Welcome baby to the family

Adopting a young puppy is basically like bringing a newborn into the home. Of course the joys of puppyhood are obvious – they are incredibly sweet, cute and cuddly, and they’re a whole lot of fun. But they’re also a lot of work.

Puppies younger than a couple of months old need soft wet food or special puppy food while their teeth are coming in, and weeks-old puppies require bottle feeding. They have to go outside to the bathroom just about every hour. Puppies who are left in crates too long quickly learn to cry and whine for attention. This is not an easy habit to break.

And of course, puppies love to chew. If given ample toys to chew on (and if shoes are kept behind closed doors), puppies eventually will learn what’s ok to play with and what’s not. Like children, puppies need a lot of love, attention, care and training.