The First Day at Home

- Content Reference: Janet Wall. How to Love Your Dog. Your Puppy’s First Day. Retrieved October 16, 2009, Web site: http://www.loveyourdog.com/firstday.html

Your puppy's first day in your home is one of the most important times in his/her young life. It's very important for your dog to have some form of identification in case he/she should happen to be lost or stolen. We suggest getting your puppy micro-chipped by your veterinarian and then registering the chip number. All clinics and shelters have chip readers for the purpose of identifying lost pets. If you do not opt for micro-chipping, we urge you to get an ID tag that contains at least your phone number and address.

It is very important for your puppy to have a chance to meet and be held by everyone in your family. He also needs to explore his new home. Holding your puppy is important, but on the first day, hold him only a few minutes at a time.

Puppy-Proof Your House

It is important and necessary to Puppy Proof your house before bringing the puppy home.

1. Make sure cords and wires are not where your dog can reach them.
2. Place trash in cans with lids or out of your puppies reach.
3. Remove dangerous liquids, like cleaners and antifreeze from low areas.
4. Clear off tables that your pup might reach.
5. Have toys ready for your dog to play with. He/she may not want to play the first day, but they will be there if he/she does.
6. Have a place for your dog to sleep; a crate makes a good bed. When your puppy is resting, he/she can be in a private place where no one will bother him/her.

Your pup will probably need to go to the bathroom soon after he arrives. It would be a good idea to take him outside before he begins to explore your home. Praise him when he goes.

Give your new dog time to explore your house, but don't leave him alone. You can stand behind him and follow him to the places he wants to go.

Introducing Your Puppy to Your Other Dogs

The best place for your new dog to meet your other dog for the first time is outside--in your yard (fenced) or in a park (on a leash). When they are comfortable with each other, bring them indoors.

Feeding

- Content Reference: Basic Dog Care. Retrieved September 23, 2009, Web site: http://loveourdogs.com/BasicDogCare.apx

Feeding your puppy a highly digestible, premium formula dog food greatly assists in getting and keeping the puppy healthy and on a schedule. Young and/or small puppies need to have food and water accessible at all times.

Housebreaking

Taking Your Puppy Potty

At first, we suggest only taking your puppy outdoors when it is potty time. If you have to wait for an elevator or walk a long way, carry the puppy or walk quickly, allowing no stopping time. Go directly to the spot chosen as your puppy’s potty place, use the verbal command you have chosen, and continue repeating it until you have success. Make sure the puppy stays in the spot you have chosen and upon success immediately reward him/her with a treat and plenty of praise. Allow the puppy only ten minutes to get the job done. If the puppy does not go, or does not completely empty out, return him to his crate and try taking him out again in half an hour.

When Will the Puppy “Need To Go”

• Eating/Drinking: Whenever your puppy eats or drinks, it will shortly after need to go the bathroom. This can be anytime within a 30-minute period after eating/drinking. When it’s done eating, make sure to keep a close eye on it; always watching for signs that it has to relieve itself. Intense sniffing, pacing back and forth, and/or circling are signs that he “has to go.”
• Sleeping: Puppies usually need to urinate after waking from a nap or an overnight sleep. Supervision is the key; if you don’t see the puppy wake up, you may miss him relieving himself. Always be in a position to be able to hurry the puppy outdoors.
• Playing: Vigorous play can stimulate a puppy to urinate as well. A puppy may have trouble controlling the urge; he may squat suddenly, urinate and then resume play. Watch carefully- he may give little or no warning. Generally speaking, a puppy has the capability of holding one hour for every month of age.

Some dogs use urine and feces to mark territorial boundaries. Even a young puppy may feel compelled to establish and protect his territory. This type of soiling (not related to normal elimination) can happen during the night if you sleep in separate quarters from the dog, or when you leave the dog alone in the house. Dogs are quite social. Many puppies become stressed and anxious when separated from their family. We recommend neutering be done by 6 months of age. Waiting to neuter until one or more years of age may not correct what has become a habit in marking territory. There are health benefits to neutering as well.

“Caught You in the Act!”

If you catch your puppy in the act, a deep firm “NO” is all that is needed to communicate your displeasure. If you succeeded in interrupting the act, get the puppy outdoors quickly and clean up when you get back. Hitting the puppy or rubbing his face in his waste is not necessary. Fear tactics work against your relationship with the puppy; puppies love praise and want to please. Supervision and consistency are essential. The puppy is always learning, even when you are not actively teaching. A puppy that is not properly supervised (when you find more accidents than you see happen) may become confused and think it is okay to eliminate indoors. He thinks this because sometimes he gets yelled at and sometimes he doesn’t. A puppy that is carefully monitored understands very quickly what he may and may not do and usually becomes reliable much more quickly.

If you missed the event, when the puppy is very young, all you can do is clean it up and vow to be more diligent in watching. Correction is useless because the puppy does not remember doing it. Once the puppy is older, recognizes his smell, and remembers the command you use for elimination, you can take him to the accident and firmly scold him and reinforce verbally that he “goes potty outside.” When you cannot supervise the puppy, he should be crated or confined to a small, dog-proofed area.

Clean Up!

Clean up all accidents with a commercial odor neutralizer. This type of product, available in pet stores and catalogs, breaks down the organic matter that causes the odor. Normal household cleaners will not neutralize the odor. If there is any residual odor left after cleaning, chances are the puppy will return to the spot again. Be sure to use the product correctly, or it will not work.

Bathing / Grooming

- Content Reference: Basic Dog Care. Retrieved September 23, 2009, Web site: http://loveourdogs.com/BasicDogCare.aspx

Nail Trimming
The younger you start trimming your puppy’s nails the better. The nails can be trimmed up to once a week at first to get your puppy used to having its feet handled. Either ask one or our professional staff members to demonstrate the proper trimming technique when you pick up your puppy, or ask your veterinarian at your first visit.

Trimming Around the Eyes
Puppies are notorious for getting eye infections because of hair over-growth around their eyes. Remember to one of our knowledgeable staff show you how to groom around the eyes or ask your groomer to show you. It is better to start this type of grooming when your puppy is young and is gullible with treats.

Bathing
Start bathing your puppy every few weeks with an appropriate dog / puppy shampoo; human shampoos are not properly balanced for the skin PH of dogs. We recommend a mild shampoo meant specifically for puppies and routine cleansing. Do not use any medicated shampoos unless directed by your veterinarian.