Six Ways to Make Your New Puppy Comfortable

If you are considering bringing a puppy home and have never done it before, there are some important things you need to know. A puppy is a new member in your household, just like a new baby and therefore needs your care and attention just like any other member of your family.

The puppy has just left its family and is going to be very lonely and just a little lost. As a result, whenever it is awake, it will seek company and a caring touch. If you are not able to provide these crucial elements, plus food and water, maybe you need to reschedule the 'bringing home' event.

In the meantime, do some research on the kind of attitude you need to have when dealing with a new puppy and the kind of care you need to give it. One thing you can expect when a new pup comes to your home is restlessness and whimpering. You can minimize this discomfort. Let's look at the best way to do it.

The first way to make a puppy comfortable.

Do not get a puppy that is less than eight weeks old. All puppies need to be with their mother until they are at least eight weeks old. They need the nourishment, which provides the antibodies necessary to ward off disease, the security and the sense of identity that comes from being nursed by their mother.

The second way to make a puppy feel comfortable.

Since you must transport the puppy from the location where you obtained it, remember that it's a pup, so treat it tenderly. Bring it home as comfortably as possible. Prepare a basket with a cushion, a coverlet and some chewable dog toys. Put the pup in the basket and place the coverlet over it, if the puppy appears frightened. If it appears relatively calm, then leave the coverlet off. Make sure you caress the pup's head occasionally during the journey home. Talk to it. It will probably whimper, but your soothing voice should calm it down and make it feel less abandoned.

The third way to make your puppy comfortable.

Introduce the pup to your home. Carry the pup around your home. Introduce it to the rest of your family. Let them and the pup become acquainted with each other. Put the pup down and watch it when it goes exploring. Gently, but firmly, stop it from doing things that are unacceptable in your household. In this way, you will introduce it to your authority and your rules, which it will have to abide by for the rest of its life.

The fourth way to make a puppy comfortable.

Prepare its corner/basket/bed in a cozy place in the house. Take the same care that you did when you prepared the basket for the trip home. The place where you intend to keep the puppy depends on the rules of your house. Some people prefer to take the pup to their bedroom; others would have it in their kitchen, etc. No matter where you put it, your task is to check on it occasionally, caress it, talk to it (maybe you could name it right away) and to take it out whenever you think it might need to relieve itself.

The fifth way to make a puppy comfortable.

If the puppy has not been completely weaned, give it a bowl of milk and some water in a separate bowl. Keep these next to its basket. Coax the puppy to drink as much as possible. If the pup does not drink at all, you might want to use a dropper to feed it some milk and water. You might also try giving it something semi-solid, like bread soaked in milk. Keep the quantity small. Feeding it too much might cause an upset stomach and the puppy might throw-up. After all, this might be the first time that it has had anything other than its mother's milk. If the puppy has been weaned, fill the bowl with the type of puppy food it had been eating at the location where you obtained it. Do not try changing its food at this time, because the pup will be under stress and its stomach may be upset. Keep some soft paper towels with you to clean up any messes that you, or the puppy might make.

The sixth way to make a puppy comfortable.

The pup will need to relieve itself on its first night away from its family. It may not be possible for you to step out of your house in the dead of night for the sake of the puppy. If this is the case, spread an old newspaper near the pup's basket or provide “puppy piddle pads“ for it to relieve itself on. Whenever you see that the pup is getting restless, lift the puppy, put it on the newspaper or piddle pad and keep it there until it has finished its task. In this way, you will eventually train the puppy to go on an acceptable surface.

The first night with the pup is going to be mostly sleepless for you, what with the whimpering and the waking up. However, you won't mind because you love your pup, don't you? When mom and dad got their first puppy, a black miniature poodle named Mitzi, they had a box with the puppy in it in a corner of the living room. It whined loudly, so after a while the box was moved to a corner of the master bedroom. When the pup continued to whine, dad picked up the puppy and placed her on the bed. She settled down between mom and dad and that was the last time she spent a night anywhere else. Mom and dad are the first to admit that they are pushovers when it comes to animals. They feel that if you don’t make them part of your family, why have them? I’m afraid that I have taken unfair advantage of that feeling and so has my “sister.” We are probably two of the most spoiled dogs around. But hey, I’m not stupid, why not take full advantage of a good thing?

Until next time,

Teia

PS. When you start to get frustrated with your new puppy, just remember that we grow up and provide you with unconditional love and plenty of entertainment for our whole lives. Show us kindness and provide us with good nutrition and we’ll provide you with a loving companion and all the protection that our size will allow.

What Every GOOD Dog Breeder Will Tell You

Before I start today's entry, I'd like to tell you a little story about a dog breeder that my mom and dad dealt with years before I was born. Mom and dad decided that they would like to get a new puppy to replace a Poodle who had recently passed away. They looked in a book about dog breeds and decided that a Bichon Frise would be the dog that they should get. They checked the local pet stores and none had a Bichon for sale. A check of the pet section of the local paper revealed one breeder with puppies for sale. Mom and dad phoned the telephone number listed in the advertisement and were told that there was only one puppy available, a female. The rest of the litter had been sold. Mom and dad found out that the breeder lived hundreds of miles away, but that she would be in the city mom and dad lived in visiting a relative. An appointment was arranged and mom and dad went to look at the puppy. It was white, cute and had a good personality. Mom and dad asked if it had any genetic defects and the breeder said that it didn't.

They agreed to purchase the puppy and paid the breeder the requested fee. Several weeks later, they noticed that “Brandy” was limping a bit on her left hind leg. They kept an eye on her and as the days passed, the limp became more noticeable. They took “Brandy” to the veterinarian and he advised that she had hip dysplasia. Mom and dad contacted the breeder to advise her of this problem. The breeder replied, “You bought a dog, not a car or an appliance, they come as is, so she's all yours,” and slammed down the phone. Mom and dad didn't want a refund, they just wanted to let the breeder know that her bitch or stud had genetic problems. Needless to say, they informed all the pet stores, veterinarians and people they knew that this breeder was selling dogs with genetic defects. This lady was not a GOOD breeder; she was only interested in making money from her dogs. Now, on to today's post.

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So you have decided you want a puppy? You have done all your homework to decide the breed you want and you know you have the finances, time and energy to take care of it. Next step is to find a breeder and purchase a puppy.

Be warned, purchasing a puppy from a breeder can be fraught with risks. As in any business there are those breeders who are genuine, who care for their animals and whose reputation is important to them. Others, often known as backyard breeders or puppy mill owners, are only interested in making a fast buck. It is now up to you to find a reliable and honest breeder. Fortunately, because of the Internet, it is much easier today to conduct this research than it was prior to the introduction of this electronic marvel.

Do some research before contacting any breeders. Contact the kennel club of the breeds you are interested in and request a list of their breeders. The Internet can also be a good source to find and research breeding kennels. Ask friends who have dogs of that breed where they purchased them from and if they are happy with their chosen dog.

Shows are another place where you can meet breeders and see their animals, both in a show environment and in kennels before and after the show. Just remember this is a busy time for the breeder and they may not have a lot of time to chat. Get their details, observe their animals and contact them at a less busy time.

Visit the breeder’s facilities before choosing a puppy to see how the animals are cared for. Do not buy the first puppy you see. A good breeder will want to ensure you are a suitable owner just as much as you want to ensure they breed quality animals. Look for clean facilities with healthy, clean dogs that are free of parasites. The dogs should behave in a manner you would wish your future dog to exhibit, e.g., if the majority of the dogs appear to be timid and afraid it is a safe bet any pups will be of a similar disposition.

Ask the breeder questions such as:

- How long have they been breeding dogs?
- What is the pedigree of the animal you are considering purchasing?
- Are both parents at the kennel?
- Are there veterinary certificates available for both parents and offspring?
- What screening has been done for any common health issues for the particular breed?
- What guarantee will they offer if the pup proves to have any major health issues within a short time of purchase?

The breeder should also ask you questions like:

- Do you have a house/yard suitable for the animal?
- Do you have the time to care for a dog?
- Are you fully aware of what is required to care for the animal?
- Will the dog be a pet or for breeding/showing?
- Do you have children and if so, what are their ages?
Breeders are well within their rights to refuse to sell a pup to anyone they consider not suitable as an owner of their dogs.

A sales agreement should be signed by both parties outlining the obligations of both purchaser and seller.

The good breeder will usually offer advice on feeding, grooming, health care and list any equipment you may need, as well as a schedule for all necessary immunizations.

A reputable breeder will also ensure you do not take your puppy home too early, to ensure it gets early socialization with its siblings. A puppy removed from its litter too early may fear other dogs for the rest of its life. While six weeks is the time many puppies are taken to new homes, many breeders prefer to retain the pup until they are around nine weeks old.

Once you have collected your puppy keep in touch with the breeder as they will be a fountain of knowledge for you regarding your new dog and they often like to keep track of their animals.

If you do all your homework and purchase from a reputable breeder, you will have a dog that will be a wonderful part of your family for the next 12 to 15 years.

Until next time,

Teia