Collaborative post. My children are desperate to get a puppy. Dogs are one of the most popular pets to have and one that children need to understand comes with various responsibilities. A dog is a long term commitment but alongside this, it also has the most lovely perks. First and foremost you must remember; no bright light, don’t get them wet, and never feed them after midnight, no matter how much they beg. Nope, hang on, that’s Mogwai. But seriously, having a dog is literally like having a child minus the 9 months of pregnancy and the trauma of giving birth. In this post, we look at Taking Care of a Puppy to Keep it Happy and Healthy.
Taking Care of a Puppy to Keep it Happy and Healthy
Unlike humans, dogs want their owners to spend time with them, and puppies, in particular, require extra attention and care to grow into a dog that is happy and healthy. For those with very young children, the responsibility will of course fall on the adults to take on most of the work. Where children are a bit older they can get more hands on and take on more responsibility. Children can learn important lessons from taking care of an animal. This will help develop skills such as patience, kindness, and selflessness.
So what do you need to do to ensure the new addition to your family is well taken care of?
Appropriate Food and Portion Control
Dogs require the right foods to stay healthy. Like some children, a puppy doesn’t necessarily know when to stop eating. They can also develop a love of foods that aren’t the healthiest so it’s best to make sure they are not fed from your plate from the very start. It’s important to remember that some foods that are fine for humans can cause serious illness in dogs. Make sure children are aware of these and do not overfeed dogs or give them items they would associate as a treat especially chocolate!
Different breeds of dogs will require different types of foods. Some may not be able to eat dog foods found in the stores. In some cases, you’ll need to order specific foods and these may need to be tailored for your dog’s needs. Such options will include sensitive dog food where they have delicate stomachs, special foods for dogs that have packed on a few pounds, foods for dogs with anxiety etc. Makes sure these foods and treats are not in reach of young children, feeding your pet needs to be supervised when children are not old enough to understand about portion sizes. When they are older they can take on the responsibility of the morning feed and giving treats.
Rough Play and Anxiety in Dogs
Anxiety in dogs can occur for a variety of reasons. Loud noises or the presence of a stranger at the door are two prominent causes. There are certain dog breeds that are more prone to anxiety than others. They will require more attention and patience.
Young children can be a bit rough with pets. It is very important that kids know the limits of playing with a dog. When they are young, children tend to treat a pet as a stuffed animal. They want to pull its tail and grab it by the fur. They even have a tendency to want to try to open their mouths with their hands. In most cases, dogs will let them and there won’t be any issues but where a dog suffers from anxiety it could be another story.
Try to teach your child how to play with a dog in the appropriate way. Show them the games that dogs like to play so they can play together. As your child gets older this is less of a concern as they have a greater understanding of how to play with the dog. They will be happy to play fetch and teach them tricks.
When dogs are young it can help to use a playpen or fenced area to give your puppy their own space to retreat to when they are feeling anxious. Fill it with things they enjoy like their toys and a good quality dog bed, and make sure there’s plenty of fresh water and food available.
Pin It!
Cleaning Up
One of the biggest problems with having a dog is how much of a mess they can make. Their feeding bowl and water bowl will need to be cleaned daily. Bedding and other areas they use a lot will also need to be cleaned up regularly of dirt and fur as these can build up quickly. There are also times when a dog may come into the house with muddy paws. This will need to be cleaned up as well as the dog itself.
Children need to understand that cleaning up after their pet is part of the responsibility that comes with a dog. Make sure that they take part in this tidying up so they get into the habit. They have to learn that it isn’t just games and cuddling. When they are very little they can help by using kitchen towel to wipe up the area around the feeding bowls. They can even wipe up muddy paw prints. You aren’t expecting them to actually do any cleaning of substance but merely to understand the importance of cleaning up. As the child gets older they should be given more responsibilities such as regular chores with regards to tidying up after pets, including picking up their poop.
Exercise
When taking care of a puppy to keep it happy and healthy, we need to remember to give it plenty of exercise. This is a bit difficult for a child to handle since they are small and need to be supervised when leaving the house. They are also usually too small to handle a leash and risk injury. However, they should be part of the process of bringing the dog out for a walk with you. Take your child and dog to the local park, they can have fun exercising, playing, and bonding. The important aspect is that they are there to take the time to make sure the dog gets enough exercise. It works in your favour, as tiring both out means you might get both to bed early so you have extra time for self care.
Taking Care of a Puppy to Keep it Happy and Healthy is not complicated but it does take time and patience. In exchange, you’ll receive unconditional love, lots of kisses, a friend that will never say no to a cuddle, and much more.
I hope you enjoyed reading my post. Are there any tips you’d like to add? If not, which tip from my Taking Care of a Puppy to Keep it Happy and Healthy did you like most?
Enjoyed this Post?
Subscribe to Melanie’s Fab Finds RSS feed to see my latest posts. Posts will include recipes, reviews etc. and as a result, you will hear about my new posts and competitions first!
Watch our fab product reviews on YouTube x
Discover more from Melanie's Fab Finds
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
This is amazing…I never owned a dog but I have a cat that I love so much…Taking care of him is just amazing…
It is so lovely to have a pet, they can really add so much to our lives.
My daughter has two children under three and two puppies. Suffice it to say she is very busy. 🙂
Oh wow, that must be exhausting!!!
We don’t have a dog but these tips are really helpful for people with small puppies.
It does help to be prepared.
We recently adopted a dog (although no longer a puppy) but she is so tiny I still consider her a pup. Thanks for these tips. I will put them into practice so that our new dog will grow up to be a happy healthy one.
Oh wow, I bet she is lovely. It’s great having pets.
Great tips about taking care of a dog and heads-up about how much responsibility and work it is to have a dog, especially a puppy. Having a dog I can attest how true all this is.
It is hard work but can be worth it.
Very interesting! Some excellent tips for dog lovers and owners! Thank you
Thanks Antonia. I’m glad you liked the post.
Very helpful post for pet owners. Love the different products you have suggested to make their life good and easier.
It does help to know how to make things easier.
This is such a great tip guide for keeping a puppy living happy and living a healthier lifestyle. I am going to share this with a few people who just got puppies.
That would be great. I hope they find it useful.
I’m not a dog person but I do know what pets rely on us to take care of them. These are great tips!
They certainly do. They are amazing to have though and make wonderful companions.
Some very good tips, lovely to have a puppy but you really do need to think hard about it, such a commitment!
I agree, I’ve seen loads get puppies then struggle. Some regret it after. Always good to know what you’re getting yourself into.
These things are very important as not everyone knows what to do when they get a puppy
That’s very true. They are a handful especially when you don’t know what you are doing.
I would love to have a dog, I drop lots of hints! But know that it would have a huge impact on our lives
It is a big commitment but to be honest worth it if you can cope.
Great Article, its so lovely when they are puppies, hard work but rewarding!! Have to be consistant with the training otherwise you’ll have problems lol
That is very true. Consistency is key with puppies and also children I find lol.
As cute as puppies are they are also a lot of hard work, it takes a lot of time to train them but as much as they are hard work the rewards multiply that
They really are. I think many have no idea what they are getting themselves into. It’s like having a baby at first. They are so worth it though x
Some really important tips here – thanks so much for sharing as it’s so important to provide a loving but safe and consistent home for a pup
Laura x
It certainly is. We also need to know what we are letting ourselves into before we get one.
Plenty of exercises for the dogs is important. Aside from taking my dogs for a walk every day, I love to play with toom indoors.
They do need loads of exercise. Not everyone realises how much until they have one.
If you want to have a pet, these are some really important tips to keep. Keeping them happy and healthy is a responsibility.
It’s true, you need to make sure you can cover all the essentials before buying a pet.
Hhhhmmmm…this is very elaborate and humorous, too. Thanks for elaborating so well on this!
I’m glad you enjoyed reading the post x