What does your new pet need?
I have a Puppy
I have a Kitten
I have a Bunny
I have a new puppy
Congratulations on your new addition
For some of you it may have been a while since your last pup, whilst for others this may be the first time, either way the addition of a new puppy will no doubt be a very exciting time for the family.
There are a few things to keep in mind when bringing home a new pup and we will hopefully cover any questions you may have.
Firstly we must consider that this will be a big change for any puppy. They are leaving their siblings and parent(s) and moving to a strange place. Most pups will settle in very quickly, but for others time and patience will be needed to help them feel comfortable.
Check Lists for Your new Puppy
- Comfortable bed and blanket,
- Dog bowls for food and water
- Puppy food
- Perhaps a puppy Create
- Most Importantly Patience… Your Pup has a lot to learn
Reducing Stress For Your Pup
As mentioned it can be a very stressful period for you pup and the first few weeks of any transition is vitally important to their mental and social well being. We have definitely seen many more anxious puppies over the past few years and believe that more can be done to help them in those first few weeks of their transition and adjustment.
Read more about the challenges you pup may face after adoption
When a Pup is with their mother, they are constantly looking for reassurance that they are safe. One way that a mother does this is by secreting pheromones which help provide safe signals to a puppy’s brain. Once a pup is removed from their mother they no longer receive these pheromone signals, which can leaving them feeling alone and afraid.
One way to replicate the safe messages from their mother is to use pheromone collars such as ADAPTIL Junior, which contain special calming pheromones, similar to their mother.
GIVE YOUR PUP THE BEST START TO THEIR NEW LIFE
We would recommend an Adaptil Junior collar for all new puppies as we feel it would greatly help them adjust into their new family. Please give us a call or pop in and we will be more than happy to help get one fitted for your pup
Clinical Studies have shown that the use of an Adaptil Collar in the first few months helps to reduced behavioural and anxiety related issues, helps you pup adjust to their new homes and families better, and enables them to cope with stressful situations better .
A few tips to help them settle in :
Feeding
It is best to feed them the same food the breeder was feeding and then slowly transition to a good quality puppy food of your choice. Tummy upsets can be common especially with sudden changes to diets so please ask for more advice if required. There is a big difference in the quality of puppy foods and sometimes choosing the appropriate food for the breed and size of your pup can be confusing. We are here to help so please get in touch with one of our team.
Sleeping
Your Pup will not be used to sleeping alone, so take it slow. They will need to learn to sleep where you want them to and this can take some time. Crying and wanting attention is common, and can sometimes be trying. How to help you pup sleep at night.
Toileting
Your Pup will take some time to learn where to toilet, so be patient. Also be consistent with toilet training habits, and remember that accidents will happen so never scold or tell them off for toileting inside. make sure to watch for the signs they may need to toilet and take them out regularly, especially after sleeping, eating and playing. And, don’t forget to praise and reward them for toileting when an where you ask them to.
Remember that puppy pads can be confusing if you only want them to use it sometimes, so choose one way or the other to teach your pup. Outside is always easier as this is more natural for them.
Training
Often people want a new pup to follow instructions straight away, but take it slow. Don’t forget they will even need to learn their own name first. It is never to early to start simple manners training like come, and sit. Puppy school can also be a great way to start introducing your pup to basic training along with a fantastic social experience with other puppies.
Staying Home Alone
How to Help you Pup When you leave
Vaccinations
Why should I vaccinate my Pup?
Dogs should be vaccinated to help protect them from many highly contagious and infectious diseases. When puppies are born, mothers pass on some immunity to their puppies through colostrum in their milk, but this protection is only temporary and the best way to ensure a long and happy life for your dog is to help provide protection with vaccination against common diseases.
Parasite Control
Intestinal Worming
Puppies should receive an intestinal worm treatment from 2 weeks of age. It is recommended to continue every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age, then either monthly or 3 monthly depending on the parasite control chosen.
There are several types of worms that dogs can get, and some of them can be a risk for humans too. These include Round worm, hookworm, tape worm. To read more about the types of worms and what to look out for click here
Fleas
Flea control can begin from about 10-12 weeks of age. There is a wide range of products to choose from these days with the monthly chews being effective and popular. When you pet visits for their first vaccination and health check visit we can discuss the best option for them.
Read More about Fleas and how they can affect your dog and household
Ticks
Regular tick control is recommended, and most monthly flea controls also have tick cover.
To read a little ore about ticks and your pet please click here
Heartworm
Dogs can contract heartworm from a mosquito bite. Heartworm is a silent infection, with the worms living in your dogs blood stream and heart, ultimately leading to heart damage. Regular heartworm prevention is recommended and can be discussed and started at your pups first health check visit at 10-12 weeks of age.
To read more about the risks and ways to protect your pet click here
Mosquitoes and heartworm and why they are not your average worm
Puppy school can be an excellent way to start early socialisation with pups of similar age. Our puppy preschool aims to provide a fun learning experience for you and your pups. We cover many aspects of puppyhood from behaviour, basic manners training and important tips on understanding how dogs communicate. Being well informed will help you provide the best home learning environment for your pup, and also help them when they start to get out and about in the community.
To read more about our puppy pre-school and how to enroll please click here
Desexing
There are often many questions owners may have about desexing. The two most common being; What does desexing involve? And, when should I desex my Pet?
Socialisation
Socialisation is the process of preparing a puppy to be calm and comfortable in the presence of other dogs or other species (like cats, rabbits, humans etc). The process also includes the exposure to different environments, places and objects (car rides, groomers, parks, footpaths etc). The ‘socialisation period’ is a unique time for different species (puppies 3-14weeks), when the brain is particularly sensitive to learning new experiences. It is especially important that the puppies have the appropriate experiences that are positive, as bad experiences, especially at this time of development can affect the individuals confidence and learning in the future.
I have a new kitten
I have a new Kitten
1. Congratulations on your new addition
Having a new kitten is always a very exciting time for any family. You may have had cats and kittens in the past or this might be your very first furry friend. Either way, there is always a lot that new kittens need.
Moving to a new home is always a big step for a new kitten. It’s a time of change for them, going from living with mum and littermates to a strange new household, or moving from a large shelter situation with many cats and dogs to being largely on their own with you. Some cats will be ruling the roost within minutes, but more shy cats might need a few days to weeks to adjust.
Useful things to have for a new kitten include:
- A cat bed and soft blankets
- Bowls for food and water
- Kitten food
- A scratching post or cat tree
- Brushes for long haired cats and kittens
- Lots of toys for playing and chasing
Reducing Stress
The first few weeks for a new kitten in a household can be quite confusing and stressful for them. While cats tend to be fairly adaptable, they can feel the effects of sudden household changes very acutely and sometimes it can cause physical illness like urinary troubles.
Kittens might hide away from you in their first few days at their new home. If you already have a cat in your home who is finding it hard adjusting to their new family member, this can also be challenging to them.
Read more about stress with household changes in cats and how to help here.
General Tips
- Feeding:
It is usually best to feed a new kitten the same food they were having before they came to live with you for the first few days, then slowly transition to a good quality kitten food of your choosing. There are hundreds of brands of kitten food available and significant differences in quality between brands. Our team can help you decide what food best fits your kitten’s needs, so please get in touch with us for help.
Kittens often prefer to have their food and water in separate parts of the house, and its very common for cats to prefer running water over a bowl of still water. Cat fountains are easily available commercially and might help with a kitty who sneaks drinks from a dripping tap!
- Sleeping:
Kittens can sleep for up to 20 hours a day, which is completely normal! They will often have short “cat naps” during the day interspered with play and eating. Some cats will prefer to have their own space to sleep, and some will prefer to share a room or even a bed with their human family members.
- Toileting:
Most kittens will have been toilet trained by their mothers and should know the ins and outs of using a litter tray. You should have at least one litter tray per cat in the household, plus one extra litter tray. Cats and kittens will often have a preference of what kind of litter they will prefer to use – try a few different styles (such as clay, crystal, or recycled paper) until you find what works best for your kitten. Litter trays should be scooped clean daily and the litter changed at least weekly.
- Housing:
It’s important to check with your local council about the rules in your area regarding cats and roaming. Many councils have “cat curfews” in place which restrict the hours cats are able to be out and about, and some councils require that cats be restricted to their home property.
Cats that are allowed to roam freely are exposed to quite a few dangers like car accidents, feral cats, foxes and dogs. They are also able to destroy large numbers of native wildlife. We recommend that all cats be indoors for these reasons.
Read more about how to help keep your cats contained and happy indoors here:
2. Vaccinations
Why should I vaccinate my kitten?
There are several serious and infectious diseases that cats can contract, and vaccination helps protect cats against them. Kittens get some temporary protection against disease passed down to them through their mother’s breast milk, but this starts to wane as kittens get older. Vaccination helps kittens develop their own longer-lasting protection against serious illness.
Read more about Kitten Vaccination requirements
Watch a quick video about Feline Vaccination
3. Intestinal Worming
Kittens should receive intestinal worming treatment starting at 2 weeks of age and continuing every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age. Worming should then be administered every 4 weeks until 6 months of age.
After 6 months of age your veterinarian will discuss your cat’s risk factors for intestinal worms and help decide how often your cat will need to be treated. There are several intestinal worms that cats can pass to humans, so by protecting your kitten you’re protecting your human family members as well!
4. Flea and Tick Control
Kittens should start flea prevention from 10-12 weeks of age. Most flea prevention for cats comes in the form of a topical, or “spot-on” treatment that is applied between the shoulder blades. There are several different products available with different spectrums of activity against fleas, ticks, and other parasites such as mites and lungworm. Most are applied every 1-3 months.
5. Desexing
Desexing, or sterilisation surgery, is a common consideration for young cats and kittens. If your kitten has come from a shelter or a breeder, they might already have been desexed before they joined your family. It’s very common for new cat owners to ask at the vet when is the right time to desex their kitten.
SOCIAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS FOR DESEXING CATS.
- Stops reproduction and unwanted kittens.
- In females stops calling behaviour
- In males can stop urine marking and spraying, roaming and fighting.
At this stage we still believe that pre-pubital desexing of all cats at 5-6 months of age is still the best option.
6. Nutrition
New kittens have complex nutritional needs. Kittens grow fast, and need more protein, energy and minerals than adult cats.
Learn more about life stage nutrition for cats here: (https://www.hillspet.com.au/cat-care/nutrition-feeding/cat-food-for-every-lifestage)
I have a new bunny
I have a new Bunny
1. Congratulations on your new addition
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