PUPPY CARE
BRINGING PUPPY HOME
One of the first things you should do after you bring your puppy home is to take him to a veternarian. You should choose your veternarian like you would a doctor. Check out their credentials and ask your friends who have pets. Try to choose one that is convenient to where you live in case of an emergency.
THINGS YOU WILL NEED
You should have food and water bowls that are easy to clean and that will not tip over, and puppies and dogs should have fresh water at all times. Please choose a puppy food made especially for puppies to get the right nutrition. Puppies should be fed 4 times a day, til their 3 months old, and then 3 times a day, til their 6 months old, and twice a day, til their 1 year old, at which time 1 meal a day will be sufficient. After they have eaten, remove food bowl to keep them from playing with it. Always ask the person from whom you acquired your puppy from, what kind of food they were fed and try to feed them the same thing. If you change dog food, please remember to add some of the old kind mixed with the new food. Do not change foods abruptly. Some don'ts to remember are don't feed your puppy chicken, fish, or pork bones, because they can splinter, and get stuck in the throat or pierce the stomach and intestines. Puppies are much like babies when their teething, and will chew any thing they can fine. Please keep plastic and sharp objects or anything they can swallow out of reach. Keep all household items that are poisonous out of reach for most can be fatal to a puppy.
BEDDING OR SLEEPING CRATE
You can get a commercial made dog bed, or you can use a big basket, with a blanket, or a pillow cushion. You can also use a wire cage crate, but do not get one thats too big, if you want to housebreak your puppy. Puppies will generally not soil their bedding if taken out at regular intervals. Consistancy is the key to housebreaking and must start as soon as the puppy is brought home. After the puppy plays and seems tired, put him in his bed or crate to take naps, and then at night, they will know that this is their bed, and probably won't whine as much. You can get a soft toy (make sure their made for dogs) to put in the bed or crate so they don't feel so lonely.
GROOMING AND ACCESSORIES
Your should get a brush with natural bristles, a flea comb, and a mat splitter to remove tangles. When looking for a collar and leash, be sure to get something lightweight for now, and later you can get a stronger one if needed, depending on their size. I would suggest a nail trimmer also to keep their nails cut, and I would suggest a good puppy shampoo, but I don't recommend bathing a puppy unless their really soiled. I would recommend putting sterile cotton in their ears, to prevent water getting in the ear canal. Sometimes even mild shampoos can be irritating so you can apply some petroleum jelly in the tender spots, including the eyes and their scrotum area. Also, I find Baby Wipes to be a good solution to wipe puppys over with instead of a bath to keep them clean and smelling fresh.
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