There’s no better feeling than coming home to an excited and lovable fur baby, but this isn’t the only way that your life changes when you adopt a puppy. Many people adopt puppies, thinking it’ll be a piece of cake to care for them, and then they realize it’s much harder than they anticipated. Whether you already have your new friend or you’re contemplating adopting a dog, you could benefit from knowing these important tips for raising a happy and healthy pup.

Get Them Into a Daily Routine

A regular daily routine is incredibly important for everyone, especially for puppies adapting to a new location and lifestyle. When you keep their daily routine the same, they’ll adjust to their new habits. Be sure to plan out their mealtimes, when you take them for walks, playtime, and bedtime, as a consistent schedule makes puppies feel safe and secure. After practicing a steady regimen for a few weeks, your furry friend will understand house rules and when to expect food or exercise.

Scheduled mealtimes and proper nutrition are significant parts of your puppy’s daily routine; you should be sure to feed your new dog the best food specifically formulated for puppies. Dogs have a limited diet, but with a few things dog owners should know about honey, you can decide whether or not to supplement your pup’s diet with honey.

Keep Them Clean and Fresh

Dogs are naturally clean animals, and they love to stay that way. With that said, you must do your best to maintain their hygiene. You should bathe your pup every two weeks or as needed with a dog-specific shampoo, brush their fur to prevent matting, clean their ears, keep their nails trimmed, and brush their teeth with dog-safe toothpaste. If you’re unable to maintain their hygiene yourself, consider finding a local groomer to help keep your pup fresh and clean.

Start Socializing Them Immediately

You might go stir-crazy not being able to socialize with other people, which is the same for your puppy. While it may be a struggle to leave the house with them, you should be sure to introduce them to new people, places, other dogs, and experiences as soon as possible. When they’re young, dogs tend to be more receptive to other people and dogs; socialization helps build their confidence and keep them happy.

Pro Tip

If you start taking them with you everywhere they’re allowed, your puppy will start getting comfortable with riding in the car quickly.

Make Them Comfortable With Being Handled

Although puppies are usually small and easy to handle, they’ll grow into larger pups eventually. With that said, they should be comfortable with being handled for baths, brushing, ear cleanings, and vet visits. Dogs must be okay with you touching their ears, paws, mouth, and face in order to make grooming, vet visits, and training much easier for everyone involved.

With these important tips for raising a happy and healthy pup, you’re ready to take care of your new best friend. Adopting a dog is one of the best experiences of your life, but you must understand what it takes to care for them and shower them with love daily.