
HOW TO LOOK AFTER THEIR HYGIENE
Create a routine and ensure you create a positive association with grooming:
- Brush their coat to remove dust and prevent knotting.
- Clip their claws, following your vet's instructions.
- Inspect their ears, but don't put anything into them.
- Care for their eyes, cleaning them using a muslin cloth.
- Keep their teeth healthy by using a special toothbrush for puppies.
During the first few months, it's advisable not to bathe them as they have not had all their vaccinations and their immune system is still developing, so they may catch a chill. Keep them clean with damp towels or muslin cloths, but don’t allow water to pour directly on them, and dry them properly.
After 2 months, you can bath them approximately every 2 months, depending their activity, their body odour or environment.
HOW TO TOILET TRAIN YOUR PUPPY
In one corner of your home, create an area with puppy training pads or similar. Each time that you see them going to do a pee or poo, take them there. This way, they will associate this area with toileting. Little by little, they will learn... Especially if you reward them with a few kibbles or a lot of praise each time they’re good!
Out of home
STARTING TO GO FOR A WALK
Did you know that going for a walk is highly advisable for puppies? Its stimulates them both mentally and physically and helps them to adapt.
If your puppy is not yet vaccinated, try to play with them at home. Remember that, unless vaccinated, your puppy must not go for a walk or be around other dogs.
If your puppy is already vaccinated, try to make going for a walk a relaxing time. Tell them, gently, that you're going for a walk and show them the collar calmly and slowly.
You can also get your puppy used to their collar or harness, by practising using them at home.
THE
VET
During the first few weeks of a puppy's life, trips to the vet can be fairly frequent: Try to create a positive association with going to the vet. Do you want to know how to achieve this?
It's very simple! Offer them a few kibbles of their favourite Libra treat when you enter the surgery.
The vet will inform you about the best time to start antiparasitic treatments and vaccinations to ensure your puppy's health and wellbeing:
- • Generally, internal antiparasitic treatments are administered first and, depending on the time of year and the area where you live, external antiparasitic treatments are also recommended against fleas, ticks and mosquitoes.
- • The vaccination period lasts from around the time your puppy is 6 weeks old, until they are 3-4 months old.