How To Care For Your American Bully Puppy

Posted On Jan 13, 2022

Bringing home an American Bully puppy for the first time is exciting and maybe a bit daunting. Your primary job when bringing home your puppy is to ensure his security, safety, and mental well-being. Our guide to puppy care will give you some brief and general rules for the best start in your puppy’s life, and avoid any potential problems later on.

Before you bring your American Bully puppy home

1. Find a Good Vet

It is highly advised to visit the vet for a checkup on the first week, if not the first day when you bring your puppy home. So you need to arrange, who your dog’s veterinarian will be. The breeder from whom you will buy your puppy may recommend you a vet that already has experiences with the American Bully breed. This visit will not only help ensure that your puppy is healthy, but it will help you take the first steps toward a good preventive health routine. During the first visit at the vet you should consult the vaccination plan for your puppy and options for controlling parasites.

It’s also useful to know the closest emergency facilities that have a vet after hours.

2. Prepare your home and family for the puppy’s arrival

Prepare for your puppy’s arrival by reviewing your property or apartment for safety. Maybe you’ll find you need to secure the fence, so your new dog cannot accidentally get out and intruders won’t be able to get in. Check the environment for anything that may injure your dog. You may find small objects that your puppy could easily swallow, get cut on or knock over. Watch out for for poisonous plants, electrical cables, foods and other animals which could attack small dogs.

There are also certain things that you should discuss with your family before your new family member arrives.

• responsibilities – discuss within your family who will be responsible for certain chores
• make a plan for daily routine – what time your puppy goes to sleep and should get up, feeding schedule, when he gets to go for a walk or play, when and where he goes for bathroom
• place – where the puppy’s bed, toys, bowls will be
• choose a name and cues for commands
• discuss some general rules, e.g. which rooms your new dog will be allowed to enter, whether he will be allowed to jump on the sofa, sleep in the bed with you etc. These are important decisions to be made up to the arrival of your puppy.

3. Gather your dog’s gear

• Dog food and treats – it is always advised to start with the food he is used to. After that you can switch gradually to a different food, preferably with no corn or grains. Maybe you are familiar with the alternative BARF diet.
• Edible bones – Cooked bones, including those that come from table scraps, are not safe for dogs to eat. They can easily break and splinter. Most raw bones that have not been cooked are edible for dogs. Raw chicken, turkey, lamb, or beef bones are soft enough to chew, eat, and digest.
• Bowls for food and water – stainless steel bowls resist bacteria.
• Collar with ID Tag – a flat, buckle collar is the safest. ID Tag ensures that your dog gets back to you in case he gets lost.
• Leash or harness – you may try both and see which works better for you and your dog.
• First aid kit – buying a puppy comes with responsibilities and it’s always good to be prepared for some injuries. By preparing for certain situations you can save your puppy’s life.
• Crate, blanket and toys – the puppy needs a place, where he can feel safe and rest undisturbed. You can make the crate a comfortable, safe place by putting inside a fluffy bed and some toys or maybe the blanket from the puppy’s first home for the couple of first days. So many toys are chalk full of endocrine disrupting BPAs and toxic lead. 

Welcoming an American Bully puppy in your home

Bringing a puppy home is an exciting event for the whole family. This puppy will be in a new environment with new sounds, smells, and a brand new family to meet.

When introduced to its new home, place your new puppy on a leash and allow it to roam its new environment under your control. You may observe, how your puppy reacts to various objects in the house. Whether he’s curious or rather cautious. While many new owners feel a dog crate is isolating and cold, crate training is actually the easiest way to establish good sleep habits and bathroom routines. Also the puppy needs a place, where he can feel safe. You can make the crate a comfortable, safe place by putting inside a fluffy bed and some toys or maybe the blanket from the puppy’s first home for the couple of first days. It also prevents them from getting into trouble while you’re sleeping.

Your primary job when bringing home your puppy is to ensure his security, safety and mental well-being. According to Kyra Sundance being too lenient with your dog is not going to damage him permanently. However, being too harsh with your dog, like dominating him or causing him fear can injure him for a lifetime. You should establish trust and loving relationship by being kind and gentle.

Nutrition and feeding schedule of an American Bully puppy

Feeding your puppy high quality food is essential for keeping your fur baby healthy. If you are unsure of which brand to pick, speak to your veterinarian or the breeder you bought your puppy from to see what they recommend. Choose a brand and stick with it, as oftentimes switching brands can upset your dog’s tummy. Don’t forget that puppies need more food than an adult dog to keep up with their rapid growth spurts. Feed your puppy multiple times a day according to its age:

• 8-12 weeks: 4 meals per day
• 3-6 months: 3 meals per day
• 6-12 months: 2 meals per day

For American Bullies under a year is recommended a high protein, high fat food. The first 3 listed ingredients should be a form of meat, not corn or grains.
There are a lot of premium pet foods on the market that will have these ingredients.  You can look for a statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) on the packaging (if you are from the USA) to ensure that the food you choose will meet your puppy’s nutritional requirements. When switching to a new brand, always look for changes in your puppy’s skin, itching around the eyes and feet if your dog has a food allergy or reacts to certain ingredients in their food. Raw feeding may be an excellent choice as well. When you bring home a new puppy that was not raised on raw, it can be a bit trickier to get him started. This article contains 9 Tips For Starting Your Puppy On A Raw Diet.  
According to Bully King magazine blog it is best to feed an American Bully puppy as much as they will eat and to keep some fat on your Bully puppy. This will aid in proper growth. As your Bully gets older, their feeding patterns will change. After a year to a year ½, you should feed your dog enough to maintain a full look, but not overweight. Their metabolism will change on its own, and you will see the puppy fat change into muscle.
Many American Bully owners think, they need to achieve a bulky look for any price. They buy expensive dog supplements, which allegedly ensure the muscular body. For sure, you may feed your dog to maintain a full look, but if your dog doesn’t have the genetic make up to have a “bullier” build, then all the supplements and training in the world aren’t going to add on the muscle mass you desire.

Health issues, vaccinations and worming of American Bully dog

Because the American Bully is both a very new breed and maintained by numerous registries and clubs, no health studies have been conducted on the breed up to this point.

We may foresee the potential health issues of the American Bully breed by examining the older breeds, which this breed’s genetic make-up contains. One of the biggest problems found in American Pit Bull Terriers is demodicosis. Demodicosis, also known as Demodex mange and Demodectic mange, is caused by a species of mite that is present on the skin of almost all dogs.  The mite transfers from the mother dog to her puppies while she is nursing.  These mites cause no problems at all for the vast majority of dogs, but cause an autoimmune reaction in others.  This reaction causes the hair loss commonly known as mange.  Demodicosis can impact either a very small patch of skin or the entire dog, depending on its severity.  There are a multitude of treatment options available, although some cases require no treatment at all.

More health issues known to occur in American Pit Bull Terriers and almost certainly the American Bully as well is hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and visual problems. For this reason it is highly advisable for owners to have their pets tested by both the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF).  The OFA and CERF perform genetic and other tests to identify potential health defects before they show up.  This is especially valuable in the detection of conditions that do not show up until the dog has reached an advanced age, making it especially important for anyone considering breeding their dog to have them tested to prevent the spread of potential genetic conditions to its offspring.

Dental disease is the most common chronic problem in pets, affecting 80% of all dogs by age two. Staffordshire Bull Terrier and probably the American Bully as well are more likely than other dogs to have problems with their teeth. It starts with tartar build-up on the teeth and progresses to infection of the gums and roots of the teeth. If we don’t prevent or treat dental disease, your buddy will lose her teeth and be in danger of damaging her kidneys, liver, heart, and joints.

Puppies are typically vaccinated at eight and ten weeks (although they can be vaccinated as early as four-six weeks of age) with the second dose usually being given two to four weeks later. Speak to your vet about the best timings. As your puppy grows into an adult dog it’s important to ensure you visit your vet and keep your dogs vaccinations up to date. When your Bully reaches 6 months in age, have your vet give a 3 year rabies vaccination. Rabies vaccinations should be repeated every three years. Once a year have your vet do a complete health check on your Bully. We found this blog post to have some useful information about dog vaccinations for first time dog owners.

Dogs can be infected with a few different types of worms. These include hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms, heart worms. Some sources say most dogs – even healthy dogs – host a low level of worms nearly all the time. To protect your dog and your home, you can wipe down your dog’s paws when you come in from walks. Even just a quick wipe with a damp cloth can help reduce your dog and your home’s exposure to larvae. Additionally, always wash your hands thoroughly after petting your dog to prevent transmitting them to you. It is advised to start the puppy on a heart worm preventative at 4 months. Some of these contain medications to kill other worm varieties as well as heart worm. You should always repeat a worming 14 days after the initial worming. Tape worms require a 3 day treatment.

How to get the most out from the first weeks with your puppy

After introducing your puppy to his new family and environment, you should teach him where his water bowl will be, so he can access fresh water any time he needs. The puppy should also know from day 1, where his bed is and where he can go on potty. Whether you choose to use a crate or a fluffy bed for your puppy, it is important that he feels safe there and can have undisturbed rest time. After these crucial things you should begin to establish a loving relationship with your new puppy, which reduces possible anxiety. He will quickly learn that you are his people, who he can trust and love unconditionally. By giving your puppy a gentle, loving care yet establishing rules and boundaries you set him up for success.It takes about two months of consistent use for your dog to become very familiar with his name. Also begin with teaching your puppy the house rules, establishing his bathroom routine, feeding routine and daily routine. You will achieve the best results with your puppy when sticking to carefully designed schedule, which of course can be modified according to your and your dog’s changing needs. You can begin teaching your puppy to wear a collar in a compassionate way, so he will get a positive impression. You can give him a pleasant neck scratching to get him used you touching his neck. When you put his collar around his neck the first time, immediately take him on a walk or play with ball to get his mind onto something else besides the collar. According to Dog Training 101 book by Kyra Sundance the leash acts as a line of communication between you and your dog. You should treat it with a respect and understand that a yank or jerk on this line are the same as a smack – not so much a communication as a frustrated attempt at control. You may want to introduce the leash to your puppy at chowtime to make it a more positive.Just like obedience training, proper socialization during an American Bully’s puppyhood helps avoid behavioral problems down the road. At approximately 2 to 4 months of age, most puppies begin to accept other animals, people, places, and experiences. It’s important to set the tone from the start so your puppy will understand, that he may not bully or overrun your child nor the cat. The best way to achieve it is to teach your puppy how to interact calmly with other animals and also other family members. You should remember to teach the children as well, how to act respectfully toward the dog.For an American Bully puppy it is very wise to introduce other healthy animals from an early age, as they tend to have prey instinct. Begin by giving him the cat blanket to investigate, this may reduce the excitement of meeting the live cat. His natural instincts can be kept in check, however, with firm and consistent enforcement of house rules. You may use the word “gentle” in a soft but firm intonation.Meeting new people, animals and places can be exciting for your puppy but sometimes also scary. Introduce him these new things in a way that feels safe and gives him confidence to handle the situation. It may be the first visit to the vet, first nail trimming, your puppy may be anxious with these new experiences. A little extra time in the beginning will help your puppy for a lifetime to be a healthy and balanced dog.

Original Article : https://americanbullylover.com/how-to-care-for-your-american-bully-puppy/