By Ketan Panchal*
Pet plays an important role in our lives. Pets are considered as the most loyal member of the family. Like children puppies require special care. With the change in seasons your Puppy’s routine and diet need to be changed. Every puppy has got different specifications depending on their breeds. Puppies require extra care during the rainy season.
For most puppy owners, the monsoons bring along a bit of tension, especially they have a new puppy. Walking routines get disturbed during the rains. When the routine is altered or hampered, your Puppy’s energy is not expended, causing them to get stressed out. Prolonged stress unfortunately will have a similar effect on your puppy, just like it has on you. Well, fear not, if you take the required safety, preventive and protective measures there is no reason why you and your puppy can’t enjoy the monsoons to the fullest.
Monsoon brings many heath issues to puppies. Follow these simple rainy seasons puppy care tips and save your puppy from many diseases:
Keep them dry
The monsoon season is heaven for germs. It is essential to keep your puppy’s fur dry all the time. What happens is, trapped moisture that cannot escape from the fur, causes the body to become a breeding ground for fungus and bacteria. Ensure that you have a couple of towels allotted for your pet alone. Make sure they are super absorbent.
Wipe him dry the moment you come back from your walk. He may lick his body in an attempt to groom himself but if you see him constantly licking certain body parts or scratching and if you can get a foul smell from his body then he probably has a fungal / bacterial infection or an allergy.
Go to your vet immediately. There are anti fungal baths and powders by the dozens that can be used easily and work fabulously.
Monsoon Diet Plan
With the change in season your Puppy’s diet plan need to be changed. Monsoon affects your pets exercise thus provide him with fiber rich food. Do not allow over eating. Also please store dry pet food in a cool, dry place, preferably in an airtight container, out of the light.
Grooming
Many puppy owners make the mistake of waiting until their pups are six months of age or older before taking them for grooming. As a general rule, puppies should be no more than 16 weeks old, as younger pups are easier to train. They also need to have had all of their shots before being groomed for the first time. Groom your puppy’s ears as moisture gets collect in inner sides of the pets which leads to ear infections.
Protect from flea and tick attack
Keep your puppy surrounding neat and clean and do not allow fleas and tick to suck your puppy pet blood.
Water
Very young pups fulfill their hydration needs from their mother’s milk or mother milk replacements such as lactol powder. As they are being weaned and starting to eat solid food, they will need a fresh supply of water. During the monsoon season along with healthy diet give your puppy filtered water, it saves puppy from various stomach infections.
Thundering
Thunder and lightning scare the living daylights out of many puppies. During this time, your puppy will search for a place that it finds most comfortable. It could be the corner of the bathroom as well or inside the crate. This is one of the reason why crate training is important for puppies.
Do not drag your puppy out. Let him be because that is where he feels secure. He will come out when the noise subsides. With the progress in medicines, you can surely find medicines that help your dog relax. Ask your vet for something suitable.
Indoor exercise
During monsoon seasons you cannot take your puppy for daily exercise. Puppy cannot explore the things around. It is best to do some indoor exercises like, playing with a ball, Give your puppy chew toys, to compensate his walk run up and down the staircase and let him follow you. My favourite is laser light chasing game. It works the best for hound, sporting and working breeds.
De-worming and vaccination
These will provide immunity and help your puppy to fight against many diseases. Make sure to give De-worming medicine in the morning with empty stomach. Please give De-worming medicine every month for first 6 months of puppy’s age then every 3 months.
Paw care
Puppies paw pads sweat and as Puppies walk on soaked roads and sidewalks damps their paws leads to moisture. Thus clean your dog paws and toes every time to protect him from germs. Rubber shoes and rain coats are available at pet retail shop. Just Dogs India’s number 1 retail pet stores has variety or shoes and rain coats.
How to potty train your puppy in the rain?
Start by introducing the potty cue under normal weather circumstances. When you see your dog just about to potty, such as when he is spinning, sniffing or starting to squat or lift a leg, immediately say your potty cue — for example, “go pee or go potty” As soon as your dog goes to the bathroom, give him a reward.
How to keep your puppy busy during the monsoon season?
Rain or shine, the exercise regimen should go on. The downpour should not limit your puppy’s scope of daily activities. So, getting yourself involved with some interesting indoor activities will help both of you rejuvenate.
Bored puppies get into trouble. We’re their main source of entertainment, so if we don’t give them stuff to do they’ll come up with activities of their own — and that’s when we end up with chewed up shoes and curtains.
By playing with your puppy a few times a day you can decrease the likelihood of them developing destructive habits such as excessive barking or chewing.
Rainy day entertainment ideas to keep your puppy busy.
1. Search and sniff
Hide treats around your home to set your puppy off on a tail wagging adventure. Your puppy will put his nose to work to find the hidden treasures. You can determine how easy or difficult you want the game to be depending on where you decide to hide them.
2. Kong food dispensing toys
Kong toys are great for hiding treats and keeping puppies busy. The toy’s opening is small enough to provide puppies with a challenge but also big enough for a treat to fall out before your puppy becomes frustrated.
3. Tug of War
All you need for this old school game is a tough rope and a puppy who’s ready to play.
4. Hall ball
A long straight hallway is idea for this game. Similar to fetch, take a ball and roll it down a long hallway. Your puppy will go racing after it without unpredictably tearing through your home.
5. Stair master
Utilize all areas of your home! If you have a staircase, you can throw a ball up the stairs for your puppy to retrieve and return to you at the bottom of the steps. Catch, toss, and have your puppy return the ball several times to ensure a tired puppy.
6. Teach your puppy some new tricks
Rainy days are pawesome for catching up on all those things you set aside for another day. Especially practicing tricks your puppy knows, and teaching them some new ones too!
7. Treat puzzles
Puppies love to work, especially if it’s for food, and treat puzzles are brilliant for keeping them busy for hours! If you don’t have a Kong, or something similar to hand, you can easily cut a hole in a tennis ball and pop some treats in! Or alternatively, if you’re worried about giving your puppy too many treats, you could feed them a dry food alternative at meal times such as our Cold Pressed puppy food and prolong breakfast or dinner times by making them earn their meals!
* The Author is a certified professional dog trainer
