PUPPY TIPS FOR GOING HOME

Once home with your new puppy let him look around the house and what is in it and let him become familiar with surroundings. Watch to see what he is smelling and small areas that may be dangerous (stairs, electrical cords,) Once you have done that show him his water bowl and food area and maybe feed him at that time puppies will go home with puppy food that they like to eat and need water to moisten it and it also entices them to eat start mixing your food with what I send with them after the first day. Watch for areas that your puppy might want to chew on table legs and wood surfaces since they will be soon cutting teeth and may take the opportunity to do so on furniture and what ever is down on the floor. I always think about what I leave down, so that you are not setting your puppy up for failure, if it is down it may get chewed, if the puppy is crated when you are unable to supervise, this will make life a lot easier.

  Main things to watch for once home is your puppy eating at least twice a day for a large breed or several times a day for small breeds? If not please do not think that a puppy will do so when they are hungry animals especially puppies need to eat or they will get weak and that can lead to very serious problems (hypoglycemia, cociddia, anemia) so watch carefully at least for the first week and you should leave food down at all times at least for a week or two just so they can have the opportunity to eat as they please then a schedule can be introduced after this period of time. Watch that the puppy has good hard poop this is a sign of a healthy happy puppy if lose watch for a day or two in large breeds and in small take to the vets they are much smaller and can become dehydrated very easily. If shipped they will have a nervous stomach you can add white boiled rice and fat free cottage cheese to food to help firm up the stool if necessary.

   HOUSE TRAINING

This can be easy or hard it is just something that you and the puppy will have to work together on. For best results once you give food and water 2-4 times a day you should take your puppy outside call him to the door try not to carry him out you want him to walk to the door that means potty to him. Take him out and see if he needs to go when it is potty time it is just that, not fun and games. If he goes in the house take him out in the middle of the act or as soon as you see it. NO nose rubbing firm “NO” by the bad deed is good enough. Keep food picked up for large breed puppies and offer it at different times if not finishing or eating when given. Small breeds may need it kept down so it is available they are more grazers at food time.  

    CRATE TRAINING (PLASTIC CARGO CRATES RECOMMENDED)

The first few nights maybe unrested but he will warm up to the crate. The first few nights yes it is ok to take them out to go potty, but stop shortly after the first week, so that they don’t continue with a bad habit of not holding it or just getting your attention. Newspaper is great to put in the crate with a small blanket it helps for odor and dryness if he needs to go potty, it makes clean up easy. Also there are times we will be gone during the day for a few hours if so you may want to think about a small amount of food inside the crate if it is going to be a long day in there for him, especially for small breeds.  If at times we are unable to watch the puppy use the crate as a safe way to assure that he is not getting into things. These are helpful hints if at all concerned about any specific thing please do not hesitate to call,