New Dog Owners

It is important to give your new canine friend the best care possible to successfully integrate them into your family. Whether you have adopted an older dog or introduced a young pup, our tips below will help you to prepare for your new pet!

Supplies needed for your new dog:

  • A comfortable bed for sleeping in an area just for them.
  • Food and water bowls.
  • An indoor play area for puppies.
  • An inside toileting area for puppies, with newspaper or puppy pads.
  • Quality dog food that is catered to their age/breed.
  • Toys for them to play with.
  • A collar and leash.
  • Grooming tools to keep their fur neat and tidy.
  • An appointment for vaccinations, worming, desexing and microchipping (as required).
Responsible dog ownership

It is important to understand the requirements of owning a dog, to keep your pet and the pet community of Geelong safe!

Owning a dog requires the following:

  • Vaccinating your puppy/dog
  • Ensuring they receive regular flea and worm treatments
  • Regular baths and grooming
  • Basic obedience training so your dog can “sit”, “stay”, “come” and “heel” on command
  • Registering your dog with local council
  • Desexing your dog unless you are a registered breeder
  • Keeping your dog confined to an area where it is comfortable and entertained so it does not stray. Making sure you have appropriate gating for this.
  • Exercising your dog for around 30-60 minutes a day at minimum.
  • Involving your dog in family activities
  • Being aware of your dog’s medical and behavioural needs to take steps required to address concerns if required.
  • Understanding your dog’s triggers and behaviour to avoid situations that are unsafe for your pet, other pets in the community and people around your pet.
  • Annual Council registration of your dog is required if they are over 3 months of age. This is due on the 10 April each year in Melbourne.
Training tips for puppies
  • Set up for success – Train in an area with few distractions. Train before dinner or breakfast so your puppy is willing to work for their reward.
  • Be consistent with your commands – Use the same tone of voice and the same words.
  • Be clear – Use simple, one-word commands said clearly. Don’t use long sentences.
  • Reward good behaviour – If you reward good behaviour, you increase the chance of that behaviour being repeated. Food is an excellent reward for a puppy.
  • Ignore unwanted behaviour – Ignore bad behaviour, so it isn’t repeated. Punishing your puppy for bad behaviour confuses them and may lead to them avoiding you.
  • Socialisation – Allow your puppy to meet as many other new people and animals as possible before they are 16 weeks of age.
  • New experiences are positive – Reward your puppy when they are well-behaved around new things.
  • Short training sessions – Your puppy has a 3-second attention span. Keep your training sessions short and frequent.
  • Listen to your puppy – If your puppy is anxious they can’t focus on learning. Watch this video about puppy body language.
  • Join puppy pre-school – Puppy pre-school is an excellent way to socialise your puppy in a safe and friendly environment, while learning basic obedience.