Below is our care sheet for Puppies.  If you would like general information on a our growing breed list click on the links below.

 

Jack Russell Terrier    Bulldog     Australian Cattle Dog

Bichon Frise     Yorkies     Chihuahua     Black Mouth Cur

Labrador Retriever     Golden Retriever     Blue Lacy

Pedigree vs Mutt     Greyhound

Caring For Your New Puppy

Essential Care Items

• Quality Puppy Food
• Water & Food Bowls
• Collar & Leash
• Chew Toys
• Dog Bed
• Vitamins
• Kennel or Crate for Potty Training and Travel
• Puppy & Training Manual
• Grooming Brush

 

Feeding - Feed your puppy the best quality food you can afford. Poorly balanced diets can result in obesity and a shortened life span. High quality food is more easily digestible.  Therefore, you use less and it also helps to decrease the amount of times your puppy goes to the bathroom. Puppies should be feed a growth formula until they are at least a year old. Growth formulas have more protein than the maintenance formulas, essential for growing puppies.

Puppies should be feed three times per day until they are at least six months old and then feed twice daily thereafter. Vitamins are great for growing puppies and are a good way to treat your dog instead of giving table scraps.  Your puppy should always have access to clean, fresh water.

 

Grooming - Your puppy should be brushed frequently (at least once daily). This helps distribute the oils in your puppy's skin making his coat shiny and healthy. Bathing should be done as needed with a mild dog shampoo (baby shampoo works great!). Your puppy's nails should be trimmed monthly, taking just the sharp tips off. Be careful not to trim to short or bleeding will occur. If this happens, apply pressure to the nail tip until bleeding stops.  Grooming your puppy early and frequently also helps with the training process.  Grooming your puppy will quicken the bonding process and they will learn to enjoy grooming instead of fighting it.  We recommend the oval soft rubber "curry" brushes for puppies with a thick coat and the wooden handled, soft bristled brushes for short haired puppies.

Collars - There are many types of collars on the market, making decisions difficult. We do not recommend training or pronged collars. They can injure your puppy unless you are properly trained to use them.  A training or pronged collars should only be used in training class with a trainer's supervision.  Collars are necessary to help identify your dog and for walking on a leash.  Therefore, a simple nylon or leather collar is sufficient. A collar should be no tighter than to allow two fingers between neck and collar.  If you need more control for walking your puppy, we recommend a harness style collar. This prevents choking and gives you better control of your puppies' body.  See our Advanced Dog section for training tips on pulling which is the most common complaint

Potty Training - Remember puppies are like children... as soon as they wake, eat or are done playing they have to go to the bathroom. Therefore, put them outside as soon as they have done any of these three things.  Take your puppy potty at designated times, about every 1/2 hour during the day, and always after eating, playing or sleeping.  At night, potty breaks need to be about every three hours.  The potty area should be in the same spot each time.  Use a keyword such as "potty or business" that is used each time you are on a potty mission.  If you are consistent with your schedule, your puppy will learn to follow and rely on this schedule.  Watch for circling and sniffing as this is a sign they are looking for the right spot. Praise them as soon they have done it correctly. Never punish them for doing it wrong. Do not play or leave your puppy outside to play while on a potty mission.  If your puppy does not potty within a few minutes take him back inside for a few minutes and then try again.  This will help him associate outside time as potty time. 

Potty Training - We receive a lot of emails about potty training puppies as well as full grown dogs.  It is one of the most common questions and problems.  The good news is that with consistency, a schedule, a key word and lots of praise it is one of the easiest to problems to overcome.   

There are three main rules to successful potty training that must be followed religiously in order to achieve the desired results.  More importantly, make the commitment to make it happen.  With most dogs, it should not take more than one to two months with accidents tapering off after two weeks.  If you see one accident, use a sharp "no" (do not rub their nose in it) and take them directly to their potty area.

1.  Schedule & Consistency - All dogs need to go potty after waking, eating and playing.  Immediately following any of these activities, they should be taken potty.  In the first couple of weeks, try setting a timer every 15 to 30 minutes and take them out when you hear the timer, thereby catching them before they have an accident.  Learn to read their signals of when they have to go, such as standing at the door, circling, hiding, etc.  A schedule helps them to know what is expected of them. 

 

2.  Key Word - Use a key words such as "potty time" or "do your business" each and every time you take them out to go potty.  Don't talk to them or play with them, which only serves to distract them from their business.  Do not let them in until they have finished their business.  Most people make the mistake of not leaving them outside long enough.  Only praise them when they have done their business correctly.  Have a treat ready for them when they have done it properly. 

 

3.  Potty Area - Prepare a potty area in advance and only let them go potty in this area.  This may sound gross, but try putting some old potty material in the designated area so that they have a familiar smell and know what is expected.  When it is potty time, take them immediately to the area, use the key word and wait for them to finish.

 

4.  Crate Training - This is the best method for quick potty training...see our instruction below...

Advanced Dog section

  Crate Training - Crate training is good for a variety of training problems such as potty training, chewing and anxiety.   The premise behind crate training is to keep your dog in its' crate whenever you are unable to supervise its' activities.  This teaches your dog that he is safe and can count on you to come back and take care of his needs. 

Dog/Crate Introduction:   Start by playing games and leaving treats allowing him to enter but not shutting the door.  When he is comfortable, shut the door for short intervals and do not leave the crate, always taking softly and calmly.  Eventually work up to longer periods of time with you leaving the room.

Crate Potty Training -  This method requires that you keep your puppy in a kennel or crate whenever unsupervised.   Take your puppy out of the kennel only for eating, supervised play time and potty missions.  The reason this method works is because dogs have a natural instinct to keep their living area clean.  When you confine the puppy to a small area ( kennel or crate) he will naturally try to keep this area clean.  We do not mean that you should keep your puppy in the kennel or crate for long periods of time but only when you are otherwise unable to stay on top of their activities (especially at night, at work or while in the shower, etc.). This method is not cruel, as some people believe.  Dogs in the wild live in dens and consider the den to be a safehaven.  You will find that your dog will eventually want to sleep or spend time in their kennel on their own.  

For potty training, take your puppy potty at designated times, about every 1/2 hour during the day, and always after eating, playing or sleeping.  The potty area should be in the same spot each time.  Use a keyword such as "potty or business" that is used each time you are on a potty mission.  If you are consistent with your schedule, your puppy will learn to follow and rely on this schedule.

Crate for Chewing, During the training period, if you can’t supervise your dog’s activities, you should have him in a crate with approved chew toys.  The crate will help your dog deal with his sense of anxiety when you are away by creating a safehaven.  When your dog is out of the crate, interrupt and redirect any bad chewing behavior by giving an approved chew toy from out of a “toy bag”.  Approved chew toys should be kept in this toy bag during the training period, giving you the authority over the toys.  Your dog will soon learn that he is only allowed to play with these toys on your terms.  The toys will then become a reward for your dog to use when you are not home.  An additional training aide is lots of exercise.  A tired dog will be less likely to have the energy to chew on things.

Crate for Anxiety, teach your dog that he will be safe in the crate.  Start by playing games and leaving treats allowing him to enter but not shutting the door.  When he is comfortable, shut the door for short intervals and do not leave the crate, always taking softly and calmly.  Eventually work up to longer periods of time with you leaving the room.

Advanced Dog section

 

Toys - Toys allow your puppy to exercise, play and entertain itself.   Puppies like children go through a teething stage where they loose their baby teeth and get their adult teeth.  The chewing stage will get better after six months but can last until they are over a year old.   Be sure that you provide a chew toy such as rawhide bones and soft rubber teethers during the teething stage.  A great teether is the puppy Kong which can be filled with peanut butter, cheese, etc.  You may notice baby teeth falling out around six months of age...this is normal. 

 

Health - When you are picking out that perfect puppy keep these tips in mind.  A healthy puppy should have bright, clear eyes (no discharge), a clear but slightly wet nose (no discharge), a shiny coat and, if at all possible, check some "potty material" which should be firm and not have any diarrhea or mucus.  Always get a veterinary check-up within one week of getting a new puppy or dog for shots, deworming and general health.

Enjoy your new bundle of joy and give your puppy lots of love and attention! Check out the links below for more info:

 http://youtu.be/Ro0KH6hAnHA

 http://youtu.be/jO2eHNIKk3A 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:  Petinfo4u.com is provided as a free pet care resource and is not intended to replace veterinary care, advice or treatment.  Your first resource should always be your veterinarian. 

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