Taking your puppy home

The change in environment will be stressful for the new family member. A few points to remember:

• Keep the pup on the same diet for the first ten days.



• Obtain the worming history from the breeder and establish when it should next be de-wormed.



• Make a point of obtaining a vaccination card and make a note when the next vaccinations are due.



• Keep the puppy in one room taking care to the door closed. Ignore the noise (1st training)



• Ensure a warm, comfortable bed with a hot water bottle and an alarm clock in the clothing. The dog will find the ticking clock comforting.



• Newspaper on the floor to soak up accidents.



• Supervise the introduction of other animals to the pup.



• Puppies need to relieve themselves frequently and very often after exercise, eating, or sleeping. Encourage the pup to relieve itself on paper. Never punish it for soiling on the floor and dont put its not in the mess - some owners mistakenly believe this to be the right thing to do.



• The first few nights will be nosey, as it will be missing mum and litter mates - ignore.



• Always bring the puppy home on fridays when you have an off day on Saturday and Sunday to spend with the pup in order for it to adjust.

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Selecting a puppy

The easiest way to select the right pup is to ask the breeder to choose one that is not shy, overly dominant or stubborn. However, if the breeder prefers you do the picking, try to take an experienced person with you to view the pups.
If all fails, th following tips should help.

• Watching a group of pups at play will help you choose th one you want. So, if you do not get the opportunity to view several pups, try to arrange to the whole litter together. Then you will be able to see temperament differences in action. If, for example, you wish to avoid owning a pack-leader type, you can look out for the classroom-bully-type pup that dominates and picks on the other pups. Once you have distinguished this type of pup, you will know that it will not be going home you!
• Likewise, avoid the pup that runs and hides when the bully appears. A pup that barks at you or the other pups should also be avoided at all costs. You do not want a pup that is overly vocal: if one of the litter is barking at this early stage, it is going to be a nuisance barker. Good watchdogs do not usually start barking until they are between seven and 12 months.

Now you have decided on the breed type, CONGRATULATIONS.

The ideal age to acquire your new puppy once you have made the decision about your breed type is between 6 to 8 weeks of age. At this age the puppy will be newly weaned from its mother and dependent on its new owner. This is the ideal time to establish a strong bond between owner and pup.

Also insist tht the pup be purchased conditional upon your veterinarian examining it and giving it a clean bill of health.

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