FAQ

Keep food and water bowls, a comfortable bed, a collar and leash (for puppies), a litter box (for kittens), age-appropriate food, and a few safe chew toys ready before day one. Puppy-proof or kitten-proof your home by removing loose wires, small swallowable objects, and anything toxic within reach. Line up your vet for the first vaccination visit in advance, so you're not scrambling once your new pet arrives. 

Neither is automatically better; it depends on how it's done. Home-cooked meals can work well if they're nutritionally balanced, which is harder to get consistently right than most people realize. Quality packaged food, with real meat first and no fillers, is formulated to meet complete nutritional needs every time, making it more reliable for daily feeding. 

Onion, garlic, chocolate, grapes, raisins, and xylitol (found in sugar-free products) are toxic to dogs, even in small amounts. Common Indian cooking staples like onion and garlic are easy to accidentally share, so keep table scraps away from your dog entirely. 

A balanced diet with real protein, essential vitamins, and minerals is the foundation of natural immunity. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and staying current on vaccinations and deworming all support a strong immune system. No single food or supplement replaces these basics. 

Run your hands along your dog's sides, you should be able to feel their ribs without pressing hard. From above, your dog should have a visible waist behind the ribs. If you can't feel the ribs at all, or they're sharply visible with no fat covering, your dog may be over or underweight. 

Once every 2 to 4 weeks generally works well in Indian climates, more often in extreme heat or if your dog gets visibly dirty. Over-bathing can strip natural oils from the skin and cause dryness, so avoid daily or near-daily baths unless your vet recommends it for a specific condition. 

Subtle changes like reduced appetite, lower energy, or minor changes in stool are early signs many owners overlook, since dogs instinctively hide discomfort. It becomes an emergency if you see repeated vomiting, difficulty breathing, collapse, a swollen abdomen, or your pet not eating or drinking at all for over 24 hours, any of these need immediate vet attention. 

Monsoon season brings a spike in tick-borne illnesses like tick fever, along with waterborne infections from puddles and stagnant water. India's humid conditions let ticks thrive, and they can survive indoors too. Monthly tick prevention and avoiding stagnant water on walks make a real difference during these months. 

Contact your vet or an emergency animal hospital immediately, don't wait for symptoms to appear. If possible, note what and how much your dog ate. Do not induce vomiting unless specifically instructed by a vet, since some substances cause more damage coming back up. 

No, this is a myth. A dog's nose can be warm or dry for many normal reasons, sleeping, weather, or simply individual variation, and isn't a reliable sign of illness on its own. Look at overall behavior, appetite, and energy levels instead of relying on nose temperature.