Puppies are much like human babies in a lot of ways. They need to be kept out of certain areas for safety reasons. One of the best ways to set healthy barriers is the use of baby gates. Here are some reasons that you should consider using baby gates to keep your puppy safe. Read more

In order to successfully potty train or house train a puppy effectively, being positive is key. But how do you make sure a puppy goes outside every time? Here are some tips on how to house train and keep your puppy from using the potty inside. Read more

Socializing your puppy is the most important way to have a happy and confident dog for the rest of his or her life. When do you start doing it, why should you do it, and how is the best way to go about puppy socialization? Read more

When you are getting ready to bring home your dog, you may be asking yourself: should I fence in my yard? In most cases, the short answer is most certainly yes. Many local laws require fenced-in yards for dogs. But really, it’s just a good idea to set these boundaries for your dog to keep him or her safe. Read more

So, you may be considering getting a Cobberdog puppy. But then you wonder, is a Cobberdog right for me? How do you choose the right puppy for you? Ask yourself what you really want in a companion. Just like people, different dogs have different personalities and temperaments. Do you have the time and energy to devote to the exercise and attention that Cobberdogs typically require? Read more

Once your puppy reaches seven months (or 28 weeks),  he or she will be well into what some call “teenage doghood.” We touched on the rebellious behavior you should expect in our puppy care guide for 5 to 6 months. As we have said previously, positive reinforcement and patience with your puppy are key to his or her emotional development. Your puppy will need to learn which behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable. Read more

When your puppy reaches five months of age, he or she should be house trained and regularly going outside. It’s also very important that your puppy is spayed or neutered by this point, as around 5 to 6 months is when your puppy is reaching sexual maturity. That is, unless of course you want them to have puppies. But spaying or neutering your pet is not only the safest option, but is also good for them when interacting with other dogs.

Also, at five months, your puppy should have their permanent teeth and are trying to chew everything in sight. Like you should be doing right when they first get their teeth, make sure that he or she has plenty of appropriate gnaw able items. This is when you want to also begin a toothbrushing routine. Do not use human toothpaste, as the fluoride and some other ingredients in it will make dogs sick. This is because they most likely will swallow it instead of sitting it out.

You’ll also want to check with your vet to get your puppy vaccinated for rabies and whatever other vaccines he or she may need that are required by your local laws. These vaccines will need to be repeated after a year. It’s very important to get these core vaccines for your dog’s health.

Once your puppy reaches six months or twenty-four weeks, he or she should be in a stage of what is sometimes known as “teenage doghood.” Like human teenagers, this can mean some rebellious behavior, and it’s very important that your dog learns what “No” means. This period can last all the way until eight months or maturity. Remember that patience and positive reinforcement are key to building good habits with your dog.

Previously, we provided a guide on caring for your puppy for the first 8 weeks of their life. Now, we’ll take a look at the important things to do and watch for between 8 and 16 weeks, or 3 to 4 months. Read more

There are many puppy care guides available both online and offline. Some may provide conflicting advice and leave you confused. To help, we’ve provided you with the basics on caring for your puppy for the first 8 weeks of life. From newborn to three weeks, and three weeks to eight weeks, here are the things you should focus on when caring for your new puppy.

 

For the first three weeks, don’t be afraid to just let your puppy sleep!

 

As puppies don’t have much use of their eyes, ears, and nose for the first three weeks of life, it’s perfectly fine to let them sleep a lot. This way, they can develop properly. Just be patient, as in the fourth week, their senses will awaken and likely begin to walk.

 

Get your puppy vaccinated.

 

Ask your vet about when your puppy should be vaccinated. When your puppy is ready, be sure to start right away. There are dangerous diseases such as canine parvovirus that can be prevented through the use of vaccines.

 

Let the puppy’s mother do the important early work.

 

As the puppy begins to walk, it’s important to keep the puppy around his or her mother and/or siblings as much as possible. You’ll want to do this until the puppy is 8 to 12 weeks old. This way the puppy can be properly weaned. However, you can begin to introduce solid food around the fourth week to help the process along. Also, mother and siblings will help socialize the puppy with other dogs and people, as well. The mother also teaches discipline and puppy play-biting helps teach bite inhibition.

 

Many experts suggest leaving the puppy with his or her puppy mates up until 12 weeks old, before giving the puppy a permanent home with people. This is because it’s a very important time when the dog is establishing his/her identity and stability.

 

Let your puppy explore.

 

By six or seven weeks old, your puppy should be weaned, have teeth, and be eating solid food. This is when it’s important to make sure the puppy has plenty of toys to play with. The puppy’s mother should still be around to supervise the puppy’s play. You can also begin house-training the puppy at this point. It’s very important to let your puppy explore and learn. The more you do this, the better companion you will have, and a better part of the family your puppy will end up being.

 

Once the puppy is weaned, vaccinated, and house-trained, you’ll be ready to have the puppy become a permanent part of your family.

A common question for new dog owners is if you should microchip your puppy. When is it safe to do so, and why should I do it? Here are some reasons that microchipping your Australian Cobberdog puppy will be good for both you and your dog.

The statistics say that one in every three pets become lost sometime during their lifetime. In the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, there was a study published that confirms the higher rate of returned microchipped cats and dogs to their homes. About 53 percent of microchipped dogs were returned to their owners, compared to only around 22 percent on average. However, less than 60 percent of those microchipped animals actually had been registered with the contact information needed to return the pets to their owners.

Per HomeAgain, registered microchips are the best chance for lost pets to return home. So not only should you microchip your puppy, which is safe to do at birth. You should also register that microchip in a database such as HomeAgain. This is because the microchip itself only has an ID number, so that number needs to be included in a database. In that database, you can associate  the ID number with your contact information. Be sure to keep it regularly updated. This way, you have peace of mind that if you and your beloved puppy are ever separated, you’ll have a much higher chance of them getting found.

Some major pet supply chains, such as Banfield Clinics at select PetSmarts, can scan the microchips of dogs brought into their stores. Any vet or local animal shelter can, as well. By having the contact information to reunite pets with their owners, this takes a lot of strain off of the shelters. More importantly, it lessens the emotional burden on the lost pet and grieving owner by getting them reunited more quickly.

Does it hurt my puppy to have a microchip put in? The microchipping process is quick and usually painless. It’s placed between the shoulder blades with a hypodermic needle. Local anesthesia is sometimes used if you think it best. The area only needs about 24 hours to heal. It’s supposed to bond with the puppy’s tissues so that it’s easier to scan. The earlier the microchipping procedure is done, the better, but it can be done at any time.

There are many benefits to microchipping your Australian Cobberdog puppy. But there is no greater benefit than knowing if you and your pet ever become separated, you’ll be far more likely to be reunited quickly and safely.