Snowywhitedoodles is Yourfairydogmother

Getting ready for your puppy

Things to buy-

A crate,maybe 2 - I like the collapsible metal ones- a good size for most puppies is 24x36x26- Sometimes when the puppy is younger a smaller one closer to your bed room may allow you to get a bit more sleep- Most young puppies tend to den better in darker spaces.

Old towels and flannelette sheets for crates - they are very washable and absorbent- Wait until your puppy is older before purchasing a stuffed bed- Don't put stuffed material in the crate as puppy may chew it .

A good brush and comb- a slicker brush is good for you but if you have younger children I recommend a brush with tips on the end as brushing should be a pleasant experience .Slicker brushes can be quit sharp-

Stainless steal dishes for water and food

Collar/leash - collar and a 4 ft leash- additional leashes- of 6 feet

assorted chew toys they can't break as in kongs -Balls-not tennis balls are great for chewing and it is a great exercise for teething puppies -supervised toys and interacting ones like Tugging and stuffies.

Shampoos- extra bottle-mix the soap about 1/4 to 3/4 water easier to get into the coat and far easier to rinse it out.

Dog food- You will be sent a guide to raw food feeding and a scheduled. - Please don't change this diet until your puppy has settled into his new home- I highly recommend a species appropriate raw meat/bone diet-(see my page on Nutrition)

I recommend this diet for the life of your dog-I honestly think if you try it you will see the benefits- It doesn't have to be difficult- But it does need to be balanced-

There are plenty of sites on the net for researching raw food diets- and many commercial raw food companies-some are called full meals or complete meals (no such thing) some are just ground meat - and meat/ground bone- The nice thing is meat is meat unlike kibble -you can change brands easily-

Read the label and go to their website- it will give you a list of ingredients-I it advisable to always rotate your protein sources and to keep it a varied as possible. whole food like fish or eggs(free range) a few times a weeks will ensure you are meeting your omega 3s and also folic acid-

Puppies in my house will chew on carrots/ apples/kale stems-all of it is good for their teeth and jaws

-120

Things to keep in mind now before puppy comes home.

Where will puppy sleep. It is a very important step and one you should consider now.This space should be somewhere close enough to feel part of the going's on but safe and secure-away from the table or food sources-

A large metal crate is a great investment-

Discuss rules with the family and stick to them.be consistent, every time ,everybody-If your dog thinks he can get away with something 1 time out of 100 he will keep trying

is the dog allowed in the bedrooms, carpets, upstairs on furniture ?

Puppies will eat anything-Know what is toxic to dogs-

Puppy proof your home. hanging electrical cords, toxic plants, table cloths that hang over, get down to a puppies level to evaluate this. What is in your yard- have you checked your fence-

If you have children talk to them now about how to act around a puppy. There are many good books that you can buy and are at a child's level so can help you teach your child about dogs . Children and puppies need to be supervised when they are together that is how we stop unwanted behavior from both.

Coming home

When you arrive home, take the puppy to where he will go to the bathroom. Let him sniff and explore his area.. Let him play outside for a bit then bring him inside . Offer a drink of water ,possibly a chewy of some kind and put him in his pen. Let him settle into his new surroundings, this will take a few days. He should spend the first few days mostly in his pen. 3hours 1 hour approx. Remind your children this is an infant and can get over tired very quickly. Keeping your puppy on a schedule is the most important thing you can do to keep the house training on track. Keep the area he is allowed to go fairly small to begin with. I would keep him out of the kids rooms, off expensive carpets etc-. gradually as he has proved he is trustworthy start giving him more area to explore. Remind children toys need to be picked up so as the puppy doesn't choke or chew them up-Also tell them that any chewed toy goes into the garbage as puppy has already claimed it.

Socializing

socializing puppy is the single best thing you can do for it-until puppy has received his core shots find safe places for puppy play dates with other vaccinated puppies/dogs-even older dogs will teach puppy manners and proper behavior- Avoid dog parks and places where large groups of dogs hang out

It is the single best thing you can do for your dog, and yourself. Walking is a primal need for your dog..It is how dogs learn leadership. The more you can expose a puppy to stimulants the better he will react as an older dog.

It’s sound advice given frequently: Supervise your dogs and kids while they are together. Breeders warn parents, “Don’t leave the dog alone with children, no matter how friendly the breed.” Veterinarians advise, “Never leave a dog and a child in the same room together.” Dog trainers explain, “All dogs can bite so supervise your dog when you have children over.” Everyone knows the drill. So why doesn’t it work? Why are there an estimated 800,000 Americans seeking medical attention for dog bites each year, with over half of these injuries to children ages 5-9?

• Watch for loose canine body language. Good dog body language is loose, relaxed, and wiggly. Look for curves in your dog’s body when he is around a child. Stiffening and freezing in a dog are not good. If you see your dog tighten his body, or if he moves from panting to holding his breath (he stops panting), you should intervene. These are early signs that your dog is not comfortable.
• Watch for inappropriate human behavior. Intervene if your child climbs on or attempts to ride your dog. Intervene if your child pulls the ears, yanks the tail, lifts the jowls or otherwise pokes and prods the dog. Don’t marvel that your dog has the patience of Job if he is willing to tolerate these antics. And please don’t videotape it for YouTube! Be thankful your dog has good bite inhibition and intervene before it’s too late.
• Watch for these three really easy to see stress signals in your dog. All of them indicate you should intervene and separate the child and dog:
• Yawning outside the context of waking up
• Half-moon eye – this means you can see the whites of your outer edges of your dog’s eyes.
• Lip licking outside the context of eating food
• Watch for avoidance behaviors. If your dog moves away from a child, intervene to prevent the child from following the dog. A dog that chooses to move away is making a great choice. He’s saying, “I don’t really want to be bothered, so I’ll go away.” However, when you fail to support his great choice and allow your child to continue to follow him, it’s likely the dog’s next choice will be, “Since I can’t get away, I’ll growl or snap at this kid to get the child to move away.” Please don’t cause your dog to make that choice.
• Listen for growling. I can’t believe how many times I’ve heard parents say, “Oh, he growled all the time but we never thought he would bite.” Dog behavior, including aggression, is on a continuum. For dogs, growling is an early warning sign of aggression. Heed it. If growling doesn’t work, the dog may escalate to snapping or biting. Growling is a clue that you should intervene between the dog and the child. To pet owners, particularly those who also have children, thank you for supervising your dog! As a dog trainer and mother of two, I know that juggling kids and dogs is no easy feat. It takes patience, understanding, and a great deal of supervision. I hope these tips will help you get better at supervising.

A Pet’s Ten Commandments

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful. Give me time to understand what you want of me

2. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

3. Don’t be angry with me for long, and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainments; but I have only YOU.

4. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

5. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

6. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet…I choose not to.

7. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me.

Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

8. Please take care of me when I grow old. You, too, will grow old.

9. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me, please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

10. Let my last memory be of your kind face, gentle voice and of your loving arms holding me.

Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God’s critters.

Now, please pass this on to other pet owners. We do not have to wait for Heaven to be surrounded by hope, love, and joyfulness. It is here on earth and it has four legs!

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face…

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

”

– Mahatma Gandhi