Your dog's first taste of home

So you just brought your new dog home. Whether it's a puppy or a full-grown adult dog, you should implement some rules from the start.

It's important to know your dog's needs and to establish a code of proper conduct right away.

Choosing a good spot

As soon as your dog arrives, give it some time to get to know its new surroundings. In general, a day or two will be enough. Puppies need to have their own little spot, preferably with a basket or a blanket.

If your dog chooses its own special corner, it has to be one you approve of. The reason is simple: if your dog decides that it wants to set up shop on a bed or couch, you'll have a hard time changing this preference once your dog grows up… if you can at all!

It's best if you're the one to choose where your dog is going to eat its meals. You'll need to set up two bowls: one for food and another for water. Your best bet is either glass or stainless steel, as it's easy to clean. Always make sure your dog's bowls are clean and that the water is fresh and preferably cool.

Food

When and how you feed your dog is important. The food should be suited to your dog's size, age and activity level.

The appropriate number of meals per day ranges from three feedings per day for puppies up to six months of age to twice a day from six months to the end of your dog's growth phase. Once your dog has reached maturity, once a day will suffice; however, twice is still preferable.

One fundamental training rule is to forbid begging at the table when you're having your meals.

Just as happens in a pack of wild dogs, your dog should always eat alone, and only once its masters—you and your family—have eaten.

When raised in an overly noisy or bustling environment, such as one with boisterous kids, your puppy may grow up to be fearful and nervous.

Health exam:

Vaccinations are essential for preventing potentially fatal infectious diseases. Some are compulsory if you plan to travel with your dog, or use a kennel or training school. To be effective, vaccines must be administered according to a specific schedule.

Your veterinarian will let you know which vaccination protocol is most appropriate for your puppy depending on the risks it's likely to encounter in its environment or as a result of its living conditions. During your visit, tell your vet about your puppy's favourite places (hunting grounds, vacation spots, etc.), which may have an influence on the vaccination program your vet prescribes.

Starter kit

As soon as a puppy arrives in a new home, it's important that it be able to find its things right away.

All the following accessories are available at pet supply stores:

• Dog basket or bed: A comfortable place where the puppy will feel safe. Avoid wicker baskets for puppies, as they tend to like chewing on them, which can in turn lead to digestive problems sure to require veterinary care.
• Toys: Purchase toys suited to your puppy's size. Avoid using children's toys, as your puppy will become unable to differentiate between its toys and your children's.
• Water and food bowls: Find those best suited to your dog's adult size.
• Comb, brush, claw clipper: Choose models suited to your pet's size and fur type.
• Leash and collar: Choose models suited to the size of your dog. You'll need to change collars as your dog grows.
• Safety harness for the car: When in your car, your dog needs to be held securely in place to avoid injury in case of accidents or abrupt stops.

Grooming your dog's coat

Regardless of your puppy's coat type, its hair will grow, die and grow back. Dogs shed throughout the year, with peaks in spring and fall. If your dog lives exclusively indoors, expect profuse and regular shedding. Daily brushing will rid your dog's coat of loose hair, which means that you'll find less of it on your couches and floors. Get into the habit of brushing your puppy from the start. If your puppy is groomed, brushed and bathed regularly from the get-go, you'll end up with an adult dog who sits still and behaves during these activities, which will make it much easier to take care of your full-grown pet. If you start brushing and bathing it from the moment it gets home for the first time, it will even come to appreciate this special time with you.

Baths:

Regardless of its breed, you can wash just about any dog as long as you dry it well afterwards. The frequency will depend on the texture of your dog's fur and on its activities.

Shampoo:

Don't use shampoo made for people—use special dog shampoo instead. The acidity level of products designed for human use, including baby shampoos, is too high for dogs' skin.

Instructions:

After filling the bottom of the bath tub, or a wash tub placed in the shower stall, with 36°-37°C water, gently place your puppy in the water while speaking soothingly and petting it. Using a bowl, wet the puppy's back, making sure to avoid wetting its head.

Wash its fur, paying special attention to the dirty parts, and use a bowl or hand-held shower head to rinse well. Once done, wrap your puppy in a clean and warm towel to dry its fur from head to tail. Finish by drying the fur with a blow dryer set to warm, keeping the nozzle a good distance away from the skin. Be especially careful, because blow dryers can cause injuries and burns. To make sure your dog doesn't develop a moisture-related skin infection, it's vital that you thoroughly dry its fur.

Advice from the expert

For medium- and long-haired breeds, use of a hair conditioner is recommended.

To avoid dry skin that results when the skin is stripped of its natural oils, avoid washing your furry friend more than once a month.

Turn this potential chore into a pleasant experience for you and your dog by stroking it and giving it lots of its favourite treats.

Remember that you should always use specially formulated dog shampoo, whose pH is very different from that of human shampoo. To make your dog more comfortable, you can warm up the shampoo by placing the bottle at the bottom of the tub, where it will absorb heat from the water.

Never leave your pet unattended on the table, even if leashed.

Cleaning eyes:

Some dog breeds are prone to runny eyes. This is more common in flat-nosed varieties, whose tear ducts tend to get blocked, causing reddish secretions that stain the fur around the eyes. In some breeds, this problem can be caused by overly long hair around the eyes. If that's the case for your dog, ask your groomer or veterinarian to trim it.

To avoid rings around the eyes, wash them daily using a clean, damp cloth. To simplify your task, or if the rings are very obvious, you can use special cleaning lotions or handy moistened cloths.

In case of unusual secretions or redness, see your veterinarian.

Ears

Dog ears are grouped into three types: floppy, semi-floppy (bent) or pointed. Floppy ears or any ears presenting recurring problems should be cleaned regularly, sometimes as often as once a week. This can prevent otitis and other problems linked to the accumulation of ear wax. The other types of ears should be cleaned once or twice a month.

Cleaning your dog's ears at home is easy, especially if you start doing it when your dog is a puppy. Just buy a bottle of specially formulated ear cleanser, which both cleans and dries the ears. Before you start, make sure to hold your dog still so that it won't run away as soon as you squirt the solution into its ear. Using a quiet spot will make the experience more pleasant for both you and your dog. You might want to ask someone to help you restrain your dog to make it easier for you to do your job. The idea is to squirt a fair amount of the solution into the ear and gently massage it at its base to loosen wax and dirt. Then, simply let your dog shake its head to remove the liquid from its ears. To finish, wipe the outer ear using a soft cloth or handkerchief. To avoid injuring your dog, don't use cotton swabs. Remember to keep your dog's favourite treats at hand and reward it for good behaviour at every opportunity.

If the ears are presenting significant secretions or an unpleasant smell, you will need to consult your veterinarian for a precise diagnosis.

Teeth:

It's important to take care of your dog's teeth, especially if it's a young puppy. Don't wait until your dog has bad breath or tartar build-up before acting.

Tartar can cause painful swelling of the gums, and can even lead to loss of appetite.

Regular brushing with toothpaste for dogs is recommended. Eating crunchy, high-quality dry food promotes the mechanical elimination of tartar by the resulting scraping motion. You can also purchase so-called "dental care" food, which contains active ingredients to eliminate the plaque that causes tartar build-up.

Your veterinarian can advise you on the matter and even do an ultrasound scaling if necessary.

Canine dental timeline

Whereas adult dogs have 42 teeth, puppies have only 32.

Canine dental timeline:

Eruption of the puppy's incisive teeth begins at 1 month
Complete emergence of all the puppy's incisive teeth occurs by the end of 3 months
Eruption of the adult teeth begins at 4 months
Eruption of the canine teeth (fangs) begins at 5 to 6 months

At seven months, young dogs have their final dentition, and we say that they have their "full mouth".

Don't be surprised if you don't find any teeth around the house: dogs tend to swallow them.

It's not uncommon to see puppy teeth sticking around in the dog's mouth, even after the adult teeth have come in. In the end, they will usually fall out. However, if they don't, the dog is said to have a retained tooth, which will need to be removed under anesthetic by a veterinarian.

How to clip claws

Get your puppy used to having its claws clipped while it's still young (2 to 3 months old). Take your time and start by simply handling its paws and claws without clipping them. Once it's used to having its paws handled, go ahead and clip them. Don't jostle your puppy, otherwise it definitely won't appreciate the experience. Reward your pet by speaking to it soothingly when it's calm and reacting well to what you're doing. You can also give it its favourite treats at the end of the session.

Choose a quiet and comfortable spot, and sit down with your puppy on your lap lengthwise and its body lying between your thighs. After clipping each claw, try to get your puppy to relax by gently rubbing its tummy.

For dogs whose claws are white, it's easy to see the quick, the pink part of the claw, and therefore to clip the claw a few millimetres from the quick. It's better to go slowly and take a bit off at a time, rather than risk cutting to the quick and causing bleeding.

For black claws, it's a bit trickier, because the vein isn't visible. Cut a bit at a time. As you get closer to the vein, you'll see an area in the centre that's lighter. With practice, you'll be able to cut the claw to the desired length.

How often you trim your pet's claws will depend on how active it is, but a good guideline is about every four to six weeks. This frequency will ensure that your pet's claws are always good and short, which will help reduce potential discomfort or injury.

If you would rather not do it yourself, or if you would like to learn how to do it, most of our stores offer a claw-clipping service provided by professionals. *

Advice from the expert

Start your dog's grooming routine while it's still young (2 to 3 months old) to get it used to being groomed. Choose a quiet moment of the day, when no one else is around. It's also beneficial if you're also relaxed.

Start by gently handling its paws and claws for a while without clipping them.

Begin with the front paws and proceed slowly. Don't jostle your pet, otherwise clipping will become a miserable experience that it will try to avoid in future.

Use a nail file to smooth out rough edges.

Reassure your pet by talking to it soothingly, particularly when it reacts well to being handled.

Give it a treat when you're finished and remember to give it lots of praise!

*Free service. Available at participating Mondou stores on a rotating schedule. To find out when the next Claw-clipping event is taking place at your local Mondou store, refer to the events calendar, or ask one of our in-store specialists.

Be careful:

If your property isn't fenced in, you'll need to keep your dog on a leash to prevent it from running away.

Size:

To find the right-sized collar for your dog, measure its neck at its widest and add 5 cm (2 inches). To check if the collar is the right size, make sure you can slide two fingers between the collar and your dog's neck. That way, the collar won't be too tight, but it will be difficult for your dog to get it off. Note that you're always welcome to bring your dog by for a proper fitting. Just ask one of our specialists.

Dog tags:

In the event that your dog runs away, it's important that it have an I.D. tag bearing its name and your phone number attached to its collar.

Start now:

Collar your puppy the moment you get it. Start walking it on a leash as early as possible so that it can get used to the collar.

Adjusting the collar:

Puppies grow quickly, so it's important to adjust their collars as they grow. Check the collar regularly to make sure that it fits your faithful companion properly. For your puppy's safety and well-being, buy it a collar that can grow as your puppy grows. Doing so will save you a lot of money, as you won't have to change collars all the time. Once it reaches its adult size, you can buy it a stronger collar. They come in just about every style, size and colour imaginable.

*Be careful with choke chains, which should be used only for training and not as a regular collar. This kind of collar, with its sliding fastener, can accidentally strangle your dog.

Choosing a comfortable collar:

We suggest using a leather collar or nylon if your dog is a long-haired breed. Chain collars can pinch the skin, cut the fur, make knots in the fur or cause bare spots on the dog's neck.

Try a removable corkscrew tether:

Do you have an unfenced property? Try a removable corkscrew tether for your dog. It allows freedom of movement while keeping your dog safe. They're also good for travelling!

Effective training

Collars and leashes are good training tools. But to maximize the success of your training efforts, pick up a book on training or sign your dog up at your local obedience school.

Toys:

To spare your shoes:

Your dog's natural instinct to chew up your shoes and furniture will be cleverly diverted if you provide your dog with chew toys. Not only will you protect your prized possessions, but you might also save your furry friend's life, because chewing unsuitable objects can be unsafe. Chewing specially designed chew toys is good for dogs. Avoid using children's toys, as your dog will become unable to differentiate between its toys and your children's.

Cleaning teeth and gums:

Most good toys massage the gums and help remove tartar build-up.

Combine the practical and the pleasurable:

Your dog will enjoy chewing its toy.

Reward:

The toy is an excellent reward for good behaviour.

Choosing the right toy:

Size:

The toy should be a little larger than your dog's mouth.

Supervision:

It is recommended to supervise your dog while it's chewing a toy. The same goes for bones and beef nerves.

Outdoor activities:

Flavoured natural bones are a tasty way to give your dog a real treat. They're also safe and long-lasting. However, they can stain carpets, so it's best to save them for outside.

Synthetic toys:

Nylon and thermoset plastic toys last a long time and require no supervision. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and flavours.

To spare your shoes:

Your dog's natural instinct to chew up your shoes and furniture will be cleverly diverted if you provide your dog with chew toys. Not only will you protect your prized possessions, but you might also save your furry friend's life, because chewing unsuitable objects can be unsafe. Chewing specially designed chew toys is good for dogs. Avoid using children's toys, as your dog will become unable to differentiate between its toys and your children's.

Cleaning teeth and gums:

Most good toys massage the gums and help remove tartar build-up.

Combine the practical and the pleasurable:

Your dog will enjoy chewing its toy.

Reward:

The toy is an excellent reward for good behaviour.

Choosing the right toy:

Size:

The toy should be a little larger than your dog's mouth.

Supervision:

It is recommended to supervise your dog while it's chewing a toy. The same goes for bones and beef nerves.

Outdoor activities:

Flavoured natural bones are a tasty way to give your dog a real treat. They're also safe and long-lasting. However, they can stain carpets, so it's best to save them for outside.

Synthetic toys:

Nylon and thermoset plastic toys last a long time and require no supervision. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and flavours.