When you choose your dog, it is helpful to think of it as a true commitment for the dog's lifespan, which may be many years to come. You will want to make sure that you have enough time daily to be able to properly care for a dog. You will want to select a dog that will hopefully work out great for you and your family.
If you decide to adopt a dog from an animal shelter, you will want to make a careful decision about your selection, so you wouldn't need to unnecessarily bring the dog back to the shelter. Owning a dog is about more than the friendship you share. You will be responsible for your dog. It is your job as a good owner to make sure your dog is healthy and happy. It is so important that your dog stays safe.
You may want to think of some of these helpful ideas when choosing your new dog. For example, maybe you are looking for a small lap dog like a friendly Bichon Frise or a Chihuahua. Possibly, your personal style would be a long-haired active breed such as a Golden Labrador.
Are the dog's grooming needs a factor for you? Do you live in a small apartment or have a house out in the country with a big backyard for a dog to run? If you have children you may be looking for a breed that is known to get along well with kids.
After you choose your puppy and bring him home, you may wish to consult the veterinarian about how to introduce the new puppy to children or other animals in a safe manner. If you are thinking about bringing a new Chihuahua into your family, give some thought to the age and nature of the child or children in the family. If there are children in your family, are they old enough to understand about the proper treatment and responsibility of safely caring for a dog?
It is important to note that infants and also very young children that have not learned how to correctly handle a dog should definitely not be left unsupervised with a Chihuahua. Also, if a puppy has not seen any children before the first sight of a child can be a little frightening to an inexperienced puppy. Regardless of how friendly a dog may appear to be, it is good practice for the parent to safely supervise any interaction between the dog and a child.
Parents can teach children important safety tips such as to never approach a dog while he is eating or sleeping, or never try to take the dog's food away while he is still eating. If you are bringing a new puppy home, parents can teach children in a safe way how to handle and play with the dog in a gentle manner that won’t frighten or hurt him.
Parents can teach children how to touch and handle dogs, and always safely supervise any interactions between dogs and young children. Many parents believe that having a dog in the family helps to teach their children responsibility. The parent should teach the child just how dependent the dog actually is on the owner and the parent can always be on hand to take care of situations that are too much for the child to handle.
Parents may decide to include children in the appropriate care of their pet. Parents can make a chart for daily care that includes providing fresh water throughout the day, all feedings, walking or exercise and playing. Having a dog can be a positive, rewarding experience for a child and the whole family. Family pets can prove to be faithful and loyal companions who provide happiness and unconditional love to the family!
When bringing a new puppy home you may be thinking about some specific items that you may be shopping for to make the transition easy for you and your puppy in his new home. For example, your puppy will need an appropriate place to play and sleep and he will also need some items for daily maintenance.
You will want to have a safe and comfortable place to keep your dog when you are temporarily not at home for a few hours, such as when you might be at your place of employment, or doing your grocery shopping, or doing necessary errands.
The following list includes specific items that some people may think about and consider when getting a new puppy.
Feeding and Water dishes
Appropriate dog food and treats for puppies
Dog brushes and combs
Appropriate dog collar and leashes
Possibly a dog pen
Safe and appropriate dog toys (recommended for puppies)
Safe and comfortable dog bed and dog blanket
Dog shampoo
Dog nametag or ID
Next, when you bring your new puppy or adult dog home you will more than likely go the veterinarian's office for the dog's check-up. The veterinarian may check to see if the dog is up-to-date with his vaccinations.
A good dog owner will want to obtain and keep accurate health records and other important documents about their dog. Some animal shelters may provide an evaluation, which includes a history of animal health and behavior at their prior home, and a veterinary exam and screening. If you get a pet from the shelter, it would be helpful if you could obtain a written copy of the evaluation and any veterinary health records to keep, if at all possible.
It is important that if you decide to buy a puppy from a breeder that the proper documentation is provided to you, such as a copy of the dog's pedigree (AKC registration). Usually a certified copy of the pedigree can be obtained from the American Kennel Club.
The registration certificate is like the dog's birth certificate. The breeder should transfer this information to the new owner. The breeder should give you any documentation of the puppy's health record, including information such as the specific dates of vaccinations and also the information about when future vaccinations are due.
It is very important to provide regular veterinary care for your puppy or adult dog. Vaccinations, check-ups and dental exams are essential to your dog's good health.
Your veterinarian may help educate you about your dog's dietary needs and he may recommend certain healthy dog food to make sure that your dog maintains a healthy, balanced diet. You can talk to your veterinarian about any questions you may have in general about what you are thinking about feeding your dog. There are certain human foods that may be toxic to dogs and your veterinarian can explain this to you in detail. You may want to also read the following article: Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Dog.
Water is so important and essential for your dog. You can make sure that fresh water is always available for your Chihuahua. Dogs can become dehydrated.
It is always important to keep your Chihuahua clean. It is essential that your dog gets the proper exercise for his well-being. It might be a nice idea to play with your puppy at least 20 to 30 minutes a day. A responsible dog owner will obey leash laws and not let their dog run loose. You will probably need to get a license, and possibly a name tag for identification for your puppy.
It is up to you to teach your dog what he needs to know. Dogs like to know what they are supposed to do and what is expected of them. Dogs like structure in their life. You can decide to set reasonable house rules for your Chihuahua. Actually, dogs can become stressed when they think they can do anything they want.
Often times, dogs feel secure and confident with knowing exactly what you expect from them and having some fair house rules. It may be helpful to try to maintain a regular daily routine or schedule so that it will be easier for your Chihuahua to understand what is expected of him.
A Chihuahua usually looks for their owner's positive approval. Your Chihuahua's well-behaved manner may depend on your good teaching and leadership! You can teach your Chihuahuas what you want them to do or not do and you can praise them when they obey and they will very likely be happy companions.
A good owner will want to puppy proof the inside and outside of a house. You can consult the veterinarian about all of the specific things that can be done to puppy proof a home. You may want to read the following article: Puppy Proofing Your Home. There are many ideas to help keep a new puppy healthy and safe and protect him from anything that would be potentially harmful.
Your may want to have your puppy grow up to be friendly, happy and very well-adjusted for their lifelong emotional well-being. A good way to help your puppy develop an emotional bond with you is to spend time with him, especially during the first few days he is with you. This is an important time for you and your Chihuahua puppy. Remember that when your pup first arrives his new home will be unfamiliar to him, and he will be missing his mom and his littermates. You can help make this time easier for him by spending quality time with him. You may wish to read Ask A Vet: How do I ensure my puppy bonds with me?: "By spending time with him".
A good owner will understand that socialization is so important for a new puppy. You will want your Chihuahua puppy to feel comfortable in his new world. It is helpful for puppies to learn how to cope with their environment, (which includes people, animals, places and things), in a healthy and positive way throughout their lifetime. You will want your puppy's socialization experiences to be positive.
Puppyhood is an important period for your dog's development. Positive influence in the early weeks of the puppy's life can be very beneficial. The time before the puppy is 16 weeks old is an important developmental time period when he may be very receptive and influenced by his experiences. Praise and positive reinforcement are so important with socialization and training. Socialization begins on the day your puppy is born and continues for the rest of his life.
Until your puppy has had all of his proper vaccinations, you may want to be guided by your veterinarian about socialization. You may consult your veterinarian about when and also how to introduce your puppy to other animals in a safe manner. Once you know that it is fine to socialize your puppy, you may want to gradually introduce your new puppy to some of your close friends or relatives in a pleasant, supervised manner.
Here are some helpful tips about spending your first day and night with your new puppy or adult dog.
It is such an exciting time for you and your family when you bring your new puppy home for the very first time. You need to remember it is probably the first time your Chihuahua puppy is separated from his mom, the litter family and the breeder and you don't want to overwhelm him. I can just imagine all of the important puppy supplies you now have in your home, such as a feeding dish, maybe a new dog bed and blanket, collar and leash, appropriate puppy food and treats. You must have already picked out an adorable name for your new puppy.
You may want to keep your puppy happy and relaxed when he comes home for the first time. Talking in a calm manner to your Chihuahua and handling him gently may help him get comfortable with his new family. Your Chihuahua puppy may want to explore some of his new home, with your supervision. Your Chihuahua will most certainly appreciate all the human attention that he will get from you and your family.
You may want to get down on your puppy's level and let him sniff your hands so he can get familiar with you. You may want to pet him gently. This may be comforting to your Chihuahua puppy and you can start to form an emotional bond. Each person in the family may spend some time with the puppy, so he becomes familiar with them. Your puppy's socialization may have started with the breeder, but now it is your job to continue it.
What a busy day your puppy may have experienced! Maybe, your Chihuahua puppy had his very first car ride home. He probably had a good chance to meet all of the family members and explore his new house with them. Your Chihuahua puppy may have eaten his first meal in his new home already and checked out his backyard with you.
Your Chihuahua puppy is probably tired and getting ready for some sleep. This may be his first night that he will be without his mom and litter family. He could be a little apprehensive and lonely. You can be reassuring and comforting to your new Chihuahua puppy.
It may be time to show your puppy where he will sleep. It is important to set a good habit for bedtime in your home so that you and your puppy will both feel rested and happy! Every dog needs their own safe and comfortable place to sleep. You may want to read Why Every Dog Needs a Bed: "Dog beds provide both physical and emotional comfort.
HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT ONE".
You may wish to have your puppy's bed in a quiet, safe place in the house. A peaceful and comfortable section of the room may be nice. Maybe you will choose a safe, cozy dog bed for your Chihuahua puppy. You probably will want to pick a special sleeping area for the puppy where there is not much noise.
Your Chihuahua puppy may feel a little more confident and secure if he can still see the people in the house from his sleeping area. Just knowing that you are there may help him to stay relaxed and calm. It is common for most puppies in a new home environment to feel somewhat anxious and have a difficult time at first trying to quiet themselves down to sleep for the night. A new puppy may whine to get your attention. Everything may seem so new to your Chihuahua puppy in the beginning until he gets a little used to his new home.
Your puppy may enjoy having a favorite, safe dog toy or dog blanket with him for a feeling of security. If you want your Chihuahua puppy in his bed at a certain time, you can begin a daily routine schedule and try to have him go to bed around the same time every night, so he gets used to this habit. But, if your Chihuahua puppy leaves his bed, you can nicely put him back in his bed, so he gets the idea and learns to get comfortable in his special sleeping space.
When your Chihuahua puppy gets accustomed to where his bed is, you may tell him to go into his own bed when you want him to go to sleep at night. Dogs like to know what is expected of them. Hopefully, he will soon learn a nice bedtime routine.
So your Chihuahua puppy can sleep good at night you may want to allow for adequate exercise for your puppy throughout the day. You can plan a routine schedule for meal times for your Chihuahua puppy. Dogs usually respond well to a nice schedule. Your puppy may need to go outside to eliminate immediately before bedtime. Providing background sounds, such as a very soft background sound of a TV or radio may calm your puppy down and relax him at night.
A puppy may need to eliminate in the middle of the night. If your Chihuahua puppy needs to go out during the night, he may whine, pace or bark. You can take him outside in a safe manner to eliminate and bring him right back to his sleep area to go back to sleep. He should learn to understand that it is time for sleep and not time to play during the night. Hopefully, with a few helpful ideas you and your puppy will get adequate sleep every night and be happy!
It might take at least two weeks or more for your Chihuahua puppy to get accustomed to his new home environment. With lots of love and positive attention he will soon learn that his new home is a very safe place. You are his leader and his provider of food, water, shelter and security and your puppy will want to stay close to you!
As your puppy grows and he begins to learn commands, and when he is the appropriate age you may want to learn more about "The Canine Good Citizen" program. It is an American Kennel Club program to recognize dogs who demonstrate good behavior at home and in public. The Canine Good Citizen program is based on a test administered by certified evaluators. Basic obedience training may help your Chihuahua prepare for the Canine Good Citizen test. It is helpful if your Chihuahua is well socialized.
Dogs who pass the test may receive a Canine Good Citizen certificate recorded with the American Kennel Club (AKC). You may check the American Kennel Club website to find an evaluator or an upcoming test near your area.
A few things that are evaluated during the test are appearance and grooming, accepting a friendly stranger and some commands, such as sit, down, stay and come. You can read the following article to learn more about the 10-part Canine Good Citizen test: Who’s A Canine Good Citizen?
Spending lots of quality time with your Chihuahua and teaching him the things you want him to learn will help to keep him happy and healthy throughout his lifetime!
