How to Raise a Puppy: What to Expect in the First Year...

TailSmart.com HOW TORAISE A PUPPY WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FIRST YEAR. THE FIRST 4 TO 7 WEEKS AFTER BIRTH This time is usually spent with the mother and siblings, mostly curled up in an indescribably cute pile of sleeping puppies. SAVEFOR vaccines and medical expenses Your puppy needs to be protected against various diseases, as well as worms and fleas. Most of these things are a one-time expenditure, but can add up to around $500. Add another $70 or so for microchip identification and a further $500 to have your puppy spayed or neutered. TOTAL: $ 1,000 Municipal pet licence TOTAL: $ 25 UP TO 3 MONTHS Puppies have baby teeth that are later replaced by adult teeth. Dogs at any age are big fans of exploring with their mouths, but while the new teeth are growing into place, itching gums turn this tendency up to eleven. It's normal and okay for puppies to chew on things... but only things. SAVE FOR chew toys! ...also: leash, collar, bed, food bowls and such. These items can be more or less expensive than you thought, depending on whether you're more used to junkyard dogs or the kind that ride in Prada purses. TOTAL: $ 200 FROM 4 TO 6 MONTHS Stronger, faster, more energetic... this is the classic puppy time you've seen on TV. Running, rolling, bouncing, play fighting and engaging in all manner of cute and silly activities is what these months are all about. SAVEFOR food and pet insurance Count on your puppy chewing through about $600 worth of chow in his first year. He needs lots of energy to grow into an adult! Puppies are also not known to take great care with their personal safety, so accidents can happen and it's worth having insurance so you're covered. Pet insurance should be around another $600 for the year. TOTAL: $ 1,200 FROM 6 TO 12 MONTHS Your puppy is in the process of becoming a grown-up dog, and you'll see his self-sufficiency developing more and more. This development can manifest as more interest in the environment and less interest in spending every second of the day playing with you. It may even seem like all the training you've put so much effort into isn't working, but just be patient and consistent, and it'll pay off in the end. SAVEFOR obedience training Obedience training TOTAL: $ 250 REMEMBER: visit us at TailSmart.com A puppy's first year is a unique and special time... you might end up missing it so much that you'lIl get another one! Even dogs of very different sizes can play surprisingly well together. A large portion of the expenses will be concentrated toward the first few months, and by the end of the year the total cost of raising a puppy will likely approach $3000