Do’s
DO read the contract and make sure you understand all terms and can 100% agree to your responsibilities and the terms
DO purchase your puppy food before your puppies arrival. Puppy food can be purchased at Petsmart Petco or chewy.com
DO be on time to pick up your puppy….whether at a meeting place or at the airport
DO communicate with your breeder when you receive your new puppy
DO schedule a vet appointment as soon as you have made arrangements to receive your new puppy to avoid missing contract deadline of 3 BUSINESS DAYS for wellness check
DO visit with your vet to plan on finishing all appropriate shots and set up an appropriate worming schedule for your area
DO play with your puppy, but give it lots of rest! 15 minutes of play to 45 minutes of rest
DO keep your new puppy in a small enclosed area with enough room for bed and easy access to food and fresh water
DO pay attention to what your puppy eats. NO table scraps and know what foods & houseplants are poisonous
DO communicate directly with your breeder about any issues and for updates and pictures. Your breeder is your best resource for advice/help with your new puppy
DO keep food and fresh water available at all times for your new puppy
DO brush/comb, blow dry and clip nails of your new puppy on a regular basis until their are old enough to go to groomers which is around 16 weeks.
DO keep NutriCal or Karo (light corn syrup) on hand for new toy breed puppies. Learn the signs of hypoglycemia and how to react without panic. It could save your new puppy’s life!
DO use a harness (if a toy breed) rather than a collar on your puppy’s fragile neck
DO keep the hair clear around the anus to prevent plugs
DO use positive reinforcement for training
DO make a small play area outside for potty training
DO learn the “puppy shuffle”…keep feet on the floor with a little puppy
DO remember to register them with your city, if applicable
DO remember to register their microchip information
DO remember to activate your trupanion 30 day free pet insurance
Dont’s
DON’T get a new puppy unless you are fully prepared to properly care for and are ready for the time commitment
DON’T get a new puppy unless everyone in your household is in agreement about getting a new puppy
DON’T take your new puppy to the store, to the neighbors, to the pet store, groomers, etc. This is a new baby and just like human babies they need rest, with no interruptions. Your new puppy should be confined/protected and kept as stress-free as possible! Moving away from its siblings into a new unfamiliar surrounding is stressful on them and the stress can ignite hypoglycemia and allow opportunistic , otherwise dormant parasites to release into their gut and could have very serious consequences!
DON’T leave your new puppy unattended in the yard
DON’T change the puppy’s food or give it any non-approved treats
DON’T allow your child to handle a puppy unsupervised
DON’T put tiny puppies on beds, sofas or chairs where they can fall off