Guide to caring for your furry chicken in the first few weeks

– The time available to allocate to the quadruped. If free time is limited, then we focus on more sedentary dog ​​breeds such as: Basset Hound, English Bulldog, Shih Tzu, French Bulldog, Pug, etc., absolutely not a breed that requires intense physical exercise and for which a simple walk is not enough such as: Fox Terrier, Border Collie, German Brac, etc.

– Your activity level. A sedentary dog ​​will not be able to keep up with a very active owner, just as a very active dog will be unhappy with a sedentary owner.

– The space available to raise the dog. Obviously, for large breeds it is preferable to have a larger space than a simple apartment, and at the same time it is good to find out correctly about which dog breeds can be kept outside in the yard and which prefer to live indoors.

You can find more information here: https://www.petmax.ro/blog/cum-alegi-caini-casa-curte-apartament.html

Considering that you have correctly informed yourself about which breed of dog is right for you and have decided who the new member of the family will be, we need to find out how to proceed so that his introduction into the family is as natural as possible.

If you have decided to buy/adopt a puppy, know that it is very important that it is not taken from its mother before 8-12 weeks. This time spent with their mother, brothers and sisters is very important for puppies. It is very important that when you bring the chicken home, make sure you have also received the health card in which at least 2 vaccines must be registered (this depends on the age of the chicken) and the relevant deworming. At the beginning of life, chickens must follow a very important vaccination program, which is also essential to ensure good health. The chicken can only be taken out of the house after completing this vaccination program, which means that it is immunized against certain diseases. Your vet will tell you exactly what steps to follow regarding the necessary vaccinations and deworming.

On the first day, the chicken will be a little confused because it will be faced with a new place, unfamiliar smells, so it may be a little agitated and whiny. It’s something normal. As much as possible, try to distract him with various toys. When you bring him home, let him inspect the new house on his own. Don’t overdo the care and attention you give him. First he has to get used to the new place, with new people, so excessive attention can be a stress factor for him.

What should we have first when we bring chicken home?

· Absorbent forests

Since the puppy can only be taken out to defecate after the vaccination program is complete, you will need to teach him to defecate on a pad. It is a good idea that, in addition to the sanitary pads, you also take a frame to support the sanitary napkin itself to prevent the wet sanitary napkin from going all over the house by the angry chicken. You can find this frame in the store without any problems. Chickens usually have a tendency to urinate after eating and after waking up from sleep. Try to anticipate these moments and guide him towards the pad. Every time he urinates on the pad, reward him with something good, so he knows that if he uses the pad he will get something good to eat. It is a first step towards training.

· Indoor pen

If you want to limit your dog’s access so that he doesn’t wander all over the house, you need an indoor fence. As a rule, the indoor fence can be adjusted so that it can be enlarged, so you can use it even when the dog has grown up.

· Culcus or cage

You need to provide him with a comfortable, warm kennel of a size appropriate to the size of the puppy. It is preferable to introduce them, with the help of rewards and games, into an internal cage made with trellis, which they can get used to entering. You can place his bed in the cage and put a reward in it several times a day, this way the puppy will associate the cage with something good to eat. Don’t close the cage while he’s inside so as not to scare him. Soon he will feel safe in the cage, he will consider that it is his place. The cage is very practical when it grows and you will have to carry it in the car to be taken to the vet, for walks, on holiday. For transporting your dog in the car, the cage is ideal because it will give him a sense of security (instead of rocking on the seat) and in the event of an accident he will be protected.

· Bowl for water and food

Place the food and water bowls in the same place, avoiding changing their position. The water must be fresh and discreet.

· Missing

Food must be age- and breed-appropriate. Most likely, if you take the dog from the breeder, he will tell you exactly what he was taught to be fed. If not, ask your vet for advice. In the first period of life it is very important that the food is of high quality because this is the period in which the dog develops and needs quality food. Try to create a routine for him, this means feeding him at the same time every day. Don’t feed him from your hand while eating, this will help you avoid begging for food later while eating.

· Toys and training through play

The dog can start training from an early age. Until the end of the vaccination plan, even while staying at home, you will be able to carry out many interesting activities. By playing, with the help of rewards, you will be able to teach him simple commands such as: sit, lie down, wait, you are not allowed, stay, here. All these commands must be learned with rewards to stimulate the puppy to do what we want. The awards must be accompanied by verbal praise such as: good/very good, etc. Try to be constant in your commands/praise without changing them because we risk upsetting the puppy and this way he won’t know what to do.

On PetMax you can find many feeders/toys with interactive rewards for dogs, puppies and adults. These feeders help the chick develop certain skills, teach it how to extract food from certain tight spaces, or learn to perform certain actions that ultimately lead to the release of a reward

· Collar and leash

We also have to prepare the chicken for when we take it out, so we will have to train it with a leash and collar. Start first with a light collar to get used to on your neck and then take short walks around the house attaching it to the collar and a leash. Don’t forget the prizes! In a short time you will see that they will no longer bother him, which will be wonderful when you have to go for walks outdoors.

· Adaptil Junior calming collar (optional)

The Adaptil junior calming collar is specially designed to calm the puppy, giving him a sense of comfort and security. It exudes a natural substance, an analogue of the relaxing pheromone that dog mothers naturally release. The collar will help the puppy get used to the new environment better, facilitates detachment from the mother and socialization with the new human family. It is effective for 4 weeks, after which it should be changed if necessary

Perhaps at first the care you will have to have with the puppy will seem challenging, but we assure you that as soon as the puppy integrates and gets used to the new family, it will bring a lot of joy, good humor and loyalty into your life.