Nutrition for Puppies
When you bring the new puppy home, the first thing you will want to do is feed him.  What kind of food do you use?  What are his nutritional requirements?  Will he like what you give him?  Make sure your vet is involved in his diet planning.
 Make sure the dog’s food is healthy and tasty.  Try to find something for the stage of life he is in.  For example, if he is a puppy, buy him puppy food.  Decide on what you are going to feed him before you bring him home.  This prevents last minute decisions that might not be healthy for your pet.
 Dry food is quite popular.  It is easy to store and usually tastes great.  It is also good for helping keep the teeth clean.
 Soft and moist food are great for your dog to eat because he will eat most of the food and get the added nutrition.
 Canned food have the highest water content.  These also contain less nutrition, so you may need to feed your dog more than usual to equal out the nutrition they may need.
 Look at the levels of vitamins and crude materials on the label.  Is there enough fat, protein, calories and other nutrients?  Is the food tasty and is the price too expensive?  These are things to consider when buying puppy food. 
 If your dog becomes finicky and will only eat certain things, this is sometimes due to  change in diet.  Allow the dog time to adjust.  If he still won’t eat, try a new food.  If he still doesn’t cooperate, you may need to take him to the vet for a checkup to make sure nothing is wrong.
 Some people feed their dogs from the table.  This is like in between meal snacking and kills th dog’s appetite for when it is time for him to eat his food.  Avoid feeding the dog off the table

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Newborn Puppy Care
Taking care of the newborn puppy if you are midwifing the Mom can be quite exciting.  Watching a new life come into the world is a miracle in itself.  Observe the birth in awe, but be ready to help Mom if she is having trouble.
 You will need several items when whelping (birth) starts.  Have these ready beforehand so you don’t have to leave Mom during the birth.  You will need plenty of towels, a heating lamp, scissors, betadine, alcohol, dental floss, paper and pencil, and lots of patience until the big event happens.
 When the first pup is born, let it start to nurse immediately.  This helps to stimulate contractions for the next pup.  Place the new pup under a heat lamp for warmth.  After each new pup is born, you can place all the puppies back until the next contractions start.
 If a pup is lifeless after birth, rub him down with a coarse towel to help him take that first breath.  Some people also try placing the pup in water, alternating between hot and cold to get them to breathe.  You can also try CPR by placing the pup on his back and blowing into his mouth.  Then apply pressure to the chest.  DO NOT GIVE UP!  Some people have revived pups for up to thirty minutes after birth.
 Encourage the new pups to start nursing right away.  They need the colostrum that is in the mother’s milk.  This nourishing fluid contains antibodies and special vitamins that help protect the newborn pup from sickness.  Make sure all the puppies are able to latch on and get the colostrum.  Some of the bigger puppies will push off the smaller ones.
 After each pup is born, look for any problems that may be present.  Obvious ones like a cleft palate or a shortened limb are easy to spot.  Sometimes there are internal problems like organs that are not fully developed.  Call the vet immediately if you spot a problem.

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Naming Your Puppy
What an honor that has been bestowed upon you!  You get to name this new little puppy you have just brought home.  You are under much pressure to come up with a name that is not too cute, not too frilly, and something that will fit the animal’s personality.  Oh the pressure of a name.
 You could go with a classic like Fido or Fifi.  These names never go out of style unless you have kids who want a hip name. 
 You can also use you favorite movie star or country singer, mythical figures, presidents, and family members.  The sky is the limit. 
 Some suggestions for choosing a name: 
 * You will be calling him for the next fifteen year by this name.  So pick something you really like.
 * Usually one to three syllables is good for a name.  It can get cumbersome to call out a long name every time.  There are dogs though that have three names just like a child.  Keep it simple and not too complex.
 * Always use the puppy’s name when you speak to him or praise him.  When he hears it next, he will come running because he knows that it’s his special word.
Don’t name the puppy something that will embarrass you or others when you have to call him in public.
 Take time to play with the puppy and get to know him before choosing a moniker for the pup.  You may name her and find out later that it doesn’t fit.  Give it a few days to a week and see what you think then.  Ask for advice from family and friends.  Have a Name The Puppy party and give a prize to the person whose name you chose.  There are all kinds of names out there.  Just find one that fits your dog and makes you happy.

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Housetraining Your Puppy
Housetraining takes patience and the ability to follow a schedule.  Most puppies respond to a schedule because it gets them used to doing the same thing at the same time every day and they learn the behavior you want easier. 
 You must first determine your puppy’s limit in holding his urine.  Keep a diary for several days until you spot a pattern between eating and eliminating.  This minus 15-30 minutes will give you the puppy’s comfort zone.  This is how long he can hold his urine after he has gone potty.
 The puppy will usually have to go after they eat, drink, play or sleep.  Most dogs need to be taken out upwards of three to five times a day providing they haven’t drank an excessive amount of water.  The best thing to do if you take him walking is not to bring him back until he does potty.  Be ready to stay outside until he does.  This could take some time.  If you bring him back in before he is ready, he most likely will have an accident before you can get him back outside again.
 The most important thing is to lavish him with praise each and every time he does the right behavior.  This reinforces it because he receives attention and a treat.  If you wait and praise him later, it won’t be effective.  To keep him from finding spots, close doors to rooms with carpeting or rugs, because they prefer certain area to eliminate on.
 If the puppy does have an accident, use a pet odor neutralizer to prevent any odor.  They sometimes will sniff around until they find the exact same spot they went the last time.  Don’t use ammonia based cleaners as they break down into urea, which is a part of urine.

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First Aid for Puppies
Start by organizing a First Aid Kit for the puppy.  Include such items as a thermometer, ice packs, gloves, towels, meat flavored baby foods, tweezers, scissors, peroxide, and alcohol wipes.  A small toolbox works nicely for keeping all the items together in one place.  Under the cover, write your name, address, phone number, and the vet’s name and number in case you lose the box.
 For bleeding, apply direct pressure until bleeding stops.  Hold for at least ten minutes and bandage wound.
 For burns including chemical, electrical, or heat, you will see swelling, redness of skin, and blistering.  Run the wound under plenty of cool water.  Ice the injured part for twenty minutes.  Make sure to wrap the ice pack in a towel first.  Call vet immediately.
 Diarrhea can cause some serious issues for your pup.  Take food away for twelve to twenty-four hours, but leave some water available.  Some animals that look constipated are actually sore from diarrhea.  If the puppy doesn’t improve, call the vet.
 Heatstroke can be quite scary.  You will see rapid or difficulty breathing, vomiting, high body temperature and weakness.  Run cool water over the animal.  Wrap the pup in a cool wet towel and stop all ministrations when temp is 103 degrees.  Call vet immediately.
 If you think the dog has fractured a limb, call the vet immediately.  Look for bleeding wounds and signs of shock.  DO NOT try to set fracture yourself, you could do more damage without being aware of it.  Transport animal to vet and support limb gently as you can.
 If your pup sustains bite wounds from another animal, you must avoid getting bitten.  Even non-biting dogs will bite when in pain.  Clean the wound with saline and wrap with gauze to keep clean.  If bleeding profusely, apply pressure.  Don’t ever use a tourniquet.  Do wear gloves because you don’t know the extent of the contamination.

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Getting the Puppy His Own ID
Fifteen to twenty million dogs were lost in the last year due to no identification on the dog.  Even simple collar tags can help your pet to be returned.  Without any form of ID in place, if your dog goes missing, there is no way to track him even if someone finds him.  Take a moment and make it easy on your best friend if he gets lost.  Make sure he can find his way back to you.
 There are several ways to insure the animal will be returned.  The first is an ID tag and Rabies Certificate which should be worn on a collar.  The tag should have your address, phone number, and the puppy’s name.  The Rabies Certificate tag has a serial number that can be traced by a vet.  You can also place a tag with any illnesses the animal may have such as Diabetes.
 A new device is gaining popularity.  It is a microchip they place under the dog’s skin.  A computer scanner can read the bar code on it and find where the animal belongs.  The owner’s name and address is entered into a national database.  The only downside is the chip may move to other places in the body making it hard to find.
 Tattoos are another option.  They are placed inside the ear.  It will cause a minor discomfort to the animal for a couple of days.  In the long run, it’s better to have some pain than to lose you best friend because he got away from you.  They will tattoo a serial number and register it with the national database.
 Licenses for dogs have gone up in the last few years.  They used to be ten dollars and are now up to twenty to thirty dollars depending on whether the animal is spayed or neutered.  Licenses insure the dog’s rabies shot is up to date.  Rabies is fatal 99% of thetime for both dogs and humans.
 

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Fearfulness in Puppies
Puppies tend to pick up on the emotions of people around them.  They can be excitable or very calm depending on how you act to certain situations.  The tone in your voice and the way you posture yourself will tell the dog if there is something to fear or not.  If you want the pup to remain calm, then you must act this way yourself.  He is learning emotions and will mimic what you do.
 Puppies can be afraid of other dogs, especially larger ones.  Let your dog come into contact with other dogs.  When you are walking him, you may run into other dogs.  At the vet’s office, he will run into other canines and maybe a few felines.  Try to find some friendly dogs at first.  This will help the pup build confidence.
 Puppies fear people at times too.  They may see them as a threat if they have had other bad experiences with people.  Try giving the person a treat to toss to the dog or let the dog walk up to the person.  Never drag a dog over to a person he doesn’t want to meet.  Allow the dog to set the tone.  Give him a treat or praise when he meets someone new and doesn’t growl.  If the pup becomes aggressive, you may need to have a dog trainer work with him.
 The most common fear is the fear of veterinarians.  You certainly can’t blame the pup for that.  There are so many things going on at the vet’s that the dog doesn’t get to see anywhere else.  There is sensory overload, other animals ranging from dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles, many unfamiliar people, and the dreaded shot.  Bring a toy or blanket with you.  Bring some of his favorite treats so when he does a correct behavior, you can reward him.

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Crate Training for the Puppy
Puppies generally need enclosed small places to feel secure.  Crating works because the pup feels safe in his own private place.  Some think that crating is like placing the pup in jail.  In this instance, you should never use the crate to administer punishment.
 Make sure the size of the crate is comparable to the dog.  It is fine to get a larger crate if the dog will grow into it.  Use a partition board to keep the crate smaller until th pup grows.  Make sure the animal has enough room to lie down, turn around, and stand up comfortably.
 Introduce him to the crate first.  Let him explore around it.  He may go in or just sniff around it at first.  He will slowly become at ease with the structure.  Begin by placing the pup in the crate for 20 minutes at a time.  If he starts to whine, you should ignore it.  Placing a cover over top of the cage also helps.  It makes the crate seem more confined.  You can also put a toy or blanket inside with him.
 After twenty minutes, take him out of the crate and then straight outside to potty.  Praise him if he does.  Take him back inside afterward, and play with him for about half an hour.  Then place him back in the crate again.  If he doesn’t go in, throw a treat inside.  Praise when he enters and close the door.  Try another twenty minutes.  Puppies can be confined for one hour for each month old they are plus one hour.  If your puppy is four months old, he should be ale to build up to five hours.
 Never leave puppies in the crate for longer than eight hours.  They need to be let out at regular intervals to exercise and potty.  Following a schedule is the best way for a new puppy.  He will come to learn wha is expected and comply with minimal fuss.

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Puppy Parasites
There are too many internal and external parasites that dogs develop to list here.  They begin in the fetal life of the pup and most times, the Mom already had them when she became pregnant.  After about forty days of pregnancy, the parasites will travel through the placenta to the fetus.  Parasites can also be passed through the mother’s milk.  Of those parasites that have infected a pup, Most are quite mobile.  They can move to the intestines and lungs.
 An awful internal parasite is the heartworm.  Transmitted by mosquitoes, they can be fatal to your dog.  Have a blood sample taken and analyzed.  Even if the test is negative, the vet will probably start your pup on heartworm medicine that he will take once a month.  If positive, the animal will have to hospitalized.
 Roundworms can be a problem because most  puppies are born with them.  The larvae are transmitted from the Mom to the fetus.  They are easily transmitted to humans in the dog’s stool.  They can be ingested if your dog eats another animal’s stool.  Wash your hands frequently after handling the puppy and remove all feces from the yard.  Some people have no symptoms at all.  There have been cases where the worms have migrated to the liver, brain, and eyes of humans. Your puppy should be wormed at two, four, six, and eight weeks of age.
 An external parasite is the tick.  These animals live on th dog’s skin.  They look like small black dots.  You must use tweezers to pull them off the skin.  DO NOT use fingers.  Ticks can bite and suck blood out through the skin as well as transmitting diseases such as Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  You must make sure the whole tick comes off the skin as they can burrow deep.
 

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The Cat is Not a Chew Toy
Puppies will chew on anything in sight.  Plants, electric cords, furniture, and you brand new $100 shoes.  They are bored and trying to entertain themselves or teething.  You must let the puppy know which items are bad for him to chew on.  Make sure he has a wide assortment of chew toys nearby.  If he is over six months old, you may need to see a vet concerning any dental problems.
 One good idea is to freeze a wet washcloth and let him chew on it.  The cold will feel good and he will bite the cloth for a while.  You can even give him some ice cubes ti munch on.  This will also help soothe the gums as well.
 It is quite natural for the puppy to want to chew.  Like small children, they put everything in their mouth to learn about it.  Keep all objects of worth out of the pup’s way and find a nylon bone or the like to take its place.  Then praise for correct behavior.  Nylon bones can be quite effective for the puppy’s chewing problem.  You must use them from the outset though, otherwise they get used to other bones such as ham bones and won’t use the nylon.  These types of bones look like a cord of rope and help the teeth stay clean.
 Be leery of pork and chicken bones.  They can splinter in the stomach or cause any number o digestive problems.  Give bones that are too large to swallow.  Also as a rule, pig’s feet, hooves, and any other half-digested treat are not good for the puppy either.  And the old thick rawhide the butcher gives you can give the puppy diarrhea.
 If you find them munching down on items they aren’t supposed to be, you need to move them to another area, and bring one of his chew toys to him.  If he starts to chew on it, give praise and a treat.  He will learn what makes you happy and what doesn’t.

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