Puppies always give a different kind of joy and satisfaction to most people, children and old alike. Puppies or commonly known as pups are infant dogs below one year old. The number of existing puppy breeds number as much as the grown up breeds. Thus, choosing a puppy for the household is not a piece of cake.

Having a puppy at home is not just to join the bandwagon, it is a responsibility. Future owners must think even more than twice before getting one. Issues of space, time, finances and breeds need to be carefully considered.

In choosing a puppy, aside from the breed, its health condition is very essential. No new dog owner would want to have a physically appealing puppy but unhealthy one.

To be assured of a healthy puppy, one has to get one with good genes, and approaching a legitimate breeder is an assurance for this. Health history of the parents must be carefully checked. Physical looks alone is not an assurance of a healthy puppy. It has to be vibrant and active, with good and firm body. It must possess shiny, clear eyes, not sad and lonely and they should not be afraid of people. Pinkish inner ears and tongue also characterize a healthy pup. Absence of scabs, bald spots on coats, bad ear, mouth and breath odor, characterize a physically fit puppy.

Before bringing home the pet, secure necessary documents like registration, vaccination certificates, medical history and de-worming records. These pieces of information will come in handy in the future, when the puppy gets sick or needs medical attention. Make sure that the puppy is mature enough to leave its mother, that is about 45 to 60 days from birth. AT this tender stage, they depend on their mother for food and basic knowledge they will need as they leave their mother’s custody. Lack of maternal affection and interaction may produce a hyperactive, timid and emotionally unstable adult and may adversely affect its relationship with its masters.

After getting your choice breed, caring for it is the next step, and the bulk of responsibility begins. The proper nurturing of the puppy will play a crucial role in its growth and development, as some characteristics imbibed during the infant stage are irreversible. Caring for a puppy depends on its breed although generally, newborn puppies need extra care, love and gentleness. This would mean spending more time with them like we do to human babies. They need constant checks and their hunger must be regularly monitored. At this stage, giving milk would be important.

At this tender stage, the man-dog relationship becomes intense, making their bond stronger which eventually, in the future, become beneficial to the master.