Hey there peeps!
Thinking of getting a new dog as your pet or as I'd like to call them best friends for life, well you're in the right place. I remembered before I got my first pup, I bought tons of books on how to care for dogs. What I'm going to say here is based on my experiences with dogs.
Here's a thought, why dogs? Is it because of their loyalty or is it because they're just cute? Well, either way, every dog needs a good owner. Provide your pets with proper attention and you'll get the same attention you deserve.
First, what breed of dogs do you wish for? What sizes? They can be as small as a teacup or even as big as a horse I suppose. If you're thinking of getting a big sized dog then you my friend need a big compound for them to run and exert their energies. You can't expect them to just sit in a cage and waiting for you to pat them. Even small sized dogs, they need to run and that's how they express fun.
If you're thinking of getting a dog and lock em up in the cage 24/7, don't even think of getting a pet fish.
Second, did you know that you have to pay attention to their health which is very crucial for them to live a long life. Vaccinations and de-worming, food intake as well as environment are the factor you need to control when having a pet dog. You gotta make sure they get vaccinated according to the advice of your vet. Do not feed them with random stuffs, just like humans, they have allergies as well. For example, even feeding them bones could endanger their health because they might cut themselves in the process of biting and chewing. As for environment, as said, they need spaces, the proper temperature and even hygiene senses. If you're planning to let them live outside of your house, be sure to eliminate pests such as rats before doing so. Pests residues or bites can be very harmful.
Not forgetting, they need to be potty trained. It's not going to be as easy as it seem but once it is achievable. Puppies below 6 months old will be much easier to train. Mind you, puppies tend to bite on almost EVERYTHING. That's because their teeth are growing and it eases the pain when biting or chewing on stuffs. So be prepared to have holes in your shoes. Word of advice, go get a toy or artificial bones from pet stores for them to chew.
Spaying and neutering is fine by me. However, I prefer not to meddle with their natural behaviour in which where they were born to be. So my solution is, instead of getting random genders, pick a gender if you're going to have more than one dog. By doing so, you do not need to spay or neuter them. I wouldn't like if someone meddles with my sexual organs so I assume they would feel the exact same thing. Nasty and Happy are both males. Still, the choice is yours.
So, to summarize it;
- Identify your desired breed
- Making sure you have adequate space for your pup
- Health - Environment, food intakes, vaccination & other form of medication
- Training - Prepare some sweet treats for them to be given each time they accomplish a task
- Spaying/Neutering (Optional)
Well, that sums about everything in getting a new puppy for the first time. I recommend adoption before buying.
"They are an amazing creature because of their loyalty and obedience. They've changed my life. I did not adopt them, they adopted me" - nastyhappy.net
If you have any enquiries or guide requests, do not hesitate to drop me an e-mail.
Here are some pictures of Nasty when they were lil pups! :)
