Adopting a puppy

Are you considering buying or taking in a dog?
Of course, not an easy decision to make. You have to be aware that a dog is not just fun for a couple of weeks or months, but in most cases even for 10 to 15 years! Therefore it is important to consider all the pros and cons before buying a dog. Science offers a number of important advantages to seriously consider why a dog could be valuable in your life:

• Social support > someone is always happy to see you when you return home
• Stress reducing  > it has been proven that stroking a dog has a calming effect and provides piece.  Did you know that there are many dogs who make life worthwhile again, even in case of complicated anxiety disorders? 
• Boosts the responsibility > a dog needs to be walked and taken care of. By dividing tasks in the family, the sense of responsibility will considerably improve.
• Less allergies in children > it may sound weird, but according to science, children growing up with a dog are less likely to suffer from allergies.
• More exercise > a dog needs to be walked several times a day. This automatically means that someone gets more exercise. Be careful, you may start losing weight just like that when taking a dog. Especially older people get to exercise more which is of course very important.

I bought a puppy, now what?
A good preparation is half the job.
That’s why we made a list so you are perfectly prepared for your new family member’s arrival.

Safe place
Perhaps one of the most important matters when taking a pup.
A puppy needs to feel safe. A dog has a natural nesting instinct and wants to be able to rest safely. This is why a basket and an open cage/bench are more and more often discouraged. A kennel may offer the perfect solution. The kennel offers a safe and secure place and responds to the natural feeling of the dog. The puppy can easily walk in and out and at night, you can close the kennel. We recommend the kennels of Petmate. These are the nr.1 kennels in the world, produced in America. A kennel is also perfect to take with you on holidays or to visit the vet. Therefore a safe place for your dog, always and anywhere. Regarding the purchase of a kennel, it is important to look at the size of your dog at their adult size. Based on this, you can easily determine the right kennel for your dog. Click here for our kennels.

Suggestion
Your puppy usually receives a toy or something else with the smell of the nest. Place it in the bench or sleeping place of your puppy. It provides piece and a familiar feeling.

Since 2019 we have puppy toys that contain lavender. Lavender naturally calms down and allows a puppy to handle new situations better. Click here for the Bunny Puppy toys with lavender.

Place a pillow or blanket in the kennel for extra comfort. Click here for a number of blankets.

Of course a puppy is not immediately house-trained, so a little accident is very normal. To remove urine stains, we advise to use Urine Control, a product that is based on natural enzymes and is therefore harmless for a puppy.  

Pillow or basket?
Besides a safe and clear place to sleep, it is of course nice that a dog can be around you the entire day. A pillow or basket would be very suitable. It also provides more clarity to the dog about the place that is intended for him. There is not much difference between a basket or pillow. However, we  do not advise to use a pillow or basket during the night. Click here for all our pillows and baskets.

Walk the dog
The nice thing about having a dog is that he needs to be walked and that you can discover the world together. There are a lot of different collars and leashes available. But what fits a puppy best? For an optimal training and development of a dog, we advise the  Easy Walk. It provides a collar and leash in one product, that also grows along with your dog. Click here for more information.

For more freedom during walking, a harness with a retractable leash may be a good option. Click here for all products.
Of course a dog also has its needs and a poop bag is indispensable during walking. We offer the Poopy Go poopbags and holder. These are eco-friendly and are currently sold in over 15 countries.

Suggestion 
For dogs who swim a lot or dogs that are frequently washed, we have the perfect towel of Royal Dry. We also offer a nice selection of wellness shampoos that will calm down your dog and ensure better breathing etc. Click here for the entire Groomers Secret range.

Playing and rewarding
Playing is very important to a puppy. It provides a better and stronger band with the owner. Below the top 5 toys for puppies:

1. Dog Comets Stardust;
This ball is flexible and easy to clean. The ball is indispensable for puppies because they ensure an optimal development of the teeth.

2. A puppy needs a lot of chewing so a floss rope is a must.

3. Dummy; many dogs have the need to fetch and with a bit of luck (or bad luck ????), they also love water. For fetching games for both on land as in water, we recommend a Dummy. Often one starts with the basic varieties but just to increase the success, Chuckit offers a specific dummy. It floats on water and is clearly visible because of its bright colours. This dummy is more and more sold and recommended by professionals. Click here for more information.

4. Extended play time in the dark.
It is possible with the 2 Glow toys because they glow in the dark. Click here for the entire range.

5. Dog Comets Vesta, Pallas and Ceres; treat toys are perfect for the development of your puppy. You can easily hide chunks or other treats in them and your puppy will entertain itself for hours. Also suitable for cooling off in summer. Hide a tasty treat in the toy, add water or yogurt and put it in the freezer for a few hours. You will be amazed at how your puppy gets the most out of this.

More toys? Click here for the entire range!

Feed
Often you will get feed from the breeder. We notice that many people remain loyal to this brand. Not just because it offers more confidence, but also because both online as well in the shops, there is a large variety in different kinds of feed. There is even a feed, made specifically for certain breeds. However, in practice the feed is often comparable and it is all about how well the feed can be digested by a dog.

With Max Puppy, we have developed a feed that is suitable for all breeds and the digestibility is over 90%! The balanced feed for every pup! Next to that, we have our “farmers” Puppy chunks named Top Brok. A good basis to fully support your puppy in growth and development. No nonsense, it does exactly what it promises to do. Also important is that a dog does not gobble. We recommend to use a Slow Feeder from the start. Click here for all our Eat Slow Live Longer bowls. A tip: sit down next to your puppy during feeding. Touch the puppy and do not take away its feed. This will reinforce the confidence between you and your puppy.

When do I need to start feeding adult feed?
For smaller breeds (such as a Chihuahua) and medium-sized breeds (e.g. Labrador and shepherd), we recommend to switch to adult feed as from an age of 12 months. In larger breeds, it is advisable from an age of 18 months, like in case of a Danish dog.
Tip: When switching to adult feed, we recommend to do this gradually. So slowly reduce the puppy feed, and gradually raise the amount of adult feed. This can be done in a period of 5-7 days. This to minimize the risk of diarrhoea and intestinal disorders. Should a dog suffer from a thinner stool during a few days, it does not matter. By switching to adult feed gradually, the chances hereof are minimized.  

The new way of feeding: Since 2019 there is a new way of feeding, which is the Eat Slow Live Longer Feed and Treat. This replaces the normal bowl and ensures that your puppy needs to work to get its feed in a playful manner. Click here for more information.

Rewarding
There are many ways to reward your dog. Rewarding seems quite normal but it actually is not. We recommend to only reward a dog when they really deserve it. F.e. during a training or workshop you are taking. In short: a dog needs to work out in order to receive his reward. Our Dog Fish Treats are very suitable because it is a reward containing a supplement and treat in one product. Luna's Choice and Pet Rewards are also sensible choices. I can already hear you asking; am I never allowed to treat my dog? Of course you are, but make sure a treat stays special. Rewarding needs to add something.

Care
To care for a puppy optimally, it makes sense to have the following items.  
Most dogs lose hair, this is quite normal. To take care of this, it is a must to have a comb. It is important to make combing fun as from the start. So do it easily and carefully. Does it not work out the first time? No problem. Take your time and make it some nice interaction play by combing and touching the dog. Do not comb to hard in the beginning. When a dog loses its fur, it is best to comb it 1 to 2 a week until the hair loss is over.

We recommend these 2 brushes:

1. Excellent Brush: perfect for removing hair. The pins stimulate the blood circulation of the skin and the hair can be removed with one push on the button.
2. Brush/comb for dead hair: this brush is perfect for a quick removal of large quantities of hair.

Suggestion
Losing hair takes longer in older dogs. You can speed up this process by providing a vitamin boost of Dog Vital. Click here for more information.

Remove hair from your clothes or couch? This is super easy with the carpet hair remover.

Teeth
Taking care of the teeth is very important when your dog gets older. Therefore when having a pup, it is important to already start at an early age.  This can be done by brushing your dog’s teeth a few times a week with a special peanut butter or vanilla tooth paste. When doing this as from an early age, brushing teeth at an elderly age will be much easier. Click here for the entire AFP Sparkle range.

Next to brushing, there are also other ways to keep the teeth of your dog in optimal condition. One of the most efficient ways is providing a supplement like Dental Oral Care. We also provide a healthy chew snack with our Dental Ears, they contain active enzymes that thoroughly clean the teeth.

If you read the above information, you have enough tips and tricks to be fully prepared to the arrival of your puppy. However, we also recommend you to take a course with your pup. Your bond  will  become even stronger!