When you bring a new puppy home, it’s always an exciting time! However, it can also be stressful and overwhelming. There’s so much to learn about your new dog and how to take care of them. This is why it’s helpful to be aware of common mistakes made with a new puppy. Here are a few common mistakes new puppy parents make:

• Mistake #1 – Skipping preventative care.
• Mistake #2 – Not properly socializing your puppy.
• Mistake #3 – Not giving your puppy enough exercise.

Mistake #1 – Skipping Preventative Care

It’s extremely important to make sure that your dog has good veterinary care, including preventative care, and it should be a part of your new puppy checklist. Having a vet you trust is essential, especially when bringing a new puppy home. They can help set your puppy up for success and offer advice as you begin to train your new dog.

Make sure that your dog gets up-to-date on their vaccinations and any wellness exams. Staying consistent with vaccinations and wellness exams can be helpful in preventing some health problems by identifying and taking care of certain risk factors. Not having this care in place is a common mistake people make when bringing a new dog home.

Preventative care also includes providing flea, tick, and heartworm treatments. These parasites can be detrimental to your puppy’s health and can carry serious health risks, so it’s important to protect your dog from them. Thankfully, with the right preventative treatment, you can keep your dog safe. Make sure you discuss this with your vet first so they can advise you on the best treatment and at what age to start your dog on these treatments.

Mistake #2 – Not Socializing Your Dog

Proper socialization is essential to helping your dog learn how to interact with the world around them and how to get along with other people and animals. There are a few ways to socialize a puppy, and puppies have a critical socialization period between 3 and 16 weeks. However, proper socialization shouldn’t end after this window. Dogs need to keep practicing socialization well into adulthood.

There are plenty of ways to socialize your dog. One of the best ways to help a puppy become socialized is to enroll them in puppy training classes. Learning how to interact with other dogs and humans is one of the biggest benefits of puppy training classes.

If your dog seems to be adjusting well in puppy classes, you can also try scheduling some doggy play dates. Sometimes, puppies do well with older dogs because they can learn behaviors from them. However, make sure you know the dog and their owner well. Choose an even-tempered dog who has been well-trained. Otherwise, your dog may learn some bad habits rather than getting properly socialized.

Other activities that can help your dog become socialized include walks, where you may run into other people and dogs, observing activities from a distance, and visiting dog-friendly establishments. However, don’t visit a dog-friendly establishment until you have a better sense of how your dog behaves and reacts in public. Besides, if your puppy is really young, it might overwhelm them too much, potentially causing anxiety.

Mistake #3 – Not Giving Your Puppy Enough Exercise

Puppies notoriously tend to have a lot of energy. Making sure they get enough exercise can help release some of that energy. However, it’s really important not to over-exercise a puppy, especially a puppy that will grow into a large dog. Exercising them too heavily, too young, can damage developing bones and joints and cause joint issues like elbow dysplasia in dogs.

The amount of exercise your puppy needs will depend on age, breed, and size. However, going on at least a short walk or two a day is a good place to start. For puppies, experts recommend short bursts of exercise rather than longer periods. Start with a 5-minute walk and slowly increase the time as they age until they’re fully grown. This helps protect their joints and bones from any damage. If you have any questions about your puppy’s development, don’t hesitate to talk to your veterinarian.

Playtime is also a good way to exercise your puppy. Again, short bursts are recommended rather than playing for too long. Rolling a ball a short distance across the floor, so your dog can chase it, is a great way to get a little bit of exercise that isn’t too strenuous.

These are just a few common mistakes new puppy parents make. Bringing a new puppy home can be overwhelming, but being aware of common mistakes can help make the transition easier for all of you!