You excitedly go and pick up your new family member. You bring the puppy home, promising yourself that you would be responsible for its life. Would you be able to keep that promise?[break]
Choosing to raise a puppy isn’t something you should rush into because there are many aspects that you have to consider. Along with your puppy comes a new responsibility of providing puppy care.
“The first and foremost point an owner should remember, while adopting a puppy, is its age,” informs Dr Namja Joshi. A veterinarian at the Animal Hospital and Research Center at Teen Kune, Joshi furthers, “The best age for adoption is three months. Prior to this age, the puppy will still be feeding on its mother’s milk. No form of food can compensate for the constituents and nutrients inherent in the mother’s milk.
According to her, even if you decide to keep a younger puppy of about one or two month-old, one should feed the puppy with a balanced diet which includes protein, calcium, vitamins, and carbohydrates.
“Puppies are like human babies—they are very delicate and fragile. We shouldn’t treat them like toys and bother them,” says Suresh Shah, Managing Director of Mt Everest Kennel Club at Baneshwor.
“They need a comfortable, safe and peaceful environment,” Shah says, pointing out that owners shouldn’t feed their puppies chocolates and biscuits. “This should be strictly avoided as puppies have to be fed according to a strict routine of only four times a day, this could lead to weakness later on.”
“There are food brands like Pedigree and Smartheart, available in the market, and especially made for puppies,” puts in Joshi and adds, “However, it’s not essential to buy special puppy foods.” Puppies can be given natural homemade food such as rice, pulses, vegetables, milk, white meat, and fish. “It’s best to avoid red meat,” she states.
Joshi further advices a thorough medical checkup before bringing home your puppy. “Sometimes, puppies may acquire a genetic disease known as Fading Puppy Syndrome at the time of birth,” she says. Marked by respiratory and digestive problems, a puppy may die within five to 10 days of birth if it has contracted the disease.
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