1. A clean, shiny, smooth coat without any skin rashes or eruptions. 2. Bright, clear, open eyes; eyes should not have any discharge and should not be bloodshot. The puppy should not be squinting or rubbing at its eyes. 3. A healthy appetite if you watch a feeding. 4. No watery or bloody diarrhea or vomitting. 5. Firm stools; regular urination. 6. No gagging or coughing. 7. Puppy should not be excessively licking the urinary tract opening. 8. No thick, colored, mucously drainage from eyes, ears, mouth or rectal area. 9. Sturdy legs and feet; no limping. 10. Normal activity level. Most puppies can sleep for two or three hours at a time, but when they awaken they should be energetic and ready to explore their surroundings with enthusiasm. 11. Should be playful and happy - not weak or lethargic. 12. Should not be off alone all the time. 13. Weight should look normal; should not be too skinny and ribs should not be showing. 14. Should not have a potbelly. 15. Capable of eating and drinking from food and water dishes by 4 weeks of age. 16. Eager to come and greet you.
-Elaine Gerwitz, Dogs USA 2003
Before Bring Puppy Home, You Will Need These Supplies:
1.Diamond Puppy food to get your new puppy off to a good start. 2. Food and water bowls. 3. Identification tag, collar and leash. 4. Travel crate to accommodate your puppy's adult size. 5. Stain remover for accidents and spills. 6. Brushes or combs for your new puppies coat. 7. Dog shampoo, toothbrush and tooth paste. 8. Safe chew toys to ease teething. 9. Flea, tick and parasite controls (dewormers). 10. Puppy Vaccinations 11. Nail clippers. 12. Tasty reward treats. 13. Dog House 14. Dog Kennel
Bringing Home Your New Puppy Your new puppy is just like a newborn baby adjusting to a new home! The environment will be different and your new puppy will be surrounded by new faces and voices. This is all a bit overwhelming, so make sure that the puppy has quiet time to rest and adjust.
Feeding Your New Puppy
Much has been learned about puppy nutrition and we know that, just as with people, healthy foods promote longer, healthier lives. We suggest feeding one of our Breeder's Choice premium dry puppy foods, 2-3 times per day. Feeding a dry food helps control tartar and plaque build-up. It will also help to speed up the teething process due to loosening up the teeth to come in. If your puppy has sensitivity to a harder food you can moisten the food with warm water. We also offer puppy food in can formulas too!
Basic Training
No one wants to have an uncontrollable dog. It is very important that you start training your dog when they are puppies. Start off by teaching your puppy their name. Repetition is the key when training your puppy. They will learn their name after they hear it over and over. Remember to be patient with you puppy.
Just a few tips: • Spend 5 to 10 minutes at a time training twice daily. • Keep the tone in your voice consistent to avoid any confusion with your puppy. • Be serious during training. • Stay calm and keep your patience. Your puppy will not understand what is happening if you loose your patience. • Never hit your puppy. Use the term "no" firmly to correct your puppy. • End your training sessions with a dog treat and praise puppy.
Picking Up Your New Puppy
Try not to pick up your new puppy too often. When they are this young they are very delicate. It is important that you follow these steps:
• Use both hands when you pick up your new puppy. • Place one hand under his rear and the other on his chest. • Hold your puppy against your body to keep him secure and safe.
Teething and Chewing
Your new puppy will need some chewing toys when their teeth are coming through. To avoid them chewing on you furniture or any other forbidden item you will want to make sure that you have toys such as a rubber ball or bone. Play games with your puppy and their chewing toys. Remember to praise your puppy for chewing on the chew toys and not the valuables in your home. If your puppy starts to chew on things that are forbidden, then simply state “no” firmly and give him a chew toy instead.
Bathing
When bathing your puppy be sure to use a quality shampoo.
Giving your puppy too many baths can strip his skin and natural oils in the coat. Therefore, bathe your puppy only when he needs it. It is safe to bathe your puppy once they are 6 weeks old. You can bathe your puppy in a tub or sink. When the weather is warm you can bathe them outside and let them dry naturally. It is important that they do not get cold or chill.
Grooming Regular grooming is essential for most dogs. It is important to keep their coats clean from dirt and free of any parasites that may rest in their coats. You can take him to your local pet shop or grooming shop to have this done. The longer the coat on the dog the more upkeep there is to maintain. Proper brushing is essential for many breeds and it is important to get your puppy used to this at a young age.
Exercise Your puppy will be energetic and need to have the proper amount of exercise per day to maintain overall health. Each breed is different and requires different levels of activity. Please consult your veterinarian for more details. Your dog will love a large enclosed area to run around in. Walking your puppy is a good start for getting your puppy exercise and begin their training program.
House Training
It is important to begin this process as soon as you bring your puppy home. The longer you wait the harder it is to break any bad puppy habits. To begin, make sure that your puppy goes outside to do his business after eating and waking up after a nap or first thing in the morning. Sure signs that a puppy needs to go outside are whining by the door, walking around the house and moving in circles. Praise your puppy when he does his business outside. If your puppy has an accident do not raise your voice, yell, hit your puppy or put his face in it. He is too young to understand why you are scolding him. Just remember to use a firm “no” when they have an accident. If you catch your puppy in the act, quickly take him outside and praise him when he is done.
PLEASE NOTE: One of the very best methods for housebreaking your new puppy is crate training. It is not only the quickest method, but also helps keep both your puppy and home safe when you are out of the house or busy with day-to-day activities.
Your New Puppy's Health
Just as children pick up illnesses from other children, puppies can pick up colds, coughs, and illnesses from other dogs. Serious illness can usually be prevented by vaccine, but always report symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, listlessness or lack of appetite to your vet. Some easily treated puppy illnesses include kennel cough and respiratory infection (colds). Parasites (worms) are found in almost every puppy. All of these conditions, can be treated by your veterinarian. It is important for your puppy's health and well being that you visit a veterinarian for a check-up within the first few days. Preventative care and vaccinations greatly improve the quality of your puppy's life. Puppies should be dewormed every two weeks once they are two weeks of age up until they are four months old. Pups should start on vaccinations when they are six weeks old. After your puppy's initial shots, annual check-ups are suggested for good health.
Multivalent vaccines are those that have more than one disease antigen combined into one injection. A typical multivalent vaccine is the DHLPPCv vaccine for dogs. Instead of giving six different injections, all these "vaccines" or antigens can be given in a single small volume injection. Certainly this is easier on the dog than getting six separate injections.
DHLPPCv stands for:
D... Canine Distemper Virus... a dangerous viral infection. "Distemper" is an odd name for a viral infection and this disease has no relationship to nor connection with a dog's temperament. H... Hepatitis...a viral infection caused by two related viruses that mainly affects the liver. L... Leptospirosis... a bacterial infection affecting the kidneys. This class of bacteria can infect humans, cows, dogs, pigs and other mammals. P... Parainfluenza... a virus that along with the Hepatitis virus can cause upper respiratory infections. P... Parvovirus... a severe and often fatal virus affecting the lining of the intestinal tract. Cv... Coronavirus... is very similar to the Parvovirus, can be very severe, but has a somewhat different effect on the intestinal tract and generally is not fatal.
Vaccination Schedule
Presented below is just one veterinarian's general schedule of vaccinations for puppies. Your veterinarian's vaccination protocols may be different.
Vaccination protocols for dogs are changing almost yearly as new research is done on duration of immunity. Take an in-depth look at an article about vaccinations.
6 to 7 weeks of age: Give first combination vaccine. (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Coronavirus)
9 weeks of age: Give second combination vaccine.
12 weeks of age: Give the third combination injection and possibly a LYME Vaccine inoculation. Generally a LYME vaccine is then repeated two weeks later, then once a year.
16 weeks of age: Give the last combination vaccine.
12 to 16 weeks of age: Rabies vaccine is given. (Local and State laws apply regarding Rabies vaccine since this can be a human disease, too. Your veterinarian will tell you the proper time intervals for booster vaccines for Rabies.)
Special considerations: Many veterinarians believe some breeds such as Rottweilers and Dobermans should have at least two Parvo vaccines with the last one being given at 20 weeks of age.
Traveling with Your Puppy
When traveling with your puppy start them off on short 10-minute trips. For example, take your puppy to the pet store, veterinarian or nearby park to play. You want to get your puppy in the car at a young age and do not wait until they are grown. You can gradually increase your rides with your puppy after they are comfortable with the short trips.
Just a few tips: • Take a passenger the first few times to watch over your puppy. • It's a good idea to wait and feed your puppy after the car ride. If you have to feed before it is good to wait a few hours before getting into the car. • Make sure your puppy has a chance to relieve himself before the ride. • Take along your puppies favorite toy. • Keep air moving through the car at all times. Do not roll your car windows down too far. • Make sure that when you go on long rides you stop every hour or two. Your puppy will need water, exercise and may need to relieve himself. • Reward your puppy at the end of your journey. Breeder's Choice treats and praise are the best!
PART 2
6 Things You Should Not Do When You Have A New Puppy In The Home By Andrew John Daniel
Everyone agrees that training a puppy is imperative for him to learn how to behave and to teach him his boundaries, but there are some basic tips you need to know before starting your dog training. Magazines, books and online articles addressing the basics of acquiring a new puppy abound. They may all sound repetitive, and a lot of the tips and advice are actually simple and requires common sense, but they are vital nonetheless.
When you bring home a new puppy, keep in mind these 6 things you should avoid doing:
1. Never hit your puppy, whether with your hand or with a rolled up newspaper or any other object, regardless of what he does. Keep in mind that your puppy is like a baby -- it is very delicate and is easily injured. Hitting your puppy will only frighten him and be a traumatic experience for him that can possibly lead to behavioral issues when he is fully grown. Remember that being taken away from his mother and litter mates is a traumatic and scary enough experience for him so be a little patient with this new addition to your family. Your puppy will probably whine for a few days, but he will soon get used to his new family, and will give you all his love and loyalty.
2. If you have objects in your house that you cherish or have sentimental value, keep them out of your puppy's reach. Your puppy, and all puppies for that matter, will eat everything it can get its mouth on. If you want to keep your socks free from holes, don't leave them laying on the floor or in places where your puppy can easily reach them. If you smoke, don't throw the cigarette butts on the floor; your puppy won't think twice about chewing on those. The same goes for any gadgets you have that can be easily scratched and damaged.
3. Don't let other people, family members included, handle your new puppy -- at least for the first couple of weeks or so. It is better that you and another family member handle the new puppy first. If too many people are handling the puppy, he may become nervous and have problems socializing.
4. Avoid picking up the new puppy by his forelegs. Children tend to pick puppies up this way so if you have kids in your house, tell them they should not pick up the new puppy this way. Your puppy's legs are not strong yet and if he can get injured if he is picked up by the forelegs.
5. Don't leave holes inside your house uncovered. Puppies are incredibly curious and they will literally try to get into everything. It can be fatal if your puppy gets stuck in a hole.
6. Don't leave electrical wires uncovered or accessible to your puppy. Cover any exposed wires in your house because your puppy won't spare those. Many puppies have died from electrocution because the house they were living in were not puppy-proof.
