The first night your puppy spends with you can be difficult, not only for you but your puppy as well. You have to remember that this will be the first time your pup is away from its Mom and litter mates; it can be stressful to them. In the beginning you may feel overwhelmed, but your puppy will adjust to their new environment. It will be up to you to see that they feel safe; you will be their new caregiver. Playing with your puppy that first day is a good idea, not only because you are bonding with them but hopefully you will burn off some of their puppy energy. Before turning in for the night, take them outdoors for a potty call, this should become a nightly routine. I do recommend keeping them in a confined area for the night. It is a good idea to place newspaper down on the floor, there will be potty accidents. A chew toy might be a good idea to keep in the area as well. Your puppy may start to whine or puppy bark as soon as you leave them. Try not to give in to this by returning to give them a cuddle. You are sending the wrong message to your puppy by responding this way, you sleep at night and you want your puppy to as well. You will probably creep out during the night to check on them, most of us are guilty of that. Many times you will find them wide-eyed waiting your arrival, their sense of smell and sound are acute.
BRANDYKEGS will have some more information tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Children and Puppies
If you have children, supervise them around the puppy. Keep in mind the puppy has very sharp teeth and nails, you should know this and so should your children. Little fingers can be bit and scratches will occur. This does not mean that your puppy is mean; this is simply how they interact with one another. You will have to teach your puppy and your children the appropriate behavior. That it why it is a good idea to have pet toys and nylabones available for your puppy right from the beginning. Set up boundaries right from the start; always make sure you are in charge not your puppy. You will have certain expectations from your puppy, but it will be up to you to find the pathway in achieving those goals. A well behaved puppy doesn't just happen, time needs to be spent in teaching them.
BRANDYKEGS will have more information on tomorrow's blog.
BRANDYKEGS will have more information on tomorrow's blog.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Bringing Puppy Home
When your puppy is old enough to leave the litter to come home with you is ultimately up to the breeder. You should be provided with ownership paperwork. If you register your puppy with AKC you can purchase a pedigree from them. Basically this is a family tree for your puppy. You should be provided with the puppy's vaccination and worming history. BRANDYKEGS has a basic vaccination schedule on their website. Usually some puppy food and its brand name are given to you as well. You may want to keep in touch with the breeder, so make sure you have their name, address, email address, phone numbers wrote down for future reference.
If your car journey from the breeder to your home is a very long distance, you should probably use a crate in transporting them. The breeders have even offered us use of theirs, asking that we just ship the crate back to them. Some puppies are just like people they get car sick. We never had any problems with that, in fact all of our Saints loved to ride in the car. Depending on the distance you have to travel to your home, you may have to stop to feed them, give them water, and allow them to stretch their legs, as well as a potty stop.
Once you arrive home, take them to your yard. This gives them the opportunity to go potty. They will also be eager to explore their yard. We have enjoyed just stepping back and watching them. Usually you find that this is a good opportunity to have some play time as well. They probably have some energy to burn off after their car ride. Offer them fresh water and food. Most puppies and dogs after eating go out and relieve themselves. After they have had some play time, food and water, they will often lay down for a nap.
If your car journey from the breeder to your home is a very long distance, you should probably use a crate in transporting them. The breeders have even offered us use of theirs, asking that we just ship the crate back to them. Some puppies are just like people they get car sick. We never had any problems with that, in fact all of our Saints loved to ride in the car. Depending on the distance you have to travel to your home, you may have to stop to feed them, give them water, and allow them to stretch their legs, as well as a potty stop.
Once you arrive home, take them to your yard. This gives them the opportunity to go potty. They will also be eager to explore their yard. We have enjoyed just stepping back and watching them. Usually you find that this is a good opportunity to have some play time as well. They probably have some energy to burn off after their car ride. Offer them fresh water and food. Most puppies and dogs after eating go out and relieve themselves. After they have had some play time, food and water, they will often lay down for a nap.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Finding A Veterinarian
It is a good idea to research finding the right veterinarian. Start by asking family, friends, your neighbors, you will probably get some useful information from one or possibly all of them. Your local telephone directory is also helpful. I would even call some animal care centers and see if you can get a tour of their facility. Finding the right animal care center and veterinarian is not an easy task. So many facilities are not set up to handle larger animals, which is why it is a good idea to tour a site. There are even veterinarians who do not like to take on bigger dogs. The other thing I have found is veterinarians are just like a lot of us, they might be dog people or cat people. Some veterinarians specialize in small dogs, probably not a good choice for those of us who have Saint Bernards. You may find you go through a few veterinarians before you find one you are comfortable with.
Keep in mind that very few veterinarians work alone, most are part of a larger conglomerate. In other words, big business. As we all know, a business exists to make money. Many of these animal care facilities have a strategy to convince you that it is necessary to see your puppy or dog every four to six months. Some will say your dog needs a parvo or a bordetella vaccinations every six months, this is just not true. I have encountered facilities where they are wanting to clean your dog's teeth before they are even a year old. This is unnecessary especially when there is no tartar on their teeth. Having a large breed dog, they will tell you to have them x-rayed for hip dysplasia. I have had vets wanting to do this as young as four months old, even though there were no warning signs of problems. Teeth cleaning and x-rays for hip dysplasia involve putting your puppy or dog under anethesia, this is something you should be cautioned in doing too often. I am not against these procedures, I just think that they are performed at too early of an age or too often. These big conglomerates are very much aware of how much we love our dogs and they want to tap in to that as often as they can.
Check back tomorrow for more info from BRANDYKEGS.
Keep in mind that very few veterinarians work alone, most are part of a larger conglomerate. In other words, big business. As we all know, a business exists to make money. Many of these animal care facilities have a strategy to convince you that it is necessary to see your puppy or dog every four to six months. Some will say your dog needs a parvo or a bordetella vaccinations every six months, this is just not true. I have encountered facilities where they are wanting to clean your dog's teeth before they are even a year old. This is unnecessary especially when there is no tartar on their teeth. Having a large breed dog, they will tell you to have them x-rayed for hip dysplasia. I have had vets wanting to do this as young as four months old, even though there were no warning signs of problems. Teeth cleaning and x-rays for hip dysplasia involve putting your puppy or dog under anethesia, this is something you should be cautioned in doing too often. I am not against these procedures, I just think that they are performed at too early of an age or too often. These big conglomerates are very much aware of how much we love our dogs and they want to tap in to that as often as they can.
Check back tomorrow for more info from BRANDYKEGS.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Chewing Needs For Puppies
I recommend having nylabones around to satisfy your puppy's chewing needs. Believe me you don't want them chewing on your shoes or furniture. We were told told by the first breeder we purchased from not to use rawhide chews, they can get stuck in the Saint Bernards' digestive tract. I have used the nylabones for all our puppies, they do cost a bit more. There are some places on the internet where you can buy a larger quantity and get a discounted price. This is a great idea, because puppies and dogs will chew through a lot of bones. It is not uncommon for a puppy to chew through six to eight nylabones in a month.
There are a lot of products at pet store that claim to stop chewing. I have never found one of these products to actually work, so don't waste your money on them. Chewing is a natual behavior so don't think you are going to stop your puppy or dog from doing it. Instead direct their chewing toward something that you want them to chew on, like the nylabones.
More info tomorrow from BRANDYKEGS.
There are a lot of products at pet store that claim to stop chewing. I have never found one of these products to actually work, so don't waste your money on them. Chewing is a natual behavior so don't think you are going to stop your puppy or dog from doing it. Instead direct their chewing toward something that you want them to chew on, like the nylabones.
More info tomorrow from BRANDYKEGS.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Feeding Your New Puppy
Usually the breeder will provide you with a serving or two of puppy food. They will usually tell you the brand. Ultimately what you use will be up to you. I recommend the name brands. Find one that has been around for a long time and is a quality product; most pet stores carry several brands. Puppy food should be used for the first year; it contains the necessary nutrients for your rapidly growing pup. Many breeders do not feed their puppies puppy food for the entire first year. I think in many cases it is simply because puppy food costs more than regular adult food. Nowadays there are puppy formulas that are made just for the larger breeds, that is what I use.
You may find your puppies stools to be lose for the first few days after you get them. This is not unusual, they are in a new environment and it will take a few days for them to acclimate. This can also occur if you chose to feed them something different than what the breeder was feeding. Anytime you change your puppy or dog's food, you need to slowly introduce the new food alongside the old food. If the lose stools go beyond a few days, you should probably seek advice from your veterinarian. Your puppy could have worm problems, maybe an allergy, are their vaccinations current?
Some breeders add hamburger, stew meat, or table scraps to the dog food. This is not necessary if you use a quality dog food. Puppies will need to be fed four to five times a day, a cup to cup and half at a time. This is just an approximation and you will have to adjust for what works with your puppy. I do not recommend having a dog food bowl out at all times, this can lead to overeating. However, if you are not going to be around during the day, you will have to leave dog food in a bowl. Fresh water should always be available to your puppy or dog. As the weeks pass you can cut the number of feedings down to two or three times a day. Your puppy's total dog food consumption during a day will range from four to seven cups; this amount will vary from dog to dog. Contrary to what most people think Saint Bernards will not eat you out of house and home.
Some people feed their dogs raw food, the Barf Diet. I have never fed my dogs or puppies raw food. This is a personal choice. If your breeder uses the Barf Diet, make sure you understand what you are suppose to do.
BRANDYKEGS will continue with more information on tomorrow's blog.
You may find your puppies stools to be lose for the first few days after you get them. This is not unusual, they are in a new environment and it will take a few days for them to acclimate. This can also occur if you chose to feed them something different than what the breeder was feeding. Anytime you change your puppy or dog's food, you need to slowly introduce the new food alongside the old food. If the lose stools go beyond a few days, you should probably seek advice from your veterinarian. Your puppy could have worm problems, maybe an allergy, are their vaccinations current?
Some breeders add hamburger, stew meat, or table scraps to the dog food. This is not necessary if you use a quality dog food. Puppies will need to be fed four to five times a day, a cup to cup and half at a time. This is just an approximation and you will have to adjust for what works with your puppy. I do not recommend having a dog food bowl out at all times, this can lead to overeating. However, if you are not going to be around during the day, you will have to leave dog food in a bowl. Fresh water should always be available to your puppy or dog. As the weeks pass you can cut the number of feedings down to two or three times a day. Your puppy's total dog food consumption during a day will range from four to seven cups; this amount will vary from dog to dog. Contrary to what most people think Saint Bernards will not eat you out of house and home.
Some people feed their dogs raw food, the Barf Diet. I have never fed my dogs or puppies raw food. This is a personal choice. If your breeder uses the Barf Diet, make sure you understand what you are suppose to do.
BRANDYKEGS will continue with more information on tomorrow's blog.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Pawprints On My Heart Photo Frame
This attractive wooden photo frame will showcase one of your favorite 4" X 6" photos. Check out BRANDYKEGS other unique frames at their store.Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Doggy Drool Bib
Our stuffed model, Bernardo, is wearing a pink drool bib with white daisies. Do you have something for your Valentine puppy? Visit our store for gift ideas.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
It's Already February 1st, 2010
Valentine's Day will be here before you know it. Maybe your sweetie would like a basket of Saint Bernard puppies, each with an "I love you heart, and their very own rescue brandy keg." Visit our store for more details.
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