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Puppy Tips

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* IMPORTANT INFORMATION *

NEW PUPPY TIPS

The first weeks your new puppy is with you will be busy and demanding. There may be times when you wonder if getting a puppy was such a good idea. Things will go better if you have patience and keep your sense of humor. Remember that puppy hood only happens once. The extra effort you put into it now will pay off in the future.

Visit Your Vet
Make an appointment with your veterinarian to give the puppy a complete checkup within 72 hours of your purchase. This is an important condition of health guarantee. Although the puppy has been health checked prior to leaving the breeder, an exam is additional security against health defects, problems that were not apparent the first time. If the vet offers microchip ID implants, this an excellent time to get one. You should also discuss with the veterinarian plan for spaying or neutering you puppy when he or she is older. Having a vet you and your pet are comfortable with and can trust is very important. Be sure to talk to us, we can provide with a coupon for low cost spaying or neutering.

Colds
Your puppy may develop a runny nose or a slight cough within the first few days. This is quite normal. Just as children get colds due to change in environment and climate, so do puppies. If it persists, call us and we will further instruct you.

Diarrhea
Stress is one of the main causes of diarrhea. Feed the puppy boiled, drained Chickens mixed with cooked rice or try a little Pepto-Bismol, only until symptoms have diminished. Stress may also cause the diarrhea to have small traces of blood in it; this is completely normal, but if you notice more than a little blood, please call us immediately.

Feeding Your Puppy
Your puppy is used to eating whenever it wants. Puppy food is always in front of the mom and the pups learned to eat from her. Experts say that as long as a pup is raised that way, it shouldn’t over eat. If you are not comfortable with that, or overeating becomes a problem, then feed your puppy three times a day until they are three months old. After that you can feed your puppy twice a day. When first taking home one of our babies, the puppy should be fed 2-3 times a day with Merrick or Fromm wet food. Should also leave a dish of By Nature or Fromm dry food out at all times. All Small, Toy and T-cups and the following breeds: Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese, Poodles, Pomeranians, Chihuahua’s, Miniature Pinschers require special feedings for the first 2-4 weeks and ½ an hour after special feeding as follows:

  1. Mixture of the following: Tsp of cottage cheese, tsp of yogurt, 1/8 of baby rice cereal, ¼ jar of Gerber beef/chicken baby food 1st stage, add a tsp of honey plus ¼ cup of evaporated milk. Serve.
  2. b)
  3. Give Caesar select as 1st choice. If the puppy prefers you can also give chopped meat, roast beef, American cheese, broiled chicken, ham, baby food or milk.
  4. c)
  5. Give ½ teaspoon of honey or Karo syrup 3-4 times a day. Also add honey or Karo syrup into the water plus ¼ cup of pedialyte. Give 1” of nutrical twice a day for one year in order to maintain a healthy immune system for your puppy.

THESE LITTLE PUPPIES GENERALLY DO NOT EAT ENOUGH REGULAR DOG FOOD TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES!!! THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

Crates
Long ago, when dogs were still wild animals, they often slept in dens and shallow holes they dug in the ground hidden away in places where they felt safe from predators. A “crate” is just a modern version of a den. Just as you enjoy having your own room, too. As well as giving him a safe, cozy place to stay, crates can make training your dog a lot easier. Housebreaking goes much faster when you use a crate and destructive chewing becomes easier to control. Traveling is safer for both you and your dog when he’s in a crate. The most popular crates are made of plastic or heavy welded steel wire. Plastic crates are lightweight, portable and are easily taken apart for storage or travel. Some of them come in decorator colors. Most plastic crates meet federal regulations for airline travel. Wire crates are very popular and depending on your dog’s needs, may be a better purchase than plastic. Look for sturdy crates with heavy gauge wire that are easily folded down into a “suitcase-style” shape for transportation and storage. Although they wire crates are not approved for airline use they offer better ventilation. A crate need only be big enough for your puppy to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. The crate should be large enough for your puppy to stretch out on his side to sleep. If you had your puppy shipped, this crate will be adequate for a long time. Keep in mid the size your puppy will be as an adult. You may want to purchase a “grow with me” crate that’s size can be adjusted, or you may simply want to purchase a new one when your puppy outgrows the old.

Housebreaking Your Puppy
A puppy should have a schedule. He should be taken to his outside relief spot last thing at night and first thing in the morning as well as after meals and naps, and that he should be praised when he does his duty. When taking the puppy to his outdoor spot, don’t play with him or allow the children to do so. First things first. If the pup does not relieve himself, put him in the crate for a few minutes, and then try again. Most puppies will not soil in their crates if they can possibly help it. Take your puppy out every 2 hours to the “potty” area, whether it has eaten or not. Don’t play with the puppy until he relieves himself. If he doesn’t urinate and defecate within 10 minutes, bring him inside and place him in his crate for 10-15 minutes, then try again. Continue this routine until he is successful, and then praise him. The times that a puppy will most likely want to eliminate are after eating or drinking, after a nap, or after a period of play or vigorous exercise. Be patient, consistent, regulate what goes into your puppy’s tummy, so you regulate what comes out. Many small dogs owners live in apartments and have found that they prefer to train their puppies to the disposable pads which have a plastic backing (puppy pads, wee-wee pads, etc.). Puppies train well to these pads and many use these for their entire life.

Never punish your puppy for mistakes. Once you’re confident that the puppy understands where to relieve himself, scold him for mistakes, but don’t spank, scream or push his nose in the mess. The spot should be cleaned up, preferably with an enzyme odor eliminator (“Petastic” or “Natures Miracle”). If the odor is left untended, the dog will find it again, even if people cannot detect any smell. Failures in housetraining are human mistakes, not puppy errors. The puppy does not understand that carpets are for walking, not bowel relief. After four to five months of training, if the puppy is still having regular accidents in the house, make sure he does not have a bladder infection, intestinal parasites, or other medical reason for his failure to signal that he needs to go outside. Then redouble the efforts to teach him what you want him to know. Be sure to ask us about free dog-training consultations.

Use a schedule
Work out a schedule for you and the puppy. Housetraining is much easier when the puppy’s meal, exercise and playtimes are on a regular schedule throughout the day. Plan your housebreaking schedule and create a game plan before the puppy arrives. Many people like to bring their puppy home on weekend in order to devote extra time to settling in and housebreaking those first few days.

Everybody needs their own place
Decide where to put the puppy’s crate, and have it set up and ready for his arrival. Where to keep the crate will depend on what’s most convenient for you as well as the puppy’s response. Many puppies don’t like to be isolated in one part of the house while their family is in another but some puppies’ wont settle down in their crates if there’s too much activity going on around them. You might have to experiment with different locations until you learn what works best for both you and the puppy.

Socializing Your Puppy
Because your new puppy will quickly grow up, you should give serious thought to the socialization process, as soon as you bring it home. Decide what rules you want obeyed, and stick with them from day one. Inconsistent rules do not work. If you don’t want your puppy to beg while you eat, never feed it from the kitchen or dining room table, and never feed it soon after you eat. By feeding your puppy before you eat, feeding it in a place away from where you eat, and requiring it to remain away from the table while you eat, your puppy will become a polite dog. Just a few pieces of food dropped on the floor (by accident or on purpose) that the dog gets to eat during your meal, and all of your previous work will be undone. Many people have trouble at first with their pups biting. It is very important to understand and get control of the situation. If you allow the puppy to jump up onto people when it is little, it will do it when it is an adult. If the puppy sees what life is like from on top of a chair or sofa, it will be at home there when it is an adult also. Decide what rules you want the adult dog to obey in your house and apply them to your puppy now. Be consistent. Exposure to new environments, situations, people and animals is all part of the socialization process. If your dog has had limited exposure to the outside world start slowly, keeping in mind that it may be stressful for your dog. Gradually add distractions and new locations. Socialization is like any other part of training, building on small successes to make the foundation strong. Reward your puppy when he exhibits relaxed behavior, by using treats, praise, petting or play. Ask friends if you can bring the dog along when you go for a visit. Make a list of all the places you can take your dog and start taking him or her.

Biting
Many people have trouble at first with their pups biting. It is very important to understand and get control of the situation. We have a few excellent tips to prevent play biting.

Puppy-Proof your home
Raising a puppy is a lot like raising small children, they get into everything. Some of what they get into can be hazardous to their health or to you possessions. You can make life safer for the puppy and your furniture by getting rid of hazards and temptations ahead of time. To a puppy, the world is brand new and fascinating. He seeing it all for the very first time and absolutely everything must be thoroughly investigated. Puppies do most of their investigating with their mouths. Murphy’s Law says that a puppy will be most attracted to the things he should least have electrical cords, the fringe on your expensive oriental rug, your brand new shoes, etc. Preventing destructive and dangerous chewing is easier than trying to correct the puppy every second. Look around your home. Check for objects that could be put up out of the way of a curious puppy. Bitter Apple spray can be applied to furniture legs woodwork and other immovable items. If there are rooms your puppy should be restricted from entering until he is better trained and you can also install a reliable gate or keep the doors closed, check the boundaries and openings for potential escape routes. Puppies can get through smaller place than an adult dog. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, even to a puppy. If you yard is not fenced, make a resolution right now that your puppy will never be allowed to run off lead without close supervision. Keep him safe by keeping him on leash. If you have a swimming pool, exercise extreme caution with a puppy. Curiosity as well as the need for a drink can lead a puppy easily “over the brink”. He may quickly become water logged. If you do not see him fall into the water, he has no escape route or does not know how to use it; he can easily drown in just in a few minutes.

Bedding
When your puppy first comes home he will need a lot of rest following his exuberant and playful excursions in his new environment. It is important to find a place for the puppy’s bed that is out of the main stream of the household traffic that will allow him to rest he needs. The crate he arrives in will make an excellent bed. The addition of a washable soft pad should make the crate a cozy bed your puppy for years to come. If your puppy will sleep in a bed other than a crate do not purchase one made wood or wicker as you puppy might chew on this and harm himself.

Leash & Collar
Your puppy will need a leash and collar. I personally do not like metal or leather collars. The metal collar can catch in the coat and the leather ones can wear it down. A thin, nylon, one piece collar seems to work best. A metal buckle will last a lot longer than plastic pinch snaps. Many of these have a ring at one end that can be used to clip a lead to. Select a lead that is made from a similar lightweight material.

Water & Food Dishes
Your puppy will need bowls for food and water. These can be made from metal, plastic or a ceramic material. It is wise to purchase heavy, wide bottom bowls as a puppy will tend to knock their bowls over spilling food and water all over the floor. I like automatic feeders and waterer’s. An automatic waterer is particularly helpful as you won’t need to be running around filling up the water bowl all day.

Toy & Chewies
When shopping for puppy toys small is best. Look for things that squeak and things that are interactive. Puppies particularly like the fuzzy plush soft toys as well as the latex chewable ones. The small twisted ropes with knots at both ends can be a delight when there is more than one dog in the household to play tug-of-war. Gumabones and Nylabones are great for exercising the gums. A “nutritious” toy many enjoy is a mini carrot or a piece of vegetable. Puppies are very inquisitive little creatures. It is wise to have a good supply of toys for your puppy or he may find his own and you never know what he will drag out of your closet.

Identification
Owners of purebred show and breeding dogs have long used tattoos to comply with the rules of identification of the American Kennel Club and to provide permanent, visible identification should their dogs get lost. Many pet owners also tattoo their dogs to prevent loss. A tattoo is etched on the inside of the dog’s thigh near his abdomen. A recent addition to identification is the microchip, a tiny transponder the size of a grain of uncooked rice. This is a permanent identification system implanted under the dog’s skin and read by a chip scanner. Implantation is done with an injector that places the chip under the loose skin at over the dog’s shoulder. The process to implant to the microchip is quick and no more painful than a vaccination, the number is unique and the owners name and address is available on regional or national data bases so a dog can be returned quickly and safely. Of course there are always the popular “ID” tags.