Basic Puppy Care Guide
Caring for your new AHT puppy is easy to do...and VERY important to their health and well being.
I STRONGLY suggest the following:
1. Providing a crate and crate training for your puppy.
This will provide a "safe haven" for your puppy. This will also help a lot with your house training efforts.
It will be a "safe zone" for your puppy, in that it will need to be the "off limits zone" for the children in your home. If the puppy is in it's crate, it needs a rest from playing/holding. It will also be a "safe zone" for you. You will know that the puppy is safe from normal household hazards such as cords, stairs, or choking on your children's small sized toys. (*see more on teaching your children proper puppy interaction in the MISC INFO album.)
2. Feed your puppy a HIGH quality puppy food twice a day. Morning and night.I'M FEEDING THE PUPPIES WELLNESS PUPPY FORMULA. Small bellies and growing puppies do best with 2 x day feedings. I feed my adult dogs on a 2 x day schedule. It really is best for them and also is thought to reduce the risk of bloat in dogs (2 smaller feedings instead of 1 large feeding). (*see more on how to choose a high quality dog food in the MISC INFO album.)
3. Always provide water for your puppy. Make sure that it is fresh every day.
4. Provide your dog with appropriate weather wear. Your AHT can withstand quick potty breaks without clothes in the winter-time, but longer stints in chilly or cold weather will require that you provide clothes for your dog. (*see more on clothing suggestions in the MISC INFO album.)
5. Provide the appropriate skin care for your dog. Sunscreen in the sun (particularly important for the white patches on your dogs head/back). Pay particular attention to them in the spring (first true exposure to the sun after winter) and for all periods where they will be in direct sunlight for more than 15 minutes. Use aloe vera (my #1 choice) or moisturizer (sometimes can clog pores and cause pimples) on your dogs skin, if it is dry or chapped.
6. Pick a day where you can, once a week, provide the following health/maintenance care.
- CLEAN YOUR DOGS EARS.
I use q-tips and aloe vera gel (you will see that I use non-colored 100% aloe vera gel for a lot of things. Please read the ingredients listing and make sure that alcohol is NOT the first or second ingredient. It is usually found in the sunscreen/suncare section. CVS has a good aloe vera gel.)
- BRUSH YOUR DOGS TEETH. At a minimum once a week. It really is suppose to be done daily, but bi-weekly, or weekly, at the least - to help prevent tartar and decay. DENTAL DISEASE IS THE #1 COMMON DISEASE IN PETS. Many dogs who do not get their teeth brushed, need to be put under and have their teeth cleaned by your vet. This procedure easily costs $200, requires planning, scheduling and leaving your dog at the vet, as well as opening up the possibility of your dog having a negative reaction to the anesthesia. Buy a $2 toothbrush and a $4 tube of doggie toothpaste and spend a couple of minutes brushing their teeth. It's well worth it!
- DREMEL (or cut) YOUR DOGS NAILS.
I suggest purchasing and using a dremel. Their nails grow just like ours do and need to be constantly maintained. They are not outside enough, or on cement/blacktop enough for them to "naturally" wear their nails down, like some dogs. All of the puppies have been having weekly nail dremeling appointments at "Salon Walsh" and are accustomed to this procedure. Dogs who do not get their nails trimmed on a regular basis, end up having their nails grow too long and they curl up under their feet. This throws off the dogs correct natural posture and causes a multitude of other problems, such as joint and muscle pain.
- BATHE YOUR DOG.
Once a week is a general guideline. You can tailor that, to you and your dogs needs. In the summer, I bath more often than once a week. In the winter I bath every 2 or 3 weeks (particularly if your dog is prone to have drier skin). I always follow-up after a bath with a nice aloe vera rub on their skin.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS! Email me at Triumph Kennel. |
Album by Cindi Walsh. Photos by Cindi Walsh. 1 - 1 of 1 Total. 43 Visits. |
|
