Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting time, but can also be stressful if you’re not prepared. From puppy-proofing your house to starting potty training the right way, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with your responsibilities in order to make your puppy’s transition a success. With all the excitement, I created you a list of items and the electronic version of this manual has the actual links associated.
Your Puppy: What to Expect at 8 to 12 Weeks
The Big Day is Here: Picking up Your Puppy
The big day is here! You’re on the road to go pick up your new furry friend and you need to know what to bring along and the best way to introduce yourself to this puppy. After all, first impressions are important!
Puppy Go Home Instructions
We suggest the following protocol when taking your puppy home to ensure a smooth transition. Stress, lack of sleep, new people etc. can compromise your puppy’s immune system, and unfortunately, puppy parasites can flourish. While ALL puppies are tested and leave me “clean” only to be home for a week or two and have a parasite. Please know that nearly all dogs / puppies have parasites. Parasites and protozoa have a plan for survival in place no matter what. They lay dormant eggs in the tissues of the host. The ONLY way these eggs can be “activated” is through stress, a compromised immune system and sickness / disease. Our job is to keep pups healthy and happy to ensure their body is not a place where dormant eggs can be activated. Unfortunately, a puppy is a preferred host since they are 80% water upon birth, grow at an incredibly fast rate and naturally have a compromised immune system. After a lot of thought and experience, I recommend you try the following protocol to minimize the activation of dormant parasites:
1. Keep the house completely calm and stress-free for three days to a week (no new visitors, limited commotion, minimal handling, etc.). Treat them like a newborn baby coming home. When you come home or have visitors stop by, please keep all shoes at the door. Parvo can be brought inside on shoes.
2. Do not wake the “sleeping baby”. Puppies sleep an incredible amount of time. Do not worry. As long as your pup wakes up with puppy energy, silliness, eats well, drinks well then all is good!
3. Mushy poop is common with stress, please feed only boiled chicken and white rice for the first three days if your pup develops loose stools. A nice bland diet is imperative during a tough transition. If after three days, stools are firm, then SLOWLY add in dog food to the bland diet, increasing the dog food ratio over the next 5 days.
4. Do not feed ANY treats (including bones, etc.). You don’t want to cause an upset tummy due to food or treats. Upset tummies create a nice environment for parasites.
When to worry:
1. Poop contains mucus or blood. If this happens, feed a bland diet for 24 hours and if the condition remains after this time period, a fecal test might be in order.
2. Puppy is lethargic, does not play with any vigor and or refuses to eat.
3. Puppy can’t poop and vomits. This can indicate he or she ate something and has a blockage. This is an emergency. Seek immediate veterinary care.
4. Liquid poop. Be careful. A puppy can dehydrate quickly, so if poop does not improve quickly, then a visit to the veterinarian will be needed.
Sniffs and Snuggles – Letting Your Puppy Learn Your Scent
Let your puppy sniff you as much as possible when you’re picking him up to take home!
This lets him get completely familiar with your scent.
Once you’re in the car, let them sit with you on your lap if it’s possible. If not, tuck them into a travel kennel with an old t-shirt or blanket that smells like you and let them get used to your scent. Talk to them in the car so they are reassured and become familiar with your voice in addition to your scent.
Check for safety hazards at their level
Get on the floor at the eye level of your puppy. What do you see that could be a danger or cause a mess? Could the hanging cord behind the couch look like a toy? Is there a box of tissues that’s just asking to be shredded? Anything you see at this low level that you don’t want chewed on – get it to a higher & out of reach location.
Follow the 3-3-3 rule of bringing home a puppy
The 3-3-3 rule for bringing home a puppy: 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to be comfortable in the house, 3 months to adjust to the house routine.
Physical and Mental Development
Welcome to kindergarten! From 8 to 12 weeks of age, your puppy is in the “I’m afraid of everything” stage. This period is characterized by rapid learning but also by fearfulness.
Your puppy may appear terrified of things that she used to take in stride. This is a good time to avoid loud voices and traumatic events.
For the next several weeks your puppy’s brain will continue to develop rapidly. You want to create a calm environment and minimize her stress. So don’t yell at her, even if she mistakes your Prada pumps for a chew toy.
She should already have learned about where to go potty, but be prepared to offer plenty of pit stops for your precious pooch. Even though she has much better control than when she was younger, plan to offer several potty breaks a day. If possible, try to keep a regular schedule for toilet breaks, so your puppy learns when she will get to go — before breakfast, after breakfast, midday, right before bed, etc. If you are lucky, your puppy may be able to make it through the night during this stage.
For puppies, catnaps have gone to the dogs, because young dogs need 18 to 20 hours of sleep per day to rest their developing brains.
Behavior Changes
Your puppy already knows how to do all of the important stuff: eat, drink, poop, sleep and, of course, play. This time is definitely defined by play. To keep her and your house safe, practice a little puppy proofing. You will want to get in the habit of keeping windows and doors closed to prevent escapes. Hide or remove power cords that your curious pup may mistake for chew toys. And properly store common toxins, including antifreeze, insecticides, household cleaners, prescription drugs, fertilizer and rat poison.
This is no time for your puppy to be without supervision. You must be prepared to watch her whenever she is out of a “safe area” such as a crate or playpen.
If your little one acts out, a gentle correction is the best approach. Punishment is ineffective and endangers your bond with your puppy. Keep your puppy on a short leash and try gently tugging her away when she jumps on Aunt Ruth or nibbles on a leg of the dining room table. If she gets mouthy — nibbling on you or others — she may be trying to send you a message: She’s hungry, thirsty, bored, or needs a potty break.
At 8 weeks you can already tell a lot about your puppy’s personality if you know what to look for. For example, by watching puppies interact with their littermates and people, you’ll probably be able to identify the bossy bullies, the timid tigers and the eager beavers.
This is your puppies schedule they have had in our home.
Please look at theHere’s the thing about bringing a puppy home: It’s a lot of fun—and also a lot of work.
Everything is brand-new, so your puppy is going to jump up and nip and mouth and want your attention, you have to set the rules early on so that you get what you need from the dog. From house training to “sit” and “stay,” get ready to address these training topics head-on.
Visit the next page in the Puppy GO Home Series – Puppy Training 101
