Raising Your Shar Pei Pup
Although the Shar Pei can be headstrong at times and have a stubborn streak, as they are also intelligent and playful. When training a Shar Pei pup it is important to have persistence since they are dominant and will try to run your house if they are able. You can establish yourself as head of household by starting training early and being persistent.
However, in order to give your Shar Pei pup a long, healthy and happy life you need to take care of them. First to do this you need to make sure you get your Shar Pei pup vaccinated when you first get them and then get their booster shots on the exact schedule that your veterinarian recommends in order to keep up their immunity against diseases.
It is also a good idea to discuss flea control products, heartworm preventative treatment and worming with your veterinarian. By doing these things you can keep your Shar Pei pup healthy and happy.
It is also important that you take care of your Shar Pei’s diet. A Shar Pei pup should be fed a high-grade dog food. The first ingredient of any dry dog food should be meat. The crude protein of the food should be between twenty-two and twenty-six percent with the crude fat being not less than twenty percent. There should also be a fiber content of four percent or less.
Another important task is to socialize your Shar Pei pup from a very early age with children and any other pets in your household. While the Shar Pei can be very playful around children they can also be very aggressive around other dogs. You should avoid using a sharp voice when training your Shar Pei pup. Rather you want to use kind words and positive reinforcement such as treats. However, you always need to be firm when you handle your Shar Pei pup due to their stubborn streak.
Make sure you exercise your Shar Pei pup every day and keep them on a leash at all times in order to avoid conflicts with other dogs. At about ten weeks of age you might want to consider taking your Shar Pei pup to puppy kindergarten training classes. Remember though that when exercising in hot weather you should provide your Shar Pei pup with plenty of shade and water since they are extremely sensitive to heat.
You should brush your dog’s coat at least once a week with a bristle brush and several times a day during shedding. Give you Shar Pei pup a bath when necessary but don’t shampoo them too frequently as it makes them more susceptible to dry skin.
Trim your pup’s nails at least every two to four weeks and check the nails regularly. Start a nail-trimming schedule while your Shar Pei is still a puppy. Use a cotton swab to check and clean your pup’s ears often in order to avoid ear problems.
Tags: Dogs