4. Food And Poop

Puppies are such adorable cutie-pies and we immediately fall in love with them; and we want to adopt one, so that, we can cuddle and care. Now, many of us think that caring is all about kissing, hugging, cuddling and showering endearments. But adopting a pet goes much beyond that for it is not a soft toy. A living thing has demands and demands are rather more elemental. Food and feeding are a very important aspect of that. We must know what to feed and what not to. We must understand that we are dealing with a different species and therefore, food habits and requirements will differ a lot. What we eat may not be good for the pet. Therefore, a careful selection of diet is the first important thing in adopting a pet. Then we must also realise that pets also have their own individual choices, likes and dislikes. Diet shouldn't be just all vitamins and minerals but should also be something that excites the taste buds of the puppy without upsetting it's tummy. Now, comes a very important part of pet adoption. What goes inside must come outside. That's how carbon-based life forms function and our pet is no different. It is poop time! Who will clean the mess? All wish to cuddle and none wants to clean poop. If you are unable to clean the poop, then pet adoption is a strict no for you. Responsible ownership is all about the answer to the question - who will clean the poop. Cleaning of poop must be done with meticulous care for that can cause disease. Here is a step-by-step guide to feeding and poop cleaning.

Feeding

1. Buy pet food from the store. It is costly. But don't compromise with the quality. Before you decide to adopt a pet please do make a rough estimate of the recurring expenses.

2. Weigh your pet and then give the recommended amount. Don't be happy with that for your task doesn't end there. Next observe the poop. If the tummy is upset, then reduce the amount of food. Don't make sudden and drastic change in the quantity. Whatever changes you decide to do, do it gradually. Rush to the vet if the poop is too watery.

3. Introduce the puppy to boiled vegetables like carrot, pumpkin, peas and potato. Serve skinned sliced small pieces of raw fruits like watermelon and apple. All the time keep a watch on the poop, so that, you can vary the amount and the type of food depending on the consistency and colour of the poop.

4. Give small amount of food four times a day instead of just twice. Spread out the meal. Don't heap too much in one go.

5. Grind the pet food pallets and make a powder of it. Take scoops of that powder and add warm water till it becomes a gravy. Let it soak for 10 minutes and then serve. You may add boiled vegetables like carrot, pumpkin, potato and peas in the gravy.

6. Small pieces of apple and watermelon can be served after the food. A small piece of turmeric can also be given. A piece the size of your thumb nail is good enough for a puppy weighing 3 kg.

7. All food must be in moderation. There shouldn't be overfeeding or underfeeding. How to achieve that balance of perfect feeding? Well, there is no set rule. There are only recommendations. Our observation will save the day. We must observe the pet's AEP -

Appetite - Energy - Poop; and then decide. Appetite should be good. Energy should be adequate so as to make the puppy active and alert instead of being lethargic and sleepy. Here it must be said that puppies are hyperactive and after a bout of running about and jumping they prefer to have a dream induced sound sleep. Sleeping after activity is normal and nothing to be worried about. The poop shouldn't be too hard like pallets. The poop shouldn't be too watery that it sticks to the floor. The perfect poop is spongy and must float on the surface of water.

8. Remember puppy stomach can get upset easily. Regulate the quality of food carefully to see that the puppy is able to digest what it eats.

9. Establish a schedule and stick to it. Feeding on time is important for digestion and good health.

10. Never ever give titbits from the table as you have your food. Treats and titbits play a very important role in training the puppy acceptable behaviour. So, don't make it a random and purposeless happening. Well-mannered feeding behaviour will make your puppy and later dog more acceptable in public places and that begins with the habits that you help it adopt at home.

Pooping

1. You will need a strategy to deal with that. Toilet training is easy, but it takes time and considerable intelligence and empathy on the part of the owner.

2. First be prepared for the pet to poop all around your house. When it feels like, it does it. The only good thing is that it won't do it near it's bed. So choose the spot where you intend to keep it's bed carefully for as a general rule the pet will most of the times travel to the opposite corner of its bed to poop. Remember the place to poop is in relation to the place to sleep. Adjust the setup accordingly.

3. Never scold the pet after it has pooped in an undesirable location. But do shower praises if it aims correctly and delivers on target.

4. Observe it's preferred location to poop. Spread a newspaper there. Next time the pet will find the newspaper there and that will become a habit. Begin with many newspapers spread out strategically throughout the room for your pet may have multiple location preferences. Then gradually in the course of a week reduce the area covered by the newspapers. Don't be frustrated. There will be hits and misses. Show patience. Don't scold. Praise appropriately - never long after the act but immediately after. Praise must be explicitly associated with performance, and here performance is to pass poop on paper. If you have a floor mat, rug or carpet then remove that. The pet must have only two choices - either hard floor or newspaper. Believe me that makes toilet training much easier.

5. Now how to deal with miss fires? You will need empathy and the objectivity of a scientist to deal with such a scenario. Empathy will give you less frustration and more urge for care. Objectivity will make you take necessary precautions for the ordeal.

6. Take a disinfectant like 'Dettol'. Mix it with water and put the mixture in a sprayer.

7. Buy a roll of toilet tissue.

8. Get newspapers and cut A4 size pieces of the paper.

9. Use the tissue to pick up the poop.

10. Clean the floor with the disinfectant and crumbled newspaper. Spray the disinfectant on the floor aiming at the area of poop and then crumble a paper and rubout the disinfectant from the floor with the paper till the floor is dry.

11. Be careful not to physically touch the poop.

12. There must always be a barrier of dry paper or tissue between the poop and your skin.

13. Be extra careful while rubbing away the disinfectant from the floor. Remember newspaper soaks very fast and the soaked part must not touch your skin.

14. Put the used paper and poop in a garbage bag to be disposed later.

15. The garbage bag should be stored properly till disposal and it must be out of reach of your pet. Treat it as hazardous radioactive waste.

16. Your pet will poop every time it eats. So be prepared to repeat the procedure many times a day. Pet poop has become a part your life. Accept that. Embrace that and happily cuddle your pet as much as you like.

17. At times the pet might try to eat it's own poop and also try to play with it. This doesn't happen often but then possibility is always there. Therefore, don't let the poop be there for long. Clean the poop as soon as it comes out of the hole and hits the floor. But don't hurry. Allow the pet it's pleasure of pooping.

18. If you are an extremist, then take a tissue and soak it a little with disinfectant and swap it over the anus of the pet after it has pooped. That will take you to the next level of pet ownership and make you a pro, a sort of a Zen master in the realm of poop cleaning.

19. Cuddle the pet, clean the poop, feed the pet, praise and play and that's all there is to be the proud owner of the perfect pet.

20. Pets are living things belonging to different species. Never ever make the grave mistake of thinking that a pet is able to see what's there in your mind unless you choose to clearly articulate it in a language that the pet is able to interpret and understand. For that to happen you need a considerable amount of intelligence. If you are sure of that, then please adopt a puppy. Otherwise do restrict yourself to cuddling puppies in a kennel or owned by others for you are not ready for the responsibility.