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How to Prepare for Your New Puppy

One of the most exciting events for a family or an individual is bringing home a new puppy. Unfortunately, many people don’t organize themselves or their home for the new arrival. There are several things that can be done to make your puppy’s first few hours in its new home pleasant and enjoyable. Most of the activities are very simple and will just require a few minutes of time and attention to complete.

Having the right supplies
The following items should be purchased and set up prior to the puppy’s or puppies’ arrival:
* Stainless steel or rigid plastic non-tip food and water bowls
* Crate of the appropriate size
* Soft, washable bedding for inside the crate
* Variety of chew toys and play toys
* Leash or lead and collar of the appropriate size
* Food that is the same as the puppy or puppies are currently being fed (same brand, flavor, etc)

In addition, depending on your house or puppy room area, you may also need to get some baby gates to contain the puppy in a specific room or to prevent them from going up or down stairs.

Safety considerations

Puppies are a lot like small children: they will want to investigate everything. Puppies learn by chewing and mouthing as much as they learn by looking and smelling. By spending a bit of time puppy-proofing your home you can be assured that your puppy will be safe. The following are puppy-proofing tips:

* Remove all electrical cords from the puppies’ reach. This means that they may have to be disconnected from the wall and the appliance moved. Puppies may chew on the cord either at the wall or the appliance end so it is easiest to remove the appliance to protect the cord and keep the puppy safe if the wire is plugged in.

* Remove or pull up all hanging items such as tablecloths, floor length curtains, curtain or blind pulls, hanging plants or other items that dangle temptingly in the puppies’ reach. Curtain and blind pulls are especially dangerous as they can easily become wrapped around the puppies’ neck.

* Remove all houseplants. Many common houseplants are poisonous to dogs. Unless you know for sure that the plant is not poisonous remove it from the room. Most puppies will naturally chew on plants, so if you want the plant to remain intact removing it’s the best idea.

* Remove all shoes, backpacks, leather items, remote controls, cordless phones, children’s toys, stuffed animals, throw pillows or anything else that could potentially be fun to play with.

Remember that while puppies are very energetic, you don’t need to puppy proof the whole house, just the rooms that he or she will be in unsupervised. Crate training is a great way to minimize the amount of puppy proofing that needs to occur to keep your new arrival safe and healthy.

Be sure that the puppy is allowed to settle into the area and that they’re given appropriate times to go outside to relieve themselves. Puppies usually will need to go outside at least every three hours, and usually within 20 minutes of eating or drinking. After napping or after playing they’ll also need to be taken outside. By allowing lots of trips outside and positively praising them for relieving themselves in the right area, you’ll find that house training is not difficult.

Special care for puppies involves a lot of prevention. Be sure to get down on the floor and look around at what might be fun for a puppy to chew on or might pose a safety hazard. Have the food, water, toys and crate ready when your puppy gets home and you and your puppy or puppies will be off to a great start together.

Terry Roberts is a professional translator and linguist, with a wide range of interests. To read more about preparing to welcome your new puppy – and about dogs in general – visit his website http://www.livingwithadog.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terence_Roberts

10 Questions I’m Most Asked about Dogs in Heat

1. What is heat?
Heat is more properly called the estrous cycle. During this cycle, female dogs may get pregnant. It’s equivalent to human menstruation.

2. What are the symptoms?
Females bleed from the vagina sometimes with swelling of the vulva and increased urination. Don’t expect bleeding comparable to a human female.

For small dogs, it’s usually not much and you may need to pay close attention to your puppy to identify her first cycle. Other than the bleeding, the most noticeable symptom may be male dogs hanging around your house.

3. When does a dog come into heat?
The average female dog has her first cycle about six months of age. A few dogs start earlier and few dogs later, even as late as 14-months.

If you have a new female puppy, you should watch her and note when she has her first cycle. If she’s 14-months old and still hasn’t't been in heat, you should take her to a veterinarian.

4. How long does the heat cycle last?
The average is three weeks or 21-days. In some dogs, it lasts only two weeks while others go four weeks.

5. How often will she be in heat?
Most female dogs have regular cycles usually every six to eight months. It’s quite typical to be in heat twice a year.

6. When can she get pregnant?
She can get pregnant only when in heat. Some breeders test for progesterone levels to identify the most fertile days but the rule-of-thumb is that the most fertile days are 11-15 of her cycle.

Note – when she’s in heat, the average dog will permit any maledog to mount her. Few females, however, will accept a male when
they’re not in heat.

7. Can she get pregnant her first cycle?

Yes. However, responsible breeders generally would not breed a dog that early. For one thing, you need to do genetic testing and some serious problems such as hip conditions do not show up until a dog is approximately 2-years of age.

8. Can I take her on walks during this cycle?

Yes with care. She has no problem with the exercise but she’s a walking magnet for male dogs.

Even the best trained and behaved female dog will succumb to hormones. You can’t trust her off a leash or out of your control. Never let her outside by herself even in a fenced yard if there is any possibility of male dogs nearby.

For walks, if there are male dogs in your neighborhood, it’s a good idea to take your dog in your car and drive to a remote area. Take her for the walk there and drive back home. Otherwise, the scent of her urine and vaginal discharge will blaze a trail to your home.

9. When I can have her spayed?
The answer to that one has changed continually over the 25-years I’ve been in the dog business. People used to be told to let their dog go through at least one cycle or let them have one litter.

Today, veterinarians are doing it much earlier. Some vets spay as early as 6-weeks of age! Talk to your veterinarian about your dog and the vet’s preferences. The state of veterinary medicine also is much improved over the past 25-years.

10. If I don’t have her spayed, will she go through menopause.
No. Her fertility may decline but she will not go through menopause comparable to a human’s. She won’t lose her ability to become pregnant even as a senior so if you don’t want to her to have any (or more) litters, she must be spayed.

Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and the creator of http://www.ToyBreeds.com, your online resource for Toy breed dogs. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louise_Louis

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