"Where happy Butterflies work:
Obedience, Rally Obedience & Therapy Dogs"

Your New Puppy....and what he Should Have

Congratulations! You've hopefully been paired with the puppy that is right for you.

While you are waiting to bring the puppy home, below is a list of essentials. The most important are indicated with a "*". Acquire these items before the puppy comes home,and you'll be more relaxed, not rushing around trying to find items!

Below the supply list is a Preparation Timetable to help you get ready for the puppy.

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Nutrition *

(I feed a variety. They do like variety!)

Purely Primitives from Teddy's Freezer (frozen natural food) Turkey, Chicken, or Lamb & other flavors! Horizon Pet Supply (Burien, WA)

Farmore frozen rolls: Beef, Turkey or Buffalo. My dogs love the Buffalo. Available from SmileyDog.

The following are availalbe at most Petco or Petsmart shops:

Natural Balance Organics, or Natural Balance Venison/Rice (kibble) Available at Petco

Nutro Natural Puppy, or (no wheat kibble) Most pet stores

Natural Balance 'chub' Turkey, Beef or Lamb Petco

Sensible Choice, Pedigree, or Purina (canned)

From the Grocery Store:

Raw Chicken wings or legs, & marrow bones Small ones for the first two years Grocery Stores (QFC is best for Draper Valley chicken). Also beef ribs (with lots of meat on them)

String Cheese, boiled boneless chicken breast (with garlic) - are Training treats,

* A note on nutrition: everyone will have their own favorite foods to recommend.

Most of these items can be had via mail -order from:

Dog Show Vendor: I recommend The 3-C's from Soap Lake, WA. Phone: 509-246-1451 They maintain a good selection, tons of items! They are at 99% of the Washington and Oregon dog shows.

Also try Petsmart, Petco, or KV Vet Supply.

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Your Preparation Timetable:

About three - four months before your puppy comes home: Start visiting training facilities and watching their puppy kindergarten classes. Take your time, talk to the trainer, and take home flyers (make notes about what you saw, while you're there. Was the trainer kindly and gentle; did puppies play together in appropriate size groups or not; was jerking and tugging advocated?) Feel free to speak with your breeder about training facilities, your feelings about a trainer/the class you watched.

About one month before the puppy is due to come home: Order his supplies, attend a dog show and pick up things you couldn't find via mail-order. This gives you time to re-order if you've forgotten something, or need to stretch it into two supply runs/purchases.

Two or three weeks before your puppy is due to come home: If he's old enough and had at least two vaccinations before coming home, reserve his space in puppy kindergarten at the training facility you've chosen

The week before your puppy is due to come home:

• Remove tags from toys, and place them in the puppy's 'toy box' (a cardboard container works just great)
• Place the bowl and food dish where you think you want them
• Place his kennel (where he'll sleep at night) where you think you want it
• Put up the exercise pen in a room where the family spends most of their time
• Hang the leads by the door
• Put his grooming items (comb, brushes, nail clippers) in a container where they'll be easy to reach when he's sitting with you
• Buy his food
• Make a veterinary appointment for a well-puppy check-up within a few days of coming home
• Relax, and contact the breeder with any further questions, inquire how your puppy is, and confirm the pick-up day and time.

After your puppy is home: Maintain contact with the breeder. Ask questions about the puppy's behavior, development, likes and dislikes, training problems. If you're close, meet with your breeder occasionally so they can see how the puppy is developing. Take this meeting time to gather knowledge, and assistance for training issues. :-)

If you're too far to meet occasionally, send photos or a video as the puppy grows up over the first year to year and half, of the puppy playing, trotting, and practicing obedience. You've no idea how much a video or photos that show off the puppy as he grows up can help guide a breeding program.

Breeders enjoy getting photos of your dog on a regular basis as he ages, and hearing how he's doing. Either for the dog's birthday, or at Christmas, send a card or letter with a few new recent photos to update the breeder.

But most of all -- LOVE your puppy. Spend TIME with your puppy. TRAIN your puppy.
Treat your puppy CARE and COMPASSION.
This all helps the puppy BOND with you.
 

Let your breeder know how the pup is doing, ask questions if you have them......