Caring for your new Puppy

Puppies can be a great addition to a family. You must remember though that puppies are not unlike infants. They are unable to learn in the early weeks (7-8 weeks) and should not be trained at this time. When training does begin it should always be done in a positive way. You literally should put yourself in their shoes (paws?!?) and realize that learning is hard, but they are very eager to do so!

Puppies that are 7 to 20 weeks old are in their developmental stage. This is the time when the environment and treatment of the puppy will have a great impact on their personality and social skills later in life. Although another dog for companionship is a very positive thing, too much time with the other dog and not enough with the family will cause the puppy to be more dog oriented than people oriented. Treat the additional dog as a part time baby sitter only! If the puppy does not have another pet to play with, be sure not to leave the puppy alone for long periods. Critical interaction and training of his actions is necessary at this point.

Housebreaking

Puppies should be consistently trained in a positive way. One of the best ways to housebreak a puppy is to take it out very often, especially after each meal. Most puppies will, after a while, "hold it" to the best of their abilities and you will be surprised that they will "go" immediately when you let them out. Once they are in the habit of going outside, they will prefer it to going indoors. Your puppy should be in sight as much as possible so you can catch then as they start to "go" indoors. A firm "no" followed by great praise when they finish outdoors will teach your puppy very quickly. If you do not catch the puppy within 30 seconds of "going" indoors, do not bother scolding him, it is too late. Never spank the puppy or rub their nose in their waste. This only serves to confuse them. Remember, do not let your anger of puppy waste on your floor show to the dog. He doesn’t understand the frustration of cleaning up waste in our nice homes. Lots of newspaper avoids unnecessary frustration!

Feeding

Puppies are bundles of energy and need proper nutrition. There are many high quality puppy foods on the market that can help your puppy to be healthy and happy. Check with your veterinarian for their recommendation.

• Puppies 8 to 12 weeks old need to be fed three to four times a day.
• Puppies 3 to 6 months old need to be fed three times a day.
• Puppies 6 to 12 months old need to be fed twice a day.

Remember that your puppy counts on you for a happy, healthy life. A uncooperative, misbehaved dog is the fault of a bad owner, there are no bad dogs!

Proper Identification and Containment

Teach your new dog early the boundaries of its environment. Teach him which rooms he can and can not go into, and what the boundaries of the yard are.  Do not let him run into the neighbor's yard or in the street, ever. If you will be visiting a neighbor, carry the puppy over the boundary line, both ways.

The number one way you will permanently loose your pet is by another person finding and keeping them. Puppies are at about twice the risk of this. Don't wait, get ID for your pet now. Consider the Guardian Collar Tag program, or Guardian VIP.

Be sure to prepare your yard with good containment system. Underground, or "invisible" fences are a good choice, as well as traditional fencing. Predict the needs for your puppy now, for when it is older.