Excellent Dog & Puppy Care in San Diego
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private non-profit organization in San Diego, CA. that has been serving the community through the mission of people helping animals and animals helping people for 50 years. The Center has offered programs directed to help rescue animals in need and give them the proper care to prepare them for their adoption. As well as providing educational and therapeutic programs for people with the help of animals.
We are a no-kill facility that receives no government funding and relies heavily on tax-deductible contributions from private donors to continue our life-saving mission. Helen Woodward believed that trust, unconditional love, and respect were necessary to create a legacy of caring. After many years of service, Helen Woodward Animal Center continues to inspire and teach, both locally and globally, the importance of the animal-human bond. Our biggest goal is to help as many animals as we can through our Adoptions program. We can achieve our goal with the help of people like you, who are interested in adopting a puppy whether it is for the first time or by adding a new one to your household. Interested in adopting a new puppy? Check out our adoptable dogs!
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Puppy Care: Common FAQs
Adopting a puppy is a great responsibility that comes with even greater benefits. When you choose to open the doors of your house to a puppy, you have a lot of benefits regarding training the puppy to fit your lifestyle. Have a question about Helen Woodward Animal Center and our current roster of furry friends? Explore some of our most frequently asked questions or contact us today to speak to an adoption specialist to learn more!
Refer to the section below for in-depth answers to puppy care questions.
How to potty train a puppy
One of the reasons why people hesitate to adopt a puppy is potty training. What they don’t know is that there are many ways you can help your puppy learn where it is okay to go potty and start setting a routine for them. Crate training is one of the most popular techniques because dogs are very clean creatures and they don’t want to live and do their business in the same area. Puppy pads are great to demonstrate to a pup that it is okay to use that small space if needed, but ideally building up to training our dogs to go outside is the goal. Creating a habit by reinforcing their good actions with words of affirmation and rewards like scratches and treats.
How to crate train a puppy
Crate training your puppy is recommended from the moment you adopt it. Dogs are very smart and will learn quickly that they have to wait until they are let out to go potty. Make the crate feel like a safe zone and have patience if they are hesitant to go in. Patience is key, and giving treats inside the crate is a great way to make them feel calm while they are inside. Also, keeping the dog inside the crate when you leave and at night is crucial to their learning process.
How many shots do puppies need before they can go out into the world?
Vaccines are a very important responsibility when you have pets. When you have a puppy, the cost of vaccines for the first year is higher than during adulthood. Puppies need to get their first shots when they are between 6-8 weeks old, but they will need more vaccines when they turn 10-12 weeks and 16-18 weeks old. After that, it is recommended that all dogs get their yearly vet check. There are optional vaccines that depending on the needs of your pet your veterinarian might recommend giving. The cost of each vaccine depends on the place where you get them but they typically range between $75-$100 for the core vaccines (DHPP) and $15-$20 for rabies.
How often should a puppy eat?
What and how much should you feed your puppy? This changes depending on their age and needs, when they are at a very young age (6-12 weeks) they will need to eat puppy food 4 times a day following a diet that is specially formulated with their nutritional needs. Large breeds should be fed un-moistened dry food by 9 or 10 weeks; small dogs by 12 or 13 weeks. As the puppy continues to grow, we want to start progressively decreasing its food intake. Between the 3-6 months, we want to bring the four meals a day to three meals per day. And between the 6-12 months, bring those three meals to two.
How much does a puppy sleep?
Let your puppy sleep as much as it can! All the running around and eagerness to discover your world will wear them out. Normally, puppies should be sleeping between 15-20 hours to recover the energy they burned while adult dogs need an average of 12-14 hours of sleep.
When can my puppy hang around other dogs?
Socializing your puppy is very important to guarantee they act polite around other animals and people. It is recommended to start socialization within the first month you get your puppy while taking into consideration that their vaccines are up to date. Socializing your puppies at a young age or as soon as they are coming into a new environment helps them become well-rounded and confident in many scenarios and prevents them from being afraid of unfamiliar things.
Helen Woodward Animal Center Is Your Trusted Puppy Care Guide!
Adopting a puppy is an extraordinary lifetime experience, but it comes with big responsibilities. When you bring a puppy into your home you have to take care of it, make sure he is eating well, getting his vaccines, is healthy and trained to be able to socialize with other people and pets. Whenever it feels like it is too much (take a deep breath) it’s not! There is an extensive amount of sites, blogs, and people who can guide you in the right direction.
Those who adopt from Helen Woodward Animal Center become a part of our furry family and can enjoy exclusive adopter offers that help makes their new pet feel at home. Sign up for Helen Woodward’s newsletter to stay up to date on dog & cat rescue animals for adoption and exciting announcements!