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Caring for Your Puppy

Food

Puppies are fed cooked green tripe and we recommend that this continues until they are about sixteen weeks old.

At sixteen to twenty weeks dried complete food - at least 19% protein - can be introduced gradually, mixed with the minced chicken. We do not recommend any dried food before sixteen/twenty weeks as this can arrest development and cause digestive problems for the puppy. Monitor carefully after introducing dry complete food. If the puppy is not thriving then go back to wet food - his/her digestion is not able to cope with the dry mix yet. Try again in three to four weeks.

Over Feeding

It is very important not to overfeed a small puppy. Their digestion is very delicate and large amounts of food can cause gastro enteritis, which can make them severely ill. A particular problem is overfeeding with dry food. Whatever the brand says be very careful. Only a small amount of dry puppy food should be given daily, perhaps no more than half a cup spread over three meals - the other food being cooked green tripe. It is best to avoid dry food entirely up to 16 weeks if possible.

Supplements

Calcium and phosphate should be given as well, to promote strong bones. This can be bought as tablets or powder at most pet shops, e.g. Pets at Home. Canoval and Wafcol are well-known and easily available brands - if you have difficulty finding a source, consult your vet. Give about 1 teaspoon sprinkled on food every other day.

Cod liver oil also promotes strong bones - and a good coat! - and should also be given every other day in the food. Purpose made cod liver oil is available from pet shops, but cod liver oil for humans is equally good!

You can add variety to the diet by giving household scraps (no bones at this stage, no raw vegetables and never potato water or any green potatoes) to your puppy. Adding used tea leaves gives a shiny coat.

Drinks

Never give cow\\\\\\\'s milk - It causesd gastro-enteritis which can kill!

A puppy milk for example Lactol or Welpi can be given, but water is better and should be given with every meal. Ideally, a bowl of water should always be available.

Vaccinations

Parvo is the most important vaccination. Follow your vet\\\\\\\'s advice on starting the vaccinations, boosters etc. Some vets vaccinate at 8 weeks, some not \\\\\\\'til 12 weeks. He/she will advise you on taking the puppy out, but usually ten days after the second vaccination is recommended.

Flea Control

Frontline, from your vet, can be used from two days old so is fine for your puppy at 6 to 8 weeks. Other solutions are herbal shampoos (if you are unhappy with chemicals), and various spot on products available either from your vet or from a pet shop. Garlic capsules are also useful.

Worming

Your puppy has been wormed. He/she will need worming again in the next fortnight. Use a product from your vet (e.g. Panacur, a syrup) or from your pet shop. Follow the instructions, particularly for weighing. Weigh yourself, then yourself plus your puppy, and subtract your weight from the total to get your puppy\\\\\\\'s weight; then follow dosage instructions exactly. Worm every 3 months.

Training

The best way to house train your puppy is to feed - allowing the puppy to eat all he/she can in five minutes - three or four times a day. Once the puppy has fed put him/her out to be clean. Don\\\\\\\'t leave food out all day \\\\\\\'on demand\\\\\\\' as this will slow up house training.

Discipline

Be very firm. Don\\\\\\\'t let your puppy pull at clothes or sleeves or play with things you value. Teach him/her to be good around other animals (e.g. stop him/her chasing cats). If in the country, start stock training at once (e.g. preventing bad behaviour among sheep etc). Make your puppy understand that everyone in the house is more important than him/her: they are \\\\\\\'bottom dog\\\\\\\'.

Castrating or spaying

Often if a pup is to be a family pet it is suggested that it would be best to castrate or spay them. Very careful consideration should be given to this decision if it is to be done for a non-medical reason. If there is any chance that a dog may need rehoming at any point then castration or spaying should be avoided.

When a dog has been castrated or a bitch spayed many people believe it has been done for temperament and therefore do not want to offer a home in a rescue situation. Many other people believe - with good anecdotal evidence on their side - that castration or spaying result in a fat dog. Again, they are unwilling to offer a new home.

Obviously when you bring your pup home, having to re-home him or her is far from your mind. But situations change, opportunities crop up and there may be a need. In that case you want the best chance of your loved pet achieving a new loving home. Spaying or castration may hinder that so think carefully about this important decision!