| NEW PUGGLE PUPPY TIPS |
New Puggle Puppy Tips The first weeks your new puggle is with you will be busy and demanding. There may be times when you wonder if getting a puppy was such a good idea. Things will go better if you have patience and keep your sense of humor. Remember that 'puppyhood' only happens once. The extra effort you put into it now will pay off in the future. Visit your vet! Make an appointment with your veterinarian to give the puppy a complete checkup within 72 hours of your purchase. This is an important condition of the health guarantee. If you do not have a vet yet, ask around in your area for a recommendation. Although the puppy has been health-checked prior to leaving us, an exam is additional security against health defects, problems that were not apparent the first time. If your vet offers microchip ID implants, this an excellent time to get one. You should also discuss with your veterinarian plans for spaying or neutering your puppy, it's really never to early and they recover so much faster. I had my 1 year old female spayed recently and she had a hard time burning off the effects of the anesthesia Having a vet that you AND your pet are comfortable with and can trust is very important. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE keep your puppy protected while at the vets office. Don't allow him on the floor and don't allow others to touch him until he is fully vaccinated and protected. Remember that many dogs come to the vet because they are sick and you don't want some well meaning person to infect your precious little bundle of joy. I would suggest to keep him in his crate unless he is being examined. As a side note: I'm concerned about the vets that insist on re vaccinating your puppy. I really believe this is a way to pad the bill. Be leery of any vet that isn't willing to trust the health record provided. Feeding Your Puggle Puppy Your puppy is used to eating whenever it wants. Puppy food is always in front of mom and the pups learn to eat from her. This can cause havoc with a housebreaking schedule because they go pottty all the time. We recommend to feed your puppy three times a day until they are three months old. After that, twice a day. Put the food down for 10-30 minutes and then take it back up Your puppy is used to eating Diamond dry puppy food. A small bag of food will be attached to your crate, you may mix it with the quality puppy food of your choice to make the change over gradually. I really like Nutro Max puppy food because it really firms up the stool, making it much easier to clean up after an accident. Do not give your puppy fresh milk as this will upset a puppy's tummy. If you have problems getting your puppy to eat you may consider adding a little cottage cheese to it's kibble. Liver sausage (braunschweiger) always works wonders in getting a reluctant puppy to eat. Don't worry if your pup doesn't eat right away Crates Long ago, when dogs were still wild animals, they often slept in dens - shallow holes they dug in the ground hidden away in places where they felt safe from predators. A "crate" is just a modern version of a den. Just as you enjoy having your own room where you can go for peace and privacy, your dog likes having his own room, too. As well as giving him a safe, cozy place to stay, crates can make training your dog a lot easier. Housebreaking goes much faster when you use a crate and destructive chewing becomes easier to control. Traveling is safer for both you and your dog when he's in a crate. The most popular crates are made of plastic or heavy welded steel wire. Plastic crates are lightweight, portable and are easily taken apart for storage or travel. Some of them come in decorator colors. Most plastic crates meet federal regulations for airline travel. Wire crates are very popular and depending on your dog's needs, may be a better purchase than plastic. Look for sturdy crates with heavy gauge wire that are easily folded down into a "suitcase-style" shape for transportation and storage. Although they wire crates are not approved for airline use they offer better ventilation. A crate need only be big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. The crate should be large enough for your puppy to stretch out on his side to sleep. If you had your puppy shipped, this crate will be adequate for a long time. Keep in mind the size your puppy will be as an adult. You may want to purchase a "grow with me" crate that's size can be adjusted, or you may simply want to purchase a new one when your puppy outgrows the old. Housebreaking Your Puggle Puppy A puppy should have a schedule. He should be taken to his outside relief spot last thing at night and first thing in the morning as well as after meals and naps, and that he should be praised when he does his duty. When taking the puppy to his outdoor spot, don't play with him or allow the children to do so. First things first. If the pup does not relieve himself, put him in the crate for a few minutes, then try again. Most puppies will not soil in their crates if they can possibly help it. Take your puppy out every 2 hours to the "potty" area, whether it has eaten or not. Don't play with the puppy until he relieves himself. If he doesn't urinate and defecate within 10 minutes, bring him inside and place him in his crate for 10-15 minutes, then try again. Continue this routine until he is successful, and then praise him. The times that a puppy will most likely want to eliminate are after eating or drinking, after a nap, or after a period of play or vigorous exercise. Be patient, consistent, and regulate what goes into your puppy's tummy, so you can regulate what comes out. Many small dog owners live in apartments and have found that they prefer to train their puppies to the disposable pads which have a plastic backing (puppy pads, piddle pads, etc.). Puppies train well to these pads and many use these for their entire life. I have had great success with litter box training! By the time my puggle puppy was 12 weeks old he was using his box 99.9% of the time! More on what worked for me- LITTERBOX TRAINING! Never punish your puppy for mistakes. Once you're confident that the puppy understands where to relieve himself, scold him for mistakes, but don't spank, scream, or push his nose in the mess. The spot should be cleaned up, preferably with an enzyme odor eliminator. If the odor is left untended, the dog will find it again, even if people cannot detect any smell. Failures in housetraining are human mistakes, not puppy errors. The puppy does not understand that carpets are for walking, not bowel relief. After four to five months of training, if your puppy is still having regular accidents in the house, make sure he does not have a bladder infection, intestinal parasites, or other medical reason for his failure to signal that he/she needs to go outside. Then redouble the efforts to teach him what you want him to know. Use a schedule Work out a schedule for you and the puppy. Housetraining is much easier when the puppy's meals, exercise and playtimes are on a regular schedule throughout the day. Plan your housebreaking schedule and create a game plan before the puppy arrives. Many people like to bring their puppy home on a weekend in order to devote extra time to settling in and housebreaking those first few days. Everybody needs their own place Decide where to put the puppy's crate, and have it set up and ready for his arrival. Where to keep the crate will depend on what's most convenient for you as well as the puppy's response. Many puppies don't like to be isolated in one part of the house while their family is in another but some puppies won't settle down in their crates if there's too much activity going on around them. You might have to experiment with different locations until you learn what works best for both you and the puppy. Socializing Your Puggle Because your new puppy will quickly grow up, you should give serious thought to the socialization process, as soon as you bring it home. Decide what rules you want obeyed, and stick with them from day one. Inconsistent rules do not work. If you don't want your puppy to beg while you eat, never feed it from the kitchen or dining room table, and never feed it soon after you eat. By feeding your puppy before you eat, feeding it in a place away from where you eat, and requiring it to remain away from the table while you eat, your puppy will become a polite dog. Just a few pieces of food dropped on the floor (by accident or on purpose) that the dog gets to eat during your meal, and all of your previous work will be undone. Many people have trouble at first with their pups biting. It is very important to understand and get control of the situation. There is link to an excellent article below~ If you allow the puppy to jump up onto people when it is little, it will do it when it is an adult. If the puppy sees what life is like from on top of a chair or sofa, it will be at home there when it is an adult also. Decide what rules you want the adult dog to obey in your house and apply them to your puppy now. Be consistent. Exposure to new environments, situations, people and animals is all part of the socialization process. If your dog has had limited exposure to the outside world start slowly, keeping in mind that it may be stressful for your dog. Gradually add distractions and new locations. Socialization is like any other part of training, building on small successes to make the foundation strong. Reward your puppy when he exhibits relaxed behavior, by using treats, praise, petting or play. Ask friends if you can bring the dog along when you go for a visit. Make a list of all the places you can take your dog and start taking him or her. Biting Many people have trouble at first with their pups biting. It is very important to understand and get control of the situation. Here is link to an excellent article~ http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bite2.html Puggle-proof your home Raising a puppy is a lot like raising small children -- they get into everything. Some of what they get into can be hazardous to their health or to your possessions. You can make life safer for the puppy and your furniture by getting rid of hazards and temptations ahead of time. To a puppy, the world is brand new and fascinating. He is seeing it all for the very first time and absolutely everything must be thoroughly investigated. Puppies do most of their investigating with their mouths. Murphy's Law says that a puppy will be most attracted to the things he should least have -- electrical cords, the fringe on your expensive oriental rug, your brand new shoes, etc. Preventing destructive and dangerous chewing is easier than trying to correct the puppy every second. Look around your home. Check for objects that could be put up out of the way of a curious puppy. Bitter Apple spray can be applied to furniture legs, woodwork and other immovable items. If there are rooms your puppy should be restricted from entering until he is better trained and more reliable install a baby gate or keep the doors to those rooms closed. Take a walk around your yard looking for potential hazards. If your yard is fenced, check the boundaries and gates for openings that could be potential escape routes. Puppies can get through smaller places than an adult dog. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence -- even to a puppy. If your yard is not fenced, make a resolution right now that your puppy will never be allowed to run off lead without close supervision. Keep him safe by keeping him on leash. If you have a swimming pool or spa exercise extreme caution with a puppy. Curiosity as well as the need for a drink can lead a puppy easily "over the brink". He may quickly become water logged. If you do not see him them fall into the water, he has no escape route or does not know how to use it, he can easily drown in just a few minutes. Bedding When your puppy first comes home he will need a lot of rest following his exuberant and playful excursions in his new environment. It is important to find a place for the puppy's bed that is out of the main stream of the household traffic that will allow him the rest he needs. The crate he arrives in will make an excellent bed. The addition of a washable soft pad should make the crate a cozy bed your puppy for years to come. If your puppy will sleep in a bed other than a crate do not purchase one made wood or wicker as you puppy might chew on this and harm himself. Leash & Collar Your puppy will need a leash and collar. I personally do not like metal or leather collars. The metal collar can catch in the coat and the leather ones can wear it down. A thin, nylon, one-piece collar seems to work best. A metal buckle will last a lot longer than the plastic 'pinch snaps'. Many of these have a ring at one end that can be used to clip a lead to. Select a lead that is made from a similar lightweight material. Water & Food Dishes Your puppy will need bowls for food and water. These can be made from metal, plastic or a ceramic material. It is wise to purchase heavy, wide bottom bowls as a puppy will tend to knock their bowls over spilling food and water all over the floor. I like automatic feeders and waterer's. An automatic waterer is particularly helpful as you won't need to be running around filling up the water bowl all day. You can even purchase automatic feeders that are set on a timer, so that you still may monitor your dog's portions and how often he is fed. Toys and Chewies When shopping for puppy toys small is best. Look for things that squeak and things that are interactive. Puppies particularly like the fuzzy plush soft toys as well as the latex chewable ones. The small twisted ropes with knots at both ends can be a delight when there are more than one dog in the household to play tug-of-war. Gumabones and Nylabones are great for exercising the gums. A "nutritious" toy many enjoy is a mini carrot or a piece of vegetable. Puppies are very inquisitive little creatures. It is wise to have a good supply of toys for your puppy or he may find his own -- and you never know what he will drag out of your closet. I personally do NOT recommend rawhide or "edible" chews made from compressed product. These chews tend to break off in pieces too large for the puppy. Identification Owners of purebred show and breeding dogs have long used tattoos to comply with the rules of identification of the American Kennel Club and to provide permanent, visible identification should their dogs get lost. Many pet owners also tattoo their dogs to prevent loss. A tattoo is etched on the inside of the dog's thigh near his abdomen. A recent addition to identification is the microchip, a tiny transponder the size of a grain of uncooked rice. This is a permanent identification system implanted under the dog's skin and read by a chip scanner. Implantation is done with an injector that places the chip under the loose skin at over the dog's shoulder. The process to implant the microchip is quick and no more painful than a vaccination, the number is unique and the owners name and address is available on regional or national data bases so a dog can be returned quickly and safely. Of course there are always the popular "ID" tags. While this is the easiest method, I HIGHLY recommend making use of one of the permanent methods. Consider that your dog's tags become lost if the collar comes off. Or, heaven forbid, if your dog becomes stolen and the thieves remove the tags and change your dog's appearance (haircuts, etc.). With permanent identification, there is no way the identity of the rightful owner can be disputed. You may think that can never happen to you, but believe me, these things happen more than you know. |
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