Getting a puppy can be such an exciting experience, but it is not to be taken lightly. A cute bundle of fur is a lot of work, and you only get one chance to get it all right. Because of this, Purina Puppy Chowยฎ has developed a new website, Puppyhood.com to help people prepare, and care for their new furry family member!
By joining Puppyhood.com, you will have many helpful tools, puppy advice, learning experiences, member benefits, and coupons to help you and your new pup get off to a good start on your walk through life together.
My mom has had four dogs now, but my big sister Katie was her first puppy. Almost thirteen years ago in Germany,ย Akira von Eisgebirge, aka, Katie joined the family. It was a spur of the moment decision, with absolutely no planning. One minute Mom had one nine year old dog, and a few hours later she also had a nine week old Kuvasz, no idea about the breed, no puppy supplies, no idea about training, just fifteen pounds of white fur and a starter puppy kit from the breeder. Puppyhood.com would really have been helpful!
One of my favorite features on Puppyhood.com is the breed information where you can learn about purebred vs. mixed breed adoption. Before getting a puppy, research the breed to make sure it is the right fit for the family. The tiny bundle of Kuvasz fur looked so cute, but Mom would soon find out how stubborn the breed is, and how it is best for an experienced dog owner. She wouldn’t trade Katie for the world, but at the time, she may not have been the best choice for a first time puppy parent.
When I joined the family, Mom was better prepared by reading up on my breed and getting supplies in order ahead of time. Despite being prepared, questions always come up and Puppyhood.com can help new pet parents offering a puppy milestone tracker, expert advice, as well as puppy destinations and resources in our community.
Adding a new pup to a family who already has at least one dog can also be a challenge. Puppyhood.com offers some good tips on introducing your new pup to the family so everyone can live in harmony. I had to lay down the rules for Bailie when she moved in with us.
One of the keys to puppy health is providing complete and balanced nutrition from the start. Purina Puppy Chow offers a unique healthy-start blend made with high-quality protein, plus DHA and essential nutrients also found in mothers’ milk.
Purina put out this adorable video of life with a new puppy. We love how it portrays the need for patience and flexibility in your life with a new furry one. Puppies really do turn life up side down for a time!
Puppyhood.com takes you on a virtual dog walk where you will encounter tips on puppy training, grooming, health care, and so much more to make your puppyhood experience the best it can be! It is a website for current and future puppy owners. Before getting a puppy, make sure you have planned ahead, download the puppy checklist, get informed, and you will be able to give your new bundle of fur the best start possible!
it’s great to have one place where you find answers, tips and even help… I remember the endless google-sessions to find some dog-training ideas for Weimaraners… the craziest idea was to let the puppy play with the skin of a wild boar or with the skin of a rabbit… I liked that, but my mom said No thanks… no wild boar in my crib :o)
When Katie was a pup it was a long time ago and searching the internet wasn’t as helpful as it is now. Mom was also in Germany so things were different there too.
Mom was telling us she has only ever got us doggies as puppies – usually is the 6-8 week age range as she has found over the years this is the best age for bonding, socialization and beginning training. Denny is actually her 16th puppy (we have always been a multi dog family). One thing she knows for sure though – every puppy is different and even within breeds the personalities can be extreme so she doesn’t put a lot of stock in places that say certain breeds have certain characteristics. They do in terms of looks but personality wise that is really a combination of parent traits and those vital first few weeks. We hope this web site will include factors such as looking at the parents personalities, socialization right from the day of birth and developing your puppies personality in its ‘getting a puppy profile’
Mom loves to get a little pup so she can shape it as she likes. No two dogs will be the same, but some generalizations hold true most of the time such as a lab isn’t a couch potato type dog normally, border collies need to have jobs, a kuvasz is very independent, stuff like that is good to know and normally is correct.
Thanks for the Puppyhood.com site. Everybody was so darn cute as a wee little puppette. I knoe I will have a Boston puppy in my lifetime and will need some guidance. The “King Charles” video is so adorable. XOXO Sparkle the PBGV
I was the perfect puppy, but most puppies like my sisters have presented many problems. This is a great site for some resources.
Awww, y’all were such adorable puppies! โฅ Mom tends to forget how much havoc a puppy can cause. She seriously wants another Basset puppy someday. Good grief! She even played on the Puppyhood site and it made her want one even more!
There is a litter of GBGV pups being born most likely today with Bailie’s breeder. Mom has to resist thinking about them. We have a 3 dog law in our town, so it wouldn’t work anyway, but it is so tempting. They turn life upside down, but they are so fun too!
More people should research puppies before buying one. Volunteering for the French Bulldog rescue we see people giving them pups up after 5 years like me
Edward (& Lily)
Any puppy is awesome, but also a ton of work. Getting a dog that doesn’t fit your lifestyle is a terrible thing too. One should always find out what kind of dog suits them best.
Awww wow, I am loving these photos!!!
Great info too. Adopting a puppy is a big job, and life changing. More people need to realize that before jumping into anything.
แฆ husky hugz แฆ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
We were reminded of the puppy chaos just under two years ago when Bailie stopped by for my birthday and never left. We were ready, but it is still a huge adjustment for pets and humans and it should be a lifetime commitment, not something you return if it doesn’t work out.
You’ve had quite the bounty of cute pups in your life! Definitely good to have a resource specifically for the challenges of raising a puppy.
Mom loves puppies, she would probably get another one if she could quit her job, but for now we are a happy threesome and life has settled nicely since Bailie first arrived and created all the chaos.
Oh, dear Emma. Nobody is ever ready for a puppy. Think about all the neediness and incontinence as an infant but it can travel wherever it wants, without diapers. Think about sleep deprivation, constant neediness, endless trips to the pet store, nothing is as easy as it sounds, not much help is available, and it bites… Cute, cute, cute, but cute doesn’t mean much at 3am because you can’t see it!
I am so sorry to be so negative, but I was taken by surprise when little Bruin arrived and I think there should be more realistic information available. It takes an awful lot out of you for at least a couple of months. At my age I would have liked to be better prepared.
I love my puppy so, so much and, in spite of himself, he’s a really good dog, so it was all totally worth all the time and attention I devoted to him. I’ll think twice, though, before I have another puppy!
It is real tough those first few months. You have to deal with sleep deprivation, you have to have your eye on the pup every single minute, and you can’t leave them home alone for long, but once those initial months pass, it gets easier. Not everyone is cut out for the work and challenges of a puppy which is why adopting an adult dog is another good option. My mom loves the puppy stages despite all the work, and she can shape the puppy a bit more too. Bruin will grow up in no time and slowly all the bad things will be fading away. Get advice when you can, attend puppy classes, perhaps a daycare, it all helps. Bailie still goes for a half day a week just to be with other dogs and to have fun.
You are so right as usual, Emma. My Mommie is definitely a factory second. First of all, she was a “used” Mommie, because she had so many litters of human puppies. Next she got damaged by MS (which is something she says bad words about a lot). She’s had to be refurbished a lot, too. Her batteries run out a lot, but that’s okay with me because when she sleeps I can do cool stuff, like dig in her purse, chew her shoes, and pee wherever I want!!
It takes a special kind of dog to have a factory second Mommie, you know. My Mommie doesn’t have to worry about shaping me because I’m perfect just the way I am! She even tells me that every single day.
Sorry to hear about the MS. We had several family members who have had it and it is not nice. Patience is the key to keeping puppies inline and a crate or baby gate to a room when you little ones can’t be watched.
Cute, cute, cute, but I’m not sure I’m ready for a puppy here!
Kittens are much easier!
Now all we need is Kittenhood!
Roaaaaaaar!
This is true, but kittens are much easier than puppies, so I don’t blame them for doing puppies first!
Yep, puppy hood is a real thing!! Mom has a friend who, when she met me when I was a puppy, said “I would never again go through puppyhood.” (she had a big old lab). Mom was kind of shocked at her comment. Then a year later along came Lilly and now mom says she will never go through puppyhood again! (ha! we’ll see…) Cute post,we really love the photo with the rules!! Hilarious!! your doodle friend Dash
Mom will never tire of puppies I think. She would take another today if opportunity knocked. It is tough and exhausting, but she loves it.
Puppies albeit are wonderful and all, they are a handful and puppy parents need all the assistance they can get!
You are so right…being right in the middle of puppyhood with Jax. We are slowly coming out if it with Bailie.
This seems like a great resource for new puppy parents. Luke was a pretty easy puppy, but we were much more prepared this time than we were before.
Mom says she gets better with each puppy. Bailie has been extremely difficult with her destructive side, but she is so sweet, we overlook it.
Sounds like a cool site and certainly one that should be helpful to new puppy owners. I love that vid of the guy with the puppy.
The video is great!
These photos are killing me!! Love little baby Katie! I want to read more about her breed. She is such a beautiful girl…you all are!
Katie was often called a polar bear cub as a puppy. Super cute and turned into a beautiful lady dog, but the stubborn personality and desire to work on their own makes them tough to train. The constant shedding of white fur is also a lot of work, but we love her and Mom loves a challenge.
My momma menshuns puppies ocayshunally – I think I are enuf, speshully since I already gots to share her wif Finley and three kitties!
Puppies are fun, but they take a lot of time and energy. I think your family is perfect as is for now ๐
Great photos! I’ll be enjoying puppyhood soon enough.
You will be right in the middle of it for a couple months! Enjoy!
Puppies are definitely a lot of work…lol. Glad we are over that for a bit. ๐
What, your boy isn’t going to take part in raising his pups? Just had his fun and hit the road. Oh dear ๐
LOL stud dogs are love and leave em types. ๐
My dogs have always been young pups at the beginning of our pairing (as well as females) until my Valentino came along. This coonhound shelter dog arrived already three years old and a male! What a different experience!
Mom’s first dog was about a year and a half when she got her, but since then, Mom prefers puppies.
Wow, you and your sisters were all such cute puppies! I do think a lot of people end up with puppies with very little planning. Usually this works out just fine and people learn as they go. Other times, it’s a disaster for everyone involved. Sites like this are a nice resource to direct people to who need a little help raising a puppy. Plus, I think we could all use some reminders and new ideas, no matter how experienced we are!
Every puppy presents new challenges, and there are always new questions.