By Lisa 
Thinking about getting a dog? Already have one and feeling overwhelmed? Help has arrived, New Fur Parent…Here are the basics of taking care of your new pupper.
Food: Dogs will literally eat anything and everything until they throw it all up and start again. It is up to you, Doggy Parent, to make wise choices for them. Doing so will also save you a lot of gagging and clean up too.
Puppies have been known to eat socks, wood siding and shoes by the dozen. There is a reason for puppies to chew their way through the first year or two of life and it is pretty simple: they are growing their adult teeth and their gums are sore. Just like human babies gum everything (think teething rings), puppies chew. Solution? Keep everything chewable off of the floor or within your pups reach at all times. Keep your pupper otherwise occupied with chew bones and toys. Don’t leave them with chewy bones or toys with your puppy or grown dog unless you are in the room and watching–just like human babies they can choke on pieces and most of them do not know the Heimlich Maneuver.
Just like people, dogs are what they eat. It is tempting to feed them whatever is cheapest, but you will pay for it later in a sick dog. A whole lot of dry dog foods are filled with coloring to make the food look palatable to the owner, not the dog. By the way, dogs don’t see all the colors humans do; they see shades of blue, yellow and green, black and white, but not red or green. Oddly red kibble coloring and the chemical to make it that way is certainly not needed.
You don’t have to rob a bank to feed your dog though. There are brands at your local grocery or big box store that have a good balance of nutrients without a bunch of fillers and coloring. I use Purina One or Rachel Ray for my dogs and I vary what I buy each time their bag is empty. Some pet owners don’t agree with this and buy the same brand each time year after year, but animals have taste buds just like humans and I figure they would like variety in their diet. I also feel like it is probably better to give different brands and flavors so if one brand is later proven to be lacking (think of all the pet food recalls over the past few years) at least I have not loaded them up with bad stuff.
Make sure your dog has fresh water at all times. Dogs drink a lot of water and they do so often. A dehydrated dog becomes a very sick (and expensive) dog. Give them a large, sturdy bowl rinsed and filled with fresh water every day. This is especially true if you only feed your dog dry food, because they are not getting any added water in their diet.
I feed wet food as well as dry. I leave dry food out so they can self-feed all day and feed wet food once or twice a day. This works for most dogs but not all because like people, some dogs can be real gluttons and eat themselves sick. If that is the case with your pup, feed them twice a day and take any uneaten food away.
For wet food, I cook for my dogs. I throw in meat, whole grains, and vegetables plus some spices (not hot) in a crock pot or Instant Pot either overnight or in the mornings twice a week for my four dogs. If you want to make bigger batches or have just one or two dogs, you can certainly freeze small containers. It is actually cheaper over time to do this and my dogs are very healthy at their old ages so it is working pretty well! If you don’t want to cook, make sure to buy good brands of canned food such as the brands above.
For treats, be sure to use reputable brands and make sure the size of the treat fits your dog’s mouth (and throat!). Some dogs enjoy chewing on whole carrots, but be sure to watch them eat so they don’t choke.
Shelter: Your dog is a pack animal which means he is happiest when he is with you, his pack leader. Keeping him inside as a true part of your family is the best way to have a sane, healthy and happy pet. Please do not get a dog to keep on a leash or pen as a “watchdog”. Dogs are not meant to live solitary lives and they will literally go crazy being leashed or fenced up alone all their lives. If this is all you want a dog for, invest your money in a security system with a few cameras pointed at your door. You will save money and more importantly not destroy the spirit and life of an animal.
If you must keep your dog outside, please have a secured fenced in yard. Keep gates locked so strangers cannot get in, make sure the bottom of chain-linked fences are not loose so your dog can’t get out and provide shade, shelter and water.
Shelter can be as elaborate as a souped-up dog mansion or as simple as an open crate with a tarp thrown over it and a blanket inside. Just be aware that most dog houses are not heated nor cooled like your house, so if the weather is extreme, you must bring them into your house (at least let them into your mudroom, kitchen or garage if you are worried about messes). Buy some cheap baby gates that you can use to keep your pet out of areas where you don’t want them to be. You can buy wooden ones like Evenflo in any big box store or Amazon for about $10.
It is especially important to bring them inside in stormy weather because dogs have an acute sense of smell and hearing and bad weather is amplified for them. Talk to your vet about giving your dogs generic Benedryl (no aspirin), other calming medications or remedies if they are storm-scared. Your dog will need to take these meds before a storm happens, not during. Plan ahead. Be sure to put on some soothing music, have toys and treats available and speak calmly to your dog during storms.
Healthcare: By law, you must get rabies shots for your dog. This is the very least you can do. These can be annual or every three years, and many cities have low-cost vet clinics where you can these done. If your dog gets picked up by animal control, bites someone or needs boarding or grooming, you will have to show proof of rabies vaccines.
It is a good idea to take your dog to a veterinarian for an initial checkup and healthcare recommendations. Please get your dog spayed or neutered. If you have a male dog, it will keep him from roaming and will help with any aggression issues (usually).
For a female dog, you do not want to live through her being in heat, and having every unneutered male dog on the planet at your door howling and her scratching to get out. Just one time with the neighborhood Romeo will do it for her and you will be the one trying to find homes for puppies. They are cute, but it is not as easy as you think and you may be stuck with several dogs. This is especially true in Spring and Fall which are known as “puppy season” because animals tend to mate when the weather is good during these times. The majority of animals in your local animal shelter, from cute puppies to surrendered older dogs, never make it out and are euthanized. Don’t add to those statistics.
Older dogs who are not spayed or neutered are prone to a variety of illnesses that can be both life-threatening and expensive to treat. Take care of this when they are young so they will have a healthier happier life. Your vet can perform the procedure or there are likely low-cost alternatives in your community. Check with your local municipal animal shelter, vets office or humane society for recommendations and resources.
Speaking of older dogs, please be aware that having a dog is a responsibility that lasts their entire lifetime, not just when they are cute and little. Older dogs may sleep a lot, may become arthritic and slower, or get various illnesses just like people. They count on you as their Dog Parent, to continue to love and care for them their whole lives. Make sure to get them the care they need as a reward for a lifetime of loving you.
Puppers are worth every penny. Congrats on your new love!