You’ve had the excitement of bringing home a new puppy, 3-6 months is the stage when they’ll start becoming much more independent. But even so, they’ll still need plenty of rest and naps while they continue to grow. As puppies head towards their ‘teenage’ years, here are some tips on how to look after them between months 3 - 6.

Exercise for Puppies Aged 3 - 6 Months

Puppies have lots of energy to burn and will love their regular walks. A 3-month-old puppy can be walked for around 15 minutes, once or twice a day. You can build this up gradually, so that by 6 months old your puppy can go on walks of up to around 30 minutes, once or twice a day.

Make sure they have a collar that fits and they’re comfortable with and let them get used to being on a lead before taking them out. Some may enjoy playing fetch in the garden, but before allowing them to play off the lead in an unsecure or public place, they must have good recall, i.e. are trained to return to you when called! This is so important, so you don’t lose your puppy and prevent any potential accidents.

Bear in mind that low impact exercise like walking is easier on growing joints than lots of energetic play such as running and jumping, so keep those to a minimum at this early stage in their development.

Feeding Puppies Aged 3 - 6 Months

The most rapid growth period occurs during first 6 months of the puppy’s life. Most dogs reach 50% of adult weight by 5-6 months. As they get bigger so will their appetites but check the recommended amount on the food packaging.

You don’t want to over or underfeed them or feed them a food that’s not suitable for their age and breed size. And to ensure a healthy, balanced diet, don’t give in to those puppy dog eyes if they beg for titbits or treats! Distract them by giving them a toy or taking them for a walk instead.

If you over-feed your puppy or provide a diet that over-supplements with unnecessary nutrients and minerals. This can cause severe and permanent damage to their bones and joints. Large and giant breeds are especially prone to the effects of over-feeding and over-supplementation.

To make sure that your puppy is growing at a healthy rate, they should be weighed and have their body condition scored regularly. The Body Condition Score (BCS) has been developed to assess if a dog is too lean or too fat. Their growth can be recorded on a chart to check that they’re putting on weight at the correct rate. Too fast a growth rate should be avoided, especially in large and giant breeds.

As puppies get older, the number of times they’re fed can be reduced to 2-3 times a day. This is also the time when you might be considering changing their food. If you decide to change their diet from wet to dry food or another brand, do it gradually to avoid tummy upsets. Mix in a small amount of the new food with the old food, increasing the amount over a couple of weeks until your puppy is being fed entirely the new food.

Grooming and Dental Care at 3 - 6 Months

Your puppy’s coat may need grooming once or twice a week depending on whether they’re a short-haired or long-haired breed. It’s a good time to check their coat for any unwanted parasites, and skin for any health issues. You’ll also need to keep up with nail clipping to prevent any deformities or walking difficulties for your dog.

This is the stage when puppies begin to lose their baby teeth and they may suffer teething pain and want to chew everything they can find. Make sure they have lots of puppy chew toys to keep them happy. Puppy teeth drop out to make room for their adult teeth. Keep up the routine of brushing their teeth as it now becomes more important than ever to keep on top of their dental hygiene.

Neutering Your Puppy

If you don’t plan on breeding from your puppy when they’re an adult, it’s a good idea to start thinking about neutering. Puppies can be neutered from 4 months old, and there isn’t any upper age limit for neutering. Often, female dogs may be spayed before they have their first season which is usually around 6 months. Ask your vet if you’re unsure when to have your puppy neutered.

Socialisation and Training at 3 - 6 Months

By 12-14 weeks, the sensitive period of puppy socialisation has finished but juvenile puppies still need regular socialisation and training. Dogs that aren’t socialised properly will have problems adjusting to new situations, people and other dogs. Get them used to new sounds, different types of transport, new people and animals so they don’t react out of fear or become stressed when faced with something they’re not used to.

They should be getting used to wearing a collar and lead and understanding the common commands of sit, stay, lie down and come.

By 6 months of age, your puppy should also be well on the way to being housetrained.

Puppy Healthcare at 3 - 6 Months

Your puppy can have their second vaccinations by now. If not, you might have to start their course of vaccinations again. If you’re not sure, ask your vet for advice.

Puppies from 3-6 months should be wormed once a month. At this stage, now that your puppy is going out and about and interacting with other dogs in different environments, you should ask your vet for advice on flea treatment. Keeping fleas at bay is another important part of the healthcare of your puppy.

Your puppy's development is rapid at this stage, and you’ll have to watch they don’t get up to too much mischief! Basic training and socialisation are important so that your puppy learns how to behave and interact with other animals and people. It can seem a bit overwhelming and that you’re on constant puppy watch, but put in the time and effort at this stage and you’ll have a lot of happy times together. 

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Content reviewed by Vetstream Canis - https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis

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