Two important things when you first bring your puppy home is to keep him safe from potential hazards that may cause him harm and to protect your house from him! If you want to protect things in the house, get on your hands and knees and look around at his/her level, what would a puppy like to chew on? The coffee table legs, leather couch etc. If you don’t want it ruined, put it out of reach for now. Protecting your puppy from potential hazards in your home, like some common house plants, electrical cords which could cause serious burns to the mouth, small objects that he/she could swallow (and objects that can be choked on or swallowed that are too large to pass through the digestive tract, he/she may need expensive surgery). Puppy proofing is a lot like child proofing your home. The main key is to control your puppy’s environment by actively supervising him or by restricting him to a safe place where he can’t be hurt and damage anything.

Crate Training

The idea behind this is to use the crate as a pleasant place for the puppy. A place where the puppy can get away from it all, relax. His crate should be large enough for him to stand and stretch and turn.

How to start crate training is to put the puppy in the crate; in a room that has lots of people, so that your puppy doesn’t feel left alone. After the puppy has eaten, played and done his business, it’s time for a little nap or time to play with his toys by himself. This is your chance to start crate training. Give your puppy chew toys and treats, start by leaving the door open for small periods of time, later try closing the door for longer periods. If the puppy cries, wait for a quiet moment, then try opening the door and giving him a treat. This will reward the quiet behaviour and not the whining. If you try to keep your puppy in a crate overnight, do not put the crate in a place where you can’t hear him. If the puppy should cry for hours and no one comes to his aid, he may feel left alone. You want him to regard his crate as a safe place where pleasant things happen. One option is to put the crate in your bedroom, another option is to sleep next to the crate in a sleeping bag, so the puppy can see and smell you. Remember small puppies cannot hold their bladders for long periods, this comes later as they mature, so they will need to be let out to eliminate at night for the first few weeks.

If your at home during the day, but cannot watch your puppy at all times, take this opportunity to use his crate. Start a routine so you know when to crate the puppy, after play, feeding and elimination, nap time for the puppy or time to play with his toys. Try to avoid putting your puppy in the crate for long periods of time with limited human interaction. Your puppy is going through an important development period and needs to socialize. Exercise pens or baby gates work well to contain your puppy in a room or prevent him from going into certain rooms. Make sure that your puppy can’t jump the baby gate and get injured. Another suggestion maybe to use a tether, to secure your dog on a lead in the corner of the kitchen (or other room) close to his toys, food, water and bed, always make sure that this area has nothing he can hurt himself on. This will help your puppy learn that he cannot always go with you, but still gets a lot of attention, and he will quickly learn that when you leave, you’ll come back. Tethering should only be used when the puppy is being supervised, or when you are out of sight for very short periods of time. You can also tie the puppy to your belt, so the puppy cannot sneak off and get into trouble. Never leave your puppy tethered if your not home to watch him, this includes outdoors as well. Another suggestion is to tie a light line on your puppy’s collar (not a collar that chokes!!) and allow him to drag it on the ground, this way you have something to grab or step on should your puppy try to sneak off, this can also work well to correct undesirable behaviour.

Keeping your puppy safe
It won’t take long to realize that your puppy is a very curious individual. With the ability to reach everything and anything he has the chance to get at. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know which things are safe, so in order to help him stay safe, we recommend these following suggestions.
1.) keep electrical cords out of chewing reach
2.) keep all chemicals locked up
3.) Keep garbage cans and bags secure
4.) Before moving the car(truck or van) have a look
5.) Watch out for the following foods as they can be toxic and make your puppy very sick if digested.
- Tomato, Potato, and Rhubarb leaves and stems (green parts)
- Tobacco
- Caffeine
- Alcohol/Hops
- Mushrooms, Toadstools etc
- Salt
- Chocolate
- Avocado pits
- Eggplant
- Raisins/grapes
- Peach pits
- Apricots
- Almonds
- Onions
- Compost
- Yeast (Don’t feed dogs ruined bread dough)
- Medications
- Keep in mind, raw meats and eggs can habour bacteria

Remember Cupboards (closets), just like toddlers, your puppy or dog can learn to pry doors open. You may want to consider installing child proof latches. Even if your puppy doesn’t get into the cupboard that has the chemicals behind it, he may get into the cupboard that has the dog kibble or human food in it, if he consumes a large quantity it could cause serious gastric problems. Some foods can be dangerous for your puppy, please see above for some listed items. Medications should not be placed on the bed side table, but in secure containers to prevent an accident. Puppies can chew through child-proof bottles. Also when taking medications you may want to do it without the puppy around, in case a pill drops to the floor, Puppies move fast! Always make sure you have control of your puppy when the front door opens, as many puppies will just start running and could end up on the road and get hit by a car. You may want to consider putting a puppy gate up in the hallway, preventing him from getting to the front door until you have control of him.

Many people enjoy plants in there home and garden, but some can be harmful to your puppy. You may want to research the plants prior to bringing your puppy home, Here is a list of some poisonous plants that should be kept out of your puppy’s reach:
Amaryllis, anthurium, azalea, bamboo, begonia, bird of paradise, bittersweet, bleeding heart, boxwood, bracken fern, buckeye, buttercup, caladium, calla lily, cherry plant, chrysanthemum, clematis, crosus bulb, croton, cyclamen bulb, delphinium, dieffenbachia, fig plant, four-o’clock, foxglove, garlic, hemp, holly, hyacinth bulb, hydrangea, iris, ivy, jack-in-the-pit, jimson weed, kalanchoe, lantana, most lilies, lily-of-the-valley, milkweed, mistletoe, morning glory, mountain laurel, narcissus, oak, oleander, pencil cactus, philodendron, poinsettia, rosary pea, scheffelera (umbrella plant), shamrock, spruge, yew.

Garbage: may have items in it like, sharp objects, fungal growths and bacteria. If these items are ingested, it may cause serious complications to your puppy’s stomach or intestines. To help prevent an incident like this, take the garbage out, place it in a sealed garbage container as soon as possible, you may want to install cupboard locks to help prevent your puppy from getting into the garbage.

If your puppy eats something toxic!!!
If you suspect that your puppy has eaten a toxic substance, don’t wait!! Take him to the veterinarian as soon as possible; this may increase his survival chances, by removing the toxic substance before it has a chance to be digested. The vet will detoxify the puppy. The vet may have to induce vomiting, stomach-pumping, give intravenous injection, giving activated charcoal, giving him antidotes or hospitalizing him.

Safety while on vacation

Taking a trip is exciting, and special arrangements must be made to make sure your puppy is safe and his/her needs are met while you are on holidays. You may have considered taking your best friend with you, there are hotels and campgrounds that offer accommodations for people and pets. Don’t forget to pack his toys and food, as you may not be able to find the same food that he eats. Sudden changes in food can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and this would be unpleasant for both of you.

If you will be flying or driving with your puppy, it’s recommended that your puppy stay in an airline-approved kennel. The size of the kennel should be large enough for your puppy to stand up, turn around and lay back down comfortably. Your puppy should already be use to her portable crate prior to leaving on the trip, so it’s not an unpleasant experience. You can get your puppy use to the crate by keeping her there to sleep at night or by putting her in the crate for short periods of time. Take your puppy outside, right away once you remove her for the kennel, so he/she can eliminate. You may want to leave the kennel door open and put a toy in it, so the puppy may come and go he/she pleases. To prepare for the trip, put her in the crate and go for short drives in the vehicle, if the puppy gets car sick, reduce the length of the trip. Gradually start to increase the length of the trips. If your puppy seems anxious in her kennel, talk to your veterinarian about how to ease her discomfort. Placing toys and chews in your puppies kennel should help, as well as soft blankets and a warm water bottle if it’s cold outside. Placing ice cubes in the puppy’s water bowl should provide water for most of the trip. This will keep the puppy comfortable and prevent her form becoming dehydrated. Remember to make regular bathroom stops and check on your puppy often on long trips to prevent your puppy from over- heating or too cold during the trip. There may be times when you are taking a trip and your puppy needs to stay behind. There are many options for providing for your puppy’s care when you are away. You may choose to have someone take care of your puppy at your home, or board it at a boarding kennel, or have your puppy live with a family member or friend while you are away, place your puppy in doggie daycare for the day and have someone care for your puppy in the evening. Ask to visit the facility and meet the staff, ask questions like if my puppy becomes ill, will a veterinarian come to see her? Choose the option that you feel the most comfortable with, while you are away. In order to prepare your puppy for boarding or traveling you may want to take the following precautions. Ask your veterinarian about vaccinations, parasite protection, and his special needs (if the puppy has to take medication for an on going problem), and have the vet give him a physical examination, so if any problems are detected, they can be treated prior to your vacation.

Here are three different ways to identify your puppy. Identification tattoos can be found in the ear or on the belly or flank of your dog, a collar and personalized tag, and micro-chipping. It is a good idea to have some form or identification on your puppy so that if they escape from the yard or wander off too far, the individual who should find your puppy will have some way of getting you and your puppy back together.

Seasonal Health Care

Winter: With Winter, brings the cold and the threat of getting frostbite (which can cause disfiguring or life-threating hypothermia. If you find it cold outside, keep an eye on your dog for shivering, going to the door to be let back inside, he is indicating to you, that he wants to go inside to the warmth.
With breeds that grow hair on the feet and pads, you may consider trimming the hair; so that snowballs do not form; which could be painful. Remember to wipe or rinse your dog’s feet after walks on the sidewalks so he doesn’t have time to lick his feet; and digest the chemical’s (used on the sidewalks) that could poison your dog or possibly damage his skin.

Spring: Remember this is the time we use insecticides and fertilizers and this could pose a risk to your dog’s health if he should ingest these chemicals. They create a wide range of symptoms from upset stomachs to convulsions and death.

Summer: Heat affects your dog the same way it affects us.Your dog can’t sweat and depends on panting for cooling, he is more susceptible to overheating. If your dog gets too hot and over heats he can suffer brain damage and if it’s severe enough, death. Keep your dog safe from this by providing fresh cool water and shade. If he shows signs of heat stress (weak and panting) soak him in cool (not cold) water.

Fall: It’s time to get the care ready for winter and topping up the radiator with antifreeze is probably one job. Remember it only takes one ounce of antifreeze to ruin the kidneys of a dog the size of a golden retriever. Aside from being really careful not to spill any of this product, you can protect yourself and your dog by using a pet-friendly antifreeze.

Pet Insurance

Regular check ups by the vet and updated vaccinations, deworming and preventive parasite control are an important for maintaining your puppy’s health. Sometimes however unforeseen illnesses or accidents can and do happen. Your pet could develop problems that require extensive diagnostic procedures and treatment s. This can be very expensive, for example to treat an illness a blood profile test can be up to $150-$200 and may need to be repeated several times during an illness to assess your dogs progress. Another example is, to treat a dogs broken leg may cost up to $2,500. Fortunately there are health insurance plans available, to give owners the freedom to make decisions about the proper treatment or their pet’s accident or illness without having to worry about the cost. The cost of insuring your puppy depends on the company you use and what plan you choose. Plans that cover accidents or illness cost approximately $30-$40 per month. Limited plans can cost $10.95 or more, while more comprehensive plans exceed $75 per month. Depending on the health plan, the insurance company will reimburse you for some medical treatment your puppy receives. Owners usually pay the veterinarian and the insurance company mails a cheque to the owner. Pet health insurance companies will not cover pre-existing health conditions, so it is wise to insure your puppy early. There are plans available for adult and senior dogs. Ask your veterinarian for information, brochures and contact numbers for insurance companies.

Spaying or Neutering

What is spaying or neutering? These medical procedures prevent dogs from making or producing offspring. In female dogs, the medical term is “Spayed” this is when the female dogs ovaries (egg-producing sacs) and uterus (womb) are removed. In male dogs, the medical term is neutered (or castrated) this is when the male dogs testicles are removed.

Benefits to having your female dog spayed are, she will not go into “heat” and bleed, and attract other male dogs who sense when she is in heat and protection from cancers of the breast and reproductive system.

Benefits to having your male dog neutered are, protection from testicular cancer or prostate disease and decrease in male sexual behaviours, including leg-lifting, marking, roaming and fighting.

When should a dog be spayed or neutered?
Most dogs are spayed or neutered around six months of age, but they can be done as young as eight weeks. Ask your veterinarian to see what they recommend, so veterinarians recommend spaying a female before her first heat.

Care after the procedure
Many dogs show no signs or discomfort and recover quickly (within 5-14 days). Dogs are anesthetized for spaying or neutering. Stitches are usually removed in 10 days. Your veterinarian may suggest that you make your dog rest a lot for a few days after the procedure, and he may dispense pain medications or recommend an Elizabethan collar, which prevents the dog from licking out the stiches.

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