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you bring your new puppy home, you will want to be prepared
by "puppy proofing" your home, buying supplies
and equipment, learning about grooming , vaccinations, hypoglycemia,
and housetraining. |
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PUPPY
PROOFING YOUR HOME:
Puppies learn, like babies, by putting everything in their mouth. Remember-..If
it is dangerous for a child, it is just as dangerous for your puppy.
Some suggestions to make sure your home is safe for your puppy:
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Make
sure all poisonous items are stored out of the puppy's reach.
Household cleaners, laundry detergents, bleach, insecticides
mothballs, antifreeze, bleach, ant and rat poisons- all of
these can be fatal to a puppy.
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Check
to see if your plants are toxic to your puppy. Some common
household plants are poisonous to pets. The internet or your
vet might be able to provide you with a complete list. |
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An
exercise pen or baby's door gate will provide a way to confine
the puppy in a small area, when you do not want him underfoot
or are unable to watch him carefully. |
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Breakables
up out of reach. |
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All
wiring and cords put out of reach behind furniture, or encased
in hard plastic flexible tubing (available at hardware stores,
can be cut to size) A puppy who chews on an electric cord may
receive a shock severe enough to kill him or her. |
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Anything
small enough to be swallowed (pennies, bounce balls, shoelaces,
bits of paper, socks, nuts, bolts, wire) should be removed
from the floor. |
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Block
access behind furniture wherever possible. |
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Put
children's toys and stuffed animals away. Some of these contain
parts that can be chewed off and cause a choking hazard. |
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Puppy
Care:
Your puppy will be eating Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy Food when it comes
home with you. Eukanuba is a high quality puppy food formulated for the
high energy and nutritional need of your new puppy.
We
keep the dry food available all the time for the puppies
for the first three days. The puppy is then put on a 3
times a day schedule. After the puppy is a little older,
you can switch to feeding 2 times per day. Do not keeep
food out all day.
If
you decide to switch to another brand of food, do it gradually,
mixing in a little more of the other food each day.
Your
puppy will try to convince you that it should be eating
people food. The food formulated for the puppy is healthier
for it providing the nutrients needed for good health and
growth, so limit the amount of table food.
Treats
are very important in training the puppy. Remember to give
very small amounts, so that the puppy will still be hungry
enough to eat his Eukanuba.
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EQUIPMENT:
Exercise Pen: A exercise pen provides a safe place
for your puppy to play and is a good place to confine the
puppy so that it cannot chew on table legs, shoes, etc. It
only takes a few minutes to set up and take down.
A
Child Gate: The gate that is used for children to
confine them to a room is helpful if you have a room
with linoleum or tile that you want to confine them in
after they are almost housetrained so that they can have
more space and still not damage your carpets.
Crate: The crate can be plastic or wire. Buy the smallest
size for a puppy for crate training. If it is too large,
the puppy will use a corner for a bathroom area. It is possible
to buy a medium size and stuff a pillow in the back to make
it smaller until crate training is over. The puppy should
be in the crate while traveling in a car for safety in case
of a sudden stop or an accident.
Blanket
or Towel for the Crate: Baby blankets, receiving
blankets or towels work great.
Leash
and Collar: The harness type should be used for Yorkies
to prevent damaging the trachea. The collar and leash
should both be light weight.
Water
and Food Dishes: They should be short enough that
the puppy can drink easily and not tip over easily. The
ceramic ones are easier to keep clean than the plastic
and are also heavier, so that they don't tip over easily.
Comb: Combs
with metal teeth work best to keep tangles and mats out
of their hair.
Shampoo: There
are several brands of dog shampoo and conditioner available.
Watch that their skin and hair doesn't get dry. If it does,
you will want to try a different brand.
Toys: They
love the rope toys, toys with squeakers, and soft toys
to sleep with. Examine the toy to make sure it is durable
enough to be chewed on and has no parts that can be chewed
off.
Doggie
Toothbrush and Toothpaste: You will want to start
brushing their teeth at a young age to get them used
to it. Tartar can build up resulting in bad breath and
lose of teeth if they are not brushed. |
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VACCINES:
Your puppy will have had puppy shots. When you take your puppy to your vet for
its initial health check, you will want to discuss with them when they recommends
the next shot or vaccination. Puppies are born with some immunities from
the Dam that last for a short period of time, but this immunity wears off
at different ages for different puppies, so it is important to continue the
vaccinations, according to your vet's recommendations. |
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TEETHING:
Toy dogs, have a tendency to retain their puppy teeth. At around 5 months of
age they will have most of their adult teeth. If they have not lost their
baby teeth, their teeth will be crowded and out of alignment. The overlapping
teeth allow bacteria and tartar to build rapidly which can lead to bad breath
and premature loss of teeth. The puppy may need his baby teeth removed by
the vet, it will have to have anesthesia to have the teeth removed. |
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SPAY/NEUTER:
At the same time that the puppy is under anesthesia for the teeth to be removed
is a good time to spay or neuter. This saves the puppy from having to have
anesthesia twice. Talk to your vet about the health reasons to neuter or
spay. |
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HEALTH
CONCERNS:
Hypoglycemia sometimes happens to puppies when they are stressed, overly tired,
or not eating enough. Collapsing trachea can occur in small dogs. The use of
a harness instead of a collar will help to prevent damage to their throat. |
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HOUSE
TRAINING:
Either Crate Training or litter box training can be used for pups successfully. |
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