puppyinformation

Puppy 101

House breaking
Generally effective potty training can begin in earnest at 8 wks. of age. You should not begin to expect your puppy to hold his urine for an 8 hr.
stretch until he is 8 months of age. The key to housebreaking is consistency. Almost every time the puppy eats, drinks, sleeps or plays he will need
to go outside afterwards. If the puppy sniffs or starts to squat indoors, say "no" firmly and immediately carry him outdoors to the proper spot and let
him relieve himself. As soon as the puppy does go potty, praise him happily and make him feel good about doing the right thing. Take him right back
inside so he makes the connection that outside is the "right" place to relieve himself and that he was out there for a purpose.   If the puppy makes a
mistake, don’t spank, scream or rub his nose in it, just say "no" firmly and take him outside for a short time. Clean the inside mess thoroughly to
remove the scent. It is important to get on a schedule. You can avoid a lot of messes by taking the puppy out often, then praising for a job well done.
This is one area of puppy care and training you need to get right before your puppy has a lot of freedom in your home!

When you leave the puppy home alone, confine him to a small area like a dog crate or a small pen. This should be just big enough to lie down
comfortably. Have a securely fastened water dish available if the weather is warm. Dogs do not like to soil their "den," so if he's not left for too long
and walked before you leave, you will hopefully come back to a clean crate. If you have to leave for more than a few hours take the puppy (in its
crate) with you so you can let him out every few hours, If it is not possible to take the puppy, try to find a reliable person to let the puppy out while
you're gone, or come home on your lunch break. If this is not an option you will need to confine him to a area large enough for a bed on one end,
food and water in the middle, and a potty pad on the other end. Upon returning, take him out first thing.

At night, let the pup sleep next to your bed in his crate so that you can hear him if he whines to go out early in the morning, or even in the middle of
the night. Remember, a new puppy is a big commitment!

BASIC TRAINING
We recommend basic training classes for your new puppy starting at or around the age of 5 months.   These classes will generally run about 4 wks.
At the age of 5 months most breeds are nearing adult size. This is the greatest way in which you can establish the proper relationship with your new
puppy to base all future training and problem solving that may need to be implemented. This is also an excellent way to make your new puppy feel
wanted, and needed. Socialization is a side effect of joining a puppy training class.

When you bring your new puppy home begin to call him by name. By the age of 3 months he will be able to recognize and respond to his own
name.   You should put a buckle collar on your puppy upon his arrival to his new home so he can get used to something around his neck. Don't give
in when he whines, scratches the collar, or rolls around. Your puppy will soon forget all about it. After he is comfortable with the collar, we suggest
attaching a "Flexi-lead" and taking the puppy outside. A Flexi-lead is a retractable leash available at most kennel supply shops, and it makes lead
training very simple. It also comes in handy anytime when traveling or going for walks, etc. Let the puppy lead you around sniffing and exploring, so
he can get used to the pressure. The next step should be to add light pressure and walk away from the puppy. Bend down, call his name, and offer
treats and praise, and make a big deal out of him coming to you. Treats are always helpful in boosting confidence in any stressful situation. Usually
dried liver treats made for this purpose work well. The puppy can be taught easily to come to your call by letting him be distracted in the house or
fenced yard, then calling in a pleasant voice and running away a short distance. It is a natural response for your puppy to chase. When he gets to
you, bend down, hug him, praise happily, and make it fun to come to you. Give treats. Never call a dog to punish him. Don't lose your temper with a
puppy, as it does no good. Physical punishment is not necessary, as most puppies are almost always eager too please - but they do not always
understand what is expected of them.

To correct for misbehavior, (The term misbehavior here is refering to aggression, aggressive play, or destructive chewing.) I it is best to shake him
lightly by his collar (not too harshly) and speak in a disapproving tone of voice. Hold the collar for a moment longer before releasing. Make sure that
you have gotten his attention and DO NOT let up if he yelps unless you are hurting him in some way. (Mother dogs correct their puppies in this
manner, but when usuing this method it is best to have already established a days worth, or more, of loving bonding time, depending on the puppies'
temperament.) When this is all over, don't hold a grudge; be forgiving. Be gradual with your early training, as your puppy will tire easily. Always end
your session on a positive note; exploring together, massaging him and playing. Puppy classes are beneficial for all breeds of dogs. One of the best
ways to socialize and train your puppy is enrolling him in a Puppy Class, usually held in conjunction with some obedience classes. In a puppy class,
you and the puppy will learn how to begin training. Socialization and other subjects will he covered, like housebreaking and specific problems. It's fun,
and these things will bring you and your puppy closer together, as well as making him a better member of society. The socialization with the other
dogs is also very important.

One thing; if your puppy shows aggression of any type besides reasonable playing towards anyone or anything, it is important to immediately nip it in
the bud. Grab the pup by his scruff, turn it over on its back and stare into its eyes. Growl, scold and tell him how ashamed you are of him. Don't give
in until he gives up and looks away. Let him up but ignore him for a few minutes, then forgive. You need to always be able to do anything you want to
him, handle his food, clip his nails, hurt him for whatever reason. Repeat this as necessary. His mother also did this to him when he went too far.

When leaving your dog home alone, confine him to a safe area; a crate, an exercise pen, or a covered chain link run with warm shelter and bed.
When he is reliable in the home, he should be allowed to be left loose in the house while you are gone. Never tie or chain your dog, as this causes
behavior problems eventually.

Let your new puppy have a large variety of chew toys. Puppies go through the teething stage until they are about 7 months of age, but many dogs
will continue to chew as an outlet for anxiety, restlessness or for the fun of it.   There are many new types of chew toys that are made especially for
dogs. I like the knuckle bones and lamb ears for older puppies, but pork hide bones are good for all ages. Your puppy should have a toy box and
most puppies can learn how to put the toys away. Also, it is good to teach your puppy the name of each type toy so that he can begin to identify with
your language code. This can make the new puppy feel more at ease about having his own "stuff" which is very important to most dogs. It will also
make it easier to teach that your things are not for him to play with, or chew on! Even if he thinks that your things are all called NO, which will most
likely be what he will hear when he grabs something like the pencil that your child left on the coffee table, or the sock that that fell short of the dirty
clothes hamper!

EXERCISE FOR PUPPY
Because of the fast growth rate and weight of the puppy, no structured exercise should be given. This is especially true for a very tiny breed. Just
normal puppy care, playing and socialization should be enough to tire him out. Never push him. Don't play too rough with the pup, as this can cause
permanent structural damage. Jumping down from things is very hard on his joints. Don't let him jump down from couches, high steps, vehicles, etc.
Always help him down, even as an adult. (I once sold a puppy to a nice young couple who came back to me after a few months for another pup.
There first one had jumped out of their parked vehicle as usual, but this time she landed wrong and broke her back.)   We suggest giving your dog
toys to play with, but don't throw them far or repeatedly. Also, leaping and twisting can be very dangerous, as it stresses his joints, particularly his
knees. Remember that your puppy will want to please you, and may keep going like an energizer bunny until he drops from exhaustion. This causes
stress in his system, and can bring on hypoglycemia even in a larger breed puppy.

Don't keep your puppy on a bare, slick floor all the time, either, as this is not good for growing puppies. Chasing and sliding on slick floors is asking
for injuries. Always have a soft area for any puppy or adult, to lay on, as this cuts down on the amount of callusing, and may help prevent
"hygromas," which are harmless but unattractive fluid pouches that may form on the back of the elbows. After he is over 18 months, he may begin
some structured exercise if needed, but some forms are inadvisable. Most puppies do not need any formal exercise; just nominal activity keeps them
healthy.

SOCIALIZATION
It is extremely important to get your new puppy out as much as possible. Puppies can have a tendency to be unsure of
things they've never seen or experienced. After two or three days at home adjusting to his new family, you need to get your
puppy out of its home to visit new places - at least three days a week while he is growing up.

Puppy care studies have shown that the earlier the socialization starts, the better adjusted the puppy is. Shopping centers,
schools, obedience, puppy care or conformation classes, automatic car washes, other people's homes, other dogs,
different kinds of animals, children, fireworks, hats, men with beards, or
crowded parks are wonderful for this purpose. You don't want to frighten the puppy, but just gradually get closer and closer
to the commotion, while reassurring with lots of praise and treats. Never let the puppy off leash near traffic or any
legitimately frightening situation.

Having strangers feed the puppy your treat is always helpful in good puppy care. Socialization should always be fun and
positive. Do not reassure for shy behavior, correct for any aggressive behavior, and praise for positive behavior.

What's in a name?
Our puppies are given names for identification purposes. Although we do call them by that names at times, it is perfectly acceptable for the new
owner give them a new name that is completely different from the one we gave them. Puppies usually are not mature enough to recognize and
respond to a name untill they are about 12 wks. of age or older. A puppy name is very important and can be an expression of your personality, a
description of your puppy, or an expression of how you feel about your new baby! Our dogs usually end up with about 3 names. One for the
registry papers, one for a call name, and one for a nick name!

DOG/PUPPY FOOD
We recomend Diamond naturals, Taste of the Wild, or any other high quality food that does NOT contain SOY, WHEAT, OR CORN. These fillers are
not good for dogs and can cause many health problems. Many people are starting to feed their dogs raw meat diets which is recomended in the
book, 'Work Wonders' by Tom Lonsdale. This is a good book for anyone concerned about feeding their dog the best food possible. (And that
should be anyone who owns a dog!) If you choose a kibble diet for your canine companions you owe it to them to choose carefully and to educate
yourself on the matter! We add Super juice manufactured by Hillsboro for prebiotics. This helps aid digestion and to make up what is laking in a
kibble diet. Again, do your research on this subject!

Pet care info.
Many of my clients ask me for general information on the care of their new puppy before they purchase. Good for them! This is the best time to
gain knowledge about care for your pet! As the old saying goes; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! How true! I cannot include all of
the information on my site that all of my clients will need. However, I can direct you to good sources that will put you on the right road. Of course you
are never totally prepared for every thing that you need to know and every one has different concerns. No matter how willing I am to be available to
help you at any time, I can not always be there for you when you need my help. There are many good books on puppy care as well as information
that can be obtained on the internet.

INTERNET SITES FOR INFORMATION:
This site is very informative! - http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/
This sit is a good one for kids and parents! - http://www.loveyourdog.com/index.html
RECOMMENDED BOOKS:
The loved dog by Tamar Geller - can be ordered from Barnes and Nobel for about $15 - $20.

Before you bring your new puppy home...
you will need to have some puppy food - a can of Iams puppy food, and some quality kibble.
We use Eukanuba puppy food and Chicken soup for the dog lovers soul. You will also need
bowls, bed, potty pads, crate, warming/cuddle pad, halter, or collar and lead, an indoor and an
out door exersize pen, and Nature's Miracle spray, and freeze dried liver treats. Having these
items already at home, when you bring a puppy home, will reduce stress for you and your
puppy. You can get adjustable collars and haltars in size 6 - 8 which will usually fit my 8 wk. to
12 wk old puppies. I can recomend ordering from Pet Edge or Revival Animal Health, both of
which you can find on line. The shampoo that I most often use on my puppies is Fresh Pet by
Top Performance. You can order it from Pet edge, and I recomend the conditioner, too! You
will also want to get a pin brush, and a metal comb for grooming your puppy. Puppies need to
be brushed often to keep thier coat in peak condition, and to ensure good behavior at the
groomers! I also recomend gently getting your puppy used to a tooth brush. For doggie treats
I only recomend freeze dried liver squares which can even be broken into smaller peices for
lots of little rewards! And don't forget ear cleaner and nail clippers!

Stress
Try to keep your new 8 - 12 wk. puppies' stress level to a minumum. This includes good stress! Good stress can be
too much stimulation from play, excersize, attention, freedom, and treats. You want to keep your puppy confined to
his indoor and outdoor pens when he is not being held. Do not hold puppy too much. Puppy needs down time even
if puppy cries for attention. Puppy needs rest and some private time. Puppy does not need to take walks. Nor does
puppy need freedom in your house. All of this will come later. Puppy does need extra warmth if your house is cooler
than 73 degrees. Puppy does need reasurance that you will care for his needs. Puppy does need frequent (aprox.
every 20 to 60 min. during the day when he isn't asleep) trips out to his out door pen where he should be left alone
for about 5 min. each time!

Fear/barking/cowering/yelping/growling
Every puppy has fear at some time in his first 6 months. The way in which you deal with his fear can make all the difference in how he deals with
fear as an adult. If your puppy is afraid, do not reasure him! Pick him up, tell him no, and put him in his indoor pen,or crate without petting him.
Sounds harsh, but it will keep your puppy from having unfounded fears which can lead to excessive barking, or destruction of property. When he
has been in there for a couple of minutes, take him out, and make him face whatever it was that made him bark or shy in fear. These steps can be
repeated a few times consecutively or daily until fears shown through barking or cowering have been resolved, or for about 3 - 4 times. Then try it
again in a day or two. Hoowever, most of them get it on the first couple of tries. Do not sheild your puppy from situations that cause fear, unless he
is truely in danger. In fact, If he shows fear, you will need to recreate the situation until he is no longer showing signs of fear. For instance, if
someone walks past your window and he barks, you will need to arrange for someone to do this while you are there and ready to teach him not be
be afraid. If you do not know what will happen if he sees someone walk past a window, it would be good to arrange for this to happen. Gradually
introduce your puppy to many scenerios such as this within his first 6 months, so that fear issues can be resolved without having an excessive
barking situation occure. A dog who is protective, can cause problems later, so try to break him of that with these steps. If you need protection from
your dog, it will be automatic. If he is acting protective when you do not need protection, he has unresolved issues that you must work him through!
When someone comes to your door, one bark is all that is needed, unless you are hard of hearing, and the dog will need to know to watch you for
signs of your acknowledgement. All of this can be taught to your puppy while he is young, if you will be dilligent, and lovingly firm with him!