CONGRATULATIONS on your new puppy! Your new puppy is so excited to finally meet you very soon! Your little puppy is going through a lot of changes the first few days; leaving mom, his siblings and a familiar environment. We call this "Transition" and it is important to understand this stage..
During Transition and first several days, Please KEEP YOUR PUPPY CALM - WE CAN"T STRESS THIS ENOUGH! THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE TO SHOW YOUR NEW PUPPY OFF. BUT NOT DURING TRANSITION OR THE FIRST WEEK. DO NOT BRING YOUR PUPPY TO GET GROOMED, OR HAVE KIDS OR NEIGHBORS OVER. DO NOT LET PUPPY RUN AROUND LIKE THE ENERGY BUNNY (AND THEY WILL). IT IS IMPERATIVE TO MAINTAIN A LOW PROFILE. THEY WILL CRASH IF YOU OVER EXCERT THEM!!! CALM IS THE KEY WORD HERE. DON'T FORGET TO GIVE THEM THEIR GEL AS STATED BELOW.
TRANSPORTING - your puppy will be bathed, cleaned and ready to go prior to leaving our location. However, due to being transported in a car to the airport (to meet puppy nanny) and a plane ride, or driving your puppy home to the buyers location, many of the puppies will get motion sickness. There really is not much you can do about this. Please do not give your puppy a full bath right away. Instead use a wet wash cloth and gently wash them with warm water and soap AND once they are settled in, give them a full bath.
GET A SNUGGLY - We highly recommend you purchase our SNUGGLY that is specifically made to help pups with transitioning in mind.. We rub the scent of the litter mates and parents on the Snuggly prior to leaving. If you are driving your pup home or using the puppy nanny, they can cuddle with their Snuggly during transport and help comfort your puppy. To Order a SNUGGLY CLICK HERE!
HOW WILL MY PUPPY ACT? - when you first get your puppy home, do not be surprised if he seems a little scared, tired, moody, active, nervous, shy, not too hungry, really hungry, overly excited, lots of energy, etc. This is all normal behavior and your puppy should settle down in their normal puppy behavior in a few days. We actually called this stage "Transition" and it can take up to 3-4 days or longer for your new puppy to feel secure in their new home.
FEEDING - For the first few days, your puppy may not be too hungry. Just leave the food and water out in her "spot" where you want her food to be. Leave out about 1/4 cup of her food in the beginning. After a few weeks or so, you want to develop a feeding routine with 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The time to put out food is up to you and whatever works for your schedule. A few things:.
HYPOGLYCEMIA (low blood sugar) - what many new buyers do not realize is just how small their new puppy is. They have seen their puppies on several occasions most likely through photos, and photos can be deceiving. Due to the small size of the puppy, they are prone to a condition of low blood sugar called Hypoglycemia. You probably will never experience this, but it is important to take precautionary measures and know the signs to look for in case the unlikely event occurs.
THINGS TO BE AWARE OF:
Signs of low blood sugar to look for in your puppy:
2 COMMON CONDITIONS to BE AWARE OF: GIARDIA & COCCIDIA. Prior to your puppy leaving, and as a preventative measure, we give Metronidazole, Panacur & Pyrantel Pamoate suspension. However in some instances, puppies need more doses as they continue to grow. If your puppy does comes down with this, it is a very common condition and in no way represents your puppy is not healthy. Please read over the facts you should be aware of with GIARDIA and COCCIDIOSIS.
GERMS - you are naturally going to want to show off your new bundle of joy and everyone is going to want to hold your new puppy. Before you do this, it is recommended at least 2 rounds of shots including Bordetella have been administered. If people are coming over to see your new puppy, make sure everyone washes their hand. Puppies are not fully immunized until 16 weeks of age, so they are still building antibodies against many germs, and since their immune systems are not fully developed, they can pick up many things. Don't bring puppy to doggy parks yet, and remember to keep them off the floor at the veterinarian. Have people, especially children, wash their hands and take extra precautions the first few months.
WHICH METHOD TO POTTY TRAIN? - your new puppy has been use to paper training in a whelping box. However there are different methods to training. Depending on your life style, one method may be more effective for you and your family. Please review our different methods of POTTY TRAINING and CRATE TRAINING .
STOOLS - Transition can be a stressful time for your new furry friend and their stool can change consistency. Their stools may also change due to teething or handling them too much. One way to help prevent this is feeding them a very bland diet for a few days of white rice and chicken. Also one Tablespoon of Pumpkin works very well. Please review the Benefits of Pumpkin.
ANTIBIOTIC USAGE - If you ever need to put your puppy on antibiotics, please add some commercial probiotics or add some plain or vanilla yogurt once daily to his meal. Avoid cow's milk, raw eggs, bones, raising, onions and chocolate. Fatty foods (steak, meats, etc). can cause pancreatitis and should be avoided.
TAKING YOUR NEW PET OUTSIDE - If it is cool out, we encourage you to have your puppy wear some type of jacket or sweater. If you are taking him for walk, a harness coat for leash attachment is recommended and never a collar as it can choke the trachea at this young of age. A collar should be for identification or Rabies Tag only. Also please be aware of tick season and the risk of Lyme Disease, so you would want to get some tick control from your vet prior. Doggy Parks are a great place for your puppy to meet some new friends, but please have your dog fully immunized (after 3rd round of shot) prior. Remember, your puppy is not fully immunized until 16 weeks of age, so take precautionary measures.
SCHEDULE A VET VISIT - The first rule of adopting a pet: take them to the vet ASAP. Taking your pup to the vet early on will get her used to the experience. Try to make it positive; feed her treats, maybe play with a toy in the exam room. Your pup will start to get into a good vet visit habit and be easier to handle at the vet’s office when she’s older and larger. Just remember, do not put her on the floor because of all the germs.
BEYOND THE FIRST WEEK (and after 2nd/3rd round of shots)
Finally, take a deep breath and try to enjoy your new puppy at this adorable stage of development.
How to Prevent Separation Anxiety in Puppies
Here are five simple steps for how to prevent separation anxiety in dogs.
1. Ignore the Dog - Do not pay attention to your dog when he follows you or your family around the house. Many attention seeking behaviors, including dog and puppy separation anxiety, can simply be corrected by ignoring them.
2. Play it Cool - Hide all departure cues from your dog so that he or she can’t begin to associate them with your departure or the departure of your kids.
3. Avoid the Meltdowns - Keep your dog from having a full-blown emotional response. This means that he should not be following you to the door when you go to leave. Instead put him in his crate with something really fun to do, well before you or your family are getting ready to leave.
4. Use the Dog Crate - Confine your dog in his crate for 10 to 15 minutes once a day when your family is home. Crate time should be fun, not punishment. This way, time in the crate will not be paired with your family's departure.
5. Make it Fun - Associate your family's departure with something wonderful, like rare dog treats that he only gets at that time of day. Also, always ask your pup to sit before you interact with him. This sets up a predictable, structured relationship between you and your pup and helps him to understand how to get attention from you.
ENJOY your new bundle of joy and send photos to us along the way!
Your friends at Maltipoos and More
During Transition and first several days, Please KEEP YOUR PUPPY CALM - WE CAN"T STRESS THIS ENOUGH! THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE TO SHOW YOUR NEW PUPPY OFF. BUT NOT DURING TRANSITION OR THE FIRST WEEK. DO NOT BRING YOUR PUPPY TO GET GROOMED, OR HAVE KIDS OR NEIGHBORS OVER. DO NOT LET PUPPY RUN AROUND LIKE THE ENERGY BUNNY (AND THEY WILL). IT IS IMPERATIVE TO MAINTAIN A LOW PROFILE. THEY WILL CRASH IF YOU OVER EXCERT THEM!!! CALM IS THE KEY WORD HERE. DON'T FORGET TO GIVE THEM THEIR GEL AS STATED BELOW.
TRANSPORTING - your puppy will be bathed, cleaned and ready to go prior to leaving our location. However, due to being transported in a car to the airport (to meet puppy nanny) and a plane ride, or driving your puppy home to the buyers location, many of the puppies will get motion sickness. There really is not much you can do about this. Please do not give your puppy a full bath right away. Instead use a wet wash cloth and gently wash them with warm water and soap AND once they are settled in, give them a full bath.
GET A SNUGGLY - We highly recommend you purchase our SNUGGLY that is specifically made to help pups with transitioning in mind.. We rub the scent of the litter mates and parents on the Snuggly prior to leaving. If you are driving your pup home or using the puppy nanny, they can cuddle with their Snuggly during transport and help comfort your puppy. To Order a SNUGGLY CLICK HERE!
HOW WILL MY PUPPY ACT? - when you first get your puppy home, do not be surprised if he seems a little scared, tired, moody, active, nervous, shy, not too hungry, really hungry, overly excited, lots of energy, etc. This is all normal behavior and your puppy should settle down in their normal puppy behavior in a few days. We actually called this stage "Transition" and it can take up to 3-4 days or longer for your new puppy to feel secure in their new home.
FEEDING - For the first few days, your puppy may not be too hungry. Just leave the food and water out in her "spot" where you want her food to be. Leave out about 1/4 cup of her food in the beginning. After a few weeks or so, you want to develop a feeding routine with 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The time to put out food is up to you and whatever works for your schedule. A few things:.
- Other foods to try include cheese, cottage cheese, cut up boiled chicken, liverwurst, small pieces of ham or other lunch meats, a Tablespoon of good quality canned food, a spoonful of yogurt. Add these to their kibbles, but the mainstay of their diet should always be the balanced dried kibbles.
- make sure not to give water too late in the evening to help with middle of the night potty breaks
- Once your pup has developed a meal schedule, give them their meals at same time each day (8 am, noon and 6 pm for example). Make sure you do not leave out their food and have them graze on their food. This is how puppies can become overweight. Avoid cow's milk, raw eggs, bones, onions and chocolate. Fatty foods (steak, meats, etc). can cause pancreatitis and should be avoided.
- Feed good quality food that will allow him to have a strong immune system and live a long, healthy life. The protein count for growing puppies should be in the 25-32% protein count. Once they are about 1 year, you would change their food to adult food, something with less protein count and feed them 2 times per day. As always check with your vet before you change your dogs eating patterns.
- In your bowl of water, add 1 T of sugar (cane sugar or regular) and mix. This helps maintain steady blood sugar level in your puppy during transition.
HYPOGLYCEMIA (low blood sugar) - what many new buyers do not realize is just how small their new puppy is. They have seen their puppies on several occasions most likely through photos, and photos can be deceiving. Due to the small size of the puppy, they are prone to a condition of low blood sugar called Hypoglycemia. You probably will never experience this, but it is important to take precautionary measures and know the signs to look for in case the unlikely event occurs.
THINGS TO BE AWARE OF:
- Small breeds have a small energy reserve due to their size, and a small liver, where fat and other forms of usable energy is stored. With stress from a new environment, lengthy travel, missed meals, vaccinations, playing too rough and hard, the energy reserve can be used up and the puppy could pull too much "blood sugar" for energy and Hypoglycemia can occur.
- Your puppy is more susceptible to this condition between 8-14 weeks of age. It is at this time they are being vaccinated, going to their new homes, teething, etc. Once they reach around the 16 week mark, they begin to outgrow this condition.
- Maintaining a low, calm profile is imperative for the first week and especially during transition. It is now the responsibility of the new owners to not over exert their new puppy. Friends, relatives and neighbors will want to meet your puppy and there is a time and place for this. Your puppy will need to explore on their own, at their own pace, and begin to feel secure in their new home before introducing them to too many people or the big outside world.
- Most puppies breeze right through this stage and have no problems, but there are a few puppies that are more sensitive
Signs of low blood sugar to look for in your puppy:
- very inactive. Was playing all day and all of a sudden "crashes'
- lethargic
- seems drunk and will fall over if you try to stand him up
- very weak and can barley hold its head up
- lies down and won't get up when called
- sleeping excessively
- shaking or seems very shy and may sit in the corner or hide under something
- won't eat or drink for several hours
- In case your Puppy has any of the conditions mentioned about, bring to vet immediately and give some emergency foods such as Karo Syrup or Honey to get blood sugar back up.
- It is vital to give your puppy a high caloric nutritional supplement gel like Nutrical, Fortical or Energcal Gel (found at Petco/Petsmart) to help combat Hypoglycemia. Give a pea size and place under tongue at least 3 x' per day. Use up the entire tube. No need to buy more as then they will be over the 16 week mark.
2 COMMON CONDITIONS to BE AWARE OF: GIARDIA & COCCIDIA. Prior to your puppy leaving, and as a preventative measure, we give Metronidazole, Panacur & Pyrantel Pamoate suspension. However in some instances, puppies need more doses as they continue to grow. If your puppy does comes down with this, it is a very common condition and in no way represents your puppy is not healthy. Please read over the facts you should be aware of with GIARDIA and COCCIDIOSIS.
GERMS - you are naturally going to want to show off your new bundle of joy and everyone is going to want to hold your new puppy. Before you do this, it is recommended at least 2 rounds of shots including Bordetella have been administered. If people are coming over to see your new puppy, make sure everyone washes their hand. Puppies are not fully immunized until 16 weeks of age, so they are still building antibodies against many germs, and since their immune systems are not fully developed, they can pick up many things. Don't bring puppy to doggy parks yet, and remember to keep them off the floor at the veterinarian. Have people, especially children, wash their hands and take extra precautions the first few months.
WHICH METHOD TO POTTY TRAIN? - your new puppy has been use to paper training in a whelping box. However there are different methods to training. Depending on your life style, one method may be more effective for you and your family. Please review our different methods of POTTY TRAINING and CRATE TRAINING .
STOOLS - Transition can be a stressful time for your new furry friend and their stool can change consistency. Their stools may also change due to teething or handling them too much. One way to help prevent this is feeding them a very bland diet for a few days of white rice and chicken. Also one Tablespoon of Pumpkin works very well. Please review the Benefits of Pumpkin.
ANTIBIOTIC USAGE - If you ever need to put your puppy on antibiotics, please add some commercial probiotics or add some plain or vanilla yogurt once daily to his meal. Avoid cow's milk, raw eggs, bones, raising, onions and chocolate. Fatty foods (steak, meats, etc). can cause pancreatitis and should be avoided.
TAKING YOUR NEW PET OUTSIDE - If it is cool out, we encourage you to have your puppy wear some type of jacket or sweater. If you are taking him for walk, a harness coat for leash attachment is recommended and never a collar as it can choke the trachea at this young of age. A collar should be for identification or Rabies Tag only. Also please be aware of tick season and the risk of Lyme Disease, so you would want to get some tick control from your vet prior. Doggy Parks are a great place for your puppy to meet some new friends, but please have your dog fully immunized (after 3rd round of shot) prior. Remember, your puppy is not fully immunized until 16 weeks of age, so take precautionary measures.
SCHEDULE A VET VISIT - The first rule of adopting a pet: take them to the vet ASAP. Taking your pup to the vet early on will get her used to the experience. Try to make it positive; feed her treats, maybe play with a toy in the exam room. Your pup will start to get into a good vet visit habit and be easier to handle at the vet’s office when she’s older and larger. Just remember, do not put her on the floor because of all the germs.
BEYOND THE FIRST WEEK (and after 2nd/3rd round of shots)
- After the puppy settles in, it’s time to venture out into the world and start socialization her. Socialization is all about introducing your pup to new people, animals, places, and things, and making it a good experience. Also, have friends come visit, bring puppy to puppy park, hang out with other dog's, go for walks with your neighbor's dog, etc.
Finally, take a deep breath and try to enjoy your new puppy at this adorable stage of development.
How to Prevent Separation Anxiety in Puppies
Here are five simple steps for how to prevent separation anxiety in dogs.
1. Ignore the Dog - Do not pay attention to your dog when he follows you or your family around the house. Many attention seeking behaviors, including dog and puppy separation anxiety, can simply be corrected by ignoring them.
2. Play it Cool - Hide all departure cues from your dog so that he or she can’t begin to associate them with your departure or the departure of your kids.
3. Avoid the Meltdowns - Keep your dog from having a full-blown emotional response. This means that he should not be following you to the door when you go to leave. Instead put him in his crate with something really fun to do, well before you or your family are getting ready to leave.
4. Use the Dog Crate - Confine your dog in his crate for 10 to 15 minutes once a day when your family is home. Crate time should be fun, not punishment. This way, time in the crate will not be paired with your family's departure.
5. Make it Fun - Associate your family's departure with something wonderful, like rare dog treats that he only gets at that time of day. Also, always ask your pup to sit before you interact with him. This sets up a predictable, structured relationship between you and your pup and helps him to understand how to get attention from you.
ENJOY your new bundle of joy and send photos to us along the way!
Your friends at Maltipoos and More