Dog A-Z > P > Puppies

Puppies

(0 to 6 months)

Puppies are lovely but can be a lot of really hard work. Be prepared for months of disruption, chaos and mess – puppies really aren’t for the seriously house proud! You’ll also need to puppy-proof your house, so that your little darling can’t chew electrical wires, and put toxic plants and materials out of reach.
It’s a delicate balancing act ensuring that your puppy doesn’t get too much or too little attention during this time, as well as learning when to give it and when to ignore certain behaviour. The one sure-fire thing you need to make sure is that you socialise your puppy in the correct way, as this can prevent so many of the behavioural problems that result in dogs being given up or put to sleep every year.
Owning a puppy can be a joy, but it’s also quite a serious responsibility to lay the correct groundwork, so that you end up with an adult dog that’s an angel and not a nightmare.

Feeding

Exercise

Sleeping and resting

Health

Behaviour & training

Associated factsheets:

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