For New Owners
Things you will need.
1.)
A crate big enough for them to stand up and turn around. You can buy one for them to grow into most come with divider panels
now. But make sure they go out after naps, meals and playtime. Mostly every 2 hrs. A puppy/dog should not stay in his/her
crate for more than 8 hrs.
I reccomend a puppy exercise pen to start them off in then go on to crate training.
If you are not there to take them out every 2hrs. So you can place a newspaper or a pee pee pad on one end and their bed/toys
on the other along with food/water. Once your puppy can hold it for a longer period I would then go on to crate training.
Our puppies are set up like this from when they are weaned until they go home. All of our puppies are Newspaper and/or Pee
Pee Pad trained. Some starting at 4wks when they are starting to be weaned.(Bichon and Large Toy poodles). They go on the
newspaper the first day I set up the pen. They are extremely smart. As a rule your puppy can only hold it for how many months
old they are 2 months old; 2hrs. 3 months old; 3 hrs and so on. So once a puppy is 8 months old he/she can hold it for 8 hrs.
This is a guideline some can hold it a bit longer one day but not the next so you still have to be consistent with taking
them out often.
2.) Food, We feed Eukanuba Small breed puppy formula
to all our puppies. They need to eat that until they are 12 months old and then switched to Adult. Remember if you want to
change their food do it gradually this goes for switching to adult food also. First day 10% new, 2nd day 25% new, 3rd day
50% new, 4th day 75% new and then 100% new on the 5th day.
3.)
Food/Water bowls. Make sure and keep clean fresh water for your puppy at all times.
4.) Puppy
shampoo. I use Gold Medal Puppy Shampoo or Oatmeal Shampoo. Bichons are prone to skin allergies so the Oatmeal Shampoo is
great for them.
5.) Toys/Treats anything for puppies. Rawhide sticks
or small Rawhide chips are great. But they must be watched when they are chewing these.We feed Eukanuba Puppy Biscuits and
they love them.Remember to always check the treat bag and see if it is for puppies and what size. Sometimes it will say for
puppies over 5-6lbs and over 6 months of age.
6.) Puppy
pads just for rainy and/or freezing weather and I place some by our doors for accidents. Or to put in their exercise pen.
7.) Collar/Leash remember your
puppy grows fast. Never leave the collar on your puppy only use them when your are training/walking them.
8.) Brush, Your puppy needs to be
brushed weekly. Not just for grooming so she/he can get used to being brushed/groomed.
Their vaccines are very important. They will have 1-3sets of shots before leaving
us. They will then need a shot every 3-4wks until 16wks old from your vet. They will need Rabies also at 16wks. Then your
vet will put them on a schedule. It is very important not to take your puppy out to parks/stores until they have had their
whole series of puppy shots completed.
This is a stressful time
for them. The changing of environment. Some adjust the same day. Some are more sensitive and do not eat that good when changing
homes. If your puppy is not eating that good when he/she comes to their new home their food can be soaked in water and mashed
up or just soaked. It will encourge them to eat. Especially Teacup puppies. These tiny puppies can stress more easily. (see
our Teacup Page).
Nutrical paste can be used on tiny puppies to boost
their bloodsugar. Or If you are having your puppy shipped have some on hand when she/he gets off the plane. They miss a meal
or a couple of meals if it is a long flight.
Your
puppy needs to eat 3 times a day until he/she is 4 months old. They then can switch to 2 times day until they are a year old.
They can eat once daily after a year but twice a day feedings are better for their system. Remember when looking at the cups/pounds
chart on the food bag to divide the cups into the number of feedings.
Male
or Female ?
Males are wonderful companions as well as Females.
Males do tend to bond more with their owners. Females tend to be more independent or bond with only one person. If you have
your male neutered before he is 6 months old, they tend not to mark. If you have another dog it is best to get the opposite
gender from it. If they are neutered and spayed everything will go great.
