“Your new puppy!” My pick up day speech.

It has come to my attention that the long winded puppy speech I give on puppy pick up day can sometimes be forgotten due to excitement, I know crazy right? Who gets excited about a puppy? 🤦🏻‍♀️Anyway so I thought I’d do my best to put a copy here where you can always reference It but on the day of I do like to free style so here goes! 

Fooey & your Vet : 

First. There is a very important song I like everyone to learn :

“Everything comes down to poo and it’s true!” you may recognize It from JD in Scrubs (if not check It out https://youtu.be/jsVgi8hoFFc. 😂). Puppies can be very sensitive to stress and manifest this is a physical manner meaning a new home, new family, new food all of these things can have an effect causing runny, loose sometimes even a little bit of blood in your new pals poo but this is not always something to be concerned with. When bringing a new puppy home I keep in mind the 3 P’s : 

Poo

Personality

Phood & Drink

(I know bare with me, 2 p’s and an f isn’t as catchy) 

So for example runny poop but personality is playful and happy and they eat and drink food when offered then it’s probably just some stress manifesting itself, that being said still

Monitor your pup closely those first few days. 

Another cause of running or yucky poop can be what I call “opportunistic tummy bugs” things like hookworms, giardia, coccidia and more can be present in a pups belly yet show no signs but when their immune system is weakened due to the stress of a new home all the sudden these little bugs are awake and ready to cause harm, this is why we recommend nay! demand a vet visit within 3 DAYS. This way you can not only begin a relationship between you your vet and your new puppy but also to plan a unique care plan for your pup that is unique to your area (this is important for not over vaccinating). In addition to relatively harmless bugs that respond well to treatment there are also more severe and dangerous bugs out there so again, within 3 days go to your vet and help plan the best future for your baby 🥰

**With fleas on a crazy rise (seriously everyone has seen a crazy boost of their presence!) that means tape worms to are on the rise so it’s VERY important to stay regular on your worming! 

The public : 

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT SO LISTEN UP! 

I know a new puppy is exciting and the first thing you want to do is show him or her off at petsmart or the dog park but your new puppie’s immune system is not strong enough yet to handle the amount of bacteria, parasites and so many other yucky things grown dogs track in by the droves to these public places. Things like Parvo can be carried by a healthy older dog and devastating to a young puppy, keeping up on your vaccine schedule is important but safe guarding your puppy from the outside dirty world is vital until they can protect themselves from the inside out. Another hot spot zone is a place you won’t consider to be a danger zone... your vets office, after all, what do you bring to the vet? Sick dogs. When visiting your vet the first few times your puppy needs to be held, in a crate or on a towel you brought from home, you can NEVER BE TO CAREFUL! 

Vaccinations : 

Despite popular belief 1 or 2 or even 3 vaccines does not mean your puppy is protected. Vaccines are given in a series because you are looking for that window when mothers protection does not invalidate the vaccine, speak to your vet to better understand how to protect your puppy. 

Worming : 

Puppies are kept on a strict bi weekly worming system since 2 weeks old. Puppies and dogs are host to any number of parasites at any given time so it’s important to stay a head of the curve. They will need to stay on a regular worming schedule until their bodies are grown and strong enough to handle any intruders in their own.

Food : 

In order to help with the transition we have provided you with some of the food your puppy has been eating, quick switches to new food can cause upset tummy, yucky poos and more so it’s important you transition them slowly. We recommend starting this process on day 2, day 1 is stressful enough. 

Our puppies are raised on Pawtree “real chicken & oatmeal recipe” because we feel this brand carries the same values we do when It comes to our pup’s. If you are searching for a forever food please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or to check out their website and philosophies https://shop.pawtree.com/Kattmack/productand we also have some information on our website and in your puppy bags 😉. On pick up day we provide enough food for a couple days but strongly suggest you order a bag to continue feeding pawtree at least 1 week in advance of pick up :). 

Our puppy feeding schedule : 

8-8:30 am breakfast 

12-12:30 pm lunch 

8-8:30 pm dinner 

As for the amount give them all they want (at least until you learn how much they on average eat) and when they finish, pick the left overs up and take away. This is important to teach their bodies how to properly digest and form those lovely solid poops 💩. Talk to your vet on when to change your puppies feeding schedule (3 times down to 2)  

Training : 

As Clinton Anderson (or some other horse trainer 🙈🙈)  says “Start right stay right” even tho this is in reference to horses 🐎It applies to your new puppy too. Take the time to get to know each other, learning slowly and not angrily. If you put your pup in a kennel all day chances are he/she is going to be a maladjusted adult. If you want a great dog then you have to start young, they are not made over night! 

Treats : 

I know you love your pup and there for want to give he/she what they love BUT think of them in reference to your own body, would you feed yourself a few candy bars daily cause you really like them? No so don’t over feed your pup treats just cause they tell you with those big sad eyes they really “need” another treat as well as pups should mostly have good nutritious food and not fill up on treats while young and growing. The favorite treats we feed around here are raw sweet potatoes, not enough to mess with their regular digestive system but they love the sweet and the crunch 🥰and of course paw tree freeze dried goodness 🥰🥰. 

Toys : 

It’s important to think about durability with your toys. Hard rubber balls are our go to because they are the hardest to destroy. Toys with stuffing turns into to snow and probably that squeaker is swallowed, rope toys again can be swallowed and NEVER give raw hide, they may love chewing on it but the chemicals used to make It are bad news! A good alternative are bully sticks but not until they are proper age 😉. Long chews can help maintain healthy teeth and gums! 

Potty training : 

Puppies have been started on a “shavings system” which starts them thinking about potting in a certain area and not just anywhere, tho they are bound to make some mistakes 🙈🙈potty pads can be substituted for shavings 😉. 

Commonly asked questions : 

1. Yes their sharp puppy teeth and claws will eventually not be so dangerous. 
2. Yes you can text, email, message us with any questions or concerns but we are not a replacement for a Vet. 
3. Harness’s are preference to collars for leash training 
4. Yes you can give other treats then sweet potatoes or pawtree freeze dried treats just make sure you read into the ingredients
5. Food transition. First night 100% current food. Next night 25% new 75% old. Next night 50% new 50% old. This is not set in stone, your pup will tell you what he or she wants to eat as well as how their system is reacting. 
6. Why do we do our vaccinations and worming from home? We try and limit any and all exposure to the outside world so that when your baby comes home he/she is happy and healthy.