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National Puppy Day! Friday March 23rd

Puppy Health
Here at Pet Wants Mountain Maryland, we love puppies and we love feeding them. Having a puppy can be both stressful and rewarding. In honor of National Puppy Day, we wanted to share 5 things we wish we had known when our dogs were puppies.

When They Need To Use The Bathroom
Potty training can be a stressful time. Puppies have small bladders and don’t know any better. To help avoid accidents in the house its useful to know when your puppy is most likely to take a potty break. Puppies are most likely to go to the bathroom after they have eaten, slept for more than 20 minutes, or following rigorous play. It is a good idea to watch your puppy closely after any of these activities and look for them to be sniffing as an indicator to get them outside ASAP!

Better Nutrition Matters
Many new puppy owners feed the food the shelter gave them or that the breeder was feeding. It is important in the first year to give your puppy the best nutrition possible. Here at Pet Wants we are committed to bettering the life of you and your pet. We focus on diets that are made fresh, and are free of corn, wheat, soy, and animal by-products. Puppies are growing and need proper nutrition to support muscle development, bone growth, and support a healthy immune system. Ask your Pet Wants Nutrition Specialist for advice on your puppy and which diet works best for their individual needs.

Train Yourself Before Your Puppy
Training is an important part of development for a puppy. Training needs to start day 1, but most of us discover that we are not equipped to train our puppy. Training is much more about training people how to train than training the puppy. Before you bring your puppy home, do research and establish how you are going to train your puppy to sit, laydown, and go potty. Consistency is key to make sure you, your significant other, and entire family know how the dog is going to be trained. Nothing hinders training more than having a dog need to learn sit three different ways.

Make Sure You Have The Right Chew Toys
Puppies love to chew. Some Puppies need something to do while others chew especially hard when they are teething. Many of us gravitate towards fluffy stuffed animals because they are cute and remind us of the animals we buy human babies. Puppies are a bit different. Since they don’t have hands they learn a lot through their mouth. When you are getting prepared for your puppy be sure to stock up on rubber and rope toys that are a bit tougher. This will help sooth sore gums, and keep them occupied for much longer than a stuffed animal.

Crates Are Good
A crate is one of the most useful tools to help in potty training, traveling, and keeping your house safe when you leave. Crates can be a great tool to use for your puppy’s entire life or for long enough that you trust them when you are gone. The first thing to know about your puppy’s crate is that they just need enough room to stand up and turn around. The divider is not just an accessory that comes in the box or a spare part, it’s a vital tool in proper crate training. If puppies have too much room they will poop in the crate which will not help you in training. Having a confined space can make them feel more secure, and encourage them to hold it longer until you get home and can take them out.
Always use the crate in a positive way, never for punishment. Make it an open-door policy when you are home, and never put them in the crate if you are angry at them for something they did wrong. If you yell and they go to their crate that is fine, but never direct negative energy to the crate. When you leave, put them in and give them a special toy or treat they only get when they go into their crate. Crate them and go on short trips to help prevent separation anxiety.

We hope this helps you prepare for a new family addition. For more helpful tips on your pets visit us at 37 E. Main St., Frostburg, MD 21532, or call us at (301)689-3909.