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A List of Basic Supplies
• Diamond naturals small breed puppy, healthy treats
• One can of soft Blue Buffalo puppy food for first few days for a special treat to acclimate to his/her new home.
• Stainless-steel non-tipping food and water bowls (we use a lick-um waterier)
• I.D. Tags with the contact information for yourself and your veterinarian
• A “breakaway” collar and a 6-foot leather or nylon leash
• An airline –approved home and travel crate (your first one will come with the puppy if he or she flies home).
• Dog shampoo (I like the hypoallergenic kind)
• Brushes and combs,
• Chew Toys
• Cleanup supplies such as a stain remover, paper towels, deodorizing spray
• 18 X 26 Wire Crate with/without a slider, puppy playpen or Richelle Pet Pen.
An exercise pen for assistance in crate training (I recommend placing the puppy in the pen in a place where you want the puppy to potty for life. When you take him outside, carry him and place him in the pen so he does not go anywhere else. Do this for a week or two and that will become his primary restroom.) Another recommendation is to place your pen somewhere in mulch or someplace not in the grass so you do not have to clean the spot every time you mow in the summertime. These exercise pens are almost a necessity and can be found for around $50. They can be found on Amazon and most Pet supply stores.
A young puppy needs special care, much as a new baby would. Treat the puppy as you would your own infant:
with patience, constant supervision and a gentle touch. Moving to a new home is a big change for a puppy.
Expect the puppy to take a few days to acclimate to its new surroundings.
Note: Diarrhea is a common occurrence when puppies move from one home to another. Don’t be alarmed if you puppy has loose stools for the first 24-48 hours. DO make sure that they stay hydrated. Give a mixture of ½ chicken broth The way you interact with your
puppy at this age is crucial to his socialization. Acclimate your puppy to your normal daily routine. Be alert for signs
(sniffing and circling) that he has to go to the bathroom, take him outside immediately. If he goes,
praise him. Never punish an accident. He won’t understand and may learn to go to the bathroom when you
are out of sight. We recommend housebreaking your puppy by using a crate. Dogs avoid going to the bathroom
near their eating and sleeping areas, so their will by instinct try to keep their den (crate) clean.
Keep your puppy in the crate whenever you are not directly supervising them. Take the puppy outside
every 45 minutes to one hour (once during the night). Take him out the same door and to the same
spot every time. Be patient and consistent.
A new puppy needs to have regular nap times throughout the day to rest. It is also important that he has a very
warm place to sleep. Be careful that play times are kept short, whether the play is with people or other pets. Puppies
can play themselves into exhaustion or not take the time to eat or drink.
All contact between a new puppy and resident pet should be 100 percent supervised for at least the first two weeks. Be especially careful if your other pets are much larger than your new puppy. One way to separate your pets is to use child safety gates or pet exercise pens. A new puppy should also be kept away from areas where non-resident pets are (public parks, rest stops),until the puppy has finished all of his puppy immunization shots.
A puppy is not fully immune to these devastating and deadly viruses until all booster shots have been given. The puppy shots are usually finished around 4-5 months of age.
Your new puppy should be eating two times a day 1/4 cup of dry food. Please feed your puppy diamond naturals small breed puppy. This dog food is a premium quality puppy food that is nutritionally dense. Follow the directions on the bag for the age and weight of your puppy. Do not put the food in a bowl and assume your puppy is eating. Pay careful attention to how much he is actually eating each day because this is critical to their health. Your puppy can be switched to an
adult formula food between 9-12 mo. of age. If you choose to switch to a different brand of dog food, the change must be a gradual one. Change the food over a 4 day time period, giving 100% of the original food the first day, 75% original food and 25% new food the second day, 50% of each the third day, and 25% of the original and 75% new the fourth day. This gradual change will reduce the amount of stress to the puppy.
The small toy breed puppies do not have a large fat reserve, so it is essential that these puppies eat small meals frequently. Missing a single meal can cause these puppies to have dangerously low glucose levels (hypoglycemia). Once a puppy’s glucose levels are low, he might become too confused to eat and could refuse food.
Tear Staining: Although most of our parents are dry eyed and tear staining is not a problem but occasionally for those puppies who suffer from moderate to severe tear staining we do suggest Angel Eyes for this problem. Can also be caused by water, food dyes, and keeping the area clean by combing or using a q-tip regularly.
Keep household cleaners and chemicals out of his reach. Restrict access to plants that are dangerous to dogs: poinsettias, azaleas, rhododendrons, dumb cane, Japanese yet, Oleander and English ivy. Make sure you store breakable items safely out of the way of your puppy. Hide or cover electrical cords so he won’t chew on them. Remember to safely store antifreeze, engine oil, laundry detergents and lawn chemicals out of reach too. Keep toys off of the floor-since some parts may be small enough for your puppy to swallow. Use a cover and/or protective fencing if you have a pool or hot tub.