Bringing New Puppy Home Part 1

Congratulations! You’ve finally made your choice and are bringing your new puppy home… but wait… what about all the unanswered questions? How can you get off to a good start? What do you need to buy? This two part article will help you prepare by answering some of the most common questions from new puppy parents.

õ  Who is a good vet?  

Sensible K9 has had a great relationship with the six veterinarians at the two Michigan Road Animal Hospitals for years. We also hear good things about veterinarians at a variety of hospitals around the area. Finding a veterinarian is like finding a sports coach – all of them can be good for different reasons – it just depends what you are looking for. Each doctor is unique and appreciated for their varied abilities and strengths. When you are looking for a veterinarian for your puppy, it’s great to develop a relationship with one veterinarian so that your puppy has a consistency of care. If your doctor stays the same throughout the puppy’s first year especially, he or she will quickly notice if any particular developmental issues need to be addressed. Find the veterinarian whose approach and style match your own. Do you appreciate a veterinarian who attends continuing education and stays up to date on the most modern techniques? Is a particular area of interest like nutrition or behavior important to you? Ask questions before you go. Inquire about certifications and personal passions – these will provide clues as to the continuing education your veterinarian is most likely to keep up on.

õ  What do I do in the first 4 days the puppy is home to get potty training done as quickly and effectively as possible?

Great question! PREVENTION is key. The most common mistake new puppy owners make is to give the puppy too much freedom too soon. Instead, take the puppy out more frequently than you think he needs to go until you establish his elimination pattern. Puppies generally need to eliminate upon waking, after eating and drinking, during play and anytime there’s a transition in the room (for example, new people come in or you change from one activity to another.) Be sure to reward your puppy for going potty outside – this will boost his desire to eliminate outside, in front of you! Otherwise, he gets an empty bladder and comfort no matter where he goes- it’s all the same to him.

õ  Do you have suggestions of local places to get pet supplies that are good?  Yes! I love to shop at these local places: Carmel: Platinum Paws (Michigan Road– love their knowledge of great pet foods and emphasis on nutrition and they are the best grooming shop around!); Canine Cloud Nine (Arts &Design district – love their hand-made boutique treats and self-serve dog wash! Plus, just a cool place to visit for puppy socialization!) Zionsville: Choosy Pet – they carry simply the best line of high quality toys and all the supplies you’ll ever need to spoil your puppy.

Coming soon…Part Two: What STUFF do I buy?

Puppy home – 1st 24 hours

Yesterday we brought home an 8-week old Australian Shepherd puppy. I am a firm believer that your puppy is ALWAYS learning, so make the best use of the time from the beginning. Here’s what our puppy has begun to learn in her first day home:

1. I can “potty” outside, in the woods, like the big dogs.
2. People yelp when I bite them; I guess they’re wimps and I must be careful with my teeth.
3. My crate is an alone place, but I will be okay.
4. I like the chewies I get in my crate.
5. I like getting fed by hand – those hands are sure neat when they come filled with food!
6. There are a lot of nice boys here… I met several boys of different smells and colors.
7. I can Sit.
8. I can Down.
9. I can Release (chase a treat).
10. I can Fetch.
11. I like to play with the big dogs and the Vizsla is particularly fun.
12. My new mom will protect me if I get scared by barking dogs in the backyard, or anything else.
13. I like running to my new mom. She scritches my rear so nice!
14. My mom’s slippers are off-limits, but there are tons of fun toys nearby.
15. Naptimes are necessary.

New puppies are a great joy – and a lot of work. Keep focused on the behaviors you want your adult dog to do… and don’t allow puppy “cuteness” to rule the day. Your puppy will be an adolescent in just a couple of months! How nice will it be to have great routines and boundaries in place when dealing with the ups and downs that come with becoming an adult dog! Finally – take LOTS of pictures!

Holiday Safety Tips

My children ask me daily, “When are we putting up the Christmas tree?” Considering the two Thanksgiving boarding dogs just left our home and a boarding and training puppy will be here next week, I wonder sometimes if they’d mind not putting it up at all? I don’t think leaving the ornaments in a box this year is an option, though… so it occurs to me a quick review of practical tips for living with children, dogs and holiday stress might be helpful.

The Decorations: Several years ago, a friend of mine made salt-dough Christmas ornaments with her children. They had fun placing them all over the tree. Coming back from a day of shopping, she discovered their Labrador had enjoyed them very much. Thankfully, the dog spat out the metal hooks. Raising Guide Dog puppies when I was a child taught me the importance of placing chew-proof, tail-proof, uninteresting ornaments on the lower half of the tree. The fragile, glass and keepsake ornaments and all the candy canes were always up high. Down low were the plastic and fabric ornaments. One year, when both my brother and I had puppies, my mom only built the top half of our artificial tree, putting it high on a sturdy box covered with an attractive table cloth. She was smart, my mom.

The Visitors: Granny’s coming. So are the unruly cousins. This is a great time to practice sensible management and prevention with your dog. Unless your dog is very well-trained already, keep him leashed for all greetings. Encourage visitors to feed your dog a small treat when he sits in front of them. Remember the 1-foot rule: Children are allowed 1-foot of freedom with the dog for every year of age. That means that children under 15 are never alone with the dog. Period. Supervise closely since dogs and children often have trouble reading each other's signals. If your dog has to resort to growling or snapping to create space, you have placed him in an impossible situation. Be sure your dog has a visitor-free zone where he can retire in peace. He needs the break more than you do.

The Food: Watch out for that fudge! Keep those treats enclosed in sturdy containers well away from the edge of tables where your dog might sample a taste. If food will be available on end tables or within reach of your tall dog, keep him leashed or put him in another room. Many a dog has suffered ingestion of toxic substances (such as chocolate and macadamia nuts) or an event of pancreatitis due to over-indulgence in fatty foods (sausages, cheeses, pate’). Finally, clean up immediately, double-bag and put the trash out right away. Those turkey bones won’t look good on the x-ray.

The Celebrations: If you include a special toy or treat for your dog under the tree, be sure to supervise the unwrapping and play. Many dogs do fine shredding (and not eating) the wrapping paper, but I have seen the results of ribbon wound around intestines and promise that a trip to the veterinary ER is not going to improve your holiday. Give your dog plenty of stress-reducing opportunities such as long walks, chew bones and time away from the crowd. He’ll thank you for it and you’ll appreciate keeping your furniture and sanity intact.

Finally, take LOTS of pictures, especially if you have a puppy! Your special 4-legged family member will bring an added dimension of fun and joy this holiday season, even if the memories involve a Griswold adventure… like a squirrel in the Christmas tree! Merry Christmas!

Sweet Puppy Needs a Home

This little darling is in need of an immediate new home due to an unexpected illness of her owner. Know anyone interested in a (now 11-week old) Cavalier/Bichon puppy? Zip me an email and I will put them in touch. This puppy is up to date on her vaccinations and comes with a spay certificate.