Handy Tips For Surviving A Puppy This Winter. After the year many of us have had in 2020 it is safe to say we all need a little love and happiness in our lives. A brilliant way to bring some life and love into lockdown life is to adopt a puppy and start looking after a new member of your family at home.
What better time to commit to a puppy than when we are all stuck at home for a few months anyway?
Today we want to help any new puppy owners consider life around the Christmas period and the things that you need to do to survive Christmas with a puppy running around the house!
Make sure he’s potty trained
Depending on where you got your puppy from and how old he is, he might not be potty trained yet and this can be a problem for your home at Christmas. It is very important for you to potty train your puppy and train him to go outside when he needs to. You can start by using a puppy pad and then even get a small tree trunk and put it on the pad to train your pup that trees are a good place to go. Potty training might be a little difficult and stressful but with positive reinforcement, you won’t have any accidents going on in your home during the Christmas period!
Teach recall
It is very important when you have a puppy to teach him tricks from a very young age. The earlier you can teach your dog something the more ingrained it will become in their lives and this will make a massive difference to your life. You can consider using Puppy Treats for Training and every time you tell your puppy to come to you and they do – be sure to reward them with a treat. Recall in particular is an important trick to teach around Christmas because you will be able to call your puppy back before they eat the presents under the tree or destroy your light display!
Keep chemicals away
Puppies are naturally very inquisitive and it is something that can get them into some sticky situations. If you ever leave any colorful cleaning fluid, bleach, or even antifreeze around the house they will likely try to lick it and eat it and this is incredibly dangerous. If your puppy ingests anything like this it could make them either very nauseous or it could even lead to death from poisoning. Keep your cleaning fluids in a secure cupboard away from your puppy and make sure everything is sealed.
If your puppy does ever ingest something such as antifreeze the best thing you can do is make them drink some vodka. This might sound completely wrong however in the body the alcohol will displace the toxins that bind to your body and as a result, you can flush out the bad stuff. Of course, only ever do this if you cannot get to a medical professional first!
Cover your sofa
When you have a little puppy running around the house it is given that the house will be messy and you will get fur and mud in some places. It is a good idea for you to cover your lovely sofa with a comfy throw because when it gets muddy or dirty you can simply throw it in the washing machine and your problem will be solved!
Be ready to vacuum a lot!
When you adopt a puppy and make your home theirs, you need to be prepared to vacuum the space a lot. It is very important for you to invest in a dog-friendly vacuum cleaner such as a shark vacuum that is powerful enough to get all of those tiny little hairs from your furniture.
Keep him away from the Christmas tree
One of the things that your puppy will try to do when you put up the Christmas tree pulls it down and play with the baubles. It is important to remember that your puppy is essentially a baby and he will be incredibly playful and will think everything is a toy. As much as it might be funny to watch your puppy play with the Christmas tree you need to be aware that there are pine needles, tinsel, and glass parts in baubles that your puppy could either choke on or stand on. Be careful and try to keep your puppy away from the tree as much as you can.
Supervise while cooking
When preparing for the Christmas celebrations one of the biggest tasks will be cooking. Preparing a full roast dinner is a big task and there are lots of working parts to it. When you have elements such as a Turkey, vegetables, mash potato, stuffing, and all the other accompaniments to consider there will be a lot of washing up and a lot of things left out during cooking. Puppies are naturally gutsy and it is likely that your puppy will try to steal a pig in a blanket or two while you are busy. Make sure that you supervise your puppy or someone else can supervise them and keep them away from all of the food!
Provide lots of mental stimulation
When you have a puppy in your home around Christmas time they will likely go crazy with excitement with all of the presents, decorations, and people around the house. Make sure to provide your puppy with lots of mental stimulation with interactive toys such as a treat maze cube and similar things. The more things you can keep your puppy busy with throughout the day, the easier they will be to manage and the less crazy they will be!
Get some exercise
It is very important that you give your puppy enough exercise every day to keep him healthy and stop him from wrecking the house when you get home. The amount of exercise you will need to give to your puppy will depend on their breed and this is something it is worth considering when you look for a dog. For example, a pug might only need 30 minutes of exercise a day whereas a husky will need 3-4 hours. Make sure you give them enough time outside in the world and when you get back home they will sleep soundly and not chew on your lights!
Avoid chocolate
Chocolate is commonplace around the house in winter and it is a good idea for you to keep it away from your puppy because they will try to eat it. Chocolate is something that is very toxic to dogs and you need to keep it away at all costs. Consider keeping chocolate treats in a tin and keep your bars in a cupboard away from the open kitchen counter.
Ensure you don’t overfeed
When you have a puppy it is all too easy to want to give them treats all the time, but it is important to know that puppies have sensitive stomachs. Around the Christmas period especially it is tempting to give your puppy leftovers and treats however the best thing you can do while your puppy is less than a year old is to stick to a feeding schedule and don’t feed them too much new stuff.
Having a puppy in your life is an amazing thing, especially around the Christmas period. It is a great idea to use these tips to keep your home and your puppy safe and sound during your festive period and have an amazing Christmas together!