Puppy Goes Home

Here is lots of information for you in preparation for bringing your puppy home.

The pups will have their first set of shots, a full Vet examination and their micro-chip embedded before going home. They have been de-wormed. This is all recorded on your pups Health Record included in your package when puppy goes home. Your puppy will require its second set of shots in 4 weeks. You should visit your own Vet within the first 48 hours of taking your puppy home, to confirm its health.

Having a crate for your puppy (and for the rest of its life) is absolutely essential for the pup’s safety and for the security of your home. PWDs are ‘alert’ dogs, not guard dogs and consequently they hate to be left in charge of the house when you are away. They can become anxious and destructive. Put them away in their crate with a toy and a cookie and they will be perfectly happy. They love their crates after becoming used to them as pups; feel secure and safe in them. We much prefer the wire kennels for a number of reasons; they take up less ‘visual’ room in your home, the dogs can always see you (although you can throw a towel or blanket over the crate if you want the puppy to be quiet and/or go to sleep). They also fold up for travel or moving around the house and the pups can’t chew on them with any satisfaction. Use some old towels or old cotton blankets for bedding at first. Your pup will likely mess on it from time to time and might chew on it as well. Find something that can be washed easily. Once they are finished the chewing phase of their life you can invest in a nice ‘flop pad’ for the crate.

Your pup can be bathed as often as you wish. In fact, it will have been bathed often before going home and it would be a good idea to continue the routine. Their coat is hair and can be washed every day just like yours. For example: I have used “Tropiclean” Oxy Med Oatmeal Shampoo with Protein & Alpha Hydroxy and Medicated Oatmeal Treatment Rinse. Another is “Whal” Oatmeal Shampoo, Plant Derived, Reduces Itching, which I purchase at Walmart. You may also elect to use ‘natural’ products which are fine too. Try to avoid products that are not Paraben Free. I also recommend a product that really helps with matting, called “Cowboy Magic” -Detangler & Shine which may be purchased on the Internet; www.cowboymagic.com. Work this in after a bath and before blow-drying for a very manageable coat. Get the pup used to being brushed and do it every day or so. This will insure the dead coat does not become matted. Use a soft, cushioned ‘slicker’ brush and a ‘pin’ brush. Also buy a good quality stainless steel comb. It will last a lifetime. Have your dog professionally groomed if at all possible. The pre-groom brush-out, bath, blow dry, brush out, clipping, trimming nails, ear plucking, and cleaning of the anal glands is a huge job. It can certainly be done by you if you wish, but a good grooming is worth its weight in gold. Be sure to tell your groomer to leave ‘the plume’; i.e. the end of a PWD’s tail (about half way to the end) is never cut or trimmed. This is a PWD trademark.

Your pup is a very active little creature. It wants a lot of attention and sometimes uses its voice to get it. They are very loving, want to play and be held. They need to be taught what they can and cannot do from the get-go. They are happiest with routine and structure and absolutely need their humans to be Alpha. Without that security they can become destructive and disobedient. They respond to the tone of your voice so use it with enthusiasm and command as the situation requires. There might be times when you need to hold onto the hair on their cheeks, put your face right down to theirs and growl at them, just like their mother does. They will learn “DON’T DO THAT”, bad puppy.

The pups are eating Acana Grain Free - Junior & Puppy. Puppy should be fed 3 times a day; breakfast, lunch and dinner. When puppy goes home he will require approximately 1 ¼ Cups per Day (determined by his weight) according to the Feeding Guidelines; so a little less than ½ cup per meal 3 times per day. As he grows, this amount will increase slightly. Please refer to the Acana package Feeding Guidelines. Make sure there is plenty of drinking water all the time but cut it off at bedtime. At about 10 months, you may switch to Acana Ranchlands, Grain Free, All Life Stages, which puppy/dog may stay on for the rest of his life. Reduce to 2 meals per day; e.g. breakfast and supper. Again, refer to the Acana package Feeding Guidelines to determine the amount of food to feed per day. When making any changes to food, remember to do so very gradually so as not to upset your puppy’s GI System. A word of caution: it doesn’t do your dog any good at all to over feed. You’re in charge of his weight; monitor it and keep it within the range of the Breed Standard.

Why Grain Free – Less chance of developing skin conditions and/or allergies related to wheat and gluten. PWDs ate fish for a thousand years and they are not biologically designed to thrive on grain. Raw beef, chicken organ meats are fine as well as fresh vegetables and fruit. Get a special grain free treat for when they go to bed in their crate at night. It becomes one of those daily rituals they thrive on. You may also want to experiment with a ‘raw food’ diet which they also thrive on; e.g. raw chicken drumstick.

There are several brands of grain free kibble on the market. If at any time you change their food, do so VERY gradually, as a change of food done too quickly can upset the puppy’s/dog’s GI system causing diarrhea and/or vomiting.

Your pup will need to go outside as soon as it wakes up, after playing, after eating, and whenever it has not done a puddle for an hour or so. The pup will quickly become trained (or rather, until they are physiologically able to control bowel and bladder, they will have trained you). They might need to go out once during the night, but try very hard not to let them get into the habit of waking up and getting attention and play time during the night. If you feel they really have to go, take them out without any fuss and immediately put them back into the crate when they’re done. They should be able to go through the night very soon. Your puppy will feel safest and settle most easily at night if its crate is beside your bed.

You will find your puppy wants to put its teeth on everything! This is a breed that explores its world with its mouth and you will need to teach it what it can and cannot put its teeth on. This will be your first and biggest challenge. If you don’t teach the pup teeth manners, you will have a lifetime of ‘mouthiness’ and I can assure you, you don’t want that. Have chew toys readily available to replace your hands, shoes, cuffs, and computer cables (and all the other things little mouths get into). A product available at pet stores called “Bitter Apple” is useful for spraying on wires, baseboards, etc. The bitter taste helps to discourage puppy from chewing where sprayed. The only safe bones to give are marrow bones cut at least 3 inches in length. All bones must be raw or they will splinter and cause damage to the pup’s GI system. No exceptions. Always monitor while chewing is in process.

Until your pup has had its 12 week shots it should not be in the company of dogs other than family dogs, who you know, for sure, have had their shots. You can take the pup out on the street on leash, but make sure it does not sniff any dog ‘poop’ because that is where the viruses hide. Take your pup to Puppy Socialization classes as soon as possible so that early socialization can take place. Also take your pup wherever crowds gather in your community to get them used to crowds and people fussing over them. Take them to soccer games or baseball games or other activities where they will meet and greet other dogs and people. Early socializing is essential. A puppy is most impressionable from week 8 to week 16.

Please let me know how your pup is doing. No question is unimportant and I am here to support you all the way. Send updates and photos as often as you like.

I will register your puppy with the Canadian Kennel Club and will forward your CKC Registration Certificate to you as soon as possible.

(Updated Nov./14)