PREPARING FOR PUPPY'S HOMECOMING! **Below you will find some suggestions to help make your puppy's homecoming a smooth transition** 1. TLC PUPPY FOOD: OUR KENNEL FEEDS PUPPIES THE BEST FOOD ON THE MARKET, TLC. ONCE YOU HAVE PLACED A DEPOSIT ON A PUPPY, OUR KENNEL WILL ADD YOU TO OUR TLC LITTER MANAGER WHICH WILL SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH A COUPON SO THAT YOU CAN PRE-ORDER YOUR PUPPY FOOD. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND KEEPING YOUR PUPPY ON TLC UNTIL THEY ARE AT LEAST 6 MONTHS OLD.
2. NUVET PLUS VITAMINS: ALL OF OUR PUPPIES (AND ADULT DOGS) ARE GIVEN NUVET PLUS VITAMINS ONCE THEY BEGIN TO EAT THE TLC PUPPY FOOD. YOU WILL HAVE A SAMPLE SENT WITH YOUR PUPPY, BUT WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND KEEPING YOUR PUPPY ON NUVET VITAMINS FOR THE MULTIPLE HEALTH BENEFITS IT PROVIDES. YOU CAN PRE-ORDER BY CALLING NUVET, 1-800-474-7044 AND USING THE ORDER CODE: 15173
3. LARGE CRATE, 42”: YOU WILL WANT A CRATE WITH A DIVIDER WHILE THE PUPPY IS YOUNG AND WORKING ON CRATE TRAINING. ANOTHER OPTION IS TO NOT USE THE DIVIDER BUT HAVE A SMALL LITTERBOX IN THE CRATE SIMILAR TO WHAT OUR KENNEL USES. LITTERBOX USE IS NOT RECCOMENDED AFTER 12 WKS AS THE PUPPY SHOULD BE GETTING BETTER AT “HOLDING IT”. ANOTHER OPTION MAY BE TO GET A PUPPY EXCERSICE PEN. THESE ARE GREAT TO HAVE WHILE WORKING ON HOUSE TRAINING WITH OR WITHOUT USING A CRATE.
4. OUR KENNEL RECCOMENDS A HARNESS INSTEAD OF A REGULAR COLLAR WHEN PUPPY IS ON A LEASH.
5. TOYS: WE RECOMMEND DURABLE CHEW TOYS FOR PUPPIES, NOTHING THAT IS CLOTH OR FABRIC, LIKE STUFFED ANIMALS. PUPPIES CAN SHRED AND INJEST FABRICS VERY EASILY WHICH CAN LEAD TO BOWEL OBSTRUCTIONS. KONG IS A GREAT NAME BRAND FOR DURABLE DOG TOYS.
6. IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY HAVE A VET, YOU WILL WANT TO RESEARCH THE VETS IN YOUR AREA AND MAKE YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT ACCORDING TO YOUR PICK-UP DATE.
7. GROOMING: YOU WILL WANT TO START CONSIDERING YOUR OPTIONS FOR GROOMING A POODLE OR DOODLE. MANY PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE DOING IT THEMSELVES, BUT IF NOT, YOU WILL WANT TO SEEK OUT A RELIABLE GROOMER IN YOUR AREA. POODLES AND DOODLES WILL NEED TO BE BRUSHED REGULARLY TO AVOID MATTING ISSUES. **EAR HAIR** PROPER EAR HAIR REMOVAL IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR POODLES & DOODLES. IF YOU USE A GROOMER, OR DO IT YOURSELF, YOU WANT TO BE SURE IT IS DONE SAFELY. THE BEST WAY TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST EAR INFECTIONS IS TO KEEP THE EARS CLEAN AND DRY (COTTONBALLS IN EARS DURING BATH), ALONG WITH GOOD MAINTANENCE OF EAR HAIR. **GIVING YOUR PUPPY A BATH** CHECK THE LABELS ON ANY SHAMPOOS YOU MIGHT USE ON YOUR PUPPY AS MANY OF THEN WILL STATE THEY ARE NOT SAFE FOR YOUNGER PUPPIES. OUR KENNEL USES ONLY DAWN DISH SOAP FOR PUPPIES UNDER 12 WEEKS OLD.
8. PATIENCE. PUPPPIES ARE A LOT LIKE TODDLERS, SO THEY WILL REQUIRE YOU TO BE FIRM BUT PATIENT WITH THEM.
9. EAR MAINTENANCE: I CAN’T SPEAK HIGHLY ENOUGH OF THE PRODUCT ZYMOX. THEY MAKE SEVERAL PRODUCTS FOR DOG’S EARS. OVER THE YEARS, ZYMOX HAS PROVEN TO BE THE ONLY PRODUCT I CAN HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOR MAINTENCE AND ISSUES IN DOG EARS. ZYMOX CAN BE FOUND IN MOST PET STORES AND ONLINE FROM AMAZON AND CHEWY.COM.