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Congratulations on acquiring your new puppy! While puppies come in all sizes and breeds, all breeds have many things in common, such as basic care, health precautions, and training. The following are tips our veterinarians have compiled on the most common topics that new owners ask about: Feeding Your puppy will do well on two feedings a day (feeding three times a day is not necessary but is OK if the puppy is under 16 weeks of age). Occasionally, some of the toy breeds need to be fed numerous small meals throughout the day, due to a low blood sugar condition. Your veterinarian will advise you if your puppy needs to eat more frequently. Adult dog food contains all the nutrients that puppies and adult dogs need. You may feed your small breed puppy either adult or puppy dry food, if you wish. Large breed puppies should eat large breed puppy food or adult food to help avoid developmental bone diseases. You may feed the food dry or you can dampen it with warm water. A very young puppy may need its kibble softened, but older pups can eat crunchy food. Your puppy should eat quickly and act slightly hungry when it is finished. A puppy should take no longer than 10 minutes to finish a meal. Most will finish the meal in a minute or so. If your puppy takes longer, or if it walks away while there is still food in the bowl, then you are probably feeding too much food. Cut back by one third to one half the amount at the next meal. If the pup eats well the next time, stay with that amount. All puppies should look lean, not pudgy. You should be easily able to feel its ribs and it should have a "waist" that gets narrower after its ribs and before its hind legs. You do not want a "pot-bellied" puppy. If you give the puppy "treats" such as dog biscuits or meat, you will need to remember to cut back on its food by the same amount. If you use kibble as training treats, use some of the puppy's daily ration. Do not use an EXTRA 1/4 cup of kibble or treats to train throughout the day, or you may find that you have a pudgy puppy! A puppy should have 2-3 stools a day, usually right after feeding time. If your puppy has stools frequently throughout the day or begins to have a soft, ploppy stool, you may be feeding too much. Cut back by one third to one half the amount of food at the next meal and see if the stool returns to normal. Parasites and Deworming Veterinarians are divided on the subject of routine deworming of puppies, especially in this area of the country. Some believe that it is not necessary to deworm puppies until a fecal sample has tested possible for worms or if worms have been seen. Other doctors believe that it is usually necessary and not harmful to routinely deworm puppies. Because many puppies will get round worms from their mothers across the placenta during development, they should all be dewormed twice, approximately 3 weeks apart. Oftentimes this is done by the breeder. Since not all dewormers kill all types of parasites, a fecal exam in addition to routine deworming is essential if a puppy is having diarrhea or foul smelling stool. Exercise All puppies need exercise. Puppies do well if they can run freely in a safe, enclosed yard. Walking and gentle jogging on leash are also good exercise, as is swimming. Playing "fetch" in a fenced area or on a long leash is one way to exercise a dog without having to do much exercise yourself. It is fine to let your dog play, in a supervised and safe environment, with other dogs that are close to its same size. It is not a good idea to let a small puppy play with an exuberant, large dog. Sometimes the bigger dog may accidentally injure the little dog by stepping on it or bumping into it. IMPORTANT NOTE: It is fine to take your pup out on streets and sidewalks. In fact, it is critical to your dogs successful socialization. Pups need to be socialized to other dogs and other people before their final shots. Healthy dogs will not give your pup any diseases. Healthy dog bowel movements are not dangerous to your dog. However, dog potty from dogs that have parvo can give your dog parvo if your dog ingests it. It is important to keep your puppy away from public parks or areas of grass and dirt where other unknown dogs may have defecated due to the risk of parvovirus. Parvovirus is a terrible virus causing vomiting and diarrhea and possibly death. The virus can live in the environment for years; however fully vaccinated dogs are immune to it. Training All puppies need to be trained. The most effective time to begin training your puppy is NOW. Training is best accomplished by attending a class with your puppy. There are many levels of puppy and adult obedience classes offered throughout the area, including here at Adobe. In addition, we have an on-site dog trainer who is available for personal help. Early socialization is CRITICAL. After 16 weeks can be too late for some shy or overly dominant pups as the window of successful socialization may be closed. This means socialization with humans, dogs, and other animals. Adobe frequently offers a puppy class. Check with your veterinarian or one of the receptionists for information. Your veterinarian may also suggest some other types of socializing, such as taking your puppy to a shopping center or, when it is older and completely vaccinated, attending a "Puppy Kindergarten" or other training class in the area. Ask for recommendations of training clubs, schools, and private trainers. Puppies MUST begin to learn to be subordinate to the humans in your family immediately. Adobe offers a great book that will help with this critical training. Even dogs that will be small when full-grown benefit from training. It is an absolute necessity for those who are going to be living with a large dog. These books cover subordination training, as well as housebreaking, leash breaking, socialization, and manners training. They also give suggestions regarding the correction of problems such as barking and chewing. We have these books here at the hospital and encourage you to try them. Flea Control This is a time of great advances in the area of flea and tick control products. There are a wide variety of products available at this time. Many of the products are safe to use on puppies. Ask your veterinarian which of the products may suit your needs. It is usually not necessary to use these products for prophylaxis. Instead, they are used when you see fleas. The most common brand names are Advantage and Frontline. Vaccinations Puppies need to be vaccinated 2 or 3 times between the ages of 8 weeks to 16 weeks for DAPP (distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus, and parvovirus). The reason puppies require multiple vaccinations is because this is the period of time their maternal immunity (antibodies from their mother's milk) wears off and their own immune systems develop. At 16 weeks they receive 1 rabies vaccine. Both the DAPP and the rabies vaccine are boostered 1 year later and then every 3 years. Spaying and Neutering It is highly recommended to spay and neuter all animals that are not intended for breeding. In female dogs, spaying prevents heat cycles from occurring approximately every 5 months, and if performed before the first or second heat cycle, lowers the chance of mammary cancer. Spaying also prevents pyometra (a life-threatening uterine infection) and, most importantly, pregnancy and unwanted or poorly bred puppies. We recommend spaying females at about 6 months of age. Males should be neutered to prevent unwanted pregnancies and to lower the likelihood of prostate problems. Further, neutering inhibits the urge to run away in search of females and helps you avoid some behavioral issues, such as aggression and/or dominance.
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