First of all, if you are planning to get a dog you should be ready for a long time dedication and commitment. Having a fur baby is not just for fun and playing games. We have to understand that these are living creatures that needs to be taken cared of and nurtured. In short it is like having your own child.
I had Mochi last October 12, 2020 - he arrived at our home a few days before he turned 2 months. It was my first time to have a pet dog and I can say I am really a newbie - furry god mum. Mixed emotions... actually...
Honestly the first few days of having a puppy... it was a little stressful.. aside from him being to tiny, I am afraid that I could not give him the 100% time since I have a day job. I have to prepare his meals before going to work and asked my brother to serve him lunch (coz I'm at work during that time) well dinner I feed him myself.
These are the things I bought before his arrival:
- Dog crate;
- Milk;
- Dog food for puppy;
- Stainless dog bowl ( better to get a stainless one because when he starts the biting stage he will surely nib the plastic bowl);
- Puppy toys;
- Towel;
- Cotton Rug (that I placed inside the crate to keep him warm);
- Slicker brush
Time is really important if you decide to have a puppy. I make it a point to play with him when I get home from work, so he will not suffer from separation anxiety.
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Potty training - First few weeks he poops and urinates everywhere (I was able to control this at first because he is always in his crate), well I think that is normal because he is not yet potty trained. But it was one of my plans to potty train him. I watched of videos on YouTube on how to train your puppy. Before starting the potty training I bought a potty trainer/tray at Shopee it came after a week and got a pack of potty pads from Handyman. Honestly, it's not as easy as you think (felt hopeless at first) but week by week he is improving. At 5 months he now can hold his pee and poop until I will bring him out of his crate to go to his potty tray. Though accidents still happen but I think we improved in the potty training aspect. One of the signs that he is going to potty is when he suddenly barks continuously when he is inside his crate.
Here's a hint, once he poops or pees on his potty tray just wash it with water, don't apply use soap or any cleaning agents so that the scent of his urine and poop will stay on the tray. Please note that the dog sniffs in order to find their spot before they do their business. But if you decide to potty train him outdoors well he will go on the same spot where he usually do his deed.
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Puppy Tricks training - Mochi was a smart puppy, when he turned 2 months I started teaching him how to sit and wait. And he learned it quickly on first try. And commands him "no-no" whenever he does something that is not good like biting and he follows. (felt so happy) I gave him a treat and praise him whenever he does the trick right. After mastering the "sit, wait and no-no commands" - I started teaching him more. Now he can do : high five, down, spin, shake hands, staying inside his crate and going to me whenever I say come. he is a little stubborn when I ask him to go inside his crate... well you know what that means. (haha) Please note that he did not learn the tricks overtime... it took a couple of weeks of training. And I always reward him with a yummy treat whenever he does the trick correctly.
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Vet visits and vaccination - Actually this should be on top of list. He already have his 5 in 1 vaccine and deworming when we got him. And I personally gave him his 2nd dose dewormer medicine (with the supervision of my cousin who was a Licensed Veterinarian). Then we regularly visited his doctor to complete his 6 in 1 and his anti-rabies shot. He takes Probiotic supplement drops and Vitamin C everyday. And we are scheduled for his 6 in 1 again this month.
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Hygiene and grooming - He had his first bath when he turned 3 months. But I clean him everyday using wet wipes. I brush his fur everyday so he will get used to it and to avoid matting. Every weekend, I make sure that he will have is warm water bath and I blow dry his fur with a hair dryer. He got his first grooming at 4 months, I made sure that he had his anti rabies vaccine before his first visit to the grooming salon. Maltese dogs are prone to eye stains and since Mochi is a Maltipoo (crossbreed: Maltese and Poodle) - I make it a point to wipe and clean his eye area everyday. I don't really brush his teeth but I give him Dentastix everyday.
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Exercise - Though I don't really walk him outdoors, I make it a point to walk him around the house. We play everyday when I get home from work (at least 30 minutes). On weekends which he loves, I gave him an unlimited playtime with intervals of course so he can rest (because he is still a puppy).
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Food - His regular meals at 2 months were warm milk plus 10 to 15 pcs kibble of Pedigree dry dog food. I soak them before I give it him so he will not choke. Now we are on transition: I give him half of Pedigree and Royal Canin dry dog food. At the moment he still eats 3 times a day. For the amount of food: please refer to the dog food package but in the case of Mochi - we give him 1-1/3 cups of dog food per day which is divided into 3 servings. We also make it a point to refill his water bottle with clean (mineral) drinking water everyday. We don't use tap water as advised by his vet.
To sum it up having a fur baby is a big responsibility and a little expensive since you have to provide the needs of your pet. It require lots of time and effort, like what I have said it's like having your own child. Always remember to treat your puppy or dog as a member of the family. Give him the love and care because surely he will give it all back to you.
xo,
Chiq♥
Tidbits: If you want to see Mochi's journey you may follow him on Instagram @everydaywithmochi.
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