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~*~What kind of food is my puppy on?~*~
EUKANUBA: if you are going to swich food please do so slowely. Switching food to fast will cause a very upset stomache.
OPTIMAL PUPPY CARE PLAN
THE FIRST DAY
If you think you're stressed with the arrival of your new charge, just imagine how your puppy feels. He has landed in an
unfamiliar home, surrounded by new humans and possibly new animals. You are the one who's going to help him make this transition
as quickly and positively as possible.
When you go to get your puppy, take a towel with you in case he has to go to the bathroom or has motion sickness during
his first car ride. Ask the breeder about his diet. For his first few days with you, feed him what he is used to. An immediate
switch to a new food can cause stomach or intestinal upset. If he wont eat when he arrives at your home, try moistening his
food with a little water to make it more attractive.
The first night in your house is frightening for your pup. He is used to sleeping huddled with his siblings, but now he
is alone. Comfort him by putting a ticking clock or a low-volume radio inside his kennel or crate, initially, you can comfort
him with your hand. If he won't settle, you may need to take him out to the bathroom. Don't make the mistake of calming him
by taking him into bed with you. Too many dogs develop dominance issues because sleeping in their masters' bed elevates them
in their status as pack members.
THE FIRST WEEK
During your first week together, it is important to give your pup a daily routine. Get him used to his crate and move it
to where he will be sleeping permanently. Encourage him to use his crate for rest periods during the day.
Your puppy should be feed 3 to 4 times a day. Put his food down, let him eat, then take it away when he is finished. Meal
feedings allows you to closely monitor your pup's food intake. More importantly, it gets his bowels on a regular schedule,
which makes house-training easier.
Devote as much time as you can to house-train your pup. If you put a lot of effort into it now, you can shorten the length
of time it will take to fully house-train your new companion. Before you open your puppy's crate door in the morning, be dressed
and ready to go. Open his door and lead him outside as fast as you can. If he's big enough and can navigate stairs ( assuming
you have some), let him walk. If he is too small, carry him down the stairs but let him walk the rest of the way. You want
him to learn how to get to the potty area in your house. Don't Let Him Outside
Until He Has All His Shots !
During your first week together, spend time with your puppy but also allow him some free time. Let him explore his new
world so he develops confidence. If you try to direct him constantly , or shelter him too much, he may become an insecure,
clingy puppy that later develops separation anxiety when left alone. At this tender age, you need to limit your puppy's exercise
according to his endurance, which is usually less then 15 minutes.
The first week is also the period when everyone in your family needs to learn what they can and can't do with a tiny puppy.
Though puppies aren't as fragile as babies, they can still be injured. Young children should hold a puppy only while sitting
on the floor, so that if they drop him, he won't get hurt. Pups should be introduced to other pets slowly, under direct supervision,
after all you don't want your cat to give your pup a painful scratch on his eye as soon as he arrives.
Can you take your puppy to the park to show him off? NO! Your puppy does not yet have full immunity to many life-threatening
infectious diseases. He needs to stay home for now.
~*~WHAT IS SOCIALIZATION?~*~
Puppy socialization is vital to the behavioral health of every puppy. Puppies, especially from 8-16 weeks
of age, are forming their impressions of the world. During this age puppies have the most curiosity about their surroundings
and the strongest ability to bounce back and investigate things that are unusual. The more situations, people and environments
that the puppy experiences in a positive manner, the more memories that pup has to draw upon as an adult dog.
The puppy learns how to interact appropriately with other dogs, starting with its littermates. The best time
to start this part of the process is between 3-8 weeks of age.
The puppy begins to understand the rules of polite behavior with human beings. This component of the socialization
process is most effective when it begins between 5-12 weeks of age.
The puppy is introduced to the new smells, textures, sounds and sights it's likely to encounter throughout
life. The best time to initiate this part of the process is between 10-18 weeks of age.
Clearly, socialization needs to begin at a very early age; some parts of the process need to begin before
the puppy is even weaned from its mother, much less be ready to go to its permanent home. You need to depend on your puppy's
breeder to begin socializing it, with you taking over after the pup becomes yours. To make sure your new puppy has received
that crucial mental and emotional grounding, you need to find a breeder who takes socializing seriously.
PLAY SAFE
Puppies need to be kept up to date on all immunizations!
HERE AT Luv Country PUPPIES WE BELIEVE THAT SOCIALIZATION IS THE KEY TO A HEALTHY, HAPPY FAMILY COMPANION!
TRAINING TIPS "SIT" AND "LIE DOWN"
LURE METHOD FOR SIT
1) Let your pup sniff a treat in your hand, then raise it slightly up and toward the back of the pup's head.
2) As it follows the treat, its nose will point skyward, causing a seesaw effect with its rear end, which will lower toward
the ground.
3) When your pup's fanny touches the floor, click and say, "Good sit!" and let it eat the treat.
4)Do this three or four times, then start saying "sit" as you move the treat up over your pup's head.
5)Mark the moment the pup sits and reward it with a treat and "good sit!" each time.
6)Soon your pup will begin to sit when it hears the cue word. "sit"
You'll need to phase out the treat-lure after using it 5-10 times, so you won't need to always show your pup food to get
it to sit. Here's how:
1) Say "sit" and make the same hand movement as when holding a treat, but with your hand empty.
2) Your pup will associate this hand motion with sitting and earning treats, and will follow your hand signal and sit.
3) Mark and reward immediately ("good sit!") and give your pup the treat that was hidden in your other hand.
CAPTURE METHOD FOR SIT
Puppies are short compared to people, so your pup has to look up to see your face.
1) As with luring, when a pup's nose points upward, its fanny tends to plop down into a sit.
2) Whenever this happens, mark that moment and say "good sit!" then bend down to pet the pup and give it a
treat or toy as an added reward.
3) If your puppy jumps up to greet you before you can encourage it to sit, turn away slightly, so its front
feet slide off your legs and onto the floor. Then say "sit" and use the hand motion like you did when luring. Mark the moment
your puppy sits and reward with a treat ( keep treats handy while you're teaching your puppy new skills).
LURE METHOD FOR LIE DOWN
1) Show your pup a treat. Then very slowly lower the treat to the floor while your pup nibbles it.
2) When your hand reaches the floor, keep it there until the pup lies down.
3) Mark that moment, give praise, "good down!) and let your pup eat the treat.
4) gradually increase how quickly you lower the treat.
5) When your pup eagerly follows the treat to the floor and lies down, start saying the cue worked "down" or "lie down"
as you're lowering your hand.
6) Phase out the lure by saying "down" and making the same hand motion as luring, but with an empty hand.
7) Mark when the pup lies down and reward with a treat kept hidden in your other hand-quickly dropping into the hand you
signaled with and letting your puppy eat it.
LURE METHOD FOR LIE DOWN
1) Show your pup a treat. Then very slowly lower the treat to the floor while your pup nibbles it.
2) When your hand reaches the floor, keep it there until the pup lies down.
3) Mark that moment, give praise, "good down!) and let your pup eat the treat.
4) gradually increase how quickly you lower the treat.
5) When your pup eagerly follows the treat to the floor and lies down, start saying the cue worked "down"
or "lie down" as you're lowering your hand.
6) Phase out the lure by saying "down" and making the same hand motion as luring, but with an empty hand.
7) Mark when the pup lies down and reward with a treat kept hidden in your other hand-quickly dropping into
the hand you signaled with and letting your puppy eat it.
HOUSETRAINING MADE EASY
With all the conflicting advice and misinformation about housetraining that bombards new puppy owners, it's
amazing that so many dogs do eventually become housetrained. However, housetraining doesn't have to be difficult or confusing.
If you understand your puppy's need to keep its bed clean, and if you limit your puppy's freedom, teach it what you want and
where you want it, and set a good schedule, your puppy will cooperate.
Begin by deciding where you want your puppy to relieve itself. Whenever your puppy needs to relieve itself,
take it outside to that spot and stand with the puppy, but don't interact with it. When the puppy starts to sniff and circle,
just watch. After the puppy has started to relieve itself, tell it softly, "go potty, good dog or go potty" ( you can use
whatever vocabulary you wish.) Speak softly so you don't interrupt. When the puppy has completed it business, praise it even
more, but with enthusiasm.
For several weeks you will need to go out with your puppy to this particular spot every time the puppy needs
to go. Yes , every time and yes, for weeks! You cannot simply send the puppy outside. Otherwise, how will you know the puppy
has relived itself? If it hasn't gone, the puppy may come inside and relive itself on the carpet. Also , if you don't go out
with the puppy, you cannot teach it the command you want it to learn ("Go Potty") Last, but certainly not lease, if you don't
go out with your puppy, you cannot praise when it does relieve itself in the correct spot.
HOW CAN A CRATE HELP
A crate (often called a kennel or a kennel crate) is a travel carrier for dogs. Originally used to transport
dogs on airplanes, crates are now used to help dogs learn housetraining skills. All dogs are born with the instinct to keep
their beds clean. As soon as your puppy is strong enough, it will toddle away from mom and littermates to relieve itself.
By using a crate as the puppy's bed, the puppy learns to control its bladder and bowels so the bed is not soiled.
Crate training works because most puppies will not relieve themselves in the crate. When you take your puppy
out of the crate it will need to eliminate. This gives you the perfect opportunity to take your puppy to the desired elimination
spot and a chance to praise the puppy for elimination there.
It's important to understand that the crate is not a jail. Your puppy will learn that the crate is a refuge
when tired, or a retreat when life is too stressful. It's a place to sleep, to relax and to hide. Even later, as an adult,
your dog will treasure the crate as its own personal refuge.
A crate to a dog is a space of its own. This is the place where the dog can retreat to get a respite from
screaming children or guests underfoot in the house. In making use of this crate, the dog is tapping into one of its deepest,
most hard-wired instincts; to live in a den.
Chose a crate that will allow your puppy to stand up, turn around and stretch out. Don't buy a crate that
will be big enough for a Saint Bernard if you have a Springer Spaniel puppy! Too much room is not better. If the crate is
too big, the puppy can relieve itself in the back corner and still have room to get away from it. The purpose of using a crate
to housetrain your puppy is to utilize the puppy's instinct to keep its bed clean.
INTRODUCING THE CRATE
You want your puppy to enjoy the crate, so make sure the introduction is a positive one. Open the door to
the crate and toss a treat inside. Tell your puppy," Sweetie, go to bed!" as you encourage the puppy toward the crate. Let
the puppy go in, grab the treat and come back out. Repeat this a few times until the puppy seems comfortable with the crate.
Most puppies won't have any trouble at all; some adult dogs not used to a crate may take a day or two to relax and retrieve
the treat calmly.
Now start feeding the puppy in the crate, again with the door wide open. Set the food in the back of the crate.
Feed the next couple of meals like this with the door open. When the puppy is going all the way inside to eat with not signs
of stress, close the door. Stay close and let the puppy out when it has finished eating.
Once the puppy is comfortable with the crate, both to go in for treats and to eat some meals there, begin
putting the puppy in the crate for a few minutes here and there during the day, or whenever you are too busy to supervise
it. Since the puppy has to spend many hours in the crate at night, stick to shorter time periods during the day.
However , if you can't supervise the puppy or must leave the house for a few hours, you can leave it in the
crate for short periods of time. A 2- month old puppy can usually be left in the crate for two hours, and a 4- month old pup
for hour hours. These are just guidelines, though; every puppy is different. Some are slower then other to develop bowel and
bladder control.
The crate should never be used as a punishment; this should be viewed as a positive place for your puppy!
Your puppy can begin spending the night in the crate as soon as it's comfortable with it. Take the puppy outside
to potty as late as you can before putting it in the crate at night. Then plan on getting up early in the morning to get the
puppy outside right away. Unless it's very hot, restrict the puppy's access to water for about two hours prior to bedtime.
If your puppy is thirsty, give it an ice cube or two. If the puppy doesn't relive itself on the late- night trip outside,
encourage your puppy to run around a bit. A little jog will get things moving.
WHEN ACCIDENTS HAPPEN
Accidents will happen. Perhaps you won't be watching the puppy closely enough and it will urinate on the floor.
When an accident occurs, you must handle it very carefully. Don't yell and scream, and never rub the puppy's nose in the mess!
After all, relieving itself is not wrong- the puppy must relieve itself. If you yell and scream, the puppy may think that
relieving itself is wrong. Then it will become sneaky about it and you'll start finding puddles in strange places behind furniture.
If you puppy is having accidents in the house, make sure you are going outside with it so you can praise when
it relieves itself in the right place. Make sure the pup knows when and where it is right to potty. You will also need to
pay more attentions to the puppy's schedule. Are you getting it outside enough and at the right times?
The most common mistake is that owners are inconsistent.
Too many puppy owners allow their puppies too much freedom too soon, which can lead to housetraining accidents.
Keep the dog with you until it learns what is expected of it in the area of housetraining.
PATIENCE AND CONSISTENCY
A housetrained puppy is a joy. With a well-trained dog, you don't have to worry about coming home to a puddle
or pile in the middle of the living room floor. A dog that is reliably housetrained can be taken places.
Remember, achieving reliability takes time. Time to train your puppy, time for your pup to learn what you're teaching it,
and time to develop bowel and bladder control. Last, but certainly not least, always be consistent with your training and
keep the schedule you've established for your puppy!
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