Examinations within 48 hours after taking home your puppy are very important. Some medical conditions may not show themselves for several weeks, so repeat visits as outlined in the wellness portion on this page are very important.

When picking out your puppy, observe from a distance how the puppy relates to the siblings. Is the puppy domineering?, playful? active? clumsy? All of the factors can help you decide if the puppy is for you. Puppies that are submissive show this behavior by rolling over on their backs and often urinating from being scared. Be careful that you do not pick a puppy that is very submissive unless you are willing to spend more time reconditioning the puppy to socialize with humans and other animals. Submissive puppies can also be biters out of fright.

Once you find the puppy you like, handle the feet, ears, face, and belly while talking in a calm soothing voice. Open the puppy's mouth and observe for pink gums around the contrast of white teeth. If the gums are pigmented as in chows or other breeds, you may have to look at the tongue, lips, or foot pads. A vibrant pink color is normal. Pale or white gums can indicate anemia which is most often due to severe parasitism (worms) If the gums are pale or white, the puppy should be examined by a veterinarian immediately. The puppy should also look well kept. Observe the hair for fleas or ticks. The hair coat should look healthy and the skin on the belly should be free of sores or bumps. Dried waste under the tail may indicate that the puppy has been having diarrhea. The ear canal should be clean and free of any wax. Puppies can have ear mites or yeast infections which causes a brown to black discharge in the ears.

Home care to have ready the first day:

Food & water dishes:

Separate dishes that are difficult to tip over are recommended. Wash separately from household dishes to help prevent disease transmitted to humans. Even though these conditions are rare, it is best to practice good hygiene from the first day.

Brushes:

Depending on the hair coat, either a soft hair brush or slicker brush would be best. The slicker brush is a wire type brush is very effective in combing the hair yet as the name implies is not harsh to the skin.

Beds:

Dog beds are available, but it may be best to wait until the puppy is larger to accommodate the size bed . A soft blanket or towel will suffice for the beginning.

Collar & Leash:

It is never too early to train your puppy to accept a collar. Many collars are available today that are adjustable to allow for growth. Consult your veterinarian about the safest collar to use. Collars also provide a place to put forms of identification such as a tag with your name and phone number.

Shampoo:

Consult your veterinarian about the safest shampoo for your puppy. Puppies can be bathed every two weeks for cleanliness and fleas. Your veterinarian can provide handouts on proper bathing for puppies.

Puppy food:

We suggest a premium type puppy food such as Health Blend or Science Diet.

Crates:

In the wild, dogs and wolves live in dens or caves. Puppies come to view the crate as their "den" or "hideaway" for rest and seclusion. Think of the crate much as a crib for a baby to keep your pet out of harms way. The crate is also helpful in housebreaking the puppy.

Wellness Exams:

Puppies should be examined by a veterinarian within 48 hours after arriving in their new home. (see wellness information on this page)

When taking your puppy home the first day, it should be agreed ahead of time that the puppy belongs to the entire family- not just to one person. For the "get acquainted" period, it is often best to divide responsibilities for feeding, watering, and taking out your puppy. This interaction helps your puppy quickly feel like a member of the household. This also prevents unnecessary anxiety for your puppy when it comes to who will walk him in bad weather or clean up the inevitable messes before he is housebroken.

Even though we do not recommend your puppy sleeping with you, some people cannot resist the temptation. It is best to purchase a crate or carrier that will approximate the puppy's size when full grown. If the puppy will be living outside you will need a dog house and bedding appropriate for your climate. It is best to have the opening to the dog house toward the south to avoid cold winter north breezes. Bedding used in dog houses or crates should be washable. It is not recommended to use stray, hay, or shavings in dog houses as they tend to cause skin irritations and can be difficult to keep clean and parasite free.

Many experts recommend crate training as an excellent form of housebreaking. The crate should be large enough for the puppy to stand up, turn around, lay down and still not tip over food and water bowls inside the crate. The crate should be considered the puppy's den or cave much like a baby's crib. The crate is a safe place for the puppy to be when you are away from the house. Leave the door to the crate open and let the puppy know the food and water is in the back of the crate. You can put a few pieces of food around the outside to encourage the puppy to go inside the first few times. Say, "den" or some other short word you prefer to get the puppy to associate the crate with going to bed. Do not force the puppy into the crate, for natural curiosity will eventually get the puppy to enter the crate and eat and sleep. Only when you feel the puppy has accepted the crate should you start closing the door with the puppy inside. Leave the puppy inside only for ten to fifteen minutes at first, gradually increasing the time your pet is in the "den". Over time you can lengthen the stay to hours. Do not let the puppy out of the crate for barking, whining, or scratching at the door. This will teach the puppy that making noise will not send someone running to open the door of the crate.

When you open the crate, immediately take your puppy outside to the area you have designated as the "bathroom area". Praise the puppy lavishly when the business is completed. Puppies should also be taken out right after they eat, wake from a nap, or just finished drinking water. Puppies generally prefer not to go to the bathroom in their bed, so the puppy will quickly view the crate as the bed. Like children, the puppy will look forward to the praise associated with using the "bathroom area" outside and will try to repeat the praise worthy performance. Even if your puppy is trained to go on newspaper, you can take the newspaper outside and put it on the ground in the bathroom area. Before you know it, your puppy will be housebroken.

Puppy proofing your home should be done just as you child proof the area. Puppies are prone to chew on electric cords, pick up objects like toys, needles, coins, hose, and crayons. Remember that your puppy sees the room from a different vantage point than adults. You may want to lay on the floor and look around the room to make sure there are no obvious "temptations" that will be visible to your puppy's eyesight. Be sure to read the section in this web site called puppy and kitten proofing your house.

To help eliminate your puppy getting into things that could be harmful it is best to not leave your pet unattended. Allowing the puppy to roam through the house may also sabotage your housebreaking efforts. Puppies have very small bladders and sometimes will go on the floor. If this happens, say no in a firm voice, but do not hit the puppy or push its nose in the evidence since puppies cannot understand our actions in this manner. Be sure to clean the mess thoroughly and deodorize the area. Puppies can smell the spot at a later time and will continue to use the same spot for other accidents if the area is not properly cleaned.

Collars and leashes are an important part of keeping your puppy out of danger. Collars can be put on the puppy at a very young age, but make sure it is an adjustable collar. It is best to check the collar for tightness by slipping two fingers between the collar and the puppy's neck. You should not have to force your fingers under the collar. Remember that puppies grow fast and the collar can become too tight if it is not checked every week. When you take your puppy outside for a walk, be sure to use a leash. Puppies natural curiosity can get them into trouble and they have no fear of roads or automobiles.

When feeding your pet it is important that the puppy receive the proper nutrition to meet energy, growth, and developmental needs. Most puppies do best by feeding them three times per day. Put the food in a clean bowl and leave the food in the bowl for thirty minutes. At the end of that time take the food up until the next feeding period. Water should be available at all times. Feeding times should coincide with your meal times to discourage begging. Do not offer people food to your puppy. Not only does the puppy not need the table scraps, but bad habits are formed and proper nutrition cannot be achieved on people food. Consult your veterinarian about proper feeding schedules and types of foods that are best since there are differences for certain breeds of dogs.

Many dogs wind up in the animal shelter before the age of two years for behavior problems. It is important that your puppy learn early on what is considered acceptable behavior. Failure to teach your pet the difference between right and wrong can result in a grown dog so out of control that it is no longer a pleasure to have in your home. Consult your veterinarian or obedience trainer concerning when to get started with basic commands and obedience training.