Getting a new puppy? What should I do to prepare for their arrival?

Congrats on your new addition! Ideally, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian within 3 days of arriving home to confirm good health or to diagnose and treat any preexisting conditions. At the very least, she will likely need to be dewormed. Vaccines can start around 6 weeks of age and will continue every 4 weeks until about 16 weeks of age. Discuss monthly parasite prevention with your vet to protect against worms, fleas, ticks and heartworm. Feed a good quality puppy food. Look for brands such as Canidae, Acana or Merrick. You can feed according tot the directions on the bag, just know that each puppy is different and you may need to adjust the amount if Coqueta is gaining too much weight or not enough weight. Avoid store or discount brands as these may contain low quality ingredients and more fillers. Puppies typically need to go about about 20-30 minutes after eating, sleeping or playing. Expect accidents, they are going to happen. Since dogs thrive on routine, start a consistent schedule for potty breaks; first thing in the morning, midday, evening and before bedtime to begin with. Choose one spot in the yard and use it for bathroom training. She can have a short walk or playtime after she does her business. Praise and reward her each time. Avoid areas with other dogs and dogs of unknown vaccine status until she has at least 2 rounds of vaccines. Visit the PetCoach Educational Center for additional information. https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-first-week-with-a-new-puppy-what-to-expect https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-101-everything-you-need-to-consider/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/everything-you-should-know-about-pet-vaccines/ https://www.petcoach.co/educational-center/

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and congratulations on your new puppy! I recommend having Abby seen by a vet - they can administer Abby's vaccines, deworm her if necessary, recommend a good quality puppy food, and flea/tick/heartworm prevention. At her young age, I recommend keeping Abby somewhat confined to an area of the house where she cannot get into trouble/eat things she shouldn't. She should also not go outside before she is fully vaccinated. I hope this helps and wish you luck with your new puppy!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Congratulations!! Bruno is adorable! Bruno needs to start his puppy vaccines. He should receive a DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parvo and parainfluenza) vaccine every 3-4 weeks starting around 7-8 weeks of age until he receives two past 12 weeks. He should get his rabies vaccine between 12-16 weeks. He can start being dewormed as well. Having him dewormed and Rabies vaccination will protect your family. Keep up with his vaccinations into adulthood as they do have expiration dates. Deworm yearly. I recommend puppy food until 1 year of age. I like Purina proplan, hills science diet and Royal Canin. As a puppy his energy level is like a new born. Play for a bit then sleep. Around 4 months they are awake more. So playing with him when awake and 2-3 walks a day are appropriate. Distance can increase with age and endurance. See below for links on training. I wish you and Bruno the best! https://www.petcoach.co/article/basic-dog-puppy-training-rules/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/rewards-are-necessary-when-training-dogs-and-puppies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/training-fitness-for-sporting-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/interacting-with-your-pet/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-obedience-commands-every-dog-should-know/

Hello. I would start with having a good health exam done by your veterinarian. He/she will recommend any diagnostic tests such as a fecal, starting appropriate vaccinations, recommend when to neuter ( if you desire ), & heartworm preventative. Congratulations on your new puppy. Hope for many happy & healthy years. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are many great diets out there that you may find at your local pet store. I personally prefer the Purina Pro Plan shredded blends for puppies as they are generally inexpensive, are of great quality and dogs seems to love it. For the amount to feed her, I advice you follow the guidelines that you will find in the back of the bag. Keep in mind that you should get the puppy blend. Also, keep in mind that as she grows, you will notice in the back of the bag that it will advice you feed her more. When she becomes a year old, she should be switched to an adult diet. Good luck and have a good night!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. With Moonlight, I recommend you take him to the vet for a check-up. Your vet will likely recommend vaccines and deworming, along with flea and tick prevention. You can also ask your vet what the best food to feed Moonlight is, as this will vary from location to location. You should also get Moonlight neutered at 4 months of age. Best of luck with Moonlight!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center! I personally like the Purina Pro Plan diets as well as the Hill's Science Diet foods as I think they are both palatable and highly nutritious. In terms of treats, I think the milk bones products are both nutritious, palatable and reasonably priced. Good luck and best wishes!