Tips and Advice

Are you looking for a helpful steer on training, foods, vets, insurance, behaviour, getting a dog, puppy tips, adopting a rescue and all other manner of doggy things? If so, you're in the right place!

Tips on getting a puppy

First, download our free checklist on some essential items for your puppy.

This includes the more fun parts like choosing a bed and toys, but also the practical advice of registering with the vet, making up a file with all of your paperwork from the current owner/breeder and getting insurance.

Also, make sure you consider all of the 'baby' a.k.a. puppy-proofing you might need to do both inside the house and in the garden. Make sure there are no choking or chewing hazards. Puppies will chew and some breeds are more prone to being high chewers than others, so be prepared.

You should make sure you know what food your current owner/breeder is feeding your puppy and make sure you have supplies. Once your puppy is a little bit older, you may wish to change their food. This should be done gradually and it might be worth also speaking to your vet at your puppy's first appointment too.

Puppies develop at their own pace and will require a lot of love, time and patience. Hang on in there, you'll soon miss the puppy days and forget all the hard work.

More advice and tips to follow soon...keep checking in with us.

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Adopting a dog

One great way to welcome a dog into your home is to adopt a dog.

The first step is to contact local rescue centres and enquire about their requirements for rehoming. There may be stipulations on how many hours you are out of the house, the ages of children within the home and also information on other pets. This does unfortunately mean some families may not be suitable for adopting a dog at this particular point; however, circumstances change, so it's one to bear in mind for the future. This is why at The Whimsical Dog we support both adoption and finding a puppy through a reputable breeder.

With lots of dogs in rehoming centres, you are sure to find a dog that would fit with your family, so it's definitely an option worth exploring if you are able to.

Being in a kennelled environment can be stressful for a dog, so it can take a good month or two (or sometimes more) for the dog to decompress and realise that they are a true member of the family and can settle in properly. Patience, time and support is key to a successful adoption. Your adopted dog's true, wonderful colours may not come out until they feel settled, so give them time.

As with bringing any dog into the family, you will want to research breeds and make sure that any dog fits with your lifestyle (active, less active, flat, house, garden, children and so on). Be as honest about your home life with the rehoming centre as possible so that they can help to best match you to the right dog. They get to know their dogs so well and just want the best possible family and outcome for them all.

The best places to start in the UK for adopting a dog are Dogs Trust and Battersea Dogs Home. Both are wonderful charities and are always seeking new families for dogs.