PREPARING FOR THE BIG DAY


You will need the following:
- 24-26" wire crate. Cover with an old blanket to make a safe, warm cave.
- 2 stainless food/water dishes. If you have to leave the puppy to go to work, get a bolt-on water dish that he won't tip
over.
- Weewee pads Newspaper
- Small cuddle beds and pillow cases. You can purchase these very inexpensively at Walmart. Your puppy will have accidents, That's Square One. So get 2 or 3 of them. Cover with a pillow case, You'll need a half dozen or so.
- There is a new product now that many of my puppy parents tell me is sheer genius. It's a plush stuffed puppy with an electronic heartbeat. I think you can get it on Amazon. I have never seen it myself.
-Food: Decide what brand you want to keep your puppy on for the first year of his life. I will send you home with wnat he's eating now. You can mix it 50-50 with your new food. Remember to always water the food down and add something tasty to encourage eating.
-Never leave your puppy unattended with a collar on. I recommend a small harness. If your puppy lunges at something, the trachea won't be crushed. The harness distributes to pressure across his chest rather than around his neck. A leash is essential. Most experts do not recommend the winding type. Get a 6 foot nylon leash.
- Training treats: I recommend a small bar of cheddar cheese. Cut it into very small pieces and store in a baggie in the fridge. This will be the backbone of your training. Marrobone biscuits are ok for rewarding him for getting into his crate.

 

The First Few Weeks

 

YOUR FIRST 48 HOURS WITH YOUR PUPPY


OK, the big day has finally arrived! You have picked your new family member up, held your puppy all the way home, and now you're in the house. Now what?
1) FOOD: offer your puppy 1/2 cup of dry food mixed with warm water and a few tablespoons of canned food. Have enough water to create a soupy consistency.
2) BED: Your puppy is sleeping 14-18 hours a day. You should expect him to sleep through the night right from the start. Leave his food in his crate, tell him you love him and will see him in the morning, and turn off the lights. The ideal arrangement would be to have the crate set up in your bedroom or your child's bedroom. If you don't want to do this, leave the tv on low volume so the puppy won't feel so alone.
3) CRYING: we're all settled down and falling asleep and then it begins. Crying, crying, crying. OMG! Why is this puppy crying? When will it stop? If the crate is in your room, all you have to do is talk to him and tell him everything will be all right, time to go to sleep. You can gently tap on the crate and calm him. Try not to lose your temper, he's an infant and misses his silblings. Music is very helpful. This will stop in a day or two. I promise. If all else fails, wrap the puppy in a towel like a thunder shirt and bring him into bed with you. As soon as he settles down, put him, towel and all, back into hs crate.
4) Rise and Shine! When you get up, greet the puppy and take care of your personal needs. Get dressed, then ask him if he wants to go out. That word OUT will be very important as he associates his own elimination needs with that word. Carry him outside to where you want him to go. Grab your baggie of cheese bits as you run out the door. As soon as he pees. praise him enthusiastically and reward him. Repeat as often as he pees or poops. When you think he's done, carry him back in. Time for food and water and a little play time on the kitchen floor. Keep newspaper or weewee pads by the door at all times. If he has an accident. soak it up with the paper or pad and take that outside to his potty place. This will help stimukate his sense of smell the next time you take him outside to help him make the connection. Time for a nap! He should be in his crate. Repeat throughout the day

TRAINING TIPS


Two tricks of the training trade:
1) Dogs love us unconditionally but they work for food
2) Dogs learn through sequencing. During the training period, try to do the same things in the same order every day. As the puppy masters the tasks you want him to learn, first house training, second leash training, then tricks
3) if your puppy has an accident, try to wipe it up with a weewee pad. Take the pad outside to the location you want him to potty in and leave it there. Bring him to that place, The scent will encourage him to understand what you want him to do. Reward him when he does it.
4) Get a small bar of cheddar cheese. Cut it into very small pieces and put them in a baggie inside the fridge door. Grab the baggie as you rush out the door and reward the puppy every time he eliminates. Many folks have had a lot of success hanging a bell on the door and hitting it as they rush out with the puppy, repeating "Out? Out? Let's go out!"
Work on one thing at a time. Your puppy wants to please you and do what you expect, but you have to make that connection to help him understand. That's where the treat comes in. Use the cheese only for training.
CONFUSED? NOT UNDERSTANDING YOUR PUPPY'S BEHAVIOR?
CALL ME!
REGARDING VACCINATIONS
Your puppy will be current on all vaccinations and wormings when you take him home. The basic puppy shot is called a 5-WAY vaccination and is the only one I advise you to use. It is a series of three shots, each one a month apart. He will have the first shot before he leaves here. I do NOT advise you to permit your vet to give anything else, as the other vaccines can cause death in your puppy. Do not let your vet administer any of the following:
- Leptospirosis
- Coronavirus (this is NOT the COvid virus, It only affects canines)
- Bordetella
- Lyme
- 6-, 7-, 8-way conbination vaccines.
These are very dangerous to your puppy at such a young age. We can all wait until the puppy is 6 months for Bordetella (kennel cough) and a year or more for Lepto and Corona.
Rabies is usually given after 12 weeks. The first shot is good for one year, so SAVE YOUR CERTIFICATE! The second shot will protect all of you from this dreadful disease for 3 years and will need to be repeated every 3 years.
THE PUPPY WON'T EAT!
The transition from this home to yours is as stressful for you as it is for your new puppy. Sometimes they won't eat. This is quite concerning, especially since I've told you the puppy needs to have a full tummy to avoid hypoglycemia. Here are a few remedial things you can offer your finicky puppy:
-vanilla yogurt
-chicken cut into small bits
-lightly browned ground beef
-scrambled eggs with or without ham or bacon bits mixed in
-soak the dry food in warm goats milk
-soak the dry food in chicken broth
-add a little cat food to the dry food and add warm water
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