CARING FOR YOUR PUPPY

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SOCIALISATION,      FEEDING,      VACCINATIONS,      WORMING,     HEARTWORM PREVENTION,      MICRO-CHIPPING,      DESEXING,
DENTAL CARE,      FLEAS,      TICKS,       HOUSE TRAINING,        
HOME ALONE TRAINING,      GROOMING,      SOME DO's and DONT's

 Bringing a new puppy home is a big deal. Two things you can be sure of. Firstly, it will not be all smooth sailing – there will be some mess to clean up, some of your belongings will be destroyed at some stage (unless you are never careless about where you take your socks off!), and there will probably be a few holes dug in the back yard. But at those times, you must remember the second certainty – there will be a lot of fun and a close bond that will build up between you and your puppy. And that second fact always outweighs the first – by miles.

Remember, if you are well prepared, there will be fewer problems and a lot more fun.

 THINGS YOU WILL NEED FOR A PUPPY:

1. Food and water bowls.
2. Collar and lead – remember that first collars and leads usually get chewed up or outgrown so it might be a good idea to make the first one a cheap one.
3. A crate, or other confined area for him to sleep in. A small crate will be fine at first, but you may find in the future that having a crate large enough for your adult dog is a useful. Therefore, it may be better to get one that will be big enough for when your pup is fully grown. An escape proof "play pen" can also be used.
4. Tug toys, soft toys and food dispensing toys (such as kongs and treat balls.)
5. A copy of “Culture Clash” written by Jean Donaldson. This is absolutely the best book to help you understand training your puppy.

SOCIALISATION
This one is in purple because it is important!
Socialise your puppy well. Take him out to as many places as possible, and have him meet as many people as possible right from when you get him. Let him meet adults, children, babies in prams, seniors on walking sticks and as many unusual places as possible, while he is still very young. This is important in having a well adjusted puppy. Remember that your pup is not fully protected against some nasty diseases until after his last vaccination, and some vets will recommend that you do not take him out until he has had those vaccinations. Our recommendation, however, is that socialisation at 6 to 10 weeks of age is also of critical importance. Do not take your puppy anywhere that has a lot of dog droppings around, or where there might have been unvaccinated dogs. But do take him out to as many other places as possible. One great way to socialise puppies, is to take your puppy for a walk at the local primary school at about the time the kids go home. Every kid will want to have a pat.

We have already started your puppy's socialisation program. We play thunder tapes to reduce the chance of your puppy being frightened of thunder. We play with our puppies every day - as a group and individually (this is a tough part of our job!) And we give them as many new experiences as possible - meeting new people and taking them on exploration expeditions around our property. We cannot over-emphasise the importance of this need to socialise your puppy when he is young.

 FEEDING:
A balanced diet is extremely important so that a puppy can develop into a healthy dog. This is easy because the pet food companies have done all the hard work in preparing diets that are nutritionally correct. A diet based on the reputable brands of dried dog food has everything that a puppy needs. There are also some moist foods that are fully balanced diets. A dash of Essential Fatty Acid supplement (e.g. Megaderm or Omega 3) will make the coat shiny. Table scraps can be added but not in excess and no sugary foods.

             We recommend Eukanuba or Science diet or any premium dog dry dog food (just ask your vet) and Tucker Time (with added digestive enzymes.) Puppies are less likely to have diarrhoea or skin problems on these diets. And, no, we do not get sponsored by these companies, although we do sell them at our veterinary practice.

 This  balanced diet should make up at least 80% of the puppy’s diet, and 20% can be table scraps, extra vegies and our dogs even get the peelings from the carrots and outside lettuce leaves! If fresh meat (raw or cooked) is given, then the correct calcium supplement must also be given (just ask us). But you risk throwing out the calcium balance of an already balanced diet. It is easy to give too much or not enough calcium. Plenty of sunshine is also needed for good bone growth.

 Raw meaty bones, pig’s ears or rawhide chews should be given two or three times a week to keep the teeth healthy. But remember that greedy puppies can choke on things like chicken wings. Your puppy should be supervised when he is given bones. Very large bones should only be left with the dog for a couple of hours – just long enough to chew off the cartilage ends. Once the dog starts crunching into the harder bone, they can crack their back teeth.

 Ensure that fresh clean water is always available.

 VACCINATIONS:
Puppies need protection from 3 potentially fatal diseases: distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus. A vaccination against Parainfluenza & Bordetella (kennel cough) is also recommended. Puppies get their first protection against disease from their mother's first milk. They need a series of injections as this wears off. Our puppies are vaccinated at 6 weeks using a 3 in 1 vaccine. Their next vaccinations that are due:

                        12 weeks......................2nd vaccination using a 5 in 1 vaccine

                        16 weeks......................3rd vaccination using a 5 in 1 vaccine

           A pup is not fully protected until two weeks after his final vaccination. Although it is important to take your puppy out to learn about the big wide world, be sensible and do not let him near places where a lot of dogs may have been.  

An annual boosters are needed to maintain immunity. 

 WORMING:
Worms in puppies can cause ill thrift, enteritis, anaemia and occasionally can even cause death. Children who come in contact with droppings of worm infested puppies may develop conjunctivitis and other problems. IF A PUPPY IS WORMED REGULARLY NONE OF THESE PROBLEMS WILL OCCUR. Our puppies are wormed every two weeks and this should continue until 12 weeks of age. We use Interceptor at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks, so that puppies are also covered for heartworm protection. And we use Canex Multispectrum, Drontal or a similar product at 2, 6 and 10 weeks of age. Talk to your vet about their recommendations.

 HEARTWORM PREVENTION (HWP):
Heartworm is a frequently fatal but easily preventable disease of dogs. The presence of adult heartworm causes problems with blood circulation. The first sign is exercise intolerance and a slight cough. The onset of disease is very insidious and by the time signs are seen a lot of damage has already been done to the heart. Eventually the dog will die with congestive heart failure. The incidence of heartworm disease in Sydney is quite high and prevention is better (safer and cheaper) than the cure.

            We recommend once a month heartworm prevention tablets. Interceptor is a monthly tablet which prevents heartworm, and kills intestinal worms. Sentinel does all that and prevents fleas - all in the one monthly tablet. When your pup is fully grown, another alternative is to see your vet about a yearly heartworm prevention injection, especially for those people who find once a month dosing difficult to remember. Once again, talk to your vet about what product best suits you

r situation.

Your puppy had his first Interceptor tablet at 4 weeks of age. The next one is given at 8 weeks of age. Purchase monthly HWP tablets from your vet when your puppy has his vaccination at 12 weeks of age.

            The heartworm parasite is actually transferred by the mosquito. So keeping mosquitoes away from your pup is also an important part of prevention. It is a complex disease so do not hesitate to ask if you have questions

 MICROCHIPPING:
We microchip all our puppies (which is a requirement of law in NSW.) When you pick up your puppy, you will be provided with two forms, which you should take to your local council to have your pup registered on the government registry. This is compulsory, and should be done by the time the puppy is six months of age. Registration with your council is less expensive if your puppy is desexed.

 DESEXING:
If you do not plan to have a litter with your puppy, we would encourage you to have him or her desexed. There are very good health reasons to have this done. Desexing is best done at 6 to 8 months of age but it is also a very safe procedure for older dogs.

 Females: Bitches are usually spayed to save the owner having to look after a litter of unwanted puppies. Puppies, although cute, take a lot of time, patience and expense to care for properly. There are also good medical reasons to have a female dog desexed:

i) There is no possibility of unwanted pregnancies, difficult births or Caesareans

ii) You eliminate the risk of the bitch developing a uterine infection. These infections occur quite commonly in older bitches and can make them very, very sick. This problem is life threatening and may require emergency surgery. Desexing eliminates this possibility because the uterus is removed.

iii) The incidence of mammary cancer is much lower in desexed bitches, especially if they are desexed before they first come into season.

Males: Dogs are usually castrated for behavioural reasons, e.g. if they roam, if they often get into dog fights or if they try to be boss of their own family. It is best to get a male desexed at an early age before these become set behaviour patterns. Desexing a male dog also prevents a number of “old age problems” such as prostate problems, testicular cancer, anal gland tumours and certain types of hernias.

 DENTAL CARE:
Dogs are living longer so that their teeth have to last longer. Full dental care includes regular brushing with doggy toothbrushes and paste, regular dental check-ups with scaling and polishing (remember an annual check up for a dog is the same as once every seven years for humans) and regular raw bones to chew. Chicken wings are great, so long as your puppy chews them properly. Some puppies and dogs will try to swallow them whole, and it can cause choking. Meaty brisket bones and the cartilage ends of shin bones for older dogs. Do not leave the large shin bones with your dog for too long. Once they have chewed off the cartilage ends, throw them in the bin. Chewing into the hard bone can fracture the teeth. Also, keep in mind that some dogs get constipation if given bones. We like to give our own dogs rawhide dog chews and pig’s ears. They make excellent “toothbrushes.” In nature, the action of chewing through the hide of prey probably did as much for cleaning teeth as chewing on the bones.  Remember, prevention is better than cure. Extracted teeth do not grow back.

 FLEAS: Fleas can irritate dogs and their owners. Fleas carry one type of tape worm tapeworm. Fleas can cause severe skin problems, the itching causes self trauma that will leave a dog red raw and bleeding. The best way to stop these skin problems is to prevent your dog becoming sensitised to fleas. That means keep the fleas off your dog right from puppyhood. It is possible to totally control fleas, but they must be attacked from two direction. We must kill the adult fleas and products such as, Frontline, Advantage or Permoxin do this very well. AND we must eliminate flea eggs from the environment. For this we recommend applications containing methoprene found in Frontline Plus or the use of the drug Lufenuron, either in Program or Sentinel which is “birth control” for fleas. The fleas do not produce fertile eggs. All these products are extremely safe for puppies.

 TICKS: Ticks are potentially fatal- they can paralyse a dog including the breathing muscles so that the dog will suffocate. Ticks are common in quite a few areas of Australia. Permoxin, Advantix and Frontline (also used against fleas) are recommended for tick control. Check with your vet whether ticks are a problem in your area. We prefer to avoid the potentially toxic organophosphate insecticides used in tick collars.

 HOUSE TRAINING:
Success depends on your vigilance.

• Select a spot in the garden that will be his toilet.
• As soon as the pup wakes up, has a drink, has been playing or appears restless take him to his toilet. When he goes to the toilet, give him a treat and praise him extravagantly.
• If he makes a mistake in the house and you catch him in the act - pick him up before he finishes, saying “WHOOPS !”, and take him out to his spot. When he finishes going to the toilet praise him extravagantly and give him a treat. Next time take him out earlier - before he needs to go.
• Remember! You cannot do a thing if you do not catch the puppy in the act. Just clean away the mess. Scolding him after the act, or rubbing his nose in it just makes him think he should not go near the mess after it has been put there. He cannot think back to when he put the mess there!
• Always make sure your pup has access to his toilet area or that you are watching. When you are not watching him, put him in his crate or play pen where he has an alternative place where he is allowed to go to the toilet. Too often mistakes occur when the pup has tried to do the right thing and you are distracted.
• Remember that puppies develop a ‘preferred surface’ to go to the toilet. If they are used to going to the toilet on grass, and grass is not available, then they will find the surface that feels most like grass (often the carpet). We raise our puppies so that their preferred surface is grass, so toilet training may be easier if the puppies always have access to a grassy area. If your puppy must be left inside, for example, shut in the bathroom,  then housetraining may be more successful if you get a metre square of turf and mount it on some masonite. That can be the puppy’s toilet when he is shut in the bathroom. You can use newspaper, instead, but then it may be more difficult to swap him onto the grass outside. This method is recommended by some of the top puppy trainers.
• Success depends on how many mistakes you make. If you are watchful your puppy will learn quickly.

 HOME ALONE TRAINING:
German Shorthaired Pointers love people, and they can become very attached to their family, to the point that they do not like to be left alone. You need to train your puppy at an early age that sometimes he must be alone.

 At home on the first night, he should sleep in a crate, or a similar confined area. It is often a good idea to have it close to the bed – he is likely to do some complaining. Give the puppy his soft toy, and maybe a hot water bottle. We give our owners a soft toy that has the smell of his litter mates – this will help them settle down. If they cry, you can reassure them that you are close. Over the next few nights, gradually move the crate further from the bed – to the end of the bed, to inside the bedroom door, to just outside to the door, then eventually to where you want the puppy to sleep.

 The puppy will learn that the crate is a quiet place to rest. To make him like his crate, you can feed him in it, or give him his pig’s ear to chew while he is in there. Crate training is a very useful tool to use in later lessons. If he misbehaves, he can be put in his crate – it is not a punishment, but all privileges are removed – like sending a naughty child to their room. Crate training is also a useful tool to use during toilet training.

 When you need to go out, be sure to make it is a good experience. Hide toys around the yard for him to find. Give him a kong (a type of rubber toy) stuffed with food. Prepare a kong to last for longer by stuffing it with moist food then putting it in the freezer. This will take time to thaw so they will keep a puppy entertained for a couple of hours. Treat balls can be purchased – the pup learns to roll these around and it dispensed the food gradually. We use treat balls to feed the pups their lunch. They think it is a great game.

 Toys do not need to be expensive (since they will probably be destroyed). Smear peanut butter on the inside of a cardboard box (an old pizza box) and close it up so it is a challenge for the pup to first break into the box.

 When you come home, totally ignore the puppy for the first 10 minutes. I know you want to play, but if he learns that your home coming is a big deal, he will fret for your return. If you ignore him when you get home, your leaving will not be such a big deal.

 GROOMING:
Daily brushing will keep your dog's coat healthy. Bathing should be kept to a minimum (at most once a month) and a reputable dog shampoo should be used. Frequent bathing washes too much oil from the coat. Nails should be clipped or filed regularly but do not take a lot off at each clipping - be careful of the cuticle. Ears should be kept clean and will need attention especially after baths or swimming. Teeth should be cleaned regularly.

 Most of our dogs have never been bathed in their life. They swim in the dam or the ocean regularly, but have never been shampooed. It just is not needed with their easy maintenance short coat.

 SOME DO’s and DON’T’s

 DO NOT let your dog wander the streets. He may be lost, hit by a car or annoy neighbours.

 DO give your puppy regular exercise - not too much at first, but gradually build it up. Free running at the park or beach is the best exercise to keep fit. And all our puppies love the water at the beach and dam (although they are not so keen on the water in the bath tub!)  But when you take your puppy out, take a plastic bag or pooper scooper with you. We’ve all trodden in dog poo some time in our life and it is a problem that is easily prevented!

 DO not let you puppy be overweight. Puppy fat is just extra strain on developing joint cartilage. He should have a waist and you should be able to feel his ribs - not so skinny that his ribs are obviously poking out, but you should be able to see his last couple of ribs when he is standing comfortably

 DO teach him some basic obedience lessons or have him trained. Puppy classes at your vet and local dog training clubs are available - just ask us where. It is important to choose a training class that uses positive methods in their training. Contact us if you want any recommendations.

DO take your puppy to puppy classes (most vets hold puppy classes.) These classes are not just for you to learn some basic training, but also help your puppy learn how to react when he is with other dogs.

 DO have your dog wear identification with his name and how to contact you.  Also include your vet’s phone number, just in case he is injured. He is also microchipped.

 DO have your dog’s microchip number registered with the council.

 DO enjoy your puppy and have lots of fun with him. That part is easy!