Adding a new puppy to your family is a joyous occasion! We know you have a lot of questions. Here is some information that may help you navigate your way through new puppy parenthood. The most important thing to keep in mind is: there is no right or wrong way to raise your puppy! Many people may offer their opinion. But ultimately, you need to see what works for you and your puppy. Things that work for one puppy may not work for another. Flexibility is key, and willingness to try new things is important, especially if one approach is not working. And always know you can ask us if you have any questions or concerns along the way!

1. FEEDING. The thing to keep in mind is that there is no “best food”. The “best” food is the food that your pet likes, is doing well on, and that you can afford. The olncy times we may recommend one food over another are: if a medical condition arises that requires nutritional management, or, for certain breeds of dogs that are prone to nutritional issues, or if your puppy doesn’t like the food they’re being fed. Sticking with one of the “big 3” companies is a good starting point: Purina Proplan, Hill’s Science Diet, and Royal Canin. Most puppies should initially eat 3 meals per day. As they age, you will likely eliminate lunch and divide that meal portion between breakfast and dinner. Initially, you can use the feeding recommendations on the bag of food for amounts to feed. As your puppy grows, we may alter the amount fed based on weight and body condition. Whichever food you choose, consistency is important: try to avoid changing foods, or adding additional things into the food. If your puppy does not like the food or develops health issues from the food, we can discuss other options.
• FOOD STORAGE. While it is tempting to empty a big bag of food into a storage container, we recommend keeping the food in its original bag. The original packaging is meant to keep food from becoming contaminated with bacteria and other toxins. Additionally, if there is ever an issue with food that includes a recall, you will need the information on the food bag to reference.
• FOOD TYPE. Dogs are omnivores, meaning they eat a combination of meats and vegetables. Grain-free foods are not necessarily appropriate, as some grain substitutes are lacking in certain nutrients that are essential for dogs. There is recent evidence that grain-free diets may predispose certain breeds to developing heart disease. If you choose to feed a grain-free diet, be sure that the first 5 ingredients of the diet do not include peas, lentils, potatoes, or other legumes. In general, dry commercial dog foods are best. Some canned food is fine but not necessary and should not be the main diet. Home cooked and raw diets require special considerations, and are generally not recommended, but can be discussed if needed.

2. HOUSEBREAKING. As with any training, positive reinforcement is key. Offer a reward that your puppy can eat quickly (like Cheerios or training treats) whenever they do something you approve of. Whichever method of housebreaking you try, being consistent is what will teach your puppy the rules. Keep in mind that if your pup has an “accident” in the house, yelling at them will only instill fear, especially if you don’t see the act. (If the dog has an accident and you find it 20 minutes later, they won’t know why you are yelling). Instead, if you catch the pup in the act, gently and swiftly remove them to the area where they can eliminate (papers, patio, etc), and then positively reward them for going where it’s appropriate. In general, puppies can hold their urine for 1 hour longer than their age: a 2 month old puppy should be able to go for at least 3 hours. Most puppies will quickly learn to hold it longer overnight. Puppies are stimulated to urinate and defecate by eating, drinking and exercising. So a good starting routine would be: take the puppy outside first thing in the morning, use a “catch phrase” like “go pee” or “hurry up”, praise your puppy when they eliminate, feed breakfast, wait 10 minutes and then go back outside, use your catch phrase and praise, then come back inside. It is important to establish “outside” as the place your puppy goes primarily to urinate and defecate. Play time outside should come AFTER urinating and defecating. (You will appreciate this when it’s raining or snowing outside and your puppy doesn’t linger!) You can set up an enclosed play area (paddock) or crate for your pup to play in while indoors. Puppies should not have unsupervised run of the house.

   Here are a few methods to try for housebreaking. Again, there is no “best” way; you need to see what works.

• CRATE TRAINING. The theory behind crate training is that a dog will not go to the bathroom where they sleep. If you use a crate, keep these things in mind:
• The crate should be large enough for the puppy to stand up and comfortably turn around. If there is too much room in the crate, the puppy will eliminate in one part and then sleep in the other part. Look for a crate that is closer is size to your dog’s expected final weight, and that has a moveable partition that you can use to change the useable space.
• The crate should be a “happy” space that will be like your puppy’s bedroom. It should not be a place of punishment. You should leave the door to the crate open so your puppy can go in and out at will.
• Try to keep the crate in an area where there is some activity. Some puppies will become anxious if they are put in the crate and everyone goes into the other room.
• Make sure the puppy is able to see out of the crate, either through the front door and “windows”, or with an open wire crate.
• In general, it’s not advisable to feed your puppy in the crate. But water is ok.
• Bedding and toys need to be added with caution, making sure that your puppy will not try to chew and eat them when unsupervised.
• PAPER or PUPPY PAD TRAINING, DOGGIE LITTER BOXES and ASTROTURF are other options.
• JINGLE BELLS. You can teach your dog to ring a bell to alert you when they have to go outside.
• TETHERING.This involves keeping your dog on a leash while in the house so that you can quickly assess when they need to go outside. It can also be a safety measure so your dog is supervised rather than roaming the house.
• PUPPY DROPS. These drops can be dropped on the spot where you would like your dog to eliminate – either outside or on puppy pads. The puppy sniffs the drops and will be stimulated to eliminate.

3. TOYS. Always be careful with new toys. You want to make certain that your puppy cannot get into trouble with a toy by chewing off pieces that might get stuck in the throat or GI tract, or that might cause stomach trouble or other dangers. Toys that are treat-motivated often work well, such as KONG or BUSY BUDDY. Nyla bones and antlers can also work well but use caution, as hard toys can damage teeth. Try to avoid rawhide, chew hooves, pig ears, bully sticks or other toy-treats that could get stuck in the throat or digestive tract, or cause stomach upset. Also try to avoid rope toys that could fray, or stuffed toys with removable pieces that could be eaten. In general, think about a toddler and all of the precautions you need to take. Puppies are very similar in their curiosity!

4. VACCINATION. Vaccine types and schedules are dependent upon the age and lifestyle of your puppy. The “CORE” vaccines for dogs are the distemper/parvo combination (DHPP or DA2PP), and Rabies. All other vaccines are “OPTIONAL”, depending on the risks and benefits for your particular dog.
• DHPP or DA2PP. The distemper/parvo combination is given every 3 to 4 weeks, starting when your pup is about 8 weeks old, and continued until they are 16-20 weeks old. The first shot is usually given by the breeder or rescue organization. Two things that are very important to keep in mind: the booster vaccine schedule needs to be adhered to – if a follow-up vaccine is given more than 4 weeks after the prior booster, then an extra booster may need to be given; the timing of the final booster needs to be between 16 and 20 weeks of age. So, it is not the number of vaccines that is important (“3 shots” is not always correct), it is the age at which they are given. Distemper and parvo are very contagious diseases, spread from infected animals to un-vaccinated (or under-vaccinated) animals. They can be fatal. Following the final vaccine in the puppy series, this vaccine is boostered 1 year later, and then every 3 years thereafter.
• RABIES The rabies vaccine is usually given with the final DHPP booster, or shortly thereafter, although it can be given any time after 3 months of age. This vaccine is boostered 1 year later, and then every 3 years thereafter as long as the booster is given before the expiration date. If the vaccine expires prior to the booster, state law requires that the next rabies vaccine is only good for 1 year. Rabies is a fatal disease that is spread from infected animals through saliva. It is potentially transmissible and fatal to humans. Rabies vaccination is required for ALL dogs in New York State. We require that all dogs be current on their rabies vaccination in order to be under our care.
• BORDETELLA. Commonly known as “kennel cough”, dogs that go to the kennel, the groomer, the dog park, the pet shop, or other places where there is a high concentrations (including some neighborhoods), are at risk. It is an airborne infection that causes a cough, and in severe cases, can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia. This vaccine is given every 6 to 12 months, depending on exposure, risk and local laws.
• LYME. Lyme disease is not very common in dogs. In fact, less than 5% of dogs that are exposed to lyme disease actually become ill. Lyme is spread by ticks. In most cases in our area, if you are using an approved tick preventative year-round on a monthly basis, your dog will likely be protected from lyme disease. However, there are some instances where we may recommend vaccination: if your dog is travelling to an area with a lot lyme disease (the Hamptons, the Berkshires, Rockefeller Park, Connecticut, Cape Cod), or you have a high burden of ticks in your area, or you hear of people or dogs with lyme disease in your neighborhood. Initially a series of 2 vaccines, given 2-4 weeks apart, and then annually.
• LEPTOSPIROSIS. This disease is spread in the urine of wild animals, and is potentially contagious to humans. It can affect the liver and kidneys of infected individuals. It is initially a series of 2 vaccines, given 2-4 weeks apart, and then annually. It is not a very common disease in our area. However, dogs that travel to endemic areas like the Hamptons, the Berkshires, the Upper West Side of Manhattan, are more at risk. Leptospirosis can sometimes spike in the environment, especially after a flood.
• CIV/Influenza. This is a respiratory virus that can be highly contagious. While we have not seen this disease locally, there have been outbreaks in kennels in NYC, Chicago, and elsewhere. We do not recommend the vaccine unless your dog will be going to a kennel or day care facility that is requiring it, or will be travelling to areas where there is an outbreak. It is a series of 2 vaccines, given 2-4 weeks apart, and then annually.

5. STOOL CHECKS FOR WORMS. Most puppies do have worms (intestinal parasites). Some are transmitted from their mother through milk, or stool, while others are transmitted from the environment and infected dogs. There are many different types of worms, and they are often shed intermittently in the stool. For this reason, we need to check at least 2 samples from different days: usually the first visit, and the last visit. If a sample is positive, we will need to check another sample following treatment. Stool samples are checked annually, and anytime there is vomiting or diarrhea, or potential exposure.

6. HEARTWORM PREVENTION. Heartworm is carried by mosquitos, and is a worm that travels to the heart and can cause heart disease. It is recommended that dogs in our area be on monthly heartworm preventative year-round. An added benefit of heartworm medication is that it also contains a de-wormer for the most common intestinal parasites. A recent survey showed that a high percentage of potting soil in our area contains intestinal parasite eggs, which makes monthly administration of the medication even more important. We usually recommend Interceptor Plus, but are happy to discuss alternative options if you prefer.

7. FLEA AND TICK PREVENTION. There are many options available, both topical and oral. We usually recommend oral Nexgard, but are happy to discuss alternative options if you prefer.

8. SOCIALIZATION. Prime socialization age is from about 8 to 16 weeks. This is when your puppy learns how to interact with other dogs as well as humans. It is fine for your puppy to interact with family and friends, as well as the vaccinated dogs of family and friends. However, until your puppy is fully vaccinated with the entire series, you should avoid places where there are dogs that you do not know: i.e. the dog park, the beach, the pet shop, the groomer, and neighborhood walks. Puppy socialization classes are great, as long as all of the puppies are at the same stage of vaccination.

9. TRAINING. It’s never too early or too late to start training. There are many techniques, and many trainers out there. Keep 2 things in mind: POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT ALWAYS is better than negative reinforcement, and, CONSISTENCY is KEY so that your puppy will not be confused by conflicting messages. Finding a trainer is like finding a therapist: you need to find someone who understands your needs and your puppy’s needs. Ask friends and family for recommendations.

We look forward to a long, happy relationship with you and your new companion. Please feel free to call us with questions or concerns that might arise along the way.

HAVE FUN!!! IT’S A JOYFUL EXPERIENCE!!

914-575-1943