A New Puppy's First Nights
These are the supplies you will need to have on hand to welcome your new arrival.
Use these ideas and adapt it to the needs of your home and family.
If you have any questions please feel free to email or call.
Select a Vet and make an appointment:
W require that you have the puppy examined by a licensed DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) within two days of picking up your puppy, excluding weekends and holidays. The reason for this is to ensure you received a healthy puppy from me and he/she will put you on a schedule for your pets health care needs. A veterinarian is your pet's second-best friend. When selecting a vet, you're doing more than searching for a medical expert. You're looking for someone to meet your needs and those of your pet, a doctor who has people as well as animal skills. When selecting a veterinarian for your puppy be sure to use a reputable, ethical professional. Before setting up an appointment call competing vet clinics and ask questions. Click HERE for more details.
Crate:
This is one of the most important items to purchase for your puppy. The crate will be his “den” His special place to sleep, stay and go to feel safe. Purchase one for the size your dog will be as an adult, with dividers that can be removed to enlarge the crate as the puppy grows. The divider is very important so it is not large enough that your puppy will soil one end and sleep at the other. The crate should have adequate ventilation, but openings should be small enough so your puppy cannot get his head or paws stuck. Give your puppy a safe chew toy while he’s crated. No food or water should be left in the crate because after eating or drinking they will need to relieve themselves and will have no other choice but to soil their crate. The key to successful crate training is to always use it in a positive manner and never as punishment. Always give them a chance to eliminate before putting your puppy in the crate.
As a general rule, your puppy can safely be left in a crate the number of hours that equals his age in months plus one.
My flight package includes a crate that will be yours to keep. In many cases they will last for several weeks or months depending on the size of crate your puppy is flown in.
Exercise Pen or Gate:
Lightweight exercise pens or childproof gates will allow your new family member to be confined to controllable areas, yet be close to the family's activities.
Leash and Collar:
When picking up your puppy bring along a leash and a collar. Remember a puppy collar will be out grown quickly, so an inexpensive one is fine. It should be lightweight nylon or leather. For your puppy’s safety, remove his collar while he’s crated. As a guide, if the puppy is between 8 and 10 weeks old its neck will be between 8-12 inches. If they are over 10 weeks old their neck will be between 11 and 14 inches. If your puppy is over 16 weeks of age purchase an expandable one ranging from 14-20 inches.
Consider having your puppy microchipped:
We highly encourage you to have your puppy microchipped. It's a great investment for the lifetime security of your companion. Unlike a collar or tags a microchip will always be able to help your friend find his way home and is a more permanent form of I.D. The microchip is the size of a grain of rice, it’s implanted under the dog’s skin (no anesthesia or surgery is required). It contains an alphanumeric code that can be read by animal shelters and veterinary hospitals. They are then able notify you that the pet has been found. The lifetime registration fee is $21.95.
All of our puppies are microchipped. After you receive your new puppy, please be sure and register the microchip in your name. Here is the link just in case you loose your registration card. I keep all microchip numbers on file and your vet can also quickly and easily scan your puppy to tell you the number.
Consider having your puppy spayed or neutered before delivery:
If you wish to have your puppy Spayed or Neutered we can have it done here. If the puppy is less than 12 weeks old the cost is $195 If they are over 12 weeks of age the cost is typically $224, but could be higher based upon age and weight.Please click here for more information about having your puppy spayed or neutered.
Toys:
Never underestimate the importance of toys because they encourage exercise and provide a safe way to satisfy your puppy’s need to chew. Choose toys that cannot be splintered, torn apart or ones that have loose or small parts than can be chewed off and swallowed. Toys provide entertainment, but are also necessary for teething and training. Nylon or hard rubber bones and toys are excellent choices for teething puppies. Stuffed animals, which can be torn apart, should only be allowed under direct supervision. Don’t let your puppy play with old shoes or clothing. To a puppy, this signal that all shoes and clothes are fair game.
Dishes:
Water and food dishes should be non-tippable and preferably made of heavy stainless steel. You might want to put a mat or tray under the dishes to protect your floor from spills. We recommend washing the bowls daily. (A cheap option are the trays they sell for shoes or like items. The ones made for pets are almost the same but cost a lot more.)
Training Treats:
The best training treats are those that can be consumed in one bite or swallowed whole. You want to avoid anything that could crumble as most dogs will want to make sure they get every last crumb off the floor before paying attention to you again. It's also a good idea to feed them something that will support there overall health.
We do not recommend Rawhides:
Rawhides are not considered a food item. Thus, it is not covered by any labeling, processing, or content laws, and it may contain chemical preservatives. According to Associated Content, imported rawhide chews often contain toxins including arsenic, lead, titanium oxide, formaldehyde, chromium salts, mercury, cadmium and bromine. Even with the use of these highly questionable preservatives, the FDA reports that Salmonella has been detected in some of the imported chews. In the US and Canada, refrigerated trucks provide safer transport and the hides are generally only treated with hydrogen peroxide and a water rinse. If you must give your dog rawhide, make sure it was made in America. For safety, monitor the chewing. Throw away the small, chewed down pieces. In addition to the chemical risk, rawhide can swell up to four times its original size in your dog’s stomach and cause life-threatening blockages. Dogs can chew off and swallow large pieces of rawhide which can get stuck in their esophagus, stomach, or intestines. This almost always requires surgical removal.
Treats we recommend:
Nylabones, Pig Snouts, Pig Ears, Porkhide Bones, cow hooves, Kong's filled with something, ice cubes, and many others. A cheap and easy treat is fill and ice cube tray with puppy food or other treats and then fill with water or chicken broth and freeze.
Grooming Tools:
It’s a good idea to have basic grooming tools, such as a comb, shampoo, and dog nail clippers. Be sure to read the directions on any shampoo or bathing product to confirm it is recommended for puppies.
Setting Up:
When you first bring your puppy home, place him in a limited space with easily washable floors. Keep the puppy confined, but close to the family, so he can be supervised yet still feel he is "part of the pack". A room that usually perfectly fits these criteria is the kitchen. Place his water dish, with fresh water, close at hand. Place his crate, bedding and toys inside the pen. Pet and talk to him softly and tell him how glad you are that he is with you. Talking to your puppy in a soft, reassuring voice is extremely important. He will get used to your voice and will soon realize that you are there to protect and comfort him. He may not understand the words, but he will appreciate and understand the meaning. However, don't pick him up every time he cries or barks, or he will soon associate that undesirable behavior with getting a positive response.
Puppy-Proofing:
CAUTION:
It's important to remember that pets do not have the same digestive systems as humans and that we need to keep certain foods away from them. Dogs should never eat chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, macadamia nuts, walnuts, tomatoes, avocados, nutmeg, coffee, tea or breath mints. All of these are toxic and can cause severe health problems or even death. All pets should avoid foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar, bones that are likely to splinter (such as chicken bones) and alcohol. Meaning do not give beer to your dog, even if you think it's funny. If you are baking, keep pets away from yeast dough or bread dough, baking soda or baking powder - ingesting these ingredients can cause serious problems. The seeds, leaves and stems of many kinds of fruits and some vegetable can be toxic to pets. Don’t let your dog eat the pit of a pear, plum, peach, apricot, or apple. Also make sure to keep all tobacco products away from your pet and don’t leave the filters where the dog has access to them.
PET POISON HELPLINE
24/7 Animal Poison Control Center
800-213-6680
Tips:
Cleaning up an Accident:
Accidents will happen from time to time with a new puppy. House training takes patients and consistency. After an accident has happened remove your puppy from the accident scene until you've cleaned it thoroughly. Dogs are sensitive to the smell of urine, so preventing them from finding the soiled spot is important throughout the housebreaking process. You will want to clean up all accidents as soon as possible because urine that has a chance to soak into carpet is more difficult to eliminate and often will attract your puppy to the same spot. Rinse the spot with cool water and use a towel to soak up the excess water and urine. You can also use a wet vacuum if you have one. After rinsing with water then use a cleaner. It is important to use a pet urine cleaner because urine is comprised of ammonia. Do not choose a cleanser that has ammonia listed as one of its ingredients. You want to choose a pet urine remover that has enzymes in it to break down the urine and eliminate urine odor.
Additional Ideas:
Environmental enrichment is an important part of daily life. Dogs require more than food, water, and a clean home to stay healthy. Animals need to be physically as well as mentally stimulated. For more information about Environmental Enrichment ideas Click Here.
Use these ideas and adapt it to the needs of your home and family.
If you have any questions please feel free to email or call.
Select a Vet and make an appointment:
W require that you have the puppy examined by a licensed DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) within two days of picking up your puppy, excluding weekends and holidays. The reason for this is to ensure you received a healthy puppy from me and he/she will put you on a schedule for your pets health care needs. A veterinarian is your pet's second-best friend. When selecting a vet, you're doing more than searching for a medical expert. You're looking for someone to meet your needs and those of your pet, a doctor who has people as well as animal skills. When selecting a veterinarian for your puppy be sure to use a reputable, ethical professional. Before setting up an appointment call competing vet clinics and ask questions. Click HERE for more details.
Crate:
This is one of the most important items to purchase for your puppy. The crate will be his “den” His special place to sleep, stay and go to feel safe. Purchase one for the size your dog will be as an adult, with dividers that can be removed to enlarge the crate as the puppy grows. The divider is very important so it is not large enough that your puppy will soil one end and sleep at the other. The crate should have adequate ventilation, but openings should be small enough so your puppy cannot get his head or paws stuck. Give your puppy a safe chew toy while he’s crated. No food or water should be left in the crate because after eating or drinking they will need to relieve themselves and will have no other choice but to soil their crate. The key to successful crate training is to always use it in a positive manner and never as punishment. Always give them a chance to eliminate before putting your puppy in the crate.
As a general rule, your puppy can safely be left in a crate the number of hours that equals his age in months plus one.
My flight package includes a crate that will be yours to keep. In many cases they will last for several weeks or months depending on the size of crate your puppy is flown in.
Exercise Pen or Gate:
Lightweight exercise pens or childproof gates will allow your new family member to be confined to controllable areas, yet be close to the family's activities.
Leash and Collar:
When picking up your puppy bring along a leash and a collar. Remember a puppy collar will be out grown quickly, so an inexpensive one is fine. It should be lightweight nylon or leather. For your puppy’s safety, remove his collar while he’s crated. As a guide, if the puppy is between 8 and 10 weeks old its neck will be between 8-12 inches. If they are over 10 weeks old their neck will be between 11 and 14 inches. If your puppy is over 16 weeks of age purchase an expandable one ranging from 14-20 inches.
Consider having your puppy microchipped:
We highly encourage you to have your puppy microchipped. It's a great investment for the lifetime security of your companion. Unlike a collar or tags a microchip will always be able to help your friend find his way home and is a more permanent form of I.D. The microchip is the size of a grain of rice, it’s implanted under the dog’s skin (no anesthesia or surgery is required). It contains an alphanumeric code that can be read by animal shelters and veterinary hospitals. They are then able notify you that the pet has been found. The lifetime registration fee is $21.95.
All of our puppies are microchipped. After you receive your new puppy, please be sure and register the microchip in your name. Here is the link just in case you loose your registration card. I keep all microchip numbers on file and your vet can also quickly and easily scan your puppy to tell you the number.
Consider having your puppy spayed or neutered before delivery:
If you wish to have your puppy Spayed or Neutered we can have it done here. If the puppy is less than 12 weeks old the cost is $195 If they are over 12 weeks of age the cost is typically $224, but could be higher based upon age and weight.Please click here for more information about having your puppy spayed or neutered.
Toys:
Never underestimate the importance of toys because they encourage exercise and provide a safe way to satisfy your puppy’s need to chew. Choose toys that cannot be splintered, torn apart or ones that have loose or small parts than can be chewed off and swallowed. Toys provide entertainment, but are also necessary for teething and training. Nylon or hard rubber bones and toys are excellent choices for teething puppies. Stuffed animals, which can be torn apart, should only be allowed under direct supervision. Don’t let your puppy play with old shoes or clothing. To a puppy, this signal that all shoes and clothes are fair game.
Dishes:
Water and food dishes should be non-tippable and preferably made of heavy stainless steel. You might want to put a mat or tray under the dishes to protect your floor from spills. We recommend washing the bowls daily. (A cheap option are the trays they sell for shoes or like items. The ones made for pets are almost the same but cost a lot more.)
Training Treats:
The best training treats are those that can be consumed in one bite or swallowed whole. You want to avoid anything that could crumble as most dogs will want to make sure they get every last crumb off the floor before paying attention to you again. It's also a good idea to feed them something that will support there overall health.
We do not recommend Rawhides:
Rawhides are not considered a food item. Thus, it is not covered by any labeling, processing, or content laws, and it may contain chemical preservatives. According to Associated Content, imported rawhide chews often contain toxins including arsenic, lead, titanium oxide, formaldehyde, chromium salts, mercury, cadmium and bromine. Even with the use of these highly questionable preservatives, the FDA reports that Salmonella has been detected in some of the imported chews. In the US and Canada, refrigerated trucks provide safer transport and the hides are generally only treated with hydrogen peroxide and a water rinse. If you must give your dog rawhide, make sure it was made in America. For safety, monitor the chewing. Throw away the small, chewed down pieces. In addition to the chemical risk, rawhide can swell up to four times its original size in your dog’s stomach and cause life-threatening blockages. Dogs can chew off and swallow large pieces of rawhide which can get stuck in their esophagus, stomach, or intestines. This almost always requires surgical removal.
Treats we recommend:
Nylabones, Pig Snouts, Pig Ears, Porkhide Bones, cow hooves, Kong's filled with something, ice cubes, and many others. A cheap and easy treat is fill and ice cube tray with puppy food or other treats and then fill with water or chicken broth and freeze.
Grooming Tools:
It’s a good idea to have basic grooming tools, such as a comb, shampoo, and dog nail clippers. Be sure to read the directions on any shampoo or bathing product to confirm it is recommended for puppies.
Setting Up:
When you first bring your puppy home, place him in a limited space with easily washable floors. Keep the puppy confined, but close to the family, so he can be supervised yet still feel he is "part of the pack". A room that usually perfectly fits these criteria is the kitchen. Place his water dish, with fresh water, close at hand. Place his crate, bedding and toys inside the pen. Pet and talk to him softly and tell him how glad you are that he is with you. Talking to your puppy in a soft, reassuring voice is extremely important. He will get used to your voice and will soon realize that you are there to protect and comfort him. He may not understand the words, but he will appreciate and understand the meaning. However, don't pick him up every time he cries or barks, or he will soon associate that undesirable behavior with getting a positive response.
Puppy-Proofing:
- Make sure all poisonous household items are securely stored out of puppy's reach. Look at your house from a puppy's point of view and remove any hazardous items. Make sure your puppy does not have access to cleaning supplies, paint and paint thinner, fertilizer, disinfectants, mothballs, insect and rodent poisons, antifreeze, medications, sewing supplies (ribbons, pins, buttons, beads, balls of yarn or thread), and hardware (nails, screws, paper clips, etc.) Move or remove any poisonous plants. Remember to pick up plant leaves that drop onto your floor. Click here for a list of poisonous household plants.
- Confine your puppy to a safe area inside and keep doors and windows closed and/or screened securely.
- Don't leave a new puppy unsupervised inside or out.
- Keep your puppy off balconies, upper porches and high decks.
- Keep toilet lids closed. Puppies may play in or drink the water. They could be hurt by a falling lid. Toilet bowl cleansers are harmful in swallowed.
- Keep plastic bags away from your puppy.
CAUTION:
It's important to remember that pets do not have the same digestive systems as humans and that we need to keep certain foods away from them. Dogs should never eat chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, macadamia nuts, walnuts, tomatoes, avocados, nutmeg, coffee, tea or breath mints. All of these are toxic and can cause severe health problems or even death. All pets should avoid foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar, bones that are likely to splinter (such as chicken bones) and alcohol. Meaning do not give beer to your dog, even if you think it's funny. If you are baking, keep pets away from yeast dough or bread dough, baking soda or baking powder - ingesting these ingredients can cause serious problems. The seeds, leaves and stems of many kinds of fruits and some vegetable can be toxic to pets. Don’t let your dog eat the pit of a pear, plum, peach, apricot, or apple. Also make sure to keep all tobacco products away from your pet and don’t leave the filters where the dog has access to them.
PET POISON HELPLINE
24/7 Animal Poison Control Center
800-213-6680
Tips:
- Once you decide on a name use it consistently. Be consistent and don't use nick names. Here is a list of popular names you may want to consider. Limit visitors for the first few days.
- DO NOT take your puppy to the store, the local park, (This includes Petsmart and Petco) or to other public areas until he is at least 12-16 weeks of age. Your puppy's immune system is not yet developed and you risk introducing him to potentially life threatening diseases every time you take him into public.
- Do not leave a new puppy unattended with small children or other family pets until you're sure everyone is ready.
- The best values for pet products can typically be found online! (I often find free shipping offers too! Dog.com is a good site.) Petsmart and Petco have some of the HIGHEST prices if shopping in their stores, but often will have better prices online.
- Enroll in a training class: We recommend enrolling your new puppy with a local dog club for a puppy socialization and training class. The classes are just as important for your new puppy as they are for you.
Cleaning up an Accident:
Accidents will happen from time to time with a new puppy. House training takes patients and consistency. After an accident has happened remove your puppy from the accident scene until you've cleaned it thoroughly. Dogs are sensitive to the smell of urine, so preventing them from finding the soiled spot is important throughout the housebreaking process. You will want to clean up all accidents as soon as possible because urine that has a chance to soak into carpet is more difficult to eliminate and often will attract your puppy to the same spot. Rinse the spot with cool water and use a towel to soak up the excess water and urine. You can also use a wet vacuum if you have one. After rinsing with water then use a cleaner. It is important to use a pet urine cleaner because urine is comprised of ammonia. Do not choose a cleanser that has ammonia listed as one of its ingredients. You want to choose a pet urine remover that has enzymes in it to break down the urine and eliminate urine odor.
Additional Ideas:
Environmental enrichment is an important part of daily life. Dogs require more than food, water, and a clean home to stay healthy. Animals need to be physically as well as mentally stimulated. For more information about Environmental Enrichment ideas Click Here.