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Here is some basic information about puppies that you might find helpful.
Safety: your puppy has had its first set of shots and deworming. Puppies need to complete a
series of vaccinations before they are safe to be in any public place, such as a park or pet store.
Those places are full of deadly viruses! Please keep your puppy safe at home until it has had 4
shots and is at least 16 weeks of age. Once your puppy is fully vaccinated, take it everywhere
with you! Your vet will set up a shot schedule for you…usually every 3 weeks. I do recommend
you take the puppy to the vet within the first 3 days to have a well puppy check.
Feeding: we recommend Iams Puppy food, which you can buy at your local grocery store. Please
make sure you have a bag on hand, as it is not good to switch puppy foods in the first 2 weeks. I
also recommend buying some canned Iams to mix into the dry, along with some warm water, the
first few days to tempt your puppy's appetite. The puppy is used to eating three times per day.
Put a bowl of food down for the pup and then take it up again after 10 minutes. Let him eat as
much as he wants within those 10 minutes. Don't limit food for a growing pup, but let him eat as
much as he wants within the 10 minutes. Feed just three times per day (8-10 weeks of age) and
twice per day (10 weeks to adult) to help with housebreaking...he should poop just after he eats.
After he is totally housebroken, you can just leave the bowl down for him to eat when he wants.
The only time I limit food for a grown dog is if they have a weight problem, but most dogs don't
and will just eat what they need. If you have any trouble with stress induced diarrhea, feed Baby
Rice Cereal, just a bit of the canned food for flavor, and warm water for a couple days until it
subsides.
Housebreaking: I recommend crate training, which basically entails keeping the puppy in a crate
when you are not playing with it, unless it is outside in a fenced area. Puppies sleep a lot and can
do that well in the crate. A puppy needs to be taken out immediately after it does any one of the
following three things:
· Eating
· Sleeping
· Playing
At first, you will need to train yourself to take the puppy outside, just like potty training a child.
After awhile, the puppy will catch on and start to ask to go out. Setting a timer for every 45
minutes or so when the puppy is playing sometimes helps to remind you.
Make sure you use a crate that is small enough…if there is room for a sleeping place and a potty
place, the pup will go potty in the crate. If your crate is too big, duct tape a closed cardboard box
inside to use up some of the space until the pup grows.
Feed the puppy 3 times per day until 10 weeks of age, then only twice a day to reduce the
frequency of pooping. Do give water all day, but not at night. When you take the pup outside and
he goes potty, praise him lavishly! If he goes on the floor, speak harshly to him and take him out.
Some pups require a light slap on the rump…he needs to understand that he has done wrong
and show it by looking sad. If he thinks it is funny, and shows it by barking at you, he needs
more discipline. But you must be age appropriate, as well. Expect less of an 8 week old then a 12
week old.
The first few nights will be rough, as the puppy will cry in the crate. But do not give in and let the
pup out! If you win this battle, housebreaking will be much easier. By keeping the pup in the
crate overnight (8 hours at 8 weeks of age) you are teaching him to hold his bladder. If you do
not teach him this, it will be much harder to housebreak him because he will just pee whenever
he feels the urge! You can either put the pup and crate as far from your bedroom as possible to
allow you to sleep the first few nights (my recommendation,) or you can face the crate toward
your bed and use a squirt gun or spray bottle on the pup every time it howls. A nice quick squirt
on the pup’s face, through the grate of the cage door, will speed up the learning process
considerably. Eventually your pup will adjust to sleeping in the crate. After it is housebroken, you
can change this routine and let the pup in your bed or wherever…but wait until it is well
housebroken! If the pup messes in the crate, just clean it up. Don't get mad at the puppy. Instinct
will win out and teach him not to mess his bed. Just make sure the bed is small enough so that
there is not room for a potty area as well as a sleeping area. If your crate isn't small enough, put
a closed cardboard box inside to take up some of the space.
Toys and Chewies: Most puppies love stuffies. Just make sure you get stuffies without button
eyes or other choking hazards on them. All stuffies made for pets are fine. Some pups like
squeaky toys and others don't...you will just have to see what your pup prefers. When choosing
chewies, choose the big ones. The little ones that are the shape of pencils can be a choking
hazard. Pig ears are fine but no more then one per week. We highly recommend big beef knuckle
bones (raw only) for all dogs and puppies. Those will keep their teeth clean better then any
chewie! You can get smoked ones at the petshop or fresh ones at the butcher counter. Either
work great.
Coming when called: make it a wonderful thing for your puppy to come to you. Never discipline
him if he comes to you. He is always a good puppy for coming (even if you are mad at him and
want to kill him!) Cut up some tiny pieces of cheddar cheese (pea sized) and leave them out on
the counter to dry out. When they are dry, put them in a plastic baggie in your pocket. Every time
you say your puppy’s name, give him a piece. Don’t make him come at first, just say his name
and give it to him. Pretty soon he will look for you as soon as you say his name. Then go a ways
away and call him…reward him for coming with cheese and lots of praise. He will come running
when you call him very shortly! UPDATE: I have discovered Cheese Whiz! It is a very easy treat
source which you can have anywhere in the house, so that when you call your pup, you always
have a treat available. The pups love it right from the end of the nozzle. Just use a tiny amount
each time.
Dealing with dominance issues: Does your puppy nip too much? Jump up on the kids? Act like
he makes the rules? With a puppy, you can teach him or her from the beginning that you and
your child are the pack leaders by doing a few simple things. The most important thing I have
found is to do to the pup what Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) does to dogs on his show. You
put the puppy on his back on the ground. Using your fingers, pin him by the neck, as if your
fingers are your teeth and you are the aggressive pack leader dog showing the pup who is boss.
You don't need to say anything to the pup during this time. Just hold him there, gently but firmly.
You should not be rough or push so hard that it hurts him. You are just holding him there until he
relaxes and lies still. The first time you do it, he may struggle for a few minutes. Just keep him
there. You can use your other hand on his body if necessary. An adult can assist a child by
holding the pup's body. After a while, the pup will know the routine and will relax right away. As
soon as he is relaxed and lying still, you can let him up.
This seems silly but in dog language, you are telling the pup that you are the boss. By lying still,
he is telling you that he is submissive. It is an ongoing conversation you should have with your
new puppy at least once per day. Children should do it too...it is vital that the pup understands
that the child is the boss. This will eliminate so many issues such as jealousy, jumping up,
nipping, possessiveness, etc. You won't believe what a powerful tool this is!
Using the pinning technique, we have rehabilitated child-biting dogs so that they were safe for
any child to pick up. I cannot overstate how important this is!
The second thing that I have found helpful is not to allow the puppy to go out the door first. Put
the pup on a leash to go through the door and make him wait until you go through first, then he
follows. This is not as essential as the pinning and if you don't get to it, the dog can still turn out
fine, but if you do it, it will help even more.
The third thing, like the second, is not essential but very helpful. Give your puppy a treat such as
a bone, chewie, or whatever. Then with confidence (not fearfully) take it right out of his mouth
again. Then give it back. Taking it away from your pup teaches him that food is a privilege, not a
right. Dogs should never have rights other then good care. Everything else is a privilege and they
need to know that. A dog should not object if a person takes away his food. This will eliminate a
lot of possessiveness issues. Of course, be kind in this and eventually allow the pup to eat the
treat!
You are always free to contact us with any questions or concerns about your puppy...for the life
of your dog and beyond!
Safety: your puppy has had its first set of shots and deworming. Puppies need to complete a
series of vaccinations before they are safe to be in any public place, such as a park or pet store.
Those places are full of deadly viruses! Please keep your puppy safe at home until it has had 4
shots and is at least 16 weeks of age. Once your puppy is fully vaccinated, take it everywhere
with you! Your vet will set up a shot schedule for you…usually every 3 weeks. I do recommend
you take the puppy to the vet within the first 3 days to have a well puppy check.
Feeding: we recommend Iams Puppy food, which you can buy at your local grocery store. Please
make sure you have a bag on hand, as it is not good to switch puppy foods in the first 2 weeks. I
also recommend buying some canned Iams to mix into the dry, along with some warm water, the
first few days to tempt your puppy's appetite. The puppy is used to eating three times per day.
Put a bowl of food down for the pup and then take it up again after 10 minutes. Let him eat as
much as he wants within those 10 minutes. Don't limit food for a growing pup, but let him eat as
much as he wants within the 10 minutes. Feed just three times per day (8-10 weeks of age) and
twice per day (10 weeks to adult) to help with housebreaking...he should poop just after he eats.
After he is totally housebroken, you can just leave the bowl down for him to eat when he wants.
The only time I limit food for a grown dog is if they have a weight problem, but most dogs don't
and will just eat what they need. If you have any trouble with stress induced diarrhea, feed Baby
Rice Cereal, just a bit of the canned food for flavor, and warm water for a couple days until it
subsides.
Housebreaking: I recommend crate training, which basically entails keeping the puppy in a crate
when you are not playing with it, unless it is outside in a fenced area. Puppies sleep a lot and can
do that well in the crate. A puppy needs to be taken out immediately after it does any one of the
following three things:
· Eating
· Sleeping
· Playing
At first, you will need to train yourself to take the puppy outside, just like potty training a child.
After awhile, the puppy will catch on and start to ask to go out. Setting a timer for every 45
minutes or so when the puppy is playing sometimes helps to remind you.
Make sure you use a crate that is small enough…if there is room for a sleeping place and a potty
place, the pup will go potty in the crate. If your crate is too big, duct tape a closed cardboard box
inside to use up some of the space until the pup grows.
Feed the puppy 3 times per day until 10 weeks of age, then only twice a day to reduce the
frequency of pooping. Do give water all day, but not at night. When you take the pup outside and
he goes potty, praise him lavishly! If he goes on the floor, speak harshly to him and take him out.
Some pups require a light slap on the rump…he needs to understand that he has done wrong
and show it by looking sad. If he thinks it is funny, and shows it by barking at you, he needs
more discipline. But you must be age appropriate, as well. Expect less of an 8 week old then a 12
week old.
The first few nights will be rough, as the puppy will cry in the crate. But do not give in and let the
pup out! If you win this battle, housebreaking will be much easier. By keeping the pup in the
crate overnight (8 hours at 8 weeks of age) you are teaching him to hold his bladder. If you do
not teach him this, it will be much harder to housebreak him because he will just pee whenever
he feels the urge! You can either put the pup and crate as far from your bedroom as possible to
allow you to sleep the first few nights (my recommendation,) or you can face the crate toward
your bed and use a squirt gun or spray bottle on the pup every time it howls. A nice quick squirt
on the pup’s face, through the grate of the cage door, will speed up the learning process
considerably. Eventually your pup will adjust to sleeping in the crate. After it is housebroken, you
can change this routine and let the pup in your bed or wherever…but wait until it is well
housebroken! If the pup messes in the crate, just clean it up. Don't get mad at the puppy. Instinct
will win out and teach him not to mess his bed. Just make sure the bed is small enough so that
there is not room for a potty area as well as a sleeping area. If your crate isn't small enough, put
a closed cardboard box inside to take up some of the space.
Toys and Chewies: Most puppies love stuffies. Just make sure you get stuffies without button
eyes or other choking hazards on them. All stuffies made for pets are fine. Some pups like
squeaky toys and others don't...you will just have to see what your pup prefers. When choosing
chewies, choose the big ones. The little ones that are the shape of pencils can be a choking
hazard. Pig ears are fine but no more then one per week. We highly recommend big beef knuckle
bones (raw only) for all dogs and puppies. Those will keep their teeth clean better then any
chewie! You can get smoked ones at the petshop or fresh ones at the butcher counter. Either
work great.
Coming when called: make it a wonderful thing for your puppy to come to you. Never discipline
him if he comes to you. He is always a good puppy for coming (even if you are mad at him and
want to kill him!) Cut up some tiny pieces of cheddar cheese (pea sized) and leave them out on
the counter to dry out. When they are dry, put them in a plastic baggie in your pocket. Every time
you say your puppy’s name, give him a piece. Don’t make him come at first, just say his name
and give it to him. Pretty soon he will look for you as soon as you say his name. Then go a ways
away and call him…reward him for coming with cheese and lots of praise. He will come running
when you call him very shortly! UPDATE: I have discovered Cheese Whiz! It is a very easy treat
source which you can have anywhere in the house, so that when you call your pup, you always
have a treat available. The pups love it right from the end of the nozzle. Just use a tiny amount
each time.
Dealing with dominance issues: Does your puppy nip too much? Jump up on the kids? Act like
he makes the rules? With a puppy, you can teach him or her from the beginning that you and
your child are the pack leaders by doing a few simple things. The most important thing I have
found is to do to the pup what Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) does to dogs on his show. You
put the puppy on his back on the ground. Using your fingers, pin him by the neck, as if your
fingers are your teeth and you are the aggressive pack leader dog showing the pup who is boss.
You don't need to say anything to the pup during this time. Just hold him there, gently but firmly.
You should not be rough or push so hard that it hurts him. You are just holding him there until he
relaxes and lies still. The first time you do it, he may struggle for a few minutes. Just keep him
there. You can use your other hand on his body if necessary. An adult can assist a child by
holding the pup's body. After a while, the pup will know the routine and will relax right away. As
soon as he is relaxed and lying still, you can let him up.
This seems silly but in dog language, you are telling the pup that you are the boss. By lying still,
he is telling you that he is submissive. It is an ongoing conversation you should have with your
new puppy at least once per day. Children should do it too...it is vital that the pup understands
that the child is the boss. This will eliminate so many issues such as jealousy, jumping up,
nipping, possessiveness, etc. You won't believe what a powerful tool this is!
Using the pinning technique, we have rehabilitated child-biting dogs so that they were safe for
any child to pick up. I cannot overstate how important this is!
The second thing that I have found helpful is not to allow the puppy to go out the door first. Put
the pup on a leash to go through the door and make him wait until you go through first, then he
follows. This is not as essential as the pinning and if you don't get to it, the dog can still turn out
fine, but if you do it, it will help even more.
The third thing, like the second, is not essential but very helpful. Give your puppy a treat such as
a bone, chewie, or whatever. Then with confidence (not fearfully) take it right out of his mouth
again. Then give it back. Taking it away from your pup teaches him that food is a privilege, not a
right. Dogs should never have rights other then good care. Everything else is a privilege and they
need to know that. A dog should not object if a person takes away his food. This will eliminate a
lot of possessiveness issues. Of course, be kind in this and eventually allow the pup to eat the
treat!
You are always free to contact us with any questions or concerns about your puppy...for the life
of your dog and beyond!
We highly recommend
that all dog owners
watch
The Dog Whisperer
on the
National Geographic
Channel.
It airs weekly. You can
also get copies of past
seasons on
www.netflix.com.
that all dog owners
watch
The Dog Whisperer
on the
National Geographic
Channel.
It airs weekly. You can
also get copies of past
seasons on
www.netflix.com.