Puppy

The big day is finally here: Your new puppy is coming home! Taking care of a puppy is exciting and lots of fun, but it’s also a great responsibility and preparation is essential! Have you got everything ready? A new puppy isn’t just about playtime though, it takes a lot of time, energy, patience and most of all commitment! Read more

3 min

Bathing puppies

The joy surrounding a new puppy is huge and we animal lovers usually concern ourselves at the start of the new friendship with subjects like diet, great toys or the right training. It's often the case that we only ask ourselves whether and how puppies can be bathed when they first jump in a muddy puddle. All important information is summarised in the following article in order to answer this question for you:
14 min

Birth and Breastfeeding for Dogs

The birth of new puppies is always a very special occasion even for experienced breeders. But how does the process of dogs giving birth actually work? What problems can emerge when breastfeeding the puppies and how can the owner support their female dog during this full-on phase?

5 min

Entertaining puppies

If a puppy has moved into your home, it might need time to adapt to a new environment. In the beginning, the main thing is giving a sense of security to your puppy. Give it time to explore the house. After a few days, you will recognise that your little housemate is becoming more confident. Now is the time to find ways to entertain your puppy.
5 min

Gentle Training: Leaving your Puppy On Its Own

Being particularly social animals, dogs love the company of their pack. Nevertheless, every adult dog should be capable of staying on its own for short periods of time. This will need to be trained early on in life, as a fully-grown dog that has never been left alone will struggle to adapt.

10 min

Important Questions for the Dog Breeder

Have you found your favourite breed? Then you can surely hardly wait to be able to take a small puppy home with you. But to avoid nasty surprises later on, you should only buy your chosen pedigree dog from a reputable breeder. You can put this to the test with the following questions for the dog breeder.
4 min

My Puppy Bites – What Should I Do?

Puppies have 28 teeth from the age of around six weeks. These pinpoint mini weapons can prick unpleasantly but are unlikely to cause any serious damage. Nevertheless, all dog owners should focus strongly on their puppy learning to inhibit their bite. So, what can I do if my puppy bites?  From time to time we hear that bite inhibition is innate and doesn't have to be trained any further. However, this misconception can have serious consequences - this ability is significant for dogs and humans being able to live together safely. It prevents dangerous injuries should an abnormal situation arise from the animal's point of view. 
5 min

Puppy food – How to feed a puppy

Having a new furry family member is exciting, but can also be very daunting. After all, your new puppy’s wellbeing is completely in your hands. One of the first things you’ll need to decide on is your puppy's food. The first year of your puppy’s life is equal to around 12-15 human years, and they have a LOT of growing to do, both physically and mentally. The building blocks of good nutrition will help your puppy grow into a strong and healthy adult. TOP TIP! Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your vet if you have questions or concerns about your puppy’s diet.
6 min

Puppy Play Group: Learning for Life Through Play

Is your puppy feeling at home with you after the stressful first few days? Then now is the best time to start attending a puppy play group. We will explain why learning through play under the supervision of a dog trainer is important, how to find a good puppy play group as well as puppy games for at home.
10 min

Rescue dog from abroad

Are you thinking about adopting a rescue dog from abroad? Maybe you’ve met a ‘Rommie’ rescue dog out on a walk and become curious about what the adoption process entails? Many dogs from overseas have found loving homes in the UK. But dogs with a background of living on the street and in public dog shelters have different needs to the average UK rescue dog. This guest post from our friends over at Oakwood Dog Rescue outlines some essential information for future adopters. From advice on the best way to find your new canine pal, to tips on how to help your rescue settle in at home. To view all the super dogs currently available for adoption at Oakwood, pay a visit to their website or facebook page.
14 min

The Basics of Puppy Training

The earlier the better? This is absolutely true for dog training. Young dogs are extremely curious and still view the world objectively. It's possible to take advantage of this in order to show dogs playfully – but consistently too – what is expected of them and what types of behaviour are undesirable.
15 min

The Basics of Puppy Training

The earlier the better? This is absolutely true for dog training. Young dogs are extremely curious and still view the world objectively. It's possible to take advantage of this in order to show dogs playfully – but consistently too – what is expected of them and what types of behaviour are undesirable.

9 min

The most important vaccinations for your dog

No question about it – vaccinations help protect your dog from deadly infectious diseases. But which vaccinations should your dog have? What does your puppy actually receive in its initial immunisations, and how often should your dog have boosters to ensure life-long protection?
4 min

Training puppies to be relaxed on the lead

It's important to teach your dog to be relaxed on a lead. Your dog pulling can turn pleasant walks into a test of patience. Pulling can be a particularly serious problem if your dog is a large, heavy breed and difficult to control. Especially when your dog decides it wants to dart off in a different direction. Problems with walking your dog on a lead start from puppyhood, but with a bit of know-how and a little patience, you can lay the best foundation for happy on-lead walking in future.
3 min

Your Dog’s First Visit to the Vet

After a few days of letting your new dog settle in, it is advisable to introduce your newest little family member to the vet. This allows immediate detection of any possible infections or parasites, and allows you to instantly treat any issues.

Preparation is Key!

Bringing a new puppy home is a special time for you and ensuring your new friend has the best start to their life is a top priority.

Make sure you’ve got the basics covered – food, toys and accessories. Puppy food is specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs of a growing pup. It is rich in nutrients and provides your puppy with all the valuable nutrients needed to grow. Start with a varied diet with wet and dry food as well as tasty treats to help with training!

Puppy toys are essential, especially if you don’t want your furniture or shoes to suffer! Puppies are inquisitive little things that love to explore everything with their teeth. But their teeth can be delicate, so choosing toys specifically designed for puppies will ensure that playtime is always fun! Puppy toys aren’t just for your new four-legged friend either – playing with your puppy is a great way to bond and strengthen your relationship. Plus it also helps tire them out, so you can get a break!

Don’t forget other accessories for your new family member. When your puppy is ready for its first walk, you’ll need a perfect-fitting collar and lead, and while it’s at home a nice comfy bed for snoozing.

Training from a Young Age

So, now comes the difficult bit – trying to train your puppy. The first thing that springs to mind when it comes to puppy training is toilet training. Nobody wants a puppy to do their business all around the house! Puppy pads are the ideal way to housetrain your new puppy, teaching it where to go to the toilet and helping to save both your carpets and your sanity!

Training your puppy is not just about teaching it cool tricks, it’s about setting boundaries and preventing undesirable behaviour. Training a dog from a young age sets the building blocks for future training and will dictate how your young dog will act as it gets older.

Remember, when training, you want positive reinforcement. By using praise and rewards, in the form of tasty treats, you will be able to motivate your dog to obey you. When it comes to training your puppy, it’s important to start with the basics – housetraining, bad habits like barking, biting and scratching and good behaviour while on the lead.

Baby’s First Vet Visit

Now that your puppy is settled, it’s time for his first visit to the vet. This allows you to check that your new pup is in tip-top shape and also allows the vet to check for any infections or parasites.

We all want our puppies to be healthy and happy, so regular visits are important. As your puppy grows it will need to go to the vets for various reasons, but two vital things are to make sure its worming treatments and vaccinations are up to date.

Puppies need to have a worming treatment every three to six months, and if your puppy has worms they could seriously compromise their immune system and lead to other serious infections.

Just like babies and children, puppies will get sick. Getting your puppy vaccinated when it’s old enough can help prevent it being susceptible to life-threatening diseases.