1.    Make your veterinary health check appointment per your health contract, within three days of taking possession of your puppy. Ask them to show you how to trim puppy's nails. Bring your veterinary health certificate with you, to your appointment (I will give this to you). Purchase Heart guard monthly chew for heart worm prevention. Only during mosquitoes  time.. I do not give my dogs the ingestible chew for heart worm & flea control. Just the heart worm (seasonal) The ingestible flea & tick, and the selestrol collar are cancer agents. 

 

The flea control ingestion is a pesticide, many puppy owners have reported side effects, even if you are encouraged to purchase (I wouldn't give to my puppy). For now, just the heart guard & do your own research. 

Fleas are not as attracted to your puppy as other dogs, because of your puppy's coat type. Many natural flea/tick products are available on line. I never have any problems with ticks or fleas. Sometimes ticks in the beginning of the season. I use "Natural Care" products, (the name) &  carry a flea collar smells great. I often spray on organic apple cider/with H2o/squirt of lemon/lime. 

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The veterinary clinic is a business. It's ok to say no thank you. Or I'll make an appointment later... :) Or both.

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Swimming - your puppy has webbed feet, made for swimming & snow fun. Go ahead & give your puppy a bath, fill the tub, and start swimming early! Or put him/her in the pool. I start my dogs/puppy swimming at 9 weeks of age. 

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2. Order dog food on line or in person - your puppy is fed Pure Balance dry food & or Science Diet with Greek low fat yoghurt .  At least once a week mixed with home made food. Pure Balance is a good starting point, and mixed with the canned.  Or Science Diet dog food.  Depending which is available. 

 

Many dog foods are not good for your puppy, cause cancer. Preservatives are found to be a major cancer causing agent. One out of 2 dogs are dying from cancer.

 

Don't buy Grain Free - my veterinarian has an article out about this type of food. Reports Grain Free causes heart issues. If you happen to buy Grain free by accident, I have done - just add rice. Or throw the food away. 

 

Feed you puppy enough, that he/she eats for about 5 full minutes. Good, if a bit of food is left uneaten in the bowl. Add plenty of water (mushy), and less water as the pup matures. Water is always good to add to the food, even when your pup is an adult. The dry food expands in the stomach & the water helps digestion & break down of the food. The water helps when the pup goes to the bathroom too. Diluting the urine to keep the lawn green!

* Our feeding times: mom's nurse at 5:30 am & 7:00 pm. I feed pups at 6:00 am - & 5:00 pm . Sometimes I feed lunch if the puppies are acting hungry. 

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3. Home made dog food recipe example:  Bake a package of chicken thighs, a few sweet potatoes and or 2 cups of rice (white or brown). Debone cooked chicken, add to bowl the sweet potatoes skin & all mushed up. Add a can of sardines in water & a pkg of cooked or canned spinach or chopped broccoli. Add the rice... mix all up & measure out individual portions & place in baggies & freeze. Order home made cook books for dogs on Amazon. Utube has ideas & recipes. Fried eggs are great for your puppy, raw organic carrots good for the teething. 

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Let the children feed the puppy (even toddlers) help the toddler set the bowl down - helps to establish "pack order". Your puppy views his/her family as a pack. The humans are the pack leaders, including the children (especially the children). The puppy is never the pack leader, always the people. If you have another dog in the family, don't let them teach bad behavior to your puppy. Example, if the older dog growls when he/she has a bone... no more bones. 

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4. Order a medium sized or large wire crate. Make it like a cave for your puppy (cover with a blanket or the sort). Add soft washable towels Or purchase the washable mat like I use from, Tractor Supply (see below).  Have plenty of soft & medium hard toys. The pups love the bed I use from tractor supply. Retriever  Fleece Pet Crate Mat, Non-Skid Bottom, 100537398  * several people are going to use the plastic crates - I think these are fine for naps or overnight... but, not kept in for hours at a time. Puppy's should not be alone in the crate during the day, for more than 2 hours at a time. Alxa Rainforest sounds are what I'm playing, when away. 

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5. Order puppy training books on Amazon, watch puppy training videos on utube, and sign up for a class near you. SPCA offer Good Citizen award, your puppy "easy peesy" certificate! I like the Brit training methods... 

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6. Practice holistic feeding & care for your new puppy. I do not give my dogs insecticide to ingest or put on their skin (flea & tick). I use Natural care flea & tick products. And, regular bath my dogs with the same. Cancer causing agents are in non-holistic products. Dr. Dodds has books out, and utube videos. Do not over vaccinate your puppy/dog. Plenty of information about this on line & on Utube. 

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7. Dog parks & other dogs.  Stay away from dog parks. Too unsafe for your puppy or even adult dogs. Many dogs are untrained & can hurt your puppy, or carry illness. In a town close by, someone put razor blades in cheese balls at a dog park (scary). If you don't know a dog approaching your dog, trust your instincts. Pick up your puppy if unsure, act like you want to play with your puppy (distract your puppy). Obviously, we don't want your puppy to be afraid of other dogs, by your reactions. Set up puppy play times with friends or at nearby dog training center. 

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8. Vaccines :  your puppy comes to you having his/her first core inoculations. Distemper, parvo virus, and hepatitis (maybe different this year/will inform). Schedule is 8 weeks, 12 weeks (the same again), and 16 weeks with addition of rabies. * Next year the same.

 

 An  issue is the vaccine's have mercury, cancer causing agent. What I do: Core vaccines puppy shots, next year repeat shots - now the rabies will be every three years. Next year I have blood tests - called Titer - any level over 0 means protected for the Parvo, distemper & hepatitis - I don't vaccinate again except for the Rabies (law). I check again in a few years. Titer blood test. 

* You don't need to worm your puppy - I've done this & its on your health certificate (nor do you have to check for worms). Additionally, your heart guard kills worms, so you are all set in this area. I don't give heart guard during the winter... no mosquitos. 

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9. Housebreaking/potty training - 

Over the years, I've tried several house training methods with my pups. Puppy potty pads; some have a urine sent to attract your puppy. Place several around an area (like six),  keep an eye out, to bring him/her here when needed. As time goes on less pads, and move pads to the door. After 30 minut eating,  take pup outside to potty same spot. Eventually, no more pads. I'll give you some pads to start. Or just start taking your pup outside several times a day, especially 30 min after a meal, and to the same spot. You can do this at night too or not & wait until the morning. My pups sleep in the crate at night.

Some puppy owners are buying "Snuggle Puppy" from Amz. The stuffed/soft pup has a heart sound, and reduces anxiety. I bought one several years ago, the pup loved it. Nice to have in your crate.

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 Important Developmental Stages to understand.

0–7 Weeks

The developmental tasks of this period all involve learning appropriate social behavior with other dogs. Interactions with mother and siblings teach bite inhibition, appropriate submissive and attention-soliciting behavior, attention-receptive behavior, and general confidence with other dogs.

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8 – 10 Weeks

This is the ideal time for going home. This is the very best age for forming strong bonds with people. Puppies are mentally mature enough to adjust to changes, and to begin the training in manners. Research on this critical period has even pinpointed the 49th day as the ideal day for going into a new home.

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9 - 10 Weeks

Sometimes referred to as the “fear period,” the puppy is especially impressionable now. Object-associations formed during this period leave indelible imprints. It’s vital that the puppy have as many positive experiences with people, other animals, and novel situations as can be arranged.

It’s equally vital to avoid painful or scary experiences until after 11 weeks. Those mildly unpleasant experiences that can’t be avoided (like puppy shots) should be turned into positive ones by your reaction. Always “jolly up” a scared puppy by laughing, praising the puppy, and treating the event as a game. Never give the appropriately human empathetic response of soothing reassurance, as this convinces the puppy that it must be really awful since you’re upset too.

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10 –16 Weeks

This is a good time to enroll in puppy training classes. They teach you how to teach your puppy how to learn. Make sure all training sessions are fun and successful. Take advantage of the puppy’s dependence on you and strong desire to be near you to teach him to be reliable on “come.”

Never punish a puppy, for any reason, if he has come to your call—or come to you at all! In fact, avoid trainers/training techniques which rely on punishment. Get the puppy out into the world and expose him to as many new things and different ages, sexes and races of people as possible. Always make sure you can control the situation so the experiences will be positive. Have the puppy on a leash so that you can intervene if anything threatens or frightens him.

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4–6 Months

This pre-adolescent period is characterized by the gradual increase of independence and confidence. The puppy will venture further and further from you side, motivated by his own curiosity and increasing confidence in the world.

Continue training, in a class if possible. Begin incorporating distractions into your practice sessions. Take the puppy with you everywhere! This period is very important in cementing a bond strong enough to withstand the trials of adolescence (right around the corner). Make certain your puppy is spayed or neutered by six months

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6–12 Months

Even with the best preparation during puppyhood, things will be “hairy” from time to time during this period. The puppy/young dog’s needs for stimulation, companionship and activity are very high, and his tolerance for boredom and inactivity are low.

This is the period in which sexual maturity is reached in unaltered animals. Guardians will experience testing behaviors reminiscent of human teenagers. Avoid situations in which the dog’s occasional lapses of obedience could have harmful results, such as off-leash work in an unsecured area. Continue to provide safe opportunities for vigorous play and exercise, and safe toys to occupy teeth and mind when he’s confined. This is not the time to expect model behavior. Ithink dogs are puppy's up until about 8 months. Our job as owners is to make them feel safe & bonded to the individual or family. 8 months is the time to start obedience training, in my opinion . 

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12–18 Months. Time to Spay & Neuter !!

Somewhere during this period, your dog will reach emotional maturity; sooner, with small breeds, and later for large dogs. 

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