Guess what? ….. okay well I think you already know by the title of this article (but let’s pretend that you don’t for a second, to keep the element of surprise heh heh heh) I got a new puppy!!! Wohooo!!! Can you believe it? It’s a Hungarian Vizsla. Her name is Moira 🙂
It’s a long story so I’ll resume it in a few words: From trying to continuously convince my parents for years to the hard process of finally getting one, let’s just say that it definitely wasn’t easy. But hey! We’re finally here 🙂
I decided to write this article because I have accumulated information and tips and tricks over time and I think it would be helpful to share them with you, if you are planning to get a puppy, or you are simply just curious.
What you need for a puppy:
- dog bed
- Crate, the playpen is optional
- 2 Dog bowls ( preferably elevated because it’s better for digestion and for their back)
- Placemat (to keep the food from spilling on the floor)
- Dog food (rich in protein & grain free for keeping his energy up), water obvy.
- Treats for training (maybe along with treat jars) (but don’t give it too much cuz it’s not that healthy)(consider getting it cleaning teeth treats but only after it’s 6 months, because the treat is supposed to be chewed not swallowed cuz it can be harmful 🙂 )
- Collar, harness + leash
- Wet Wipes (for when it goes on a walk and its paws get dirty)
- Brush and comb
- Poop bags (biodegradable instead of plastic)
- Grooming products
- Really good Enzyme cleaner (EX: natures miracle) till it’s potty trained
- Toys
- Potty bells (so you know when he has to go to the “bathroom”)
- Toothbrush
Hacks and help with concerns for puppies: (divided by category)
Food:
- Freeze coconut oil in ice cube tray as a treat (helps fight infections, helps with digestion + benefits and vitamins)
- Bad breath? Add parsley and coconut butter/oil to its food.
- DO NOT give or let the pup eat bubble gum, socks, chemicals, sugar ex: candies & chocolate, paper clips, paper, metal, I REPEAT, DO NOT
Potty:
- Had a pipi accident? No worries, add baking soda on the area and leave it there for 20 minutes then remove.
- Need help making the pup understand outside potty training? Give it a treat in the puppy pen right after he’s done his business..meaning outside not waiting to go back inside. (Stay only 10 min outside so he doesn’t lose focus)
- If the puppy doesn’t potty during the 10-15 minutes that you spent outside, when you bring him back in, leave him in his crate for 10 mins before going outside and trying again.
Grooming:
- Don’t know how to remove hair from brush? Add napkin oven the brushes’ teeth and after you’re done, remove it.
Toys:
- Switch up the toys (don’t give it to many at a time so the pup doesn’t get bored easily).
- ONLY tight braided rope as a toy since the loose one can easily come apart and be ingested by the pup.
Safety:
- Don’t leave chewable important objects on the ground before it is used to chew on his toys and not its surroundings EX: in the garage (electric cords, chemicals and sharp objects are super important to be elevated as they can be deadly or harmful if chewed on).
- Keep your plants 🌱 elevated as they can either be toxic to the pup or can get chewed on.
- If you leave the pup outside, don’t let him get near the toxic plants aka: le jardin de légumes (ex: tomatoes)
- Fix the loose fencing so the puppy doesn’t escape from the garden.
Training:
- Don’t leave puppy under a 1 year old outside by its self, as it can get easily bored if left alone and can dig holes in the ground, fall in the pool, chew the deck, the grill…
- Don’t let the puppy roam freely in every room of the house before he is potty trained, as accidents can happen. (Usually the first weeks/first month let him stay in rooms with no carpet so mistakes can easy be cleaned up)
- When you go outside EX: to potty train, put the pup on a leash to get him used to it.
- Don’t use his name firmly, when teaching him a lesson, instead use “eh eh”. Because you want your puppy tune-in when he hears his name, not tune-off. Then show him the right way of doing the thing so he can learn.
- Don’t say command words to him before he learns their meaning because you might teach him the wrong word association not on purpose.
Crate:
- After going potty, at night, put the pup in the crate. If it starts crying or whining, don’t come see what’s wrong or comfort him because that’ll reinforce the bad behaviour. Instead play him some relaxing music.
- Do not leave water in the crate as accidents can happen and it’ll want to go potty. When the pup goes in the crate, give him a reward.
- Cover the crate with a blanket so it doesn’t lose focus and wants to go play instead of sleeping.
Haha that was quite something. But I think that’s pretty much all. I hope I didn’t forget something… but if I did, I’ll be sure to update this article.
Okay well, I hope this helped. Hope you like the pictures of Moira, the pup. If you get your own puppy, it would be awesome if you’d send me some pictures 🙂
