The Puppy Plunge
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Well, you’ve finally done it! After searching the web for untold dozens of hours, peering at furry little puppy faces until you see them in your dreams, you’ve found YOUR puppy!Something about that tiny face just connected with you, and when you showed your husband and then the kids, there was puppy pandemonium and the choice was made. Now with your new little bundle’s arrival scheduled in a few days, suddenly the panic sets in, and you find yourself lying wide awake at three a.m. wondering what in the world do you need to do before puppy arrives?As your puppy’s breeder it’s my job to make sure that you are on the right track and well prepared prior to your new family member’s arrival.That part about lying in bed in a pre-puppy panic? I’ve heard so many of my puppy people describe just that sort of fretting, and I hope with a bit of direction and perhaps a small amount of hand-holding, you’ll begin to relax and enjoy what should be one of the most delightful experiences your family will ever have.FIRST THINGS FIRSTOf course, you’ll want to be sure before your puppy comes home that you have all necessary supplies on hand.
- Puppy Food (I’ll send a small bag along, but you’ll want to pick up a larger size of Balance Small Breed Bites (OR Puppy Formula they have both!) this is a lower protein than many foods on the market and much healthier in the long-term for growing puppies. Please try not to change foods until after 6 months of age, the good news is that this food is perfect for all ages and you can use it indefinitely).
- I'll send along a small bottle of Agatha's Elixir to keep your puppy on track and add that extra boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and prebiotics as an additional incentive to keep eating happily after the competition of her litter is gone.
- 4 foot lead (The width should be about ¼” to ½” anything wider will be too heavy on a small puppy’s neck) I send along a tiny collar that will fit your puppy for a few months.
- A Flexi Lead or retractable lead for giving puppy room to run and play if your yard isn’t fenced.
- I like a puppy playpen for daytime use, I did a review of the Richell Pet Pen on my Agatha's Apothecary Blog, it’s a great tool, attractive and easy to set up, you can order it on Amazon, it’s one of the best things you can have to expedite house training.
- The small crate your puppy arrives in is her night time sleeping spot with a soft fleecy bed. Your puppy will miss cuddling with her siblings and for example, a nice comfy bed in the family room will help her feel more at home. That being said, keep just a small baby blanket or towel in her night time crate. Puppies are warm natured, and that will keep her cozy but cool enough. Think washable for now.
- NO Over the top rawhides. Avoid basted bones, rawhides drenched in chicken and other flavors. Many reasons not to use them, puppies can ingest large pieces and choke, or worse still, they can become lodged in the intestinal tract. My biggest reason is that most dogs can become very possessive about highly scented doggie delicious treats. Best to keep treats simple and avoid a tug-a-war with your little Fido.
- TREATS! I like the Nutro Blueberry Crunchy Treats (plus they help keep stains at bay). (amazon!) Cheerios on hand to use to reward good potty behavior.
- TOYS TOYS TOYS!!! (I’m sending along two to get you started, they smell like home and one is made from puppy baby blanket,,, awwww : )A good variety of toys will give your puppy good choices to play with. I like an assortment of stuffed animal toys, small rigid Nylabone type chewing toys, toys that make a noise are fun. Be a child, enjoy this part!
- Two bowls, one for food & one for water. I like stainless or ceramic, cute is good.
TWO THINGS TO ORDER BEFORE PUPPY ARRIVESAs you know, to keep your health guarantee in effect, your puppy will need to stay on both the NuVet Plus as well as a daily probiotic. I have found that taking these small steps helps ensure a healthy puppy and also a healthy adult dog. While I hesitate to recommend our probiotics as there are many others on the market, I recommend ours because I feel they are the best quality, very broad spectrum, super fresh and very high potency.Nevertheless, as long as you use a probiotic, I’ll be happy. If you do decide to try our products you can order them here on Amazon, there’s even an option to have them delivered automatically so you don’t run out, how great is that!?AGATHA’S APOTHECARY ADVANCED PROBIOTIC
Easy-peasy to use, just pull open the stay-fresh capsule for the perfect daily dose of powerful immune system building probiotic amazingness!
NUVET PLUS
The second product NuVet Plus. Packed with essential antioxidants & nutrients needed to bridge the gap in what is often lacking in a dog’s diet, NuVet Plus is a yummy chewable liver flavored treat, loaded with enzymes, essential pure source vitamins and minerals and rounded out with a selection of natural herbs known to promote health and vitality in dogs.You can’t find NuVet Plus in stores, it can only be ordered direct from the website: https://www.nuvetlabs.com/11982 or you can call them at 1-800-474-7044 to order by phone.If you use this order code 11982, not only will it give you a 15% discount for auto-ship, the easiest way to be sure you’ll always have it on hand.
That should help you sleep a bit more soundly now that your supplies will be on hand before your new baby arrives!
LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE AT PUPPY EYE LEVEL
Cavachons by nature are not terribly driven to chew and are fairly laid-back and content with their toys. But, nonetheless, have a walk through the house and make sure that in your puppy’s area of the home, there are no obvious items waiting to be tasted. Electric cords, small rugs etc, you don’t need to be drastic, just apply a bit of common sense and keep temptations to a minimum.Remember to keep puppy very limited in her house privileges the first week especially. She’ll be learning a new house, where your doors are, how to get outside to find her new potty spot, all things that you’ll have to teach her. With a bit of diligence on your part you’ll be a expert puppy parent in no time! Who knows? You may even find yourself perusing the web for a second little creature one day. Two puppies are twice the fun they say!
