Basic Physiological Needs

(food, water, sleep, etc)

• We recommend feeding three times a day from the time you bring your puppy home until about six months of age. Then you can start feeding twice a day. Your veterinarian will tell you what is the best timing for this change for your puppy. We do recommend a good, balanced diet which promotes better long-term health.

• Access to water throughout the day. Stopping water a few hours before bedtime will help your puppy to not need to potty during the night.

• Puppies need to nap very often throughout the day. This allows him/her to organize what he has learned and grow strong, as well enables him to behave. A tired puppy is equivalent to a very tired toddler.

• Please be sure to keep your puppies area clean, washing washables at least every one to two weeks.

Safety Physical and Emotional Safety

The first few days will be somewhat stressful for your new puppy. Everything is new – no mommy, no siblings, no familiar places or smells. They need to be loved and snuggled while still implementing rules, boundaries and limitations.  They need to be exposed safely to many faces, places, and things.  Coupled with this, there is a need for the following:

• Containment or safety barrier. This is highly recommended for your puppy. This will aid in the success of house training your puppy. Some families use options like a play pen area, or baby gates in a small room. A place where pup does not feel isolated but is a member of the family.  Tethering is also a good tool for potty training.

• Your puppy does not need free rein of a room or the house and will excel with proper boundaries. Just as it is not wise and could be dangerous to allow a baby or toddler to roam a room or home freely, the same holds true for your puppy.

• When out of its crate or playpen, your puppy needs constant supervision. You don’t want them to get into things that are not good for them. Be proactive for your puppy’s success.

• When they are out of the play area and you are watching them, it is comforting for them to have a leash on and even dragging the ground. This gives them some sense of stability. Keeping them in a small area really helps them with security the first couple of weeks. They do not need to be taken all over the house. They are seeing, hearing, and smelling so many new and different things, this should occur both inside and out of door.

Psychological Needs

• Your puppy will need affection. This means special time with your puppy along with training and proper socialization. Your puppy has a sixteen week critical window where they can effectively be introduced to so many positives that they will remember the rest of their lives.  So keep going, as it is recommended that they meet over 100 people of all different sexes, sizes, colors, ages, some with glasses and other without, wheelchairs, walkers, canes, etc.

• Puppies need to be mentally stimulated. You can make sure you are properly mentally stimulating your dog by allowing him or her to work to earn resources, learning cues and self control through consistency and positive reinforcement training.

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• When puppy is in its crate or play pen, have toys that make the puppy work and play and get rewarded, such as Kong toys with kibbles inside, noise makers, cows hooves, but not toys that can be chewed up.  Also try to stay away from antlers as they can be to hard for the teeth and cause cracks.

• Puppies can also benefit from me time. They need to be in their special play area by themselves throughout the day or they will have trouble wanting to go to bed by themselves at night and possibly develop separation anxiety.