WE FEED THE PUPPIES 4 TIMES PER DAY AT BREAKFAST, LUNCH, SUPPER AND BEFORE WE GO TO BED. WE USE PROPLAN PUPPY FOOD AND WE ALLOW THEM TO EAT WHAT THEY WANT IN A HALF HOUR PERIOD THEN PICK UP THE FOOD. AT FIRST WE SOFTEN THE DRY FOOD WITH A LITTLE WARM WATER BUT WE STOP ADDING WATER BY THE TIME THEY REACH 16 WEEKS OF AGE. WE DO ADD A LITTLE MEAT TO THE DRY FOOD IN THE FORM OF A HOMEMADE STEW OR CANNED PUPPY FOOD, THIS SHOULD NOT EXCEED 10% OF THE RATION OR IT WILL THROW OUT THE BALANCE. YOU CAN CUT BACK TO 3 MEALS A DAY AT 16 WEEKS AND 2 MEALS A DAY AT 6 MONTHS. IF THE PUPPY APPEARS TO BE GETTING FAT CUT BACK THE AMOUNT OF FOOD GIVEN AT EACH FEEDING AND YOU MAY START USING ADULT FOOD AT 6 MONTHS. YOU SHOULD CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM AT HOME AS A PUPPY’S DIGESTIVE SYSTEM CAN BE DELICATE. WE WOULD PREFER YOU CONTINUE ON PROPLAN BUT IF YOU CHOOSE TO FEED A DIFFERENT FOOD MAKE SURE IT IS A GOOD QUALITY PUPPY FOOD AND MAKE THE TRANSITION SLOWLY WATCHING THE STOOLS TO MAKE SURE THE CHANGE IS GOING WELL.

HOUSE BREAKING STARTS EARLY WITH YOUR DILIGENCE. DON’T EXPECT THE PUPPY TO BE ABLE TO HOLD IT IN THE EARLY STAGES. THEY ARE PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE OF HOLDING THEMSELVES BEFORE ABOUT 16 WEEKS (THIS VARIES WITH THE INDIVIDUAL). THE PUPPY WILL USUALLY COME PAPER TRAINED OR TRAINED TO USE WOOD SHAVINGS. WHEN YOU FIRST GET THE PUPPY HOME KEEP HIM IN AN ENCLOSED AREA. CHOOSE AN AREA WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE THE PUPPY TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, AND WHEN HE WAKES UP TAKE HIM TO THIS AREA, AFTER HE EATS TAKE HIM HERE, IF HE HASN’T DONE SOMETHING IN 2 HOURS TAKE HIM HERE AND WAIT !(PATIENTLY IF NECESSARY) UNTIL HE GOES HERE. THEN PRAISE HIM EXCESSIVELY, EXUBERENTLY, ETC, HE WILL SOON GET THE MESSAGE.

PUPPIES RECEIVE A SERIES OF THREE SHOTS. THE FIRST IS GIVEN BETWEEN 6 & 8 WEEKS, THE SECOND IS 4 WEEKS LATER AND THE THIRD IS AT 16 WEEKS. PUPPIES ARE STILL VULNERABLE TO THE DISEASES INNOCULATED AGAINST ESPECIALLY PARVOVIRUS UNTIL ABOUT 1 WEEK AFTER THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FINAL SHOT. DO NOT TAKE THE PUPPY TO PARKS, AROUND THE BLOCK OR TO ANY OTHER PLACE WHERE THEY MAY COME INTO CONTACT WITH STRANGE DOGS UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE RECEIVED ALL OF THEIR SHOTS.

ALLOW THE PUPPY TO HAVE FREE EXERCISE IN AN ENCLOSED YARD AS OFTEN AS IT DESIRES, IF HE APPEARS TO BE GETTING TIRED AFTER A PLAY SESSION DO NOT TRY TO KEEP IT GOING LONGER AND DO NOT DO ANY FORCED EXERCISE SUCH AS JOGGING UNTIL THE PUPPY IS AT LEAST 12 MONTHS OLD. DO NOT ALLOW THE PUPPY TO JUMP ON OR OFF OF ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER IT IS 12 MONTHS OLD. THESE ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO DAMAGE HIPS ESPECIALLY IN LARGE BREED PUPPIES.

DON’T LET YOUR PUPPY PLAY TUG OF WAR AS IT MAY RUIN HIS TEETH.

YOUR PUPPY IS CKC REGISTERED, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE PAPERS FROM THE CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB BUT THIS CAN TAKE UP TO 6 MONTHS.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU FIRST BRING YOUR PUPPY HOME IT WILL BE LIKE A NEW BABY IN THE HOUSE, IT NEEDS TO KNOW THAT IT IS WANTED AND LOVED BEFORE IT CAN ACCEPT OR UNDERSTAND DISCIPLINE. ALLOW IT TO SETTLE IN UNTIL IT IS HAPPY AND WELL ADJUSTED BEFORE STARTING YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM.