Taking Your Puppy Home
This is the Information Packet that we send home with each of our puppies to assist in the care of your new little one..... Please feel free to let us know if there is anything you can recommend that we add to our info packets.
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These are some recommendations to aid you in raising your new baby. Please keep in mind that we do trust your judgment, but we like to offer our expertise when we can.
Feeding your puppy: Your puppy has been on a routine feeding schedule. We feed our little ones four times daily, however you are welcome to cut out one of those meals in order to be better suit your schedule. We offer that schedule only because your puppy does their most rapid growth with us, in their first few weeks of life.
FOOD: Purina: We encourage our adoptive families to adopt our feeding recommendations. So each of our dogs is offered a measured amount of the dog food to round out their diets. Our puppies are fed Purina Pro Plan SAVOR (Brown Bag) Puppy Food. We do not recommend canned food as it deteriorates your puppy/dog’s teeth and gums. If you plan on changing your puppy’s food, be sure to wait until your little one has had about a week or two to get acclimated to your home. Then switch his/her food gradually, mixing the two foods together for about a week.
Your puppy’s Feeding Schedule: 6-7am, noon & 5-6pm. (Approximately ½ cup/meal)
Water is always offered at the time of their meal. Then removed since they tend to play in the water rather than need it, UNLESS your puppy has exercised or the temperatures are warm. Having full control over your puppy’s food and water will drastically improve your potty training efforts. We offer our puppies’ last water of the day around 10/11pm. Of course, monitor your puppy as an individual, as they WILL need more water in between mealtimes. Be prepared to offer water when you see signs of your puppy requiring water. They typically revisit the area that you feed and water them, seeking out water. We do recommend continuing the three meals daily until about 3-4 months of age. Then taper your puppies meals to twice daily, measuring out their food, to keep your puppy/dog at a healthy weight. Feeding only one meal daily can lead to “Bloat” in canines.
Potty Training: **Be sure to ALWAYS take your puppy out to “potty” immediately, after food and/or water consumption** Be sure to praise your puppy immediately after they have eliminated in the area of your preference. Verbal discipline is the only discipline recommended. Be firm and consistent. Always take your puppy out to “potty” one last time before bed. Your puppy will most likely require a potty break outside during the night, regardless if you adhere to our schedule. We recommend consideration of utilizing bells on the door that your puppy will go out to “potty” from. Ring the bells to indicate that it is time to use the potty. Eventually, your puppy will learn to ring the bells on his/her own when they need to go out, letting you know when it is time. They also have very nice doggy door bells out now that can be placed at your puppy’s level to learn to communicate with you when it time to go out.
Crate Training: We strongly encourage crate training for your little one. This is for their own safety rather than anything else. Just like a toddler, they will get into any trouble that they can. So, it is your responsibility to keep them safe when they are unable to be supervised every moment of the day. House breaking is also much more successful early on with the assistance of a crate. We recommend utilizing a Crate Divider and to make the crate the length of your puppy from nose to tail. He/She just needs to be able to turn around in their crate. If the crate is any bigger, your puppy will utilize one end of the crate to sleep and the other for their “bathroom needs”. We also recommend only allowing durable beds in their crate with them, that will not allow your puppy to chew them apart and/or possibly become sick due to ingestion. We recommend allows special treats, like a Kong, Bully Sticks or a Raw Beef Bone. During the times that your puppy needs to be in their crate, so that they realize that being crated is not negative experience.
Vaccination and Medication Recommendations:
Distemper + Parvo Vaccination (Three vaccination series ~ then boosted annually)
*Rabies Vaccination (Boosted annually) ~This is required by law, at 12 weeks of age.
Canine Influenza Vaccination (Two vaccination series ~ then boosted annually)
**Lyme Vaccination (Two vaccination series ~ then boosted annually)
Bordetella (Kennel Cough) (Boosted annually~ Intranasal Vaccine)
Heartgard Plus (Chewable tablet given monthly for Prevention of Heartworms)
Vectra 3D (Topical application to the skin, for Prevention of Fleas & Ticks)
Oatmeal based Shampoo (Bathing twice monthly. More if required.)
Flea Medication: Please do NOT use any type of flea collar on the puppy. If they lick it, it is TOXIC! Do NOT use Trixflexis either. Tests have shown it can affect the nervous system. Nexgard is safe as well as Frontline Plus for your puppy.
Pet Insurance: We offer Insurance for your puppy, Free for the first thirty days after leaving our home. There is no commitment necessary four our adoptive puppy families to continue past those first thirty days. We require our adoptive families to register their puppies immediately upon adopting their puppy or provide us with proof of their own Pet Insurance for their puppy. Your puppy must be insured within 24 hours of bringing your puppy home for the Pet Insurance to be valid. Please keep this in mind.
Puppy Training/Obedience Classes: We strongly encourage you to consider puppy training classes. Only after their 16 week distemper + parvo, Bordetella & Canine Influenza vaccinations, do we recommend contact with any canines or contact with areas that other canines have possibly eliminated. Once these vaccinations are completed, your puppy is completely protected. We also recommend “Clicker training”. It seems to be the most successful method of training. We feel that puppy training class is something that your entire family should participate in, since this is just as much of a learning curve for you and your family as it is for your puppy. Always remember to be positive and practice patience. Your puppy is intelligent and will pick your training up in their own time.
Bathing: We recommend bathing your puppy with an Oatmeal based Shampoo and no more than twice a month unless your puppy requires it due to puppy mischief. Bathing more frequently can cause dry skin/dandruff.
Grooming: If you dedicate time once a week (we typically maintain all of our dogs every Sunday), you can rule out medical issues much easier than sporadically attending to their grooming needs. We like using the *Furminator comb to remove their under coat. It works wonderfully.
Ear Care: Be sure to cleanse your puppy’s ears thoroughly with ear cleaner and cotton balls (no Q-tips) after bathing or swimming. It is recommended to get into the routine of cleaning your puppy/dog’s ears once a week for life. We recommend Epi-Otic ear cleaner or DermaPet ear cleanser.
Oral Care: We recommend that you and your family get into the habit of brushing your puppy’s teeth early on. This should be done along with their weekly ear cleaning. We recommend non-fluoride baby tooth paste. You can also check with your veterinarian for beef and/or chicken flavored canine toothpaste and finger brushes that are exclusively sold by veterinarians.
Trimming Nails: Be sure to keep your puppy/dog’s nails short. If their nails get too long, they can tend to split or break, causing pain and bleeding. This will most likely require treatment by your veterinarian. If trimming the nails in dogs with light colored nails, trim no closer than an 1/8 of an inch from where the “pink” in your dog’s nails starts. This is their blood supply. Only trim the “white” area of the nail. If you should accidentally clip a nail too short, it is just fine to use Cornstarch/flour as a quick fix, but Stipdic powder from your Pet Supply Store is best. It is recommended that when your puppy is young, to trim your pet’s nails twice a month, even if they do not need it. This is just to get them experienced with paw manipulation and the nail trim procedure early on.
Microchip: Be sure to Register your puppy’s Microchip with your information immediately. Microchip’s are now the #1 way of puppies/dogs finding their way back to their owners. Register online by following the instructions on the paperwork. Your microchip can also be utilized in applying for your puppy’s Lifetime License. The Lifetime Licensing is handy since you only have to license your puppy once and then never again. If you are interested in the lifetime License, be sure to mention this to your veterinarian. They should carry the Lifetime License forms in their office or you can acquire one at your dog licensing bureau. Your Vet will need to scan your puppy’s microchip and then sign the Lifetime Licensing form, authorizing that the microchip is indeed implanted in your puppy. It is your responsibility to send this form into your dog licensing department, along with the appropriate licensing fees.
Ingestion of foreign objects: Have a fresh bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide on hand. As we all know, puppies can tend to eat anything. Be sure to “puppy proof” your home prior to welcoming your new little one. All small items, electrical cords, medications, etc. should be safely out of reach. However, some situations arise that you just cannot anticipate…..For example, If you are taking a pill and accidentally drop it on the floor in their presence, most likely, your puppy will eat it before you even have a moment to get it. These are the times when it is handy to have a fresh bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide in the house. As soon as possible after the ingestion of the object, offer only a tablespoon of peroxide and wait. Your puppy should vomit within 10-15 minutes after the ingestion of the peroxide. Be sure to be outside for this. CALL your veterinarian prior though. It is imperative that they are on standby for further instruction.
American Kennel Club Registration: Your puppy can be registered through AKC. You will be given copies of both parents’ Pedigrees.
Contact Us: Our puppies are important to us, well after they are in your home and a vital part of your family, we still would like to know how they are doing. We welcome updates and pictures if you get the chance to send some our way. We like to update our website’s testimonial pages with your growing baby’s pictures. Also, please know that we are always here to offer assistance in caring for our children if ever needed. Please do not hesitate to ask. Congratulations on your new baby. Your new puppy will be your friend for life. THANK YOU for giving our sweet baby a loving home and family. We appreciate you
**************************
These are some recommendations to aid you in raising your new baby. Please keep in mind that we do trust your judgment, but we like to offer our expertise when we can.
Feeding your puppy: Your puppy has been on a routine feeding schedule. We feed our little ones four times daily, however you are welcome to cut out one of those meals in order to be better suit your schedule. We offer that schedule only because your puppy does their most rapid growth with us, in their first few weeks of life.
FOOD: Purina: We encourage our adoptive families to adopt our feeding recommendations. So each of our dogs is offered a measured amount of the dog food to round out their diets. Our puppies are fed Purina Pro Plan SAVOR (Brown Bag) Puppy Food. We do not recommend canned food as it deteriorates your puppy/dog’s teeth and gums. If you plan on changing your puppy’s food, be sure to wait until your little one has had about a week or two to get acclimated to your home. Then switch his/her food gradually, mixing the two foods together for about a week.
Your puppy’s Feeding Schedule: 6-7am, noon & 5-6pm. (Approximately ½ cup/meal)
Water is always offered at the time of their meal. Then removed since they tend to play in the water rather than need it, UNLESS your puppy has exercised or the temperatures are warm. Having full control over your puppy’s food and water will drastically improve your potty training efforts. We offer our puppies’ last water of the day around 10/11pm. Of course, monitor your puppy as an individual, as they WILL need more water in between mealtimes. Be prepared to offer water when you see signs of your puppy requiring water. They typically revisit the area that you feed and water them, seeking out water. We do recommend continuing the three meals daily until about 3-4 months of age. Then taper your puppies meals to twice daily, measuring out their food, to keep your puppy/dog at a healthy weight. Feeding only one meal daily can lead to “Bloat” in canines.
Potty Training: **Be sure to ALWAYS take your puppy out to “potty” immediately, after food and/or water consumption** Be sure to praise your puppy immediately after they have eliminated in the area of your preference. Verbal discipline is the only discipline recommended. Be firm and consistent. Always take your puppy out to “potty” one last time before bed. Your puppy will most likely require a potty break outside during the night, regardless if you adhere to our schedule. We recommend consideration of utilizing bells on the door that your puppy will go out to “potty” from. Ring the bells to indicate that it is time to use the potty. Eventually, your puppy will learn to ring the bells on his/her own when they need to go out, letting you know when it is time. They also have very nice doggy door bells out now that can be placed at your puppy’s level to learn to communicate with you when it time to go out.
Crate Training: We strongly encourage crate training for your little one. This is for their own safety rather than anything else. Just like a toddler, they will get into any trouble that they can. So, it is your responsibility to keep them safe when they are unable to be supervised every moment of the day. House breaking is also much more successful early on with the assistance of a crate. We recommend utilizing a Crate Divider and to make the crate the length of your puppy from nose to tail. He/She just needs to be able to turn around in their crate. If the crate is any bigger, your puppy will utilize one end of the crate to sleep and the other for their “bathroom needs”. We also recommend only allowing durable beds in their crate with them, that will not allow your puppy to chew them apart and/or possibly become sick due to ingestion. We recommend allows special treats, like a Kong, Bully Sticks or a Raw Beef Bone. During the times that your puppy needs to be in their crate, so that they realize that being crated is not negative experience.
Vaccination and Medication Recommendations:
Distemper + Parvo Vaccination (Three vaccination series ~ then boosted annually)
*Rabies Vaccination (Boosted annually) ~This is required by law, at 12 weeks of age.
Canine Influenza Vaccination (Two vaccination series ~ then boosted annually)
**Lyme Vaccination (Two vaccination series ~ then boosted annually)
Bordetella (Kennel Cough) (Boosted annually~ Intranasal Vaccine)
Heartgard Plus (Chewable tablet given monthly for Prevention of Heartworms)
Vectra 3D (Topical application to the skin, for Prevention of Fleas & Ticks)
Oatmeal based Shampoo (Bathing twice monthly. More if required.)
Flea Medication: Please do NOT use any type of flea collar on the puppy. If they lick it, it is TOXIC! Do NOT use Trixflexis either. Tests have shown it can affect the nervous system. Nexgard is safe as well as Frontline Plus for your puppy.
Pet Insurance: We offer Insurance for your puppy, Free for the first thirty days after leaving our home. There is no commitment necessary four our adoptive puppy families to continue past those first thirty days. We require our adoptive families to register their puppies immediately upon adopting their puppy or provide us with proof of their own Pet Insurance for their puppy. Your puppy must be insured within 24 hours of bringing your puppy home for the Pet Insurance to be valid. Please keep this in mind.
Puppy Training/Obedience Classes: We strongly encourage you to consider puppy training classes. Only after their 16 week distemper + parvo, Bordetella & Canine Influenza vaccinations, do we recommend contact with any canines or contact with areas that other canines have possibly eliminated. Once these vaccinations are completed, your puppy is completely protected. We also recommend “Clicker training”. It seems to be the most successful method of training. We feel that puppy training class is something that your entire family should participate in, since this is just as much of a learning curve for you and your family as it is for your puppy. Always remember to be positive and practice patience. Your puppy is intelligent and will pick your training up in their own time.
Bathing: We recommend bathing your puppy with an Oatmeal based Shampoo and no more than twice a month unless your puppy requires it due to puppy mischief. Bathing more frequently can cause dry skin/dandruff.
Grooming: If you dedicate time once a week (we typically maintain all of our dogs every Sunday), you can rule out medical issues much easier than sporadically attending to their grooming needs. We like using the *Furminator comb to remove their under coat. It works wonderfully.
Ear Care: Be sure to cleanse your puppy’s ears thoroughly with ear cleaner and cotton balls (no Q-tips) after bathing or swimming. It is recommended to get into the routine of cleaning your puppy/dog’s ears once a week for life. We recommend Epi-Otic ear cleaner or DermaPet ear cleanser.
Oral Care: We recommend that you and your family get into the habit of brushing your puppy’s teeth early on. This should be done along with their weekly ear cleaning. We recommend non-fluoride baby tooth paste. You can also check with your veterinarian for beef and/or chicken flavored canine toothpaste and finger brushes that are exclusively sold by veterinarians.
Trimming Nails: Be sure to keep your puppy/dog’s nails short. If their nails get too long, they can tend to split or break, causing pain and bleeding. This will most likely require treatment by your veterinarian. If trimming the nails in dogs with light colored nails, trim no closer than an 1/8 of an inch from where the “pink” in your dog’s nails starts. This is their blood supply. Only trim the “white” area of the nail. If you should accidentally clip a nail too short, it is just fine to use Cornstarch/flour as a quick fix, but Stipdic powder from your Pet Supply Store is best. It is recommended that when your puppy is young, to trim your pet’s nails twice a month, even if they do not need it. This is just to get them experienced with paw manipulation and the nail trim procedure early on.
Microchip: Be sure to Register your puppy’s Microchip with your information immediately. Microchip’s are now the #1 way of puppies/dogs finding their way back to their owners. Register online by following the instructions on the paperwork. Your microchip can also be utilized in applying for your puppy’s Lifetime License. The Lifetime Licensing is handy since you only have to license your puppy once and then never again. If you are interested in the lifetime License, be sure to mention this to your veterinarian. They should carry the Lifetime License forms in their office or you can acquire one at your dog licensing bureau. Your Vet will need to scan your puppy’s microchip and then sign the Lifetime Licensing form, authorizing that the microchip is indeed implanted in your puppy. It is your responsibility to send this form into your dog licensing department, along with the appropriate licensing fees.
Ingestion of foreign objects: Have a fresh bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide on hand. As we all know, puppies can tend to eat anything. Be sure to “puppy proof” your home prior to welcoming your new little one. All small items, electrical cords, medications, etc. should be safely out of reach. However, some situations arise that you just cannot anticipate…..For example, If you are taking a pill and accidentally drop it on the floor in their presence, most likely, your puppy will eat it before you even have a moment to get it. These are the times when it is handy to have a fresh bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide in the house. As soon as possible after the ingestion of the object, offer only a tablespoon of peroxide and wait. Your puppy should vomit within 10-15 minutes after the ingestion of the peroxide. Be sure to be outside for this. CALL your veterinarian prior though. It is imperative that they are on standby for further instruction.
American Kennel Club Registration: Your puppy can be registered through AKC. You will be given copies of both parents’ Pedigrees.
Contact Us: Our puppies are important to us, well after they are in your home and a vital part of your family, we still would like to know how they are doing. We welcome updates and pictures if you get the chance to send some our way. We like to update our website’s testimonial pages with your growing baby’s pictures. Also, please know that we are always here to offer assistance in caring for our children if ever needed. Please do not hesitate to ask. Congratulations on your new baby. Your new puppy will be your friend for life. THANK YOU for giving our sweet baby a loving home and family. We appreciate you
