Puppy’s guide

Breed

The important decision to give hospitality to a puppy should be evaluated together with the whole family because this decision will involve you for many years, both for health care and love he needs. It is important to do a sort of self examination in order to be sure that the dog will never be a problem, because he is a little living being with his needs, language and a great sensitivity. If you are sure of your choice, then you can decide which is the best breed for your family, considering the dimensions of your house, your working hours, the presence of other animals and the economic burden that a breed can require compared to another one. Once you have chosen the breed you need to surf the Web in order to find a breeder in a near place, or follow your vet’s indications.

Size

The choice of a puppy should never be regardless of the size he will reach once he will be an adult dog. A small size dog will need space, has got a temperament and nutritional needs very different from those of a large size dog.

Gender

The proper characteristics of each breed widely vary according to dog’s gender. It is well-known that females are generally easier to handle, but require much more attention when they are in heat. On the other hand, when females are in heat, male dogs try to escape to mate and are usually more aggressive and hard to control.

Temperament

To be sure that your chosen dog is compatible with your lifestyle, it is very important to compare his temperament with the habits of your own family. Each puppy inspires tenderness, but you must always remember what the puppy will become an adult dog.

Physical characteristics

When you have to choose your puppy among many other ones, it is important to make sure that he is healthy, lively and that the typical standards of the breed (coat, color, dentition, eyes, joints, etc.) are recognizable and accurate.

Coat

When you choose your ideal dog you should take into consideration the care for his coat. Even if a long-haired dog is aesthetically really beautiful, you have to consider that the longer the hair is, the higher care is required as it has to be brushed every day. In addition there are some dogs, such as Poodles, Yorkshires, etc. who need a regular visit at the groomer.

The breeder

From the choice of the breeder very often depends the well-being of your dog. It is important to ask about puppy’s parents and his litter.

It is important to know how many pregnancies had his mother, her age, if she had any diseases and if these have left any after-effects. It would be helpful to see both puppy’s father and mother, in order to ascertain directly their state of health and make sure that they fulfill the breed standards and finally obtain information by observing your puppy’s litter. You should inquire about the problems related to the puppy’s breed (such as hip dysplasia), the kind of food used, the vaccination and deworming plan followed by the breeder. Remember that the breeder should not give you the puppy without his registration documents.

On the way home and your welcome

On the way home

In order to avoid any trauma to the puppy who is leaving his family, we suggest you to bring a cloth (fabric or sponge) and leave it in contact with the litter so that the smell will accompany your puppy till home. It is also important that your puppy becomes familiar with the carrier before he starts his travel by car. Open the carrier and let your puppy sniff and play with it, so that he will not be scared during his way-home. Bring with you paper towels and plastic bags, in case he is not feeling well during the trip.

Welcome and acceptance

When your puppy will enter into your house, it will be a big excitement for him and for you: he will be intrigued and frightened at the same time, so it will be helpful to cuddle him and prepare the house to receive him, taking care to follow some safety rules, such as:

• ensure that detergents and harmful substances are not within his reach;
• hide electrical wiring that he could bite;
• do not leave to the puppy games with small parts;
• prevent him from coming into contact with poisonous plants (azaleas, oleanders, poinsettias, ivy).

How and where sleep and eat

For his rest it is important to choose a place near where the family lives, without drafts, where he can feel safe and sheltered in his new doghouse. It is very important during this period not to let him sleep next to your bed or on your chair, because he would immediately forget his doghouse. His bowls must be placed close to the kennel and always in the same place.

Useful things

When your puppy arrives at home, make sure you have everything you need for his wellbeing, such as:

• high quality tailor-made and complete nourishment for puppies;
• rewarding tidbits for training phases;
• stainless steel bowls for food and waters;
• lightweight dog collar and leash;
• shampoo and brush for cleaning;
• carrier for his transfers.

Name choice

Choose a short name for your dog, preferably with two syllables, so that he can easily memorize it and will not confuse it with the commands (monosyllabic). It is also important that the entire family will always call him in the same way, because even a nickname can confuse him. The name is what will draw his attention more than anything else. So every time you call him and he pays attention, praise and cuddle him as a reward.

Care for his health

Raising a dog is not a game. There are rules and all owners must comply with their duties: starting from those prescribed by law, to those that come from your heart and push you to take care of your dog in the best way. This is an aspect that should not be underestimated: the dog needs the affection of his owner as much as he needs care for his health.

Vaccination and planning

Vaccinating your dog is really a duty in order to protect him from diseases that can be fatal or to guarantee him a good quality of life with you and your family. Some vaccinations are mandatory, while others will be suggested by your vet, considering the type of your dog’s life and the dangers that may occur to him. It is very important to adhere to the vaccination schedule, in order to avoid unnecessary risks.

The tattoo

According to the rules every dog must be tattooed and registered in the canine registry in the district where the dog lives. In case the dog gets lost, it will be easy to find his owner.

How to treat:

HIS COAT: whatever breed you choose, your dog will need to be brushed daily because his molt lasts all year long. It is also important to bath him at least 2 times per year with a special shampoo to take off his dead hair (the frequency increases if the dog lives in the house);

HIS EYES: puppies’ eyes are delicate and need to be frequently cleaned with a saline solution;

HIS EARS: you should pay a meticulous attention to the cleaning of the ears: the ear canal should always be dry to avoid parasites and ear infections;

HIS TEETH: even dogs’ teeth are subject to the formation of tartar and plaque. Therefore to ward off inflammation and ensure a proper teeth growth, it is good to brush the dog’s teeth regularly.

The proper nourishment for the puppy
Proper diet

If you want to take care of your dog’s health, you have to definitely abandon the belief that he has to eat the owner’s leftovers. Your dog has very specific needs that vary according to his age, his habits, his physical activity and physiological stages. It is up to you to choose the best food for him, trusting those, who, like Gheda Petfood, for years have been investing resources and knowledge to understand and satisfy the requirements of every breed. If your dog is properly fed, the signs of the so-called good health will be easily visible. His coat will be shiny, his teeth will be clean, he will have solid feces, lean muscle mass and will be very active and dynamic, in a single word, he will be happy.

Formulations according to specific nutritional needs

You have to consider your puppy as if he were a baby: he has very specific nutritional needs and obviously they are very different from those of adult dogs. Therefore it is important to choose carefully the foods for them . The first aspect to take into consideration is the size, in order to avoid mistakes that can lead to overweight or overload of some vital organs. The growth cycle in fact, is not the same for all dogs: big size dogs need almost 2 years to become adults, while small dogs reach adulthood in just 9 months. The size determines even the number of meals that your puppy has to do: up to 6 months the puppy can eat 3 times per day, while after this period the meals are reduced to 2. It is very important to follow carefully the instructions shown on the packaging concerning doses and administration.

Our products are studied and formulated to follow your puppy in his various stages of growth. For this reason, in our range you can find the perfect product for him, from birth to senility. One of the most delicate passage is from breast milk the puppy was used to, to a product that can replace and supplement it, in order to promote both physical development and strengthening his immune defenses thanks to a formula enriched with antioxidants which stimulates the proper immune response during the delicate weaning phase.
By growing up, the nutritional and energy needs of your puppy will increase, but he will have to deal with the small dimensions of his mouth, teeth and even with a poor digestive capacity. At this stage therefore, the puppy needs a food rich in nutrients but highly digestible to help him eat well without incurring in digestive troubles such as vomiting and diarrhea. However, it is very important to face the various stages of weaning gradually, paying attention to the signals that your puppy sends to you and observing carefully the advices given by experts.

Your puppy is already an adult

We often wonder which is the moment when a puppy becomes an adult dog and, as we have already explained, this depends on the size of the dog. Small dogs reach full maturity already at 9 months; those of large size from 12 to 15 months, while giant breeds grow until the age of 2 years. A dog is defined adult when he reaches his complete development, both mental and physical and is at his full strength. During this phase, if he has been well trained, he will have developed an incredibly strong bond with you that will last all life long. The adult dog will need food according to specific formulas according to his physiological changes and that suits his new lifestyle. It is suggested to feed the dog with the same brand used during the weaning, in order to allow continuity in his nutritional path.

His development

Generally puppies leave the kennel after 8 weeks of life and during this time they will have already overcome 4 very important phases of their growth, moving from dependence on the mother up to the early moments of socialization. These stages are divided as follows:

The neonatal period ( from birth to 2 weeks)

The newborn puppy is totally dependent on his mother who nourishes and protects him, while the role of the breeder is limited to cuddling him.

Transitional period (from 2 to 3 weeks)

Puppies start to move well enough: they begin to see, smell, and feel the world around them. The breeder must make sure that the puppy has the right spaces available, which allow him to get away for his bodily functions and then get used to this important practice. When he is 3 weeks old, the milk teeth start to develop and the puppy is able to chew soft foods and lick liquids.

Period of consciousness (from 3 to 4 weeks)

It is a very delicate phase because the breeder begins to replace breast milk with solid foods. The dog in fact, begins to eat without sucking. The spaces of the puppy grow, he familiarizes with the environment that surrounds him and improves his sensory abilities.

Initial Socialization (from 4 to 8 weeks)

The experiences that the puppy will have done up to this moment will be fundamental in order to deal successfully with his new life in his adoptive family. The breeder, in fact, will have got the puppy used to human contact from his earliest days of life. In order to leave his breeding, the puppy must have successfully completed the weaning period in an optimal way.