When can puppies have safe chews? Learn the safest ages to introduce chews, what types are suitable, and which chews to avoid for puppies.
Continue reading
New to puppy training? Avoid the 5 most common mistakes dog owners make. From skipping socialization to relying on punishment, discover positive puppy training tips that build confidence, good behaviour, and a stronger bond with your dog.
Continue reading
Help your teething puppy stay happy and comfortable with PetBuddy’s all-natural chews! 🐶✨ Our latest blog covers expert tips on soothing sore gums, preventing destructive chewing, and choosing the best safe and digestible treats for your pup. From Dried Beef Trachea to Rabbit Ears with Fur, we’ve got the perfect chews to make teething easier. Read now and shop teething-friendly treats at PetBuddy today!
Continue reading
It's no secret that here at PetBuddy, we adore puppies, we'd happily play with puppies day and night! But what are the most common puppy problems? What do new puppy owners find most difficult? I remember being a new puppy owner and in that the lovely bubble of having that amazing bundle of fur, but also being worried about them constantly.
So I'm here to give you the lowdown of the most common accidents and illnesses and what I learned along the way.
The most common accident is when puppies eat things they shouldn't. Anything from the floor goes in their mouth so we need to be extra careful!
Puppies are naturally curious and inquisitive and everything goes in the mouth. Puppies discover the world through their noses and mouths so it's very normal for them to do this. It gives them experiences of new textures, tastes and smells whilst they’re learning. Chewing too is a big thing for puppies and when they're teething, they do this more to help relieve their mouth pain.
Puppies also eat things they shouldn’t out of boredom, puppies don't know what is safe or dangerous to chew and eat, It's all fait fair game to a pup! It is our responsibility as their owners to watch, guide and train them. Their curiosity will get the better of them if we ignore it and they will just chew and eat anything they can get their mouths on to see what it's like. Bye by chair leg!
If you know your puppy has eaten something unsafe, toxic, or have eaten something they can't digest, you need to call your vet.
Toxic things for a puppy to eat include human medication, particularly ibuprofen, raisins, grapes, chocolate, daffodils.
Remember, In the early stages of your puppy having eaten something they shouldn't, there may be no signs but the earlier they are seen by the vets, the easier and quicker it is to treat them.
As owners, we need to be cleverer than our puppies and keep them well away from as many hazards as possible inside house or outside. We should encourage our puppies to chew safe things like long lasting natural dog treats, we have a great selection of these here at PetBuddy! It's always lovely to give lots of positive reinforcement when they chew things you want them to!
Separation training is so important so where. you do leave your puppy alone in the house, be sure to not leave anything they can get their paws on where they may miss you and get bored. Consider crate training your puppies so when they are alone they're in a safe place with no access to harmful objects.
Be consistent with their training and be sure to teach them to "leave it" and absolutely make sure they have iron clad recall so if you do see a potential hazard, and your dog approaches it you can quickly recall your puppy back before they get their chops round it.
Puppies bones are much more fragile than those of adult dogs especially the ends of their bones where their ‘growth plates’ are which are the weakest part and more prone to breaking. This is why over-exercising them can be dangerous.
Puppies break their bones normally after an accident, falling off sofas and beds or been dropped, or puppies that have taken a knock after playing with the big boys and girls.
As owners, we should always be responsible and mindful of how fragile they really are! watch them on the sofa and bed and don't let them on furniture unsupervised, As much as children love top play with puppies, they're not as careful we us adults so be mindful of letting children play or hold your puppy by themselves. Careful with playing with larger dogs too, bigger dogs don't know their own strength a a lot of the time and accidents can easily happen.
To have a confident, well-behaved, well-mannered and well-rounded dog, you need to start training your puppy from very early on. It's amazing for mental stimulation and also builds a lovely strong bond with you.
Untrained puppies can be a terror and it can cause so many issues as they grow in to adulthood. There is a direct link between lack of training and many behavioural issues such as aggression, destructive behaviours and poor manners with other dogs.
Puppies’ immune systems in those early days aren’t fully mature so they can suffer from skin conditions caused by mites which isn't very nice at all for them.
All dogs can be prone to paw injuries and grass seeds in particular are a nightmare in the summer months. Especially if you have a dog with curly fur as they can get caught very easily a very common problem, but it can become severe as they can enter between the paw pads easily and then travel up the leg.
Fleas are very common in puppies sadly, pesky little things, prevention is always easier than cure so be sure to have them on a regular regime.
Never hesitate about seeing a vet if you notice any sore or swollen skin, or if your puppy is itchy or uncomfortable, or licking themselves a lot or limping.
Small dogs have different nutritional needs compared to larger breeds. When you are buying treats for your dogs, there are some questions that you will need to ask yourself:
Here are 5 tips that can help you to choose the right dog treats for your smaller dog.
Smaller dogs need fewer calories than larger ones, so one of the first things that you need to do is to check the nutritional label to ensure that you don’t choose treats that exceed the recommended calorie intake for your dog’s size. You want to make sure that you are not overfeeding your dog as this isn’t healthy either.
When selecting dog treats for your dog, it is always better to choose treats that contain natural ingredients such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Try and avoid treats with artificial ingredients and preservatives. However it is important to note that just because some treats have good nutritional value, you still cannot feed your dog too many of them as this can be bad for their stomachs. Only feed your dog the recommended amount that is on the back of the packaging.
You will want to look for treats that offer essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. These can help to support your pup’s overall health. Similar to humans dogs also need their share of vitamins and minerals to help maintain good health, so yes give them treats but also make sure they are getting their nutritional value for the day.
Small dog treats are the key to keeping a training session moving along. For small dogs use tiny pieces or cut larger ones into small pieces. The smaller treats are also kinder to your dog’s waistline, as we mentioned previously you do not want to overfeed your dog as this is extremely unhealthy. Keeping your treats small means that fewer calories are being consumed and your dog will not get too full over their training session.
Whatever treats that you are feeding to your dog it is important to take notice of what treats they do and do not like. A well-fed dog is a happy dog and just because a certain treat works for one dog doesn’t mean that it will for another. Figuring out what treats your dog likes and what is suited to your dog all comes down to trial and error. Dogs rely on us to know what works best for them so make sure to pay attention!
As we have said it is so important to choose treats that are right for your small dog. Just remember to do all of the research that you possibly can. If you are interested in buying some new dog treats for your dog. At PetBuddy we have a great range of treats including Pure Sticks, Training Treats, a great Longer Lasting range, and so much more. If you are interested in shopping with us then feel free to visit our website.
Continue reading
Puppies are a cute bundle of energy but they do require quite a bit of guidance, discipline, and training. This is to ensure that they develop into well-behaved, happy and obedient dogs. Early interactions in a puppy’s life are extremely important for their development. Here are 5 ways in which you can encourage good behaviour in your puppy.
Establishing a routine for your puppy will help them to understand what is expected of them and when. This can include their regular meals, toilet breaks, walking times, playtime, etc. Establishing a routine is especially great if you have quite an anxious puppy, try and keep things as normal as possible in their day-to-day life. Creating a routine and a nurturing, safe environment for your puppy is the best way to get them to trust you. Once they trust you they will be more open to engaging in good behaviour.
Rewarding your puppy when they do something good will help you to reinforce good behaviour. You can reward their good behaviour by giving them healthy and natural treats or verbal praise. When it comes to rewarding their good behaviour, do not just limit it to treats that they can eat based on their age. Our Pure Training Treats are perfect for puppies over 4-weeks. Be sure to reward their good behaviour with positive verbal praise, cuddles, petting them etc. If you reward your puppy every time they do good behaviour then they will repeat this behaviour, dogs are very intelligent animals and can pick up on things and routines quite quickly.
Similar to humans, releasing energy is important so try and encourage your puppy to relax. If your dog gets enough exercise then the relaxation time afterwards should come naturally to them. However if your dog has excess energy, reward the times that they stay calm in order to reinforce this behaviour. Schedule relaxation time into their routine so they know what to expect everyday. Getting your dog into a regular relaxation routine ensures that they can be adaptable in any situation.
If your puppy is exhibiting bad behaviour, then it is important to redirect their attention to something that is more appropriate. This can be done by providing an alternative activity or by redirecting their focus to something else. If they are behaving badly try and ignore this behaviour, for example, if they are barking too much or they nip at you then turn and walk away. If your dog is chewing on something that they shouldn’t be, do not yell at them instead replace the thing that they are chewing on with a long lasting treat or a toy. If you do this then you are showing them that you don’t want them to chew on something but you are also redirecting their attention to something else instead.
Exercise is essential for puppies and dogs. Exercise helps to keep them healthy, and helps to tire them out. Regular exercise can help to keep their minds active and curb bad behaviour. Exercise and training is so important for your puppy in order to keep them in a positive state of mind. If your dog has some pent up energy and isn’t able to release that energy this could result in some destructive and bad behaviour which is something that we do not want as dogs can get bored and restless very easily. Thus it is important to occupy your dog by taking them out for regular walks and playtimes.
Encouraging good behaviour in your puppy does take time and work, however if you execute these tips you will have a well behaved pup in no time. At PetBuddy we sell a lot of dog supplies such as dog treats, leads, harnesses, toys, etc. If you are interested in treating your new pup then please feel free to visit our website.
Continue reading
You know the saying, "A well trained dog is a happy dog", well it's true, but it goes way beyond this. A well trained dog is a great family member, a brilliant play mate for other dogs and a trusted companion.
A well trained dog can be trusted to listen, play well with other dogs, be off the lead, and be an obedient friend. What's not to like about that?!
Training my own dogs was all new to me, I had trained dogs in the past but Mila was my first own dog and training her with the emotions that go with the dog being my own was a challenge. Mila was a typical puppy, bitey, a little naughty, totally not aware of what a lead was and how to walk on one. She was oblivious to the difference between going to the loo inside versus outside (am sure sometimes she would hold it in outside and empty her bowels as soon as we got back in on purpose) and my little baby Mila chewed through not one, but two, mac cables.
The good news is that training is possible and here are a few top tips to make it that bit easier.
Consistency - It's key folks, keep it up! Repeat, repeat and repeat again. consistently reward the behaviour too when your dog gets it right.
Praise - Praise is a big one, Mila absolutely thrived off the praise, she loved when she knew she got something right, kisses, fur ruffles, good boy/girl, cuddles, ALL THE PRAISE!! Positive reinforcement is a must. Your dog will pick up on your frustrations if you focus on their negative behaviours rather than rewarding the positive, and this will only create stress which makes learning harder.
Treats - Having the right treats to hand is a must! Sadly some high street treats are full of additives, preservatives and derivatives, take a moment and read the ingredients of some treats and you'll be shocked at the poor quality and how little meat or fish is in them.
High value treats like our Pate Sausages work amazingly well, they are 100% pure, natural, trainer recommended and delicious. They contain absolutely nothing else but meat or fish so no nasties at all!
Our Pate Sausages are so versatile. You can slice it and dice it and it makes the perfect on the go training treat and it's perfect for pups from 4 weeks old!
Fun - Make learning fun too, training is brilliant for building relationships and bonding. Training as part of a walk or play session is perfect!
Remember that training is an ongoing process and it is important to keep the training up. It can be easily forgotten so use it or lose it! keeping up with even the most basic tricks and commands will help them stay fresh in your dog's mind!
Continue reading
Baby Shark, doo-doo, doo-dooBaby Shark, doo-doo, doo-doo
Dem teeth.... ouch!! I remember when my babies, Mila and Enzo were pups. These beautiful little floofs had nothing less than mini machetes in their mouths. Mila's bite place of choice was the bingo wing and Enzo's was the ear lobe, both not nice and super painful.
While it’s totally normal behaviour in a pupper, there are ways to get through this stage with our "cutting-edge" advice, see what I did there..
There are plenty of reasons why puppies love to bite and chew. Teething is a big one. Your puppy teethes like a baby and they often choose to relieve their discomfort by chomping down on something, whether that’s a chew, toy, a chair leg or indeed, an ear lobe. Dogs also explore the world with their mouths and noses and this is especially true for little pups. They learn by investigating various textures and objects.
Biting can also happen when puppies get over-excited when playing and get a little mouthy. Enzo would bite to get my attention and to stop me touching his bum which he hated. Every time I tried to wash his bum, out his little razor teeth came.
There is good news though and here at PetBuddy we can help! I found with my babies that re-direction really helped to teach them how to satisfy their need to bite and chew in more appropriate way.
We supple a whole host of tasty and satisfying natural treats to chew on which are far more appropriate things to put in their mouths than your fave slipper, or in Enzo's case, the corner of my laptop screen. RIP Mac..
Our very popular Braided Lamb Skin is the perfect chew for a teething pupper. It's odourless, braided for extra toughness and 100% natural! It's the best chew for dogs over 12 weeks!
If your dog's chew of choice is the chair leg, try our amazing Olivewood chew. Made from olive trees and soaked in olive oil, it's a great calorie free chew that is sure to save your poor chairs.
Yelping out when your fur baby bites sadly won't help, it's more likely to excite them as they respond to high pitched noises. It’s best to stay as calm as possible and redirect them to an appropriate alternative such as tasty chew by making that much more interesting than your bingo wings!
Continue reading