The Puppy Post

This weekend 10 labradoodle puppies went home with their new owners and a reader asked me to post some recommendations.

The most important decision you will make is selecting your dog's food. When picking out a dry food, pick one with meat as the very first ingredient. The more advertising you see for a brand the less likely I'd recommend to buy it as the common manufacturers tend to base their formulas on a lot of corn rather than quality. My top 3 dry food recommendations are:

1. Blue Buffalo - very good ingredients used. Although it's a bit more expensive it's worth it.

2. Orijen - mostly meat, no grains.

3. Nature's Variety - many different formulas that can be used in rotation so your dog isn't eating the same thing for his entire life.

A puppy's little body grows really fast and needs a consistent supply of energy and nutrients. For the first few months, you'll need to feed your puppy 3 times a day, so your puppy can get enough calories and not have digestive problems by eating too much in one meal. A scrambled egg can be a nice addition to the dog bowl a couple times a week.

Puppies will eat almost anything, as you will soon discover. Furniture, walls, dog toys, dog beds and even your arm are seen as chew toys. Prevent Aunt Myrtle's dining room chairs from being destroyed by investing in a few Kongs. The Kong is a hard rubber toy that you can stuff with treats, snacks or even a whole meal of kibble. Gnawing on the Kong is good for your dog's teeth and your furniture. It's also mentally stimulating for a dog to have something to chew on. (The Kong should be larger than your dog's ability to swallow, buy one that will accommodate your full grown dog.) Teach your dog to chew on appropriate toys by having plenty on hand and always within reach.

Because puppies are still curious about many foods, it's a good time to introduce some baby carrots and apples as snacks and treats. It's much healthier for your dog than a lot of snacks and easier on the waistline.

Since you are going to be doing plenty of training, and most of us use food as a reward, be careful about your choice of training treats. Although you're dog will like it, please don't use cheese. As an occasional Kong stuffing, a bit of cheese is okay, but cheese tends to cause some digestive havok in large doses and when you're training it's easy to over-cheese your dog. Cheerios (the non sweetened variety) are a great training treat, as is your dog's normal kibble.

Potty training is a big chore - but there are a few simple things you can do to improve the pace at which your dog learns:

• Every time your dog changes activities, there's an opportunity for an accident. So EVERY time your dog gets up from sleeping, take the dog outside. Every time you stop playing, your dog finishes a meal, or your snuggle session ends - take the dog outside.
• Go outside with the dog, even if you have a fenced yard. When your dog goes potty outside, you have to throw a party. Congratulate your dog, thank your dog, run around a little bit and play - be as excited as possible without worrying the neighbors. The more expressive and animated you are, the more likely it is that your dog will understand that they just did the best thing in the world and be willing to offer a repeat performance.
• Encourage your dog to go the bathroom by using the same phrase every time. Pick this phrase carefully because you'll be using it for the next 12 years, often in public. "Do your business" sounds a little better than "go the bathroom" when walking down the street. Tell your dog "do your business" once when you first go out, and once again while the business is happening. Avoid saying the phrase over and over because your dog may just think you're singing a pretty embarrassing song and not connect it to the actual act.
• Should your dog have an accident, don't punish the dog by rubbing it's nose in the offending spot. It doesn't do anything other than make your dog fear you. First rush your dog outside and try to get the dog to go again.

A few other training hints:

• Be very careful from weeks 8 to 12. This is a very important phase in your dog's development and the most likely where your dog will learn fear. Although your dog should be exposed to slightly loud or surprising noises like keys jingling or dishes being put away, try not to keep your dog from being frightened.
• Teach your dog to have a soft mouth, just like his littermates would - with a loud, high toned yipe when your dog bites too hard.
• A mother will often lick her puppy's ears to calm them down. When your dog is overly excited or frightened, try rubbing his ears to calm him down or nuzzle the ears lightly with your nose.
• Every once in a while, take a moment out of your day to feed your dog a meal by hand. Although it's a bit messy, it's a great bonding activity and teaches your dog to trust you around food.
• My favorite training book is by the Monks of New Skete: How to be Your Dog's Best Friend.

Best wishes to all the new puppy owners and their puppies. If you have any questions or would like a more detailed guide on choosing a dry food, please contact me.

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