Dog

Where do I find safe puppy toys and which toys should I stay away from? What are the best toys? How many toys does a puppy need?

Try to choose a veterinarian before you get your new puppy. Here are some links to great information and also a forum to discuss! Enjoy!

So your puppy is finally home! The only problem is that the puppy is starting whine a little and you are hoping that this is not a bad sign. In all actuality you are starting to feel really sorry for the puppy and feel at lose as to how to make it happy, or worse- your children are becoming sad because they think the puppy is sad! This is your puppy's first night away from its mother and litter- your puppy is calling for them! Remember your pup was part of a pack and being away from the pack means DANGER! Not to worry- this will pass as your pup bonds with you. Also, the puppy's bladder is tiny, and the whining could be due him not knowing where to go potty and not wanting to upset you! Be strong! Try these tricks to make puppy's first night home easier: 1. Puppy is wetting everywhere- constantly: It is best to not give your pup food and water after 7pm. Just before bedtime, take the puppy to the spot where the pup will toilet. Remember the puppy will need to go out 2-3 times in the night until the puppy gets bigger. Play with the puppy so that it falls asleep at the appropriate time- this will reduce him/her waking in the night. 2. Where should the puppy sleep? It is best to not let the puppy sleep with you. It is dangerous to the puppy's health because when humans hit deep REM sleep it is possible that the pup may accidentally get smothered. Children are especially unaware of this danger. Also, if your puppy is allowed in the bed once- he/she will think your bed is the place to sleep forever! This can lead to serious behavioural problems in the future. You need to be the leader of the pack and set the boundaries. 3. If the puppy does not need to go potty, then he/she is whining for attention and you must set the boundaries of when it is appropriate to give attention- and it is not while you are sleeping! Humans need 8 hours of sleep to be able to operate well, take care of yourself and train that pup! Give your puppy a rub and say "its okay". Then go back to bed! If your puppy starts to whine and cry again, its best to just let them do it- they will tire of it after a while and go to sleep. 4. Be sure to carry your puppy out to the toilet training spot first thing in the morning. If you let the puppy walk, you might have an accident on your hands! Be sure to praise the puppy for the good behaviour.

To crate or not to crate- that is the question. Only you can decide how to potty train your pup during the night. We recommend two sizes of crates- meaning get a larger crate with a divider in it for when the pup is small, remove the divider when they are bigger. Pups do have home pride and do not want a filthy crate, so they tend to not pee or poo in their crate (after they are confident in their crate). However, if you wait too long to let them out in the early morning hours- they will have an accident and its best to not get cross with them for it! It is important to find a spot in your garden where it is appropriate for your puppy to wee and poo. If you always go to that spot, your pup will feel confident in finding his/her spot to do their business. Confidence is important- they need to know that they are pleasing you when they toilet in the right place. Be consistent and there will be less accidents.

Be sure to check with your veterinarian about how much to feed your pup- depending on the breed of dog. You do not want to overfeed, or underfeed. The amount of food and the type of food is very important for building strong bones and teeth- not to mention a shiny coat! Underfeeding can result in a small, unhealthy puppy and overfeeding can set the stage for obesity.

It is well known that a puppy needs to socialize with other dogs and humans in order to feel confident within its environment. A badly socialized dog can lead to biting and all sorts of other mischief. There are wonderful dog parks for your puppy to socialize in, use our forums to receive suggestions about dog parks and other areas that are good for socializing puppies.

Health and Veterinarian