Your Starter Guide
to Welcoming a Puppy into the Family
Once you’ve chosen your puppy there are a few things you will need before taking your new furry best friend home.
A Quick Shopping List
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Collar, Lead, Harness
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Bedding
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Food and Water bowls
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Quality Food
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Flea and Worm treatment
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Grooming Essentials (includes shampoos, brushes, nail clippers etc)
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Toys
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Training Pads
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Pet Health Book (Vet Book)
Optional Extras
When looking for a puppy to join your family it's important to know how the puppy was raised. Are it's parents vaccinated? How many litters has the mother had? Has the puppy had its first vaccination and been wormed regularly? All puppies should only be rehomed at 8 weeks or older.
Once you've picked your pup up it is best to get it microchipped and your contact details registered as soon as possible. It is important to keep their vaccination up to date with your local vet. They are to be wormed at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks then monthly till they are 6 months of age and then every 3 months thereafter. Most topical flea treatments can only be administered at 8 weeks of age. There are natural alternatives that can be used prior to 8 weeks, speak to us to find out more.
Preparing your Home
Ensure any potential hazards are kept out of reach as a puppy's curiosity can get the better of them. It is also a good idea to keep socks, shoes and any other chewable belongings stored away as you don’t want them to become your puppy’s new toy!
Bringing your Puppy Home
To help ease the transition to their new environment, if possible, rub their new bed or blanket on the puppy’s siblings/mother to pick up their scent. When introducing your puppy to the yard, ensure there are no holes or gaps in your fence and that there are no potential hazards to the puppy such as deep holes, sharp objects etc. It is also very important to know if their has been a dog infected with parvo on the property within the past couple years as this highly contagious disease can last a long time on surfaces.
Feeding
It is best to establish a routine when it comes to feeding. By feeding at particular times this will ensure that the puppy will fall into this routine. Ensure the food and water bowls are placed where they will remain in the future. It’s best to keep the puppy on the food they have been eating prior to you adopting them and transition them slowly to the food you want to feed them. This can be done over a seven day period by gradually adding more of their new food in with the original food daily. Puppies should only be fed food specifically for puppies to ensure they are getting enough calories and correct doses of vitamins/minerals such as Glucosimine and Chondroitin.
Toys
Puppy’s need toys to provide mental stimulation and allow appropriate chewing. If you are not wanting your puppy to choose their own chew toys such as your shoes, couch or anything their hyper little bodies can get a hold of, then we recommend you provide them with the appropriate outlets to entertain them with. Another thing to note is that puppies shouldn't have to much physical exercise while their joints and bones are still forming, mental stimulation will tire them out just as much as physical!
Toys We Recommend and Supply
Nylochew Bone – Made from nylon, this chew bone is perfect for any dog/puppy big or small. As chewing starts to roughen the bone surface, the special heat-treated nylon also acts as a doggy toothbrush, helping to keep those pearly-whites clean and sparkling.
LickiMat - Helps calm and soothe your pet as they enjoy their favourite treat by helping release endorphins through the promotion of licking. The textured patterns are designed to please the tongues of dogs and work with all manner of treats and foods, ranging from yogurt, peanut butter and spreadable treats to raw, wet, dry and liquid foods. The licking action enhances the sense of taste, allowing your pet to enjoy just a small amount of food.
Kong – Made from the toughest natural rubber, this chew toy can endure the strongest of teeth. Entertaining and satisfying power chewers while also promoting healthy teeth/gums, this toy can be stuffed with treats, peanut butter or fill it with Kong Easy Treat filling made especially for the Kong.
Where to adopt puppies/dogs
We no longer sell puppies instore, instead we suggest people checkout local animal rescues first! A few to look at is: Wandering Angels Animal Rescue, B.O.I Animal Rescue, Ruakaka Dog Rescue and Donna Doolittles Animal Rescue. Check them out on facebook