7 Ways to Celebrate National Puppy Day!

It’s the best day of the year and we’re not talking about Christmas…March 23rd is National Puppy Day! How do you celebrate? Here are a few things you can do with your puppy!

Our puppies give us so much unconditional love and memories, they deserve a day of their own to be celebrated! If you’re planning a perfect day for your best friend, we have some ideas to help kickstart your itinerary! 

1. Plan a Puppy Play Date!

Does your puppy have a best friend? National Puppy Day is a great day to plan a play date! Take a moment to learn how to introduce your puppy to new dogs prior to meeting up, as well as tips for socializing your puppy and body language signs to look out for! Because most puppies just want to go, go, go, remember to supervise any interaction and watch for any over-stimulation like increased arousal –nipping, for example – during play. That is a good sign your puppy may need a little break from all the action!

If your puppy is still very young and hasn’t received their vaccinations, this may not be the best option but don’t worry there are plenty of other things to do for your puppy!

2. Get Your Puppy a New Toy!

Puppies love to play, so of course, National Puppy Day calls for a brand new toy! But which one? There are many options out there so select a toy that will engage your puppy’s mind, and give them a chewing outlet! Kongs or other puzzle toys that you can stuff with food are great options that puppies absolutely love! These types of toys keep them busy and mentally stimulated as they try to figure out how to get the good stuff out!

With any new toy, make sure to supervise your puppy while they are playing. Some toys can have pieces that fall off and could be ingested. Opt for strong rubber toys that match your puppy's chew strength and are size-appropriate for them.

3. Treat Your Puppy to a Pup Friendly Treat!

A delicious treat is always a great option! Look for an all-natural, organic, and human-grade treat, or try your hand at making some your own! Plain yogurt (great when frozen!), apples, sweet potato, peanut butter, coconut–these are all puppy favorite ingredients and completely safe for your puppy to eat when properly prepared!

4. Take Your Puppy on An Adventure!

Plan a little excursion with your puppy! Plan a day at the beach, go to the park, take your puppy to your favorite cafe, or one of our favorites, go for a hike! If you do plan to take your puppy out into the woods, do a little pre-planning by reading our blog “How to Prepare for Your Puppy’s First Hike!” which will give you tips to keep your puppy safe while out exploring!

5. Sign Your Puppy Up for Online Training Classes!

Puppies love to learn and work so appeal to their natural instinct by enrolling them in online puppy training classes that challenge them, teach them new skills, and will help make your bond together even tighter!! 

Our Online Puppy School is designed to model our day school in Hermosa Beach, CA where puppies come to learn and train with us every day! This Online School offers you a comprehensive blueprint to train your puppy right from home and teach them all the skills they need to be the perfectly well-mannered pup you can take anywhere!

Not only will your puppy earn everything from their basic obedience commands to advanced outdoor obedience routines like loose-leash walking, you’ll learn all our secret troubleshooting tricks when your puppy isn’t quite getting the hang of something, or just being a puppy!

Plus you’ll get weekly check-ins with our master trainers to work with them virtually, troubleshoot any issues you’re having, and ask them any of your questions, so it feels like you’re right here in class in-person with us!

Learn more about The Puppy Academy Online School!

PS. This also makes a great gift to give a new puppy owner in your life on National Puppy Day, too!

6. Give Your Puppy a Spa Day!

Who doesn’t love being pampered? If your puppy has been introduced to being handled and groomed, a little spa day is definitely a great choice! Whether you are planning to do one at home, or take your puppy to get professionally groomed, make sure to check out our “Puppyhood Made Easy for New Owners: Grooming Basics for Puppies!” to prep your puppy for their pawdicure!

7. Don’t Have a Puppy? Adopt One!

Last and definitely our favorite, if you have been thinking and dreaming about bringing home a new puppy, National Puppy Day is a great day to adopt one! The truth is there are millions of pups in shelters across the United States, and your forever best friend could be waiting for you at a local rescue or shelter. 

And if you can’t adopt right now, that’s okay too! You can still celebrate National Puppy Day by visiting a shelter, bringing food, bedding, and toys, or making a donation to to your favorite local shelter or rescue organization to help support the pups!

 
 

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month! Learn How to Protect Your Puppy!

We love our pups and want to keep them happy and healthy. While we want to think our homes are perfectly safe, you may not know that certain household items could be potentially poisonous to your puppy! March is Poison Prevention Awareness month and we want to help you prepare and keep your four-legged best friend safe.

Our puppies love to play and get into all sorts of things they probably shouldn’t be! We stress to all of our students’ parents that the best ways to keep their puppy out of trouble or harm is to monitor them during playtime, create appropriate boundaries in different areas of the home with gates, and when supervision isn’t possible, place their puppy in their crate. However, even with all these factors in place, there could be a chance that your puppy could encounter substances or items in your home that could be harmful to them! Prevention is key but you need to learn what to look out for and what steps you need to take to insure your home is safe for your puppy. And of course, how to prepare in the event your puppy does ingest something harmful. Here are some guidelines to follow and always make sure to check in with professionals like your vet and animal poison control experts when dealing with medical situations.

When you prepare your home for your puppy’s arrival or even if your puppy is already home with you, take time to check certain areas of your home for the things we’ll cover later on in the blog. And in the event you suspect a potential poisoning, we’ll walk through the action steps to take immediately! 


Please note: the items we’ve put together in this blog are not a complete list for each category, but a smaller group of some of the most common potentially harmful items for a puppy. We encourage you to do your due diligence in order to ensure your pup's utmost safety and wellbeing.

DON’T FORGET TO JOIN US EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 1 PM PT FOR “ASK A PUPPY TRAINER!” LIVE ON @THEPUPPYACADEMY INSTAGRAM!

What to look out for!

When you are bringing home your puppy, you’ll want to go through and identify potentially harmful items when puppy-proofing.  Even if you already have your puppy at home, you can puppy-proof at any time following the guide below! Here are some of the common household items found throughout your home you may or may not know about! 

Please note: the items we’ve put together in this blog are not a complete list for each category, but a smaller group of some of the most common potentially harmful items for a puppy. We encourage you to do your due diligence in order to ensure your pup's utmost safety and wellbeing.

 
 

Kitchen

Probably one of the places in your home your puppy may spend a lot of their time! As a starting off point, look through your kitchen to ensure these items are either out of your puppy’s reach or locked in a cabinet: 

Chocolate

Avocado

Onions

Garlic

Candy, Gum (Anything that contains Xylitol)

Grapes

Raisins

Alcohol

Yeast

Caffeine

Macadamia Nuts

Mushrooms

Cleaning supplies (dish detergent, multi-surface cleaners)

Some pups are super curious by all the food smells and could easily figure out a way to get into the garbage. A general rule is to always make sure that your garbage is secure, closed tightly, or out of your puppy’s reach!

Bathroom

Next, check through your bathroom for these items to make sure they are out of reach for your puppy or locked up. The best way to ensure that your puppy doesn’t gain access to items like the ones listed below is by keeping the bathroom doors closed. However, having these items stored safely in the event your puppy does wander into the bathroom will guarantee their safety!

Bleach

Laundry Detergent

Hand sanitizer

Medications

Over-the-counter drugs (Tylenol, Advil, Sudafed, Aspirin, etc.)

Medical Marijuana 

Yard or Outdoor Area

Items that we use to treat our lawns and gardens, even some for cutting flowers, can be harmful to your puppy! Supervision outdoors, especially if your puppy still hasn’t learned Recall commands, is highly recommended every time your puppy is playing outside. Keep your puppy away from:

Fertilizer

Lily

Tulips

Daffodils

Foxglove

Azalea

Palm

Rat Poison

De-ice salts

Slug bait

Household Plants

We may think they are pretty and harmless, but if ingested, some of these everyday household plants can cause serious illness for your puppy:

Aloe vera

Ivy

Jade

Dumb cane

Philodendron

Pathos

Sago palm

ZZ plant

Elephant ear

Corn plant

Asparagus plant

Desert rose

Bird of paradise

Peace Lily

Chinese evergreen

We recommend that you remove these plants from your home, raise them up higher, or put up gates around them to create a barrier so your puppy cannot get to them.

What to do if you think your puppy is poisoned

We hate to think of the worst, but our puppies can’t tell us if they feel sick so it’s a good idea to know the right information before an emergency takes place! In the event that your puppy does come into contact with or ingests a poison, your best chance at making sure they get the help they need is being able to tell if your puppy is suddenly ill! 

Know the signs - Look for sudden changes in your pup’s behavior and bodily functions. Sudden vomiting, diarrhea, and coughing blood are immediate signs that your puppy may have touched or ingested poison and will need attention from a veterinarian. Other signs to look out for that may not be immediately evident include:

Hypersalivation

Gum discoloration or paleness

Collapse

Accelerated heart rate

Excessive water drinking and urination

Lethargy

Identify the toxin - In order to facilitate immediate treatment of your pup, figure out what your puppy came into contact with or ingested. Then, try to determine how much they ate or touched. If possible, bring the item (if it’s in a package) with you to show the vet. 

Seek Help Immediately - Bring your puppy to their vet or an emergency vet clinic. Give them a call before you drive in or on the way if you are able to! This way, you can tell them what your puppy is experiencing and help them to prepare for your pup and provide immediate treatment upon arrival. And most importantly, if you know your puppy came into contact or ingested something, don’t wait for the symptoms to start, rather take them to get treatment immediately. 

Depending on the type of poisoning, some veterinarians may ask you to induce vomiting at home with Hydrogen Peroxide. Don’t try this without speaking with your vet or a professional care provider first. If your pup touched a toxin, the vet may ask you to bathe them with a grease-cutting soap (such as Dawn dish soap) before coming in to avoid the spread of the poison.

If you need to visit an emergency vet clinic after hours, make sure to bring your puppy’s medical and vaccination records with you if available, and provide them with any medication allergies or past medical history your pup may have.

Pro Tip: With poisoning, time is of the essence! Keep these numbers readily handy in case of emergency as some vet offices may ask you to call and speak with them directly rather than making the trip into the office!

ASPCA Poison Control (888)426-4435

Pet Poison Helpline (800)213-6680

March is National Poison Prevention Awareness month! We wanted to remind all you puppy owners out there that you should definitely do research on pet food brands, medications, plants, cleaning supplies, etc. you have in your home and that your pup may be exposed to. This way you’ll understand what is safe and what should be stored safely. Share these helpful guidelines with other puppy owners you know to help keep not just yours but all four-legged best friends out there safe!

Learn how to puppy-proof your home and more in our Online School!

DON’T FORGET TO JOIN US EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 1 PM PT FOR “ASK A PUPPY TRAINER!” LIVE ON @THEPUPPYACADEMY INSTAGRAM!

Check out these related blogs on puppy training and more!

Complete Puppy Training Schedule by Age!

How to Care for Your Puppy’s Teeth!

A Guide to Puppy Breeds: Bernedoodles!


 

PUPPYHOOD MADE EASY.®