TESORO PUPPY BASICS
Getting a new puppy is a very exciting time! You’ve probably been planning the arrival of your new furry friend for months. The first month with your puppy is a month of CHANGES for everyone involved!
Before bringing your puppy home
If you are planning on bringing a new puppy into your home, then you should take some time to prepare for the puppy’s arrival. There are a few key things you can purchase and have ready for your puppy ahead of time.
- Even if you already have another dog, make sure the new puppy will have its own bed, food and water dishes, and a couple of toys.
- Pick a high quality LARGE BREED puppy food and training treats. Adult dog foods are formulated differently, so make sure the food you choose is specifically for puppies.
- A crate that is just big enough for your puppy to turn around in and lay down should be set up for the new arrival. Ideally, choose a crate that comes with a divider that you can move to create a larger space as your puppy grows. This will be your puppy’s safe place and will also be an important training tool.
- Choose a leash, collar or harness, and name tag for your new puppy.
- Dog pheromones can be diffused prior to the arrival of your new puppy. These will not only help your new puppy feel calm and relaxed in its new home but they will also help your other dogs be less anxious when the new family member arrives.
Place these new puppy items in your home for other people and any other pets you may already have to start adjusting to them. Don’t just leave them in a bag until the puppy gets there. This will allow a more gradual change for the household to adapt to.
HOUSE BREAKING
HERE IS AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE HOW TO HOUSE BREAK YOUR NEW PUPPY. CLICK > HERE <
First Day
Day one with your new puppy is very exciting, but you’ll want to be careful that you don’t overwhelm it. If you don’t have other dogs, let your puppy safely explore your home. Attach the leash to your puppy’s collar and let it drag the leash around behind it while it sniffs out its new territory. Sit on the floor with your puppy and simply observe it while it explores, making sure it is out of harm’s way at all times. If you have a dog that you need to introduce to your puppy, consider allowing the dogs to meet in neutral territory, such as someone else’s front yard or your back yard. Take it SLOW!!
Start using your puppy’s name when calling it to get it used to hearing your voice and every half an hour or so take your puppy outside to go potty. It most likely won’t know what to do in the yard but you should simply say “go potty” and then ignore it while it sniffs. If it does its business, be sure to reward it immediately with verbal praise, a small treat, and some petting. When you aren’t watching your puppy, be sure to put it in its crate to keep it safe and to encourage it not to have any accidents inside the house.
10 Days
After a week or so, your puppy will be comfortable in its new home. It will probably be pushing the limits and chewing things it shouldn’t be chewing, barking, playing, and having potty accidents in the house.
Make sure your puppy’s urine and feces appears normal since it is common for puppies to get urinary tract infections and have intestinal parasites. If you haven’t done so already, make an appointment with your veterinarian for a full physical examination, vaccinations, a fecal analysis, etc. for your puppy. Vaccinations need to be completed in specific, timed intervals in order for them to be effective, so you won’t want to let your puppy get off schedule!
Try to resist the urge to take your puppy to places where other dogs may be or have been unless they have finished their vaccination series and your veterinarian has deemed them healthy. It is not reccomended to take a puppy less than four months of age to public places due to K9 illnesses such as parvo etc. Your new TESORO puppy is not fully vaccinated until four months of age!
30 DAYS
Your new TESORO puppy has been to the vet had a few vaccinations up to it’s age, however, multiple future visits may be necessary to complete its vaccinations. You’ll also want to start your puppy on regular preventative medications to prevent or control fleas, ticks, intestinal parasites, and heartworms. These are typically monthly medications but ask your veterinarian for their recommendation.
Don’t panic if you have another dog at home and it isn’t getting along with the new puppy just yet. This process can take time and 30 days may not be enough for your older dog to adapt to a young, energetic Doberman puppy. If your dog seems to be having a hard time with the youngster, try rewarding your dog with a treat every time the puppy is near. This will help your dog think of the new puppy as a positive thing, not just a nuisance.
FOOD AND WATER
IT’S ADVISED TO ONLY GIVE ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF WATER AT A TIME FOR YOUR PUPPY FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. WITH WATER AND HOUSE BREAKING, WE ARE TRAINING THE PUPPY’S BLADDER AND HOW MUCH INTAKE OF WATER CAN EFFECT HOW QUICKLY OR LACK THERE OF IN HOUSE BREAKING.
AS FOR FOOD, UNTIL YOUR PUPPY IS ABOUT 15 POUNDS IN WEIGHT, IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO FEED THEM 4 TIMES A DAY AND THEN 3 AFTER THEY HAVE REACHED 15 POUNDS. HOW MUCH FOOD? REFER TO THE BAG OF KIBBLE FOR HOW MUCH FOOD TO PROVIDE IN A DAY, THEN JUST DIVIDE THAT AMOUNT BY 3 OR 4 PER WEIGHT.
TIMES FOR FEEDING? THIS IS COMPLETELY UP TO YOU AS THE PUPPY’S OWNER. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ON ANY ROUTINE WHILE GROWING IN TESORO’S HOME. THIS WAS DONE ON PURPOSE AS EVERY OWNER’S SCHEDULE IS DIFFERENT AND CAN EFFECT A PUPPY SET ON A ROUTINE ALREADY. A GOOD EXAMPLE OF TIMES TO FEED COULD BE 8AM, THEN 1 PM FOLLOWED BY THE LAST MEAL BEING PROVIDED AT 6 PM; THUS GIVING YOUR PUPPY TIME TO GO POTTY.
DO THIS WHILE THEY EAT
OCCASIONALLY YOU WILL WANT TO PET YOUR PUPPY WHILE THEY EAT. THIS IS RECOMMENDED FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS WHEN ABLE. THIS WILL HELP PREVENT ANY FOOD/EATING AGGRESSION, ESPECIALLY WITH KIDS!
DO THIS OCCASIONALLY
FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS IT’S A GREAT IDEA TO RUB AND TOUCH IN BETWEEN THEIR PAW PADS AND TOES AS THIS HELPS THEM BE MORE AT EASE WITH VETERINARIAN VISITS! THIS LITTLE TRICK ALONE WILL DO WONDERS FOR YOUR PUPPY!
UNTIL YOUR PUPPY IS HOUSE BROKEN, DO NOT LET THEM FREE EAT OR FREE DRINK (LEAVING IT OUT AS THEY WISH TO HAVE IT).
NAIL TRIMMING
THIS IS SOMETHING I HIGHLY RECOMMEND DOING DAILY FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS TO GET YOUR PUPPY USE TO THE SOUND AND TOUCH OF A DREMEL. I PERSONALLY DO NOT LIKE NAIL CUTTERS: THEY CAN CUT INTO THE QUICK (BLOOD VEIN) AND THEY ALSO LEAVE THE NAIL SHARP. A DREMEL TOOL LEAVES THE NAILS SMOOTH AND NEARLY PREVENTS CUTTING INTO THE QUICK. YOU WANT TO ALWAYS KEEP YOUR DOBERMAN’S NAILS AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE!
HOW TO NAIL TRIM WITH A DREMEL:
EAR POSTING
HOW IMPORTANT IS EAR POSTING? IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN A GREAT CUT. THE POSTING CAN MAKE OR BREAK A GREAT CROP.
EAR POSTING PRACTICE?
THE BEST WAY TO BECOME PROFICIENT AT POSTING YOUR PUPPY’S EARS IS TO PRACTICE IT DAILY. IF YOU PRACTICE IT DAILY, DO NOT ALLOW ANY TIME IN BETWEEN UNPOSTING AND POSTING, IMMEDIATELY REPOST AFTER UNPOSTING. I WOULD RECOMMEND DOING THIS ONCE A DAY UNTIL YOU FEEL YOU HAVE THE TECHNIQUE DOWN!
BELOW ARE TWO BROTHERS THAT WERE CROPPED ON THE EXACT SAME DAY. ONE WAS POSTED CORRECTLY WHILE ONE WAS NOT. THE DIFFERENCE CAN BE SEEN QUITE EASILY. THIS IS THE PERMANENT RESULT AND HOW THEIR EARS WILL LOOK FOR THEIR LIFE.
WHAT WENT WRONG?
PICTURED BELOW ARE TWO BROTHERS THAT WERE THE EXACT SAME SIZE AND CROPPED ON THE EXACT SAME DAY. SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? IT’S NOT THE CUT OR THE DOG: IT’S THE POSTINGS THE OWNERS DID. THE DOBERMAN PICTURED ON THE LEFT FOLLOWED THE EASY INSTRUCTIONS AMAZINGLY AND PRACTICED POSTING AS RECOMMENDED SEVERAL TIMES IN THEIR FIRST FEW WEEKS. THE OWNER SENT IMAGES AND VIDEOS TO ENSURE THEIR POSTINGS LOOKED GOOD UNTIL THEY WERE CONFIDENT TO NOT NEED VALIDATION ANY LONGER.
THE DOBERMAN ON THE RIGHT, IT’S OWNER DID NOT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FROM DAY ONE. THEY DID NOT TAPE PROPERLY AS WELL AS TIGHT ENOUGH IN THE BEGINNING. THE OWNER’S FIRST POSTING WAS MISSING HALF OF THE POST THE VERY FIRST TIME THEY POSTED. THE REASON WHY THEY DIDN’T FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS WAS NOT A VALID REASON AT ALL. THEY THEN TOOK SEVERAL DAYS TO ACTUALLY CORRECT THE IMPROPER POST. OVER A FEW MONTHS, IT WAS EASILY NOTICEABLE THAT THE OWNER ONLY HAD THEIR PUPPY POSTED ABOUT 3 OR 4 DAYS AND UNPOSTED FOR 1-2 DAYS. THE RULE OF THUMB IS MINIMUM 5 DAYS POSTED, IF ABLE GO TO 7 WITH AROUND 1 TO 2 HOURS UNPOSTED TO BREATH. THE RIGHT DOBERMAN’S OWNER WOULD UNPOST THEIR PUPPY WHEN THEY WANTED TO TAKE GOOD PICTURES OF THEIR PUP. SO WHAT WENT WRONG WERE MANY THINGS HERE: TIME FRAME OF POST ON/POST OFF. INCORRECT TAPING METHOD FROM DAY ONE. IF YOU LOOK CLOSE AT THE EARS, YOU CAN SEE THE RIGHT EAR LOOKS SMALLER THAN THE LEFT, BUT IT ISN’T! IT’S LEANING IN BECAUSE OF HOW THEY POSTED INCORRECTLY. THIS IS WHY POSTING IS SO IMPORTANT! A BAD POSTING CAN RUIN THE BEST CROP CUT!
WHY PAY FOR A BEAUTIFUL CROP TO NOT TAKE THE POSTING SERIOUS??
CORRECT RESULT
