We were not new to dog ownership when we got Nando at the age of 9 weeks – but I had not had a young puppy since I was child, as my last dog was 6 months old when I adopted her. My husband had only ever known my previous dog – who was old, arthritic and big sweety. We had a LOT of questions about puppies and puppy ownership, and about Groodles specifically.
I did some extensive Googling about puppies, especially in the first 2 weeks, and found some excellent resources of information – which I will share in this blog. However I also found that there were questions with no answers:
Questions to be answered in this blog:
- What will his adult coat look like?
- Will he shed hair and be allergy inducing?
- Are his joints crooked?
- Why is he hiccuping so much?
- What behaviours are normal at this age?
Even though I cannot yet answer some of these questions, I can keep track of what happens with Nando, and with time perhaps provide some answers.
I sort of must confess that I am a veterinarian – my specialty is with horses but I have worked in small animal practice fo many years as well. And yet – I have questions about puppies! As part of this blog, I will also write some articles about health issues that come up with Nando – and how I approach them ‘through the eyes of a vet’.
For my husband, who did not grow up with dogs, having a puppy is a fun experience and a steep learning curve.