This week is my last one with the puppies. By next Monday they will all have gone home with their families!
I love all of these puppies very much, and raising them has been an absolute pleasure. And to my puppy families… YOU have been such a pleasure and I’m so happy my puppies get to go home with each of you.
A few quick tips on their first days home:
- His/her first night might be lonely for them, so be patient. If you have another dog in the house (you know who you are ;)) that will help significantly, but if your puppy is alone in his crate he might whine and be sad. Simply bringing the crate close to you, on the floor or on a chair near the bed, and sweet talking to them will help to calm them down. Also if you make the bedding nice and fluffy they might not even notice their siblings aren’t there. 😉 If you don’t plan on letting them in bed with you every night, don’t cave and let them sleep with you the first night. Neither of you will have an easy time with the crate after that! (Trust me on this one…)
- The puppies eat once in the morning and once in the evening. They each eat about a quarter cup of dry food in a meal. If you want to sweeten the deal with a little buttermilk or broth a couple times in the beginning that will help them get used to eating alone. They’re currently eating a brand of food called Taste of the Wild, and I can send home a little sample bag with those who want to see what the bag looks like and/or slowly transition to a different diet.
- I have the puppies mostly trained to washable potty pads right now. The only downside is that they think every rug is a pee pad, so watch your puppy super closely or keep them in a rug-free area for a while. Again, if you let them run free at first, putting them in a confined area later will be very hard. Set good boundaries from the getgo and you’ll be happy later.
- One thing to keep in mind with your velcro-puppy is that they will want to come to YOU for everything. If they’re hungry, they’ll come to you. If they want to play, they’ll come to you. If they have to go potty, they’ll come to you. Learning to interpret why they’re coming to you is a huge part of the potty training hurdle. Keeping a potty pad by the door can be a good way to transition them to pottying outside all the time.
I’m taking all the puppies to the vet for their checkup this Wednesday, and then they will be ready to come home! When you get your puppy please keep in mind he/she will have had NO vaccinations yet. If you’re not familiar with why I don’t vaccinate when the puppies are young, feel free to check out my Philosophy page.
If I’ve forgotten anything please feel free to ask any questions you may have! I’m going to go enjoy my last week with this crew. 🙂
Dassah
I will really miss seeing these beautiful pups on FB and your website! It’s become a habit to come here every day. I loved visiting with you and them and look forward to the day I may be one of those parents coming to pick up. You have a beautiful spirit which I admire and appreciate. Thank you for sharing yourself with each of your pups and giving them a great start on an amazing life!! I know that a loving, wonderful companian starts with and is deeply rooted in these beginning days they spend with you. May God bless you for the time and love you give to each little pup as well as Zoe and Oliver.