From Puppy to Senior: How to Care for Your Pet at Every Life Stage

Becoming a pet parent can be a beautiful thing. Animals bring us joy in more ways than one. But with this comes the need to understand how they progress throughout their lives. If you’re lucky to get to know your dog when they’re a puppy, you’ll see how they change from a hyper baby to a slower and calmer senior dog. What a beautiful thing—to love a pet all of their lives. Here are some tips to help you prepare for life with a pet:  

Keep them safe before vaccinations

If you want to be confident that your pup stays healthy from serious illnesses that can plague dogs and cats, it’s wise to keep them away from other pets before they’ve been fully vaccinated, unless you know the health and status of the dogs they’ll be around.

Young pups have to do vaccination rounds when they’re still little and it can take up to four months for them to be completed, which is why many vets will recommend that you stay away from dog parks and hikes in nature until your pet is a bit older and done with their vaccination rounds. As a new parent, look online for a “vet near me” and make sure to read reviews so that you find the best vet for your new pet’s needs. 

Keep them updated with vaccinations

But remember that while their first vaccinations are supremely important to protect them from parvo and distemper, they still need to stay updated with their vaccinations throughout their lives. A great thing about staying with a vet that you trust is that you can have all of their pet records in one place. 

Also, your vet and your pet can build a relationship over the years, which will definitely help to give you some peace of mind as they get older. Additionally, it makes it easy to stay up to date with everything that your pet may need. 

Let the hyper pup stage pass

If you’re a puppy parent, it may be a challenge to deal with the hyperactivity that is common when your pet is young. However, as time passes, they will calm down. It may just take a year, or it may take a few years. Get the most of this time with your pet by doing fun things with them. 

From running to walking to hiking and traveling. One day, they won’t be able to keep up as well and you’ll be glad that you didn’t skip having fun with them when they could still be out and about enjoying life to the full. If you want to make sure you’re teaching them good behaviors, consider working with a pet trainer. 

Watch as they slow down

And as the years pass, your pooch will slow down. And that’s okay. Take time to enjoy the process and enjoy them being around. In a way, it’s a nice way to see the world as they do, one step at a time. While some dogs stay pretty energetic as they age, some slow down to the point where long walks are no longer viable and they’re pretty happy to just hang with their parents on the sofa, with some outings to the backyard every now and then. 

Make life comfortable for them

As your pet loses their energy and sometimes mobility, just try to make it comfortable for them in any way that you can. From setting up your home so that moving around becomes easier to investing in a dog carrier stroller to seeing the world as they once did, there are different ways to help them still feel comfortable and loved, even as they age and aren’t as healthy or energetic as they once were. 

In Conclusion

Do you want to get the most out of your pet’s life? Don’t forget to enjoy the different phases and things you’ll see as they go from puppy years to senior years.