{"id":46358,"date":"2026-05-19T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/?p=46358"},"modified":"2026-05-18T21:22:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T21:22:29","slug":"the-complete-puppy-care-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/the-complete-puppy-care-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Puppy Care Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><p><strong>In this article:<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#how-do-i-get-started-taking-care-of-a-puppy\">How do I get started taking care of a puppy?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#what-veterinary-care-does-my-puppy-need\">What veterinary care does my puppy need?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#how-do-i-train-my-puppy\">How do I train my puppy?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#what-should-i-feed-my-puppy\">What should I feed my puppy?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#what-if-i-m-stressed-out-taking-care-of-my-puppy\">What if I&rsquo;m stressed out taking care of my puppy?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><p>If you&rsquo;ve got puppy questions, we&rsquo;ve got puppy answers. Here&rsquo;s expert-backed advice to help you look after your new best friend.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-do-i-get-started-taking-care-of-a-puppy\">How do I get started taking care of a puppy?<\/h4><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/expect-youre-expecting-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Bringing a Puppy Home? Here&rsquo;s What to Do First.<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>We&rsquo;ve got pointers on prepping for a pup.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-veterinary-care-does-my-puppy-need\">What veterinary care does my puppy need?<\/h4><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/puppy-guide-health-veterinary-care\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Puppy Veterinary Care Guide<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>Here&rsquo;s what to know about keeping your new puppy healthy.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-do-i-train-my-puppy\">How do I train my puppy?<\/h4><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/how-to-potty-train-a-puppy-a-step-by-step-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Ultimate Puppy Potty Training Guide<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>If you follow these steps, a healthy dog will learn to go outside.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/how-to-socialize-a-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>How Do I Socialize My Puppy?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>Properly socializing a puppy is one of the most important things you can do for their long-term health and happiness.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/crate-train-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>How to Crate Train Your Puppy<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>A crate is an essential tool for potty training, and so much more. Here&rsquo;s how to introduce a crate to your puppy so they see it as a happy place.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/how-to-leash-train-your-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>How to Leash Train Your Puppy<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>Getting a puppy comfortable on a leash takes patience&hellip; and a plan. Here are the steps to take toward a lifetime of harmonious walking.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Golden-Retriever-Adult-and-Puppy-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"An adult golden retriever sits next to a golden retriever puppy on a green lawn.\" class=\"wp-image-46400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Golden-Retriever-Adult-and-Puppy-684x1024.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Golden-Retriever-Adult-and-Puppy-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Golden-Retriever-Adult-and-Puppy-768x1150.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Golden-Retriever-Adult-and-Puppy-1026x1536.jpg 1026w, https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Golden-Retriever-Adult-and-Puppy.jpg 1156w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\" \/><\/figure><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-should-i-feed-my-puppy\">What should I feed my puppy?<\/h4><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/farmers-dog-great-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Why The Farmer&rsquo;s Dog Is Great for Your Puppy<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>Discover science-backed nutritional benefits of fresh food for your new dog.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/what-to-feed-a-puppy-for-weight-gain-and-how-to-tell-if-they-need-to-gain-weight\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>What to Feed a Puppy For Weight Gain<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>And how to tell if they need to gain weight.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/puppy-guide-feed-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Week-by-Week Guide to Feeding Your Puppy<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>From the first weeks of their life until they&rsquo;re an adult, here&rsquo;s how and what to feed your puppy.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/6-major-dos-and-donts-for-feeding-a-large-breed-puppy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>6 Key Tips for Feeding a Large-Breed Puppy<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>Proper nutrition is one of the most important parts of helping a large-breed puppy grow into a happy, healthy adult dog.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-if-i-m-stressed-out-taking-care-of-my-puppy\">What if I&rsquo;m stressed out taking care of my puppy?<\/h4><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/no-one-is-talking-about-this-the-puppy-blues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Beating the Puppy Blues<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>The early days with a puppy can be hard&mdash;here&rsquo;s how one family got through them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s how to ace potty training, simplify vet visits, and overcome the puppy blues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":46399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[416,417,174,198],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness","category-new-dog","category-nutrition","category-training-behavior"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46358"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46402,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46358\/revisions\/46402"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}