Desis are very familiar with the term “Jugaad”, it’s a cooler way of saying hacks. We love our hacks wherever it can make our life easier and this aptly applies to pet parenting too. A pupper coming home means the oxytocin levels of the house are about to hit the roof, the least you can do for them is learn a few tricks to make their life(and yours) easier.
Let’s get right to it shall we?
-Doggos need daily mandatory walks for their physical and mental wellbeing. Keeps them calm at home and helps them explore the world.
-When teaching them something, positive reinforcement goes a long way. Give them a treat when they behave well instead of yelling when they don’t behave. This also includes giving them unlimited pets and belly rubs.
-Dogs unknowingly might get rough while playing with others. So teach them to be gentle around guests, other pets, and children.
-In elevators, show them how the corner is the safest spot for them. They will feel secure, and anyone else in the lift won’t feel discomfort with your pupper’s presence.
-Get your pup acclimatised to staying at home alone sometimes. This prevents separation anxiety and keeps them relaxed even if you are not around for a few hours.
-Understand your dog’s fears and don’t force them to face them. It will do more harm than good by making them anxious.
-You will travel with your pup at some point of time so it’s important to keep travel essentials ready for any occasion. Also, ensure that your pup doesn’t eat just before a trip or it might make them nauseous. Avoid the mess and give them a comfortable journey.
-Dogs love home cooked meals just like us. So give them a break from the dog food by making a meal at least 3 times a week. The variety will keep them stimulated and give them something to look forward to.
-While we are on the topic of food, our puppers love to eat their food like they are inhaling it. It may look adorable but it can cause stomach problems. So place an object or two in the food bowl like an obstruction, this will force them to go around the object to eat from the other side, thereby slowing them down.
-Meals also come in handy when your dogs need to take their medication. They can be super stubborn about this, so hide the pill in their food or in their treat and most of the time they won’t even notice.
-Hide some toys away from your dog so if they get bored of the current one, you can just switch. You can keep doing this for a long while.
-Dogs like to chew but they tend to chew things they shouldn’t, like your shoes. Everytime they do this, you should replace the object with different textures of toys.
-Your pup will be less anxious in general if you introduce them to different kinds of experiences and people early on. Imagine them meeting a person with glasses, or a hat, or a uniquely coloured coat.
Raising a pupper is just a matter of having the right information at your fingertips (We have done that for you already) and loads of patience. Remember that they are essentially babies and they learn faster and better with love and not the other way around.
Do comment below if you have picked up on other interesting hacks to help out other new pet parents and as always, stay glued to this space for more.
