Congratulations on the addition of your new dog or puppy! Here’s what you need to know to take good care of your pet, according to Wendy Hauser, DVM, of the Coal Creek Veterinary Hospital, Centennial, Colo.

Dog or Puppy Care Sheet (pdf)

• Premium quality dog food and treats for the right breed and size
• Food and water bowls – ceramic and metal bowls clean up better
• Safe toys – make sure there’s no lead paint or breakable parts
• Dog brush and comb
• Dog shampoo
• Pooper scooper and biodegradable poop bags
• Collar with license and ID tag
• Leash 
• Dog nail clippers
• Carrier or crate
• Dog bed
• Dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste
• Outdoor dog house
• Make sure you have shaded areas outdoors

• Adult dogs should eat premium-quality dry food. If you want, you can mix the dry food with water, low-salt broth or canned food
• Dogs can eat fruits and vegetables – but never more than 10% of their daily diet. See below for a list of foods that shouldn’t be given to dogs.
• Puppies need a high-quality puppy food
• Avoid "people food” for all dogs and puppies
• Dogs and puppies need clean, fresh water available at all times

• Puppies 8 to 12 weeks old: 3 meals a day
• Puppies 3 to 6 months old: 2 meals a day
• Puppies 6 months to 1 year: 2 meals a day
• Dogs, 1 year or older: 2 meals a day
• Large dogs: may need 3 meals a day

• Anything harder than your pet’s teeth. This includes cow bones, nylon bones and real bones. These can break a dog’s teeth.
• House plants
• T-shirts or knotted socks. If accidently chewed apart and ingested, they can become “foreign bodies”, causing your pet to become very ill. 
• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Grapes and raisins
• Moldy or spoiled food
• Onions, garlic or chives
• Poultry bones
• Salty foods or salt
• Tomato leaves or stems
• Unripe fruit
• Yeast dough
• Nuts

• Different dogs need different amounts of exercise. Some dogs need a lot. Some dogs get hurt if they exercise too much. Ask your veterinarian what’s best for your pet.
• When walking your pet, be careful of ice or snow, deicer salt, or hot pavement

• Gently brush your dog’s fur
• Play with your dog
• Walk your dog, ask your veterinarian how long and how much
• Brush your dog’s teeth, chew toys aren’t enough
• Clean up poop
• Clean water and food bowls
• Feed and water your pet

• Bathe your dog – if needed. Some dogs don’t need to be bathed monthly.
• Have your parents or guardian:
  • Check your dog’s nails to see if they need to be clipped. Your veterinarian will show you how.
  • Give your dog a heartworm pill from your veterinarian – no matter which state you live in!
  • Ask your veterinarian to see if your dog needs his/her ear hair trimmed or if he/she needs his/her “anal glands expressed”
  • Apply a flea/tick prevention treatment if needed

• Have your parent or guardian take your dog to the veterinarian for a checkup and any vaccines

• Never hit a dog, they don’t understand what hitting is
• Never grab your dog’s fur or tail
• Don’t force a tired dog to play

• Follow your city’s licensing laws
• Attach the license to your dog’s collar
• Have your parents or guardian ask the veterinarian to microchip your dog

Go to dog or puppy school
A trained dog is a happy dog! Contact your local humane society or veterinarian to find a training class.

• To prevent health problems, females should be spayed and males should be neutered 6 months of age
• Dogs that are spayed/neutered don’t run away or fight as much

Medicines and poisons
Never give your dog medicine unless it’s recommended by a veterinarian. Keep all poisons, like rat poison, away from your pet. If you think your pet has been poisoned, call your veterinarian.

• When you get your dog, have your parent or guardian take it to a veterinarian for a checkup
• Your dog should see a veterinarian once a year and when you think it might be sick

How to tell if your dog is sick
You know your dog best. If your dog seems to be acting strangely, call your veterinarian right away!