WHEN a puppy joins a family it is an exciting time for us, and sometimes frightening for the puppy. We tend to want to keep the new arrival around us all the time that we are in the house – perhaps feeling that as we are out to work during the day we have to make it up to the puppy by having him under our feet all evening, weekends and days off.

Unfortunately this is not the best plan to follow as it can cause over-dependency on the owner and separation anxiety related problems. Allow your puppy to have some time alone while you are in the house, (in a secure garden or in the kitchen behind a child gate or in their own crate).

Young pups grow very rapidly and need to develop their bone and soft tissues (i.e. muscles and tendons) in their first months of life. At this important stage of growth, it is essential for your puppy to receive the correct nutrients in the correct amounts.

When you collect your puppy find out what their diet consists of at that stage. If you want to change the diet of your puppy do so gradually over a period of 7-10 days. This allows your puppy’s sensitive digestive system to become accustomed to the new food correctly. If you change your pup’s food instantly it will probably cause some digestive upsets, which may leave a bit of a mess for you to clean up!

LITTLE AND OFTEN

At this stage of your puppy’s life it is essential to given them a food formulated especially for puppies. This food will have all the nutrients necessary for healthy development. Puppies only have small stomachs and require small meals often.

Young puppies should be fed three or four times daily. After about four to five months of age pups can be fed twice daily until 12 months of age (toy breeds, however, should be fed three times daily until six months of age).Puppies have a tendency to nip, cry, and chew on whatever they can get their little teeth into and dig up gardens while they are young and know no better. However, with the correct, reward based training the puppy or new dog can be transformed into a well-behaved pet.

Training does not have to take long hours of your time; in fact the time you spend with your dog can be used constructively. All training should be a controlled form of play. In other words both you and your dog should enjoy it. In return for their unconditional love and companionship, a young pup has to rely on you to provide food and shelter. Giving your puppy a good start in life will allow him to develop into healthy, happy adult dog.

NUTRITIONAL EXPERTISE

Connolly’s Red Mills is a family-run business located in Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny – established in 1908 and now in its 5th generation. Dogs are part of the family and we are dedicated to making sure that this extra family member is looked after in the best possible way.

With this dedication, extensive research and nutritional expertise, we developed the Engage Premium Country Dog Food range. The Engage range comes in 4 different Adult varieties – Beef, Chicken, Salmon and Rice, Duck and Rice, and as well as Engage Mother and Puppy.

Engage Mother and Puppy has been formulated by our team of experts to offer only the very best of nutrition. This food is fully balanced to meet the nutritional requirements of pups from four weeks of age upwards. This diet is perfect for the bitch in the later stages of pregnancy, through to the weaning period. The perfect food to provide optimum nourishment for both mother and puppy.