CountryCanine

specializing in quality maltipoo puppies, maltese and poodles for sale.

TIPS FOR NEW OWNERS
 
 
THE RIDE HOME
The first few times your puppy rides in a car may cause him to get carsick. Bringing paper towels just in case is always a good idea.  Also, being held in someone's lap can ease anxiety for the trip home & may help prevent car sickness. Car sickness generally vanishes the more your puppy  becomes accustomed to car rides & soon he looks forward to going "Bye Bye."
 
THE FIRST FEW DAYS
Your puppy might be a bit nervous the first few days. Everything from sights, smells, people,ect are strange & new to him. Allow him to explore his new surroundings & talk soothingly to him. Cuddle him on your lap & encourage him to play. He will soon be just fine & enjoying his new home.
Nervousness or change of diet may cause diarrhea. If diarrhea lasts for more than 2 days, consult a vet. All our puppies go home with at least 1 pound of the puppy food they have been fed here. If you plan to change the puppy's diet, do so gradually by mixing some of his regular food with the new food for several days before switching entirely to the new brand. This will prevent stomache upsets.

If your puppy refuses to eat the first couple days, give 1 cc Nutri Stat or Nutri Cal by mouth 1 to 3 times a day. This stimulates appetite & relives stress. A 3cc supply is sent home with each puppy. If he still won't eat after giving the Nutri Stat or Nutri Cal, consult your vet.
 
 
 
HYPOGLYCEMIA
Hypoglycemia ( low blood sugar) is a syndrome that occurs primarily in toy breeds between 6 & 12 weeks of age. A hypoglycemic attack is often precipitated by stress, going into a new home, misses a meal or otherwise stressed.
 
The typical signs are listlessness, depression, staggering gait,muscular weakness & tremors, especially of the face. Some puppies exhibit only weakness or a wobbly gait. Hypoglycemia occurs without warning.  This is an EMERGENCY.  If not treated the puppy may go into a coma and/or seizure and then death.
 
Small breeds are very fragile & can get very sick if they stop eating. It is important that you give small breed puppies access to food at all times. Never restrict food. This will ensure that your puppy recieves a steady stream of nutrients. It is a good idea to measure the puppy's food so you know how much it eats at all times.   Should your puppy become hypoglycemic, a quick dose of Nutri Stat, Nutri Cal, honey, or Karo Syrup will put the blood sugar level back close to normal.  Don't wait for your puppy to eat it, but rub it on the puppy's tongue or roof of the mouth. You may have to pry the pups mouth open, but do it!   It may take several doses to get the puppy back to normal.  Rub the puppy briskly and move it's legs to help circulate the sugar throughout it's circulatory system.  Place puppy in a warm place & quickly consult your veterinarian IMMEDIATLY!!! 

Some of my favorite products for potty  training...

 

 

Potty Patch® mat is the indoor dog restroom making it easy for dogs to “take care of business” indoors without having to be let outside. Forget about newspapers and litter boxes! Your pooch can now “go” when it needs to without making a mess using the indoor dog potty. This indoor portable dog potty mat is made of a unique triple-layer, artificial turf pad that collects up to a gallon of liquid – it’s like an indoor restroom for pets! It’s ideal for training puppies, for indoor or city-dwelling dogs, for long trips, or during bad weather. The Potty Patch® indoor dog restroom measures 27" x 17".

Harriet Carter

AND

Potty Pad - Indoor Doggie Restroom | Like : dog potty , potty patch , potty training a puppy , pee pads , backyard buddy , puppies pads , dog pad , dogs pads , potty pads , dogs pad ,

 

The Potty Pad is a 3 tiered doggie restroom perfect for patios and indoor use. It is the perfect solution for boats, recreational vehicles, apartments, high-rise buildings and cold weather climates. Elderly and handicapped pet owners, anyone who may be unable to take their dogs outdoors several times a day, will love Potty Pad! find this product at:

http://www.yourstoreonline.net

House Training a Puppy

What To Expect During the House Training Process

Unless you can monitor your puppy 24 hours a day, don't expect the house training process to be completed until your puppy is at least 6 months old. It's normal for a young puppy to be a little 'input-output' machine. Since puppies are growing and developing rapidly at this stage, they eat more food, burn up more energy and seem to need to eliminate constantly! They also have not yet developed bowel and bladder control, so they can't 'hold it' as long as adult dogs.

House Training When You Are Not Home

Confine your puppy to a small, 'puppy-proofed' room and paper the entire floor. Leave his bed, toys and food/water bowls there. At first, there will be no rhyme or reason to where your pup eliminates. He will go every where and any where. He will probably play with the papers, chew on them, and drag them around his little den. Most puppies do this and you just have to live with it. Don't get upset; just accept it as life with a young puppy. The important thing is that when you get home, clean up the mess and lay down fresh papers.

Passive House Training or Paper Training

While your puppy is confined, he is developing a habit of eliminating on paper because no matter where he goes, it will be on paper. As time goes on, he will start to show a preferred place to do his business. When this place is well established and the rest of the papers remain clean all day, then gradually reduce the area that is papered. Start removing the paper that is furthest away from his chosen location. Eventually you will only need to leave a few sheets down on that area only. If he ever misses the paper, then you've reduced the area too soon. Go back to papering a larger area or even the entire room. Once your puppy is reliably going only on the papers you've left, then you can slowly and gradually move his papers to a location of your choice. Move the papers only an inch a day. If the puppy misses the paper again, then you're moving too fast. Go back a few steps and start over. Don't be discouraged if your puppy seems to be making remarkable progress and then suddenly you have to return to papering the entire room. This is normal. There will always be minor set-backs. If you stick with this procedure, your puppy will be paper trained.

House Training When You Are Home

When you are home but can't attend to your puppy, follow the same procedures described above. However, the more time you spend with your puppy, the quicker he will be house trained. Your objective is to take your puppy to his potty area every time he needs to eliminate. This should be about once every 45 minutes; just after a play session; just after eating or drinking; and just upon waking. When he does eliminate in his potty area, praise and reward him profusely and enthusiastically! Don't use any type of reprimand or punishment for mistakes or accidents. Your puppy is too young to understand and it can set the house training process back drastically. Don't allow your puppy freedom outside of his room unless you know absolutely for sure that his bladder and bowels are completely empty. When you let him out, don't let him out of your sight. It is a good idea to have him on a leash when he is exploring your home. He can't get into trouble if you are attached to the other end of the leash. Every 30 minutes return your pup to his potty area. As your puppy becomes more reliable about using his potty area and his bowel and bladder control develops, he can begin to spend more time outside his room with you in the rest of your home. Begin by giving him access to one room at a time. Let him eat, sleep and play in this room but only when he can be supervised. When you cannot supervise him, put him back in his room.

Active House Training

The most important thing you can do to make house training happen as quickly as possible is to reward and praise your puppy every time he goes in the right place. The more times he is rewarded, the quicker he will learn. Therefore it's important that you spend as much time as possible with your pup and give him regular and frequent access to his potty area.

Key to Successful House Training

Consistency and Patience. Never scold or punish your puppy for mistakes and accidents. The older your pup gets, the more he will be able to control his bladder and bowels. Eventually your pup will have enough control that he will be able to "hold it" for longer and longer periods of time. Let your puppy do this on his own time. When training is rushed, problems usually develop. Don't forget, most puppies are not reliably house trained until they are at least 6 months old.

CRATE TRAINING YOUR PUP

Many people ask about crate training. The following article explains crate training & its benefits.
When dogs are in the wild, they live in a den. This makes them feel safe & secure. In your home, his crate is his den. Crate training should begin as soon as you bring your new puppy home. He should be encouraged to sleep & rest in his crate. He should be coaxed in, not forced. A small treat can be used & always give him lots of praise. At first, he may try to back out or become very timid. This is normal. Just give him time & he'll go in on his own. In the beginning, don't close the door. Let him go in & out as he pleases until he's comfortable with the situation. Once he's comfortable, restrain him with your hand in the doorway. Eventually, he will feel comfortable enough to have the door closed. A puppy should be kept in his crate whenever he is not supervised.*

A puppy instinctively knows not to "mess" in his crate, but does need to go out every 2 to 4 hours when he's young. Make sure you take him out frequently & get him on a schedule. Leave an approved chew toy in the crate with him so he can satisfy his need to chew. Eventually, as the puppy grows into a full grown dog, he will use the crate with the door open as his den.


*Please note that a puppy or dog should never be left in a closed crate for extended lengths of time, such as all day while the owners are at work. This is entirely too long to be left in a crate! What I prefer is to block off a room of the house that has an easy care floor, such as the kitchen. A child gate works nicely for this purpose. Place newspaper or puppy pads in a few places in the blocked off room. Paper trained puppies & dogs can use the papers & get some excersise while you are away without getting into trouble. If the puppy is crate trained, leave the door open to his crate during this time so that he still has access to his "den".

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Potty Patch

Potty Patch is a trademark item, that I found in several online catalogues.  I use them to potty train my puppies  from ages 4 weeks on up.  Potty Patch is an affordable alternative to several expensive "Potty Park" style doggie potty's.  There are many on the market, some more expensive than others.  Regular doggie litter boxes can be purchased at Petsmart or Petco.