Supply List

Under Construction… but make sure to check amazon before you go to the pet store and pay an arm and a leg

Food: puppies are started on Diamond Naturals small breed puppy kibble

**link to the supply list is under construction but coming soon

Transition Period

It takes time for a new puppy to settle into its new home. It can be a very scary experience for them. Please give your puppy time to adjust before expecting it to reveal its full personality to you. remember 3-3-3

3 days to decompress

3 weeks to start routine

3 months to feel at home

you can help during this time by reading your puppy’s body language and giving him space when he wants alone time. Don’t overwhelm him by meeting too many new people or being forced to play for too long. Provide a kennel for your puppy to go to when he wants to feel safe. I provide a kennel to the puppies as soon as they can walk. So, when you take your puppy home, a kennel will feel very familiar and safe to him.

provide chewing materials…chewing is going to be your puppy’s go-to self soothing activity.

What to Expect when you are expecting……a new puppy

(insert maniacal laughter here)

  1. POOP. your puppy is going to poop and pee and not where you want them to do it. Its a fact of life. fotunatly, they learn quickly and there are things you can do to minimize the damage. FB has an excellent group called POOP SCHOOL that has pplenty of potty training advice. I also try to have pups started on potty pads before they leave me. However, some puppies don’t pick up on it as quickly as i would like and may not have great aim in the puppy pad department.

  2. CRYING. Puppies may be frightened and will cry the first couple of nights away from their litter mates. DO NOT go to them and pick them up while they are crying…then they will never stop. Wait to interact until they are silent for 2 seconds (literally count to 2 seconds of silence and then you can interact). I have found that putting a white noise machine near the puppy can be helpful…and also a white noise machine near me helps me get to sleep a bit easier through the inevitable first night or two of crying.

  3. CHEWING. Provide various types of things for your puppy to chew. I’m talking busy bones, rolled pig skin, pig ears, pig hooves, dried chicken jerky ( for dogs), smoked cow bones, frozen filled kongs, toys with various textures, and the coveted frozen string cheese ( only occasionally)

  4. FEAR PERIODS. People are going to want to touch your new puppy if you take it places with you. Be prepared to politely move away and tell them to take a hike if your puppy seems stressed or unwilling to meet the new person. Fear periods in puppies are a real thing ant at 8 weeks your puppy will be experiencing their 2nd fear period. you should read up on fear periods and how to handle them.

  5. SHEDDING. It won’t happen today , it won’t happen tomorrow. but it..is..coming.

    As your puppy begins to grow out of the puppy fuzz, you will see increased shedding.