I Have a New Puppy........Now What??
We are so excited that you have decided to adopt one of our precious puppies!
Here are just a couple helpful ideas that might make your new puppy more comfortable.
*Your first night has the potential of being less than restful! Your puppy is used to sleeping all curled up with its siblings. They are great cuddlers! It may spend a good part of the night crying for them. So don't be alarmed if this should be the case. The second night should be much better. It may be helpful for it to sleep close to where you are so it does't feel so alone. Show it lots of extra love to help with the transition.
*We use Purina Puppy Chow as our main food source. Feeding table scraps is not always a healthy idea. Having water available at all times is very important. Here is a suggested schedule of feeding:
- 6-12 weeks: 3 times daily
- 20+ weeks: 2 times daily
- Schedule a vet visit soon after your puppy comes to live with you. He will schedule the next set of Immunization shots, and this will help him to be familiar with your puppy should you ever need him for an emergency. Your puppy will be dewormed and have its first set of shots when you bring it home.
- Suggested Immunization Schedule:
- 6-8 weeks
- 11-12 weeks
- 15-16 weeks
- over 6 months-- rabies shot
- *Make sure your puppy gets plenty of exercise.
- *Puppies are teething so they will want to chew on everything! Have chew toys available for them to chew on, this will also hopefully save your things that you don't want them to chew on!
- Hitting your puppy as a form of teaching will only make them afraid of you. Most times they understand your tone of displeasure. They strive to please the one they love.
- Love and enjoy your puppy and they will love you right back!!
Potty Training
These ideas were from of our customers:
Puppy Pad Method
(This is in a puppy exercise pen or you could also just have the pads in a certain area)
Bonita and David,I have an exercise pen set up in the living room with a rubber mat under it, a bed in one end with her food dish and toys and in the other end is her puppy pads, taped down with dark grey tape to match the rubber mat. she has been here three nights and has had only two accidents! Just wanted to mention in case anyone wants to use the exercise pen for house training....you have to tape the pads down or puppy will chew and play with them, and keep them changed if they are used. Leave one down that has her urine smell, so she will know where to go, but it's VERY important to pick up the doody and change the pads if they are badly stained with urine. I usually change them twice a day, always leaving one used one on the bottom covered by a fresh one. I tape down two pads, side by side, to start, giving her lots of room. Then lay fresh one over top urine stain, so she can smell the urine but I can't. I had to bring her back to her play area about thirty times the first two days, she wanted to play on her puppy pads, but she's getting the idea now. They can't play in that area! Gently remove puppy from potty area, and get them interested in playing on a blanket by their sleeping crate. I think they like to lay on puppy pads because they are warmer than the floor. So, I put her a baby blanket out side her crate on the floor, in her play area, and now she plays on her blanket.
Puppy Pad Method
(This is in a puppy exercise pen or you could also just have the pads in a certain area)
Bonita and David,I have an exercise pen set up in the living room with a rubber mat under it, a bed in one end with her food dish and toys and in the other end is her puppy pads, taped down with dark grey tape to match the rubber mat. she has been here three nights and has had only two accidents! Just wanted to mention in case anyone wants to use the exercise pen for house training....you have to tape the pads down or puppy will chew and play with them, and keep them changed if they are used. Leave one down that has her urine smell, so she will know where to go, but it's VERY important to pick up the doody and change the pads if they are badly stained with urine. I usually change them twice a day, always leaving one used one on the bottom covered by a fresh one. I tape down two pads, side by side, to start, giving her lots of room. Then lay fresh one over top urine stain, so she can smell the urine but I can't. I had to bring her back to her play area about thirty times the first two days, she wanted to play on her puppy pads, but she's getting the idea now. They can't play in that area! Gently remove puppy from potty area, and get them interested in playing on a blanket by their sleeping crate. I think they like to lay on puppy pads because they are warmer than the floor. So, I put her a baby blanket out side her crate on the floor, in her play area, and now she plays on her blanket.