Health & Care

Between six and seven weeks old, your puppy is now closer to becoming independent! By now a puppy has been weaned or is very close to being weaned from their mother. Just as humans learn appropriate behaviors from their family and peers at a young age, puppies also must learn social ...

Reviewed By Theresa Miller • September 16, 2024

The period between nine and twelve weeks is the time during which a puppy really hones her social skills, is open to learning and starts acting more and more like a full-fledged canine. She'll begin chasing things, and this is a prime time to begin basic obedience training. Health At ...

Reviewed By Theresa Miller • September 13, 2024

In 1996, John M. Olin founded the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) as a private not-for-profit foundation to evaluate and determine if a dog will have problem hips. Canine Hip Dysplasia is a genetic condition that primarily affects larger breeds but can be diagnosed in a few smaller breeds as ...

Reviewed By Theresa Miller • September 6, 2024

At 12-16 weeks of age, your puppy will be growing rapidly, both physically and mentally. Puppy's senses and motor skills are becoming more advanced, which means you'll notice his curiosity peaking, a more acute awareness of his surroundings and less awkward movements as he continues to discover his new environment ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • September 5, 2024

Caring for your puppy’s dental care is important to ensure that they live a long and healthy life. We recommend a few of the following brands that we use with our own furry friends.

Reviewed By Stuti Thakor • January 17, 2024

If your new puppy weighs four pounds or less, one important health condition to be aware of is Hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar, can be triggered by stress, over excitement, or missing a meal. While treatable, it is important to know what to look for and to act ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • November 10, 2022

New puppies absolutely love to explore. The whole world is full of interesting smells, new people, and new things to bark at! Not all of these new things are good for a small puppy though, as anyone who has had a pup get into their chocolate stash can attest. This ...

Reviewed By Stuti Thakor • August 1, 2022

Good breeders and breeding practices are at the center of what PuppySpot is all about. Our mission is to place healthy puppies in happy homes. The key to healthy puppies—both mentally and physically, starts with good, reputable breeders. So what actually makes a breeder good ? Breeders who love what ...

Reviewed By Stuti Thakor • July 12, 2022

Raising a puppy is both challenging and rewarding. It's a time of change where you will get used to having a young dog while it gets used to living with you. Keeping an eye on any changes that your puppy undergoes during its first year can ...

Reviewed By Stuti Thakor • March 31, 2021

We all know smoking around others can be detrimental to even a non-smoker's health, but what about smoking around your dog? You may have seen the recent anti-smoking campaign by Truth which condemns smoking around pets, warning, "Fact: Dogs and cats are twice as likely to get cancer if their ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • May 21, 2020

Every dog lover knows the feeling of having a new puppy in the house: a complicated feeling, puppies need attention, love, and safety. The fact is, while fun to play with, train, and have in the house, puppies can be complicated and hard to take care of. Everything in their ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • January 5, 2019

Congratulations, your puppy is now reaching adolescence! During these "teenage years" you can expect your pup to be a bit of a handful, but she'll emerge as a full-grown doggy adult before you know it and you will miss these silly puppy days. She may be a bit awkward physically ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • June 12, 2017

Between three and six months old, your puppy is starting to find his place in the "pack" that is your family. It is important to provide leadership that establishes a healthy balance of power between you and your furry member of the family, while also making him feel loved and ...

Reviewed By Theresa Miller • June 9, 2017

The time has finally come! After a long several weeks, your puppy has finally reached the age of homecoming and can travel to his new family if he weighs at least four pounds. This is a special time for both you and your puppy. From an owner's point of view, ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • June 5, 2017

Your puppy is now six weeks old and one step closer to becoming independent! He is likely weaned, or very close to being weaned from his mother. Just as humans learn appropriate behaviors from their family and peers at a young age, puppies also must learn social cues during this ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • May 26, 2017

Week five is when a puppy is exposed to new faces other than his mom and littermates. At this age, your puppy appears more playful and curious by the day. She is exploring the world around her and learning how to interact with others. Socialization is all about learning how ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • May 24, 2017

During the first four weeks of a puppy's life, integral development begins that will set the stage for the rest of his life. While still very young, the puppy takes his first step towards independence: weaning. It is during this period of time that your puppy starts to gain independence ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • May 22, 2017

It may be a gross topic, but let's face it - if you're a responsible dog owner, you're picking up your dog's poop multiple times a day. So, you might as well know what to look for to determine whether your dog's poop is normal or problematic. We've broken down ...

Reviewed By Stuti Thakor • April 7, 2017

Learning your dog has heartworm can be awfully frightening; after all, the disease affects dogs in all 50 states as well as internationally, and is very difficult to treat. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent your dog from getting a heartworm infestation. According to WebMD , the only way for ...

Reviewed By Stuti Thakor • April 5, 2017

The first thing you probably notice when you see a pug, boxer, or bulldog is that cute, wrinkly, smooshed-in face (Who can resist those velvety folds?). But underneath those wrinkles is a medical condition to be aware of, which can negatively impact a dog's quality of life. If you have ...

Reviewed By Cheyanna Ashley • March 8, 2017