Bringing Your Puppy Home
Motion sickness in puppies is a common problem due to the fact that the parts of the inner ear involved in balance aren’t fully developed. Therefore no amount of preparation or a slow introduction to travel will help or prevent this. Puppies that get motion sickness tend to drool heavily and may vomit within even the first minutes of travel. Whether traveling up the road via car or across the country via plane, the results will be the same for those puppies. Puppies will usually “outgrow” motion sickness by around 6 months of age. You will want to be prepared to clean up any mess made during travel. We recommend that puppies travel in a crate or carrier meant for the purpose and that it be lined thickly with an absorbable bedding, pee-pad, or towels.
Your Puppy's First Night Home
The first night home with your new puppy can be a trying experience for both of you. It’s the first time your puppy has spent the night away from the sights, sounds, and smells it has known since birth. As with any new baby, you may not get much sleep the first night with puppy. If you’re patient and understanding, your puppy will learn what you expect of him when it’s time to sleep. You both should wake up rested and ready for the day after a few nights together. Here are some tips to get you through this:
Shortly before you go to bed, spend some time playing with your puppy. You want him to be tired enough to sleep soundly. Definitely don’t let him nap within an hour or two of bedtime or else he or she will be ready to play when you’re ready to sleep.
Just before bed, take them outside and wait for him to go. When he does, praise him and bring him back inside. This reinforces good behavior and begins the house training process.
If possible, let your puppy sleep in your bedroom to reduce the chances of whining or crying at night. Also, the constant contact throughout the night will help them adjust to you and establish you as pack leader. One note of caution: Don’t let the puppy sleep in the bed with you. They will eventually expect to be allowed in the bed, and it can lead to numerous behavioral problems as your puppy grows.
I highly recommend crate training and your new puppy is already used to being in a crate so it is a comfortable area to them already. You should put the crate in your room and use that to confine him while he sleeps. Puppies usually won’t soil the area where they sleep as long as it is not too large of an area, but if he has the opportunity to wander he may get up and go during the night.
As a last resort, you can keep your new puppy somewhere other than your bedroom. Make sure you puppy proof your house first and put a sweatshirt or other article of your clothing with him for your scent. Many people swear by a ticking clock or a radio set to a low volume to help soothe a puppy the first night home.
If and when your puppy starts crying at night, you need to decide if he has to go to the bathroom or if he’s looking for attention. If he’s been quiet for a few hours and suddenly starts to cry or whine, he may need to go out. Puppies have small bladders, so you’ll likely have to take him out at least once during the night to avoid an accident unless you have someone in the household that stays up late to let him out just before bed and someone that is an early riser to get him out upon waking. If you must do a middle of the night trip outside, care must be taken to prevent this from becoming a habit as you will not want to continue to wake nightly indefinitely.
If your puppy is crying and you’re sure it’s not for need going potty, reach down and soothe him a little. Don’t be too doting or coddle your puppy. This will only reinforce the behavior and he’ll cry even more. If he continues to whine, a gruff “Quiet” and a quick, but gentle, shake by the scruff should settle the matter. If all else fails, ignore him. Tough love may be difficult, but eventually your puppy will learn that crying at night gets him nowhere. The more persistent you are in your approach, the quicker the situation will be resolved. If you’re stern one minute and sympathetic the next, your puppy will only be confused and his behavior will continue.
In the morning get up right away and take your puppy outside. Carry him. Don’t let him walk there or he may be tempted to go before he gets outside. Let him empty everything out, and praise him when he’s finished.
Feeding your puppy
At this time, your puppy should be eating at least a small handful of hard food at each feeding. During the first 24 hours in a new home, your puppy may go through a slight "off" period due to the stress of leaving mom and littermates, travel, and getting to know the new faces and environment. If this happens, you can add a bit of warm water to the hard food and let it sit for a few minutes prior to feeding to help release the aroma and stimulate their appetite.
It is important that you feed your puppy 3 times per day until it reaches 16 weeks (4 months) old. This is because small puppies are more susceptible to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, especially those weighing less than 5 lbs. Feeding at 8 hour intervals will keep your puppy's blood sugar at a steady level. Starting the 16th week, you can start feeding just twice a day in the morning and evening. Feed no more than your puppy will eat in a 20 minute period. Alternatively, you can keep food available at all times, also known as "free feeding".
Feeding a high quality puppy food is one of the most important things you can do to protect the future health of your puppy as they grow. Ask a dozen veterinarians, breeders, groomers, and trainers what brand they recommend and you may get a dozen different answers. Here at Mema's Poos, we are now feeding Life's Abundance exclusively and require our puppies to be fed this food, along with the supplement below, in order to maintain the health guarantee. This is because we have actually participated in feed trials and found that to be the absolute best food available. It is shipped direct to your home, so you are getting the freshest feed with the highest nutrients. It was formulated by one of the top holistic veterinarians in the country, Dr. Jane Bicks, D! Keep in mind that our puppy health guarantee does require this food to be fed for the life of the puppy. You should purchase your first bag AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR to picking up your puppy. Puppies with an expected adult weight of less than 50 lbs. should be fed the Small/Medium Breed Puppy Food until they reach 1 year of age. All adult dogs should be transitioned onto the All Life Stages Food.
In addition to the diet, we use NuVet Plus wafers to protect against most ailments (from back yard pesticides, pet food allergies and hormones, toxic formaldehyde in furniture and carpeting, ailments transmitted from dog parks and the vet’s office, etc), all while maintaining a beautiful coat and healthy skin, and helping to prevent tear staining.
This is not just a vitamin. It’s an immune system builder with a precise balance of vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, amino acids and high-potency antioxidants. That’s why it works so well through all three stages of a dog’s life. We require it be given to our puppies as part of our health guarantee, and highly recommend it for any other pets you may have!
- For younger dogs (under 2 years old), it strengthens their immune system, while building and strengthening the cardiovascular, skeletal and nerve systems.It also helps protect them from the side effects of vaccinations and the stress of new and different environments.
- For dogs in their prime (age 2-8), it improves the luster of their skin and coat while protecting against allergies, skin and coat problems, staining from tears, digestive problems, etc.
- For older dogs (over 8 years old), it helps protect against, tumors, premature aging, cataracts, heart conditions, diabetes and many types of cancer, while extending the life and improving the vitality of many dogs.
Training Your Puppy
Poodles and poodle hybrids are VERY smart and easily trained. But if you are not prepared, that can present even more of a challenge. Due to their intelligence, head-strong nature and mischievous personality, they often view discipline and training as games and will use the opportunity to test your patience. It’s not unusual for them to quickly understand the command training being taught but still clown around to lighten the mood. You should be aware that your little friend’s actions are not signs of disobedience, but rather his way of letting you know he gets the simple commands and is ready for something more. I have found good overall training series on YouTube at TRAINING POSITIVE. That being said, I feel a much better option is to take advantage of our partnership with Baxter and Bella online training. You receive 25% off this phenomenal training service by using the code KP25OFF. Learn more at Baxter & Bella Training.
CRATE TRAINING
Crate training is simply putting your puppy into a crate at times when you cannot watch him every second during housetraining, you leave home, you want him to sleep, you need him to be or feel safe, you are traveling with him (even to the vet), or you need more control over his behavior. During housetraing, the crate should be just large enough for the puppy to walk in, turn around, and lay down. If it is any larger than that, the puppy may learn to just potty on one side and sleep on the other! Food and water should not be offered in the crate unless you are going to be gone for longer than 8 hours. The crate should never be used as a punishment.
HOUSETRAINING
It is important for your puppy to have an established routine and for you to be consistent in your expectations of him. The easy way to look at the routine you need to establish is that any time there is a break during the day or a change of direction in your pup’s day, take him to his potty place. If you take your puppy to the same place every time, they will continue to go to that same spot to potty even when off-leash if your yard is fenced in and they are allowed to run free. We work very hard to give every puppy a solid foundation in training before they come home to you. We have began a new training protocol that includes scent association training along with positive reinforcement. Puppies are taught to associate the smell of natural compressed pine pellets (labeled as cat litter) with potty time. We send each puppy home with a sample bag that can be spread in the potty area of your choosing when you get home. This will help your puppy to learn exactly where you want them to potty in their environment.
- When your pup gets up, take him to the potty place.
- After he eats or drinks anything, take him to the potty place.
- After your pup plays or exercises, take him to the potty place.
- Withhold water for two hours before bed.
- Just prior to going to bed, take him to the potty place.
The two most important things when housetraining a puppy are consistency and praise. When he has an accident in the house, loud and firm "NO" and refuse to pay any attention to him for two whole minutes. Clean the area with Biodeodorizer spray (available online here) and blot with white vinegar after it is dry. Puppies don't like the smell of the vinegar and will avoid going back to that spot. When he goes outside, make a fool of yourself telling him what a good boy he is and pet him vigorously. When he does both pee and poo give a treat. This teaches him to get straight to business to get his reward quickly when you take him outside.
A quick rant about puppy pads and "litter training" dogs - Skip it! Puppy pads are just an extra step that you teach your puppy and then have to re-teach to go outside. Often times I believe they are the cause of dogs that never fully housetrain. Litter training is for cats not puppies. I have had people give me all kinds of reasons they should try these methods from small yard to living in a high rise building. To me, there is no excuse. If you can make it out of the building, so can your dog. Take a poop bag with you.
That being said, I did come across a very cute set up that I would like to share for those that insist upon treating their dog like a cat!
"We have a pool and no lawn in the backyard... after spending the better part of Dec/Jan standing on the front lawn in the pouring rain... we came up with this solution. A three piece grass pad... I put a paper pee pad between the tray and grate to make clean up very easy. Works great... has to be kept very clean... Sadie just goes to do her business whenever she needs. We can easily leave to go to dinner... movie... whatever. Little poops are picked up with a kleenex and flushed... We added the little gated enclosure and later my husband put in a "floor" that he attached to the bottom of the enclosure.... Makes life a lot easier... Available on Amazon."
- Veronica Kovarik-Reynolds
BITING OR BEING "MOUTHY"
CHEWING ON PEOPLE
Biting and chewing is common in puppies up to one year of age. Much biting and chewing is related to teething in puppies. However, you need to start establishing boundaries on what is acceptable and what is not from the first day you bring your puppy home. Biting out of fun is not unusual for puppies. They may start out jumping around and grabbing at your hand or a toy and then accidently bite your hand. Or, they may be chewing on something and accidently bite you when you try to take it away. Your puppy may see this as part of a game or as a way to get attention, especially if it happens a couple of times within a week. He then may try biting to see if he gets attention or gets you to play. If you pay him attention or play with him, he will be training you instead of you training him! Here are some methods of helping him know that biting will not be tolerated:
- If you feel teeth on you, gently move his mouth off your skin and firmly say ‘no bite.’
- If he actually bites you, make a sharp, high-pitched sound like ‘Ow’ or ‘Ouch’ and then firmly, in a low voice say ‘no bite.’
- Just after the incident, leave him alone for a few minutes and refuse to look at him, touch him, or speak to him.
- If he bites while playing, respond with ‘no bite’, stop playing immediately and do something calmer with him.
- If you have to tell him ‘no bite’ several times, try using something to startle him like a shaker can of pennies when you give him the ‘no bite’ command.
- Remember: Use positive reinforcement like praise or a treat when you have had an extended play time without biting or he is in a new situation and acts appropriately. Once he realizes he gets more attention when he does not bite, he will forget about biting.
THE TRAINING BASICS
8 to 12 Weeks
Teach him to be social. The most crucial element for ensuring a well-adjusted dog is to properly socialize your puppy during these early weeks. During this time, your puppy learns confidence and resiliency through exposure to new sights, sounds and sensations and through his interactions with the outside world. Introduce your puppy to new people and experiences during this time, but hold off on introductions to other dogs until your puppy has had the proper vaccinations and time to build up his immune system. Your veterinarian is the best person to tell you when your puppy is ready for social interactions with other dogs.
Teach him to like being touched. The more each part of your puppy's body is handled, especially sensitive areas like the ears, mouth and paws, the more comfortable he will become with being touched. It’s also important to practice handling and holding your dog so that he will learn to tolerate being lifted and restrained. This will make visits to the veterinarian and groomer easier for everyone, and your puppy will be more likely to cooperate for nail trims, toothbrushing and ear cleanings.
Teach him to spend time alone. Puppies need a lot of supervision, but they also need to learn to spend time alone. From an early age, give your puppy short periods of time alone in a crate or gated area to teach him to be comfortable and well behaved when people aren’t around.
Teach him his name. Before you can teach your puppy to follow commands, he needs to recognize that you're talking to him. This is important for getting his attention when you want to ask him to do something, such as sitting or coming to you.
Teach him to sit. Learning to sit will help your puppy stay calm in stressful or exciting situations. Teach him to sit when he meets new people during his socialization sessions and put a stop to jumping up before it ever starts.
Teach him to walk on a loose leash. Puppies aren't born knowing how to walk politely on a leash. Teach your puppy that pulling never lets him move forward and you’ll have a dog who walks peacefully at your side.
Teach him to like the vet. Find a veterinarian who is invested in having a “fear-free practice,” one that focuses on lowering your pet's stress level while he's in the office. When your puppy goes in for vaccines, make positive reinforcements, such as bits of lean deli meat, part of the visit. If possible, take your puppy to the vet's office every so often just for a social visit — and a treat! Just stop in and check his weight on the office scale.
Teach him to share. Dogs naturally are inclined to guard cherished items, such as chew toys or food bowls, from potential threats, including people. To counter this instinct, teach your puppy that when you come near his food bowl or take chews away from him, he will always get a better treat in return.
Teach him to play nicely. Puppy class is an essential place for socialization with other dogs; They learn to understand the body language of other dogs and how to play properly with them. You can also organize play dates with other friendly puppies or playful adult dogs in safe areas, taking care to avoid high-traffic areas like the dog park.
Teach him to come when called. This is the behavior pet owners have the most difficult time with, but it's a potentially lifesaving command, meaning it’s essential to get it right from the beginning.
Teach him to chew the right things. Rather than punishing your puppy for chewing on the wrong items, such as furniture, teach him what items he should chew instead. And then provide him with appropriate chew toys, both around the house and in his crate.
13 to 16 Weeks
Teach him not to bite. Bite inhibition training can start when your puppy first comes home like I talked about above, but is especially important during this time frame when the puppy shows more rambunctious play.
Teach him to drop it. Your puppy will pick up all sorts of things in his first year. Teaching him to let go of items in his mouth is very handy when he picks up something he shouldn’t have, whether it be a child’s toy or a chicken bone.
Teach him to like grooming. Teach your puppy that bathing and being groomed are not life-threatening events but can mean rewards during and after, which will mean less of a struggle to keep him in the bath or close by while being groomed. You will be taking him in for his first professional grooming appointment soon. Have him ready by completely combing him out, being sure to get his underside, tail area, and ears. Play with his toenails and rub around his eyes. Remember that even though he will be seeing a professional groomer every 6-8 weeks, all poos should be thoroughly brushed at least once per week at home.
16 Weeks to 1 Year
Teach him to lie down. Training your puppy to lie down on a specific area, such as a pillow or blanket, can help him relax. It is also helpful for getting him to greet politely at the door, not bark at the doorbell and not beg at the table.
Teach him to stay. Stay is a foundation behavior for helping your puppy remain in place when needed. It can be an important safety precaution and also teaches a puppy to exhibit impulse control.
Teach him to leave it. You've taught your puppy to drop it, but now go further and teach him not to pick things up in the first place. The leave it command teaches a him to walk away from potentially dangerous things, whether it be a pill that’s accidentally dropped or a half-eaten candy bar on the sidewalk.
Again, your veterinarian or groomer should be able to recommend a trainer in your local area. Also be sure to ask friends and relatives for their recommendations as well.
TOYS and TREATS
We recommend all of the treats available through Life's Abundance, the same company that we trust for our food. Puppy FAVORITES are the buffalo lung fillets!!! However, I also wanted to pass along some info that I thought all of my pup families would like. I signed up in March 2016 for the BarkBox subscription box to check out some new healthy treat/toy options… and if you use my link you get a FREE UPGRADE on your first box!!!! Also… if you use my link I get a free upgrade added to my account as well.... AND once you sign up you get your own referral link to share with your dog lover friends that can get you free upgrades too! It’s a Win-Win for everybody so I figured why not! BarkBox is a monthly Dog Lover Subscription box which includes toys, treats and fun goodies for your puppy and believe me this will just save you time because you’ll be buying new treats and toys all the time anyway! I also like that they give back… 10% of proceeds donated to rescue organizations. All BarkBoxes are wheat, corn, and soy free too so I feel it is a great option to give the pups some variety from the Life’s Abundance treats but without worrying about giving them the junk found in the pet stores. Anyways, if you’d like to check it out, click here.
Veterinary Care
Your new puppy needs a series of vaccinations in the first year of life to protect them from many dangerous diseases as their immune system develops. Different veterinarians recommend slightly different vaccination schedules and vaccines according to the specific dog’s risk factors. Your vet can be more specific about the vaccination needs based on the particular region of the country in which you live and your individual circumstances. In general, however, the first-year vaccination schedule for puppies usually resembles the schedule below.
6 WEEKS Full puppy exam, DHPP vaccine, & de-wormer (Pyrantel) given by breeder before you take it home
9 WEEKS DHLPPC & de-wormer given at time of puppy exam. Your veterinarian should give you your puppy's first monthly heartworm and flea prevention at this visit. Often times the veterinarian has their own puppy packet to give you which is similar to the one that you received when you picked up your puppy that will include a free puppy dose of the monthly preventatives.
12 WEEKS DHLPPC & de-wormer along with your puppy's second monthly dose of heartworm and flea prevention. Some veterinarians do not examine the puppy on this visit. Instead, a trained veterinary technician may do the exam. Don't be shy about asking the person if they are a technician or assistant. Technicians are fully trained and licensed. Veterinary assistants are not and should not be performing an exam on your puppy. Veterinary assistants are trained by the licensed veterinary staff to chart, restrain animals, administer oral medications, and general husbandry only. Many are very knowledgable based upon their experience, and a great source of information. However, only a licensed veterinarian or a licensed/registered veterinary technician are qualified to do an examination and other technical skills.
16 WEEKS Rabies & Bordetella along with a year's worth of heartworm and flea prevention to be given monthly until the next annual check up. Most veterinarians will have one of their trained veterinary technicians do a quick exam and administer the vaccines at this visit. They may also request to take blood at this visit for pre-operative bloodwork prior to the spay or neuter procedure. Now is a good time to schedule the procedure. Ask about your puppy's oral health and a demonstration on how to brush his or her teeth. That should be done at least once per week with a canine toothpaste that is generally as flavorful as a treat to your pup. Also ask for local recommendations to begin a puppy socialization class and obediance training. Now that the puppy vaccine series is complete, it is now safe to introduce your new puppy to the public!
1 YEAR Boosters for DHLPPC, Rabies, and Bordetella as well as a fecal exam to check for any internal parasites. If your puppy has not been spayed or neutered yet, now is the time that it must be done. Don't forget to purchase another year's worth of heartworm and flea prevention at this visit.
2-8 YEARS Annual examination and fecal exam. Bi-annual heartworm test as long as you are continuing to give the monthly heartworm prevention as recommended year round. Your veterinarian may recommend annual vaccine boosters or boosters every 3 years. It depends on the law in your state and personal preference. After the 1 year boosters, I recommend vaccines every 3 years here in Ohio. I, along with many inside and outside the veterinary community, feel that many pets are over-vaccinated. If you are concerned that your pet is not fully protected, a simple blood test can be taken. This is called a vaccine titer. It tests the blood for the immunity level. In my personal experience, I have seen dogs that have very hign immunity levels even 5 years post puppy series!
8+ YEARS Annual examinations and fecal exams should now include bloodwork annually to check liver and kidney functions in your aging dog. You will also want to ask your veterinarian about a comprehensive dental cleaning under anesthesia. Now is a great time to start thinking about adding a new puppy to the family. Puppies have a way of putting the pep back into an older dog and extending their lifespan as well as enhancing their golden years. They may seem annoyed with the puppy behaviors at first, but soon your dog will find a new purpose in life... training a young pup to take care of his/her beloved human family. By taking on a new puppy at this time, there is a great chance that the new puppy will also learn many of your dog's cherished and endearing behavioral traits. Your dog's expected lifespan is greater than 12 years, so don't worry, you have plenty of time left.
What To Buy For Your Puppy
- Small crate
- Crate pad or blanket
- Life's Abundance puppy food*
- NuVet Plus Supplements*
- Food & water dishes
- Collar & leash
- Toys, Toys, Toys
- Training reward treats*
- Biodeodorizer spray - potty accidents*
- Paper towels
- A safe and effective shampoo*
- Brush or comb
- Puppy toothbrush & toothpaste
*Please keep in mind that both Life's Abundance and NuVet products are top of the line PROFESSIONAL products. They are not sold to the general public without referral from a reputable pet professional. By clicking on the links ON THIS SITE, you should be allowed to purchase easily. If you are prompted during the checkout process for an ID number, you may use the following, which will also allow me to verify your orders for your puppy guarantees. Although these are MY customer numbers as a pet professional, your order will still ship directly to YOU. You can also call in your order direct to the company.
Life's Abundance - 20138813
Phone: 877-387-4564
NuVet Labs - 56397
Phone: 800-474-7044
OUR HEALTH GUARANTEE
*Providing a high quality and healthy life-long canine companion is our top priority. Our puppies are all up-to-date on their vaccinations, worming, and other health checks before you come to pick them up. We will not release an unhealthy or sick puppy. We offer a FULL 2-YEAR GUARANTEE* against any life threatening congenital defects. In the event that your puppy from Mema's Poos is diagnosed with a congenital defect, we require you to contact us IMMEDIATELY so that we can have the littermates screened and that breeding line evaluated to ensure that we are producing the healthiest puppies. We have never had this happen, but this is our policy in the event it ever does. While you are able to keep the current puppy, as we understand an emotional bond will already be in place, we will still provide you a replacement puppy from another litter at no charge. In the event of the death of the puppy, we require that we receive the necropsy report from a licensed veterinarian within 3 days of death which states that the death was directly due to a congenital defect.
We offer a Limited LIFETIME GUARANTEE* on all of our puppies against any congenital defects that become evident after 2 years, under which we will supply you with a replacement puppy at half price for any life threatening issues covered under our guarantee.
*Due to the varying kinds of food and different environmental conditions the puppies come in contact with, we will not guarantee their health unless they are given NuVet Plus® using NuVet Labs’ recommended dosage, fed Life's Abundance Diet, and have received routine veterinary medical care by a veterinarian in the state in which the puppy resides; including their puppy series vaccinations, tri-annual boosters, heartworm prevention, and flea prevention. Tri-annual blood titers showing an adequate level of protection is acceptable in lue of vaccinations for those that choose not to vaccinate as we realize the need for allowing personal preference in this area. Also for those wanting to raise their puppy in a completely holistic way, we do allow the use of herbal heartworm preventative and flea preventative if under the advisement of a licensed veterinarian. Failure to do so makes the guarantee null and void. Links are always provided on our website to the required products. A print copy of the above guarantees are included in your puppy kit when you pick up your puppy.
If at any time during the life of any puppy from Mema's Poos is unable to stay in the placement home, we will accept the puppy/dog back here with no questions asked! In the event of rehoming for any reason, the new owner's contact information must be provided to Mema's Poos in written or email form including name, address, telephone number, and email address (if available) PRIOR to the placement. We do not ever want one of our fur-babies to end up in a shelter or rescue!
Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for the reader's independent judgment and personal responsibility. The information on this site is designed for educational purposes only and provided by Renee M. Kachenmeister, a Registered Veterinary Technician, groomer, and experienced breeder. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without doing your own research and/or consulting your veterinarian. This site may redirect its visitors to external website links. Kack's Poos does not operate these websites and is in no way responsible for any damage these sites may cause, although we may receive an affiliate commission if/when you make a purchase at those said websites. A portion of which goes to help keep this site maintained. However, this is only done when our independent research has shown these products to be superior in maintaining the health and well-being of our pets. Research different breeds here.
