8 Things to Consider while Adopting a Puppy

If you are planning to or just having thoughts of having your first dog, let me tell you that it’s almost the same as having a baby. The efforts that go into caring, the joys in return and tiredness along with it are about just the same as in the case for raising a kid.

Despite all the hardships you will have to face, you will be happier (if not the happiest), for sure because Dogs are just born that way – with paw-bility to make us, humans, feel good and light even in the worst of our days.

Be kind and generous enough, and ADOPT one, instead of buying. When you are adopting one, you are actually contributing your bits in helping the voiceless. REMEMBER this.

So coming to the point, there are thousands of results popping up when you google tips or ideas on adopting a puppy and those things can be mighty helpful too but at the end of the day, one has to experience on his or her own to REALLY know the drill.

I recently adopted a puppy from a rescue center and gave him all my love and care but despite my efforts, I lost him to a Parvo virus. He was infected before he was rescued, so vaccinating him later didn’t work, I guess. And no treatment could save him after the infection started showing symptoms and made him sick. This still saddens me to the core, very much.

Here, from my very own experience, I am gonna share some bits on things to consider while adopting a puppy.

1. Know its age before its breed

When you are adopting a puppy/dog, it’s usually from one of the rescue/ adoption center or a street or some friends/relatives. Chances of not knowing the exact age can be high when it’s from the street. Consulting a nearby vet is a good option in such a case. Age is kind of important because it matters for vaccines and other meds.

2. Vaccines

This is VERY IMPORTANT to keep your fur-baby healthy. Puppies are usually highly prone to viral infections, especially in its few early months. Vaccination for puppies usually starts when they are 6 to 8 weeks old. DHPPL is one of the most important – it prevents from canine distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis. More details on vaccinations can be easily found on the internet or you can directly call/go to a vet anyway.

Even with vaccines, puppies need very good care and hygienic environment until they’re about 3 months old so that they can build the stamina to fight against the virus. If infected, consequences can be severe. Regular vaccines help to keep your pup’s immunity strong.

3. Deworming

I was initially shocked when I got to know that most of the puppies born with worms. So, deworming them is pretty much necessary. Or else, you never know when they might fall sick with diarrhea and loss of appetite. Puppies should be dewormed at 2,4,6,8 and 12 weeks of age and then every three months for the lifetime.

4. Give time to settle

Imagine that we go to somebody’s house to stay and even though we are treated warmly, we would still feel a certain level of oddness in first. The same thing is for adopted puppies. Let them take their time to adjust in a new home, find their favorite spot and know the place around. It would not even take more than a few days and you would have them play happily with you.

5. Learn their behavior and Make routines

Every puppy is different from others, just like us humans. Learn their eating, drinking, sleeping, peeing and pooping patterns, times and behaviors. This might just help you in training them to be obedient babies. Make a routine for them such as three times meals a day, two times going on an outside walk, etc.

6. Potty training

You surely wouldn’t like much the idea of having to clean your carpet off of your dog’s poop every day. If they are not potty-trained, they might just get loose anywhere they want, they would not know where to and where not to; and they usually go for carpets or mats which they might feel grass-like perhaps!

But the good news is you can potty-train your puppies as early as 2 to 3 months of age. Take them for a walk outside in the mornings and evenings daily around the same time and give them a treat each time they poop outside, or you might even try at toilets as well. Eventually, they will learn. I was not sure myself about this in the beginning but as I got my puppy do that, I was more than happy.

However, it might not be the same case with peeing. Puppies cannot hold their urine for long and they usually pee several times a day. Take notice and take them outside after it wakes up from a nap, a while after eating and playing. This might work in making them learn to pee outside. But when they’re in their early months, it’s just better to keep some extra pieces of clothes handy for cleaning up.

7. Teach them to stay alone

Of all other good habits that you will teach your pet, the important one is to teach them to stay alone in the house. Sometimes, not a single family member could be home all day due to work or some other reasons. Or a pup has to be alone all day as you go out for office. Puppies tend to panic if they don’t see other mates or their human for long, especially if they are habituated of staying with a friend, be it another dog or human. So, training them to stay by themselves for a day or so is very useful.

8. Enough moving space

I personally don’t like the idea of chaining a dog at all. It makes them aggressive, hence highly not recommended. But it cannot be made sure that circumstances won’t come when you have to tie them up for a while, due to various reasons. First, train them to stay quiet when chained for some time so that it comes useful later when in need. And when you have to tie up your dog, keep enough moving space for them so they don’t have to panic by not being able to move. Even if not chained, while you might place them in a yard or in a room or just inside somewhere in a home, make sure they have plenty of space to play around.

GIVE THEM LOVE AND YOU WILL GET BACK LOVE FOR YOURSELF IN A MULTIPLIED AMOUNT.

Remember – ADOPTING is a symbol of kindness. It’s Beautiful.