| Puppy Info |
Thank you for considering a Pinewood puppy! We hope that you would have many happy, healthy years with a new doggy
“family” member. Pinewood puppies come to you, healthy, happy and friendly and become very attached to “their” family.
Our puppies are born in our home and raised with our family with lots of love and attention. They are exposed to many
sights and sounds at an early age to help get them used to different things. Also they are introduced to other dogs and
people of different ages in the socializing process. Please remember though when you get your new puppy that there is an
adjustment period when the puppy is getting use to his new home and family (stress of travel, etc.) and being away from mom
and his/her littermates. Give the puppy a few days to settle in.
As mentioned above, our puppies are born in our home (living room). At about three-four weeks of age the smaller pups
(Cavaliers & Cavapoos) move to the puppy play pen in our dining/kitchen area. We have a small fenced area right outside
the dining room door for outside playtime also, as they get older. The Shepherd puppies are moved to a larger playpen in
our garage right off our laundry room with easy access to the house where they come explore. And they also enjoy romping
in their outdoor fenced in play yard.
Your puppy will be eating a quality puppy food twice a day. Instructions for feeding will come with him/her, adjust as needed
to keep him/her at a good healthy weight. This is a quality puppy food, but if you’d like to switch to a different brand, do it
gradually over a few days time as not to upset the puppy’s system.
Your puppy will have received his/her 1st puppy shot/shots depending on what age you get him/her. (You will get a health
record with this information.) The rabies vaccination can only be given by a licensed veterinarian and is usually given around 5
months. Spaying or neutering can probably be done around the same time if not soon after; micro chipping also. Check with
your veterinarian for recommended times. We can have your puppy micro chipped for you before it leaves by our veterinarian
for an additional charge. Just let us know you want that done.
Please be careful where you take your puppy! Just because he/she has had one or two shots, does not mean they are safe
from diseases. Not until about a week after the final vaccination at 16 weeks are they fully protected. Until then, I suggest
you don’t take the puppy to areas like the park or even walking around your own neighborhood. You never know where a
sick dog may have been and diseases like parvo-virus are deadly to unprotected puppies. If you do take the puppy out
somewhere, it’s safer to just carry them and not put them down on the ground or take them to a place you know is safe, as
this is also a crucial time for the puppy to be socialized and exposed to various stimuli. (An example would be a puppy class
where they have all been started on their vaccinations. It's a fine line. Use your good judgement on what you think is safe.
Your puppy will have been de-wormed with a couple different medications. This is no guarantee that he/she is parasite-
free, but we do what we can to keep him/her healthy. ( health record will have this information) Your veterinarian may
recommend a stool sample as many parasites can only be detected with a microscopic exam.
A dog crate is a wonderful training tool and also a comfortable get-away for your new puppy. It keeps the puppy safe while
you are not at home, it helps with the potty training process and is a safe and comfortable den for your puppy to sleep in at
night.
The first few nights may be a little noisy as your puppy whines for its littermates and mother. You can safely put your puppy
in his/her crate at night with a little bed and a familiar smelling toy or something. You might even cover the crate with a blanket
or towel. If the puppy cries, just tap on the crate and “shhhh” him/her. This may take a few times or a few nights. Each puppy
is different, but will eventually get used to sleeping in his/her own little place. Don’t be tempted to open the crate and take
the puppy out to comfort him/her when they fuss. If you do, the dog has just trained you to let him/her out when he whines.
Be consistent and the puppy will learn.
If you are home during the day, the potty training process will be probably more successful. Confine him/her to a small area
(crate) and be consistent to take the puppy out about every hour; especially after he/she has played, eaten or just woke up.
Praise the puppy when it does its job and take him in for some free time. If you catch the puppy in the very act of going potty
in the house, give him/her a stern “no” and rush him/her outside to finish. Don’t be tempted to spank the puppy and
PLEASE if he/she has an accident and you didn’t catch him/her in the very act, don’t take him back and rub his nose in it.
This is not effective or helpful for something that happened already. He doesn’t understand why you’re rubbing his nose in
it.
If you have to be gone from the home for an hour or two, confine him/her to his/her crate. Take the puppy out to potty
right before you leave and as soon as you get home. If you have to be gone all day, put him/her in a small safe area
(bathroom, laundry room, etc. preferably somewhere with any easy-to-clean floor-he’s just a baby and there will be
accidents) with his crate, water, food and litter-box. You can use a regular cat litter box or Rubbermaid type container.
Prepare this beforehand by adding some dry wood pellets (for wood stoves), and pour enough water on the pellets so they
fluff up, but are not soggy. Let them dry out. Now you have a clean area for your puppy to use while you are away.
This is what the puppy was exposed to here at Pinewood Kennels.
Leash training can start as soon as he/she adjusts to his/her home. Let the puppy wear a buckle type collar for a couple
days. Then try attaching a lightweight leash and let the puppy drag it around. Using treats to encourage him/her to walk with
you on the leash. Don’t leave him unattended with the leash attached and keep you training sessions short and fun.
I strongly recommend that you sign your puppy and yourself up for a basic obedience class once he/she has completed his
puppy shots. Having a dog that knows some obedience and has some basic manners is much more enjoyable to live with.
Check with your vet, local pet store or groomer for available classes. A note of caution; never, ever leave a choke chain
type collar on a dog. Dogs have died from getting caught on something and the collar tightens and chokes the dog. A buckle
type collar will not tighten and the dog may be able to slip out of it if hung up on something. Save the choke collars for
training and walks, if needed.
Puppies of course can be chewers and diggers. Make sure your puppy has safe toys and chewies to keep him/her busy. If
he/she happens to get something he/she shouldn’t (say a shoe that was left out), take it from him/her and give the puppy
something acceptable to chew on. Make sure there are not houseplants at his/her level either, as some can be poisonous.
Another word of caution; dogs should never be fed chocolate or grapes or raisins. These can be fatal! Also avoid such
foods as onions, and pork and if you like to add an egg to your dog’s food, please make sure it is cooked first.
Grooming your puppy will not take much time at all. You can use a soft, slicker type brush on his/her coat. A pin brush
works great for a puppy with longer hair. If you plan on having your puppy groomed, talk with your groomer about a good
time to get started with that. Bathing can be done when needed .Apply a bit of Vaseline along the lower eyelid and small
cotton balls in the ears before the bath to protect the eyes from soapsuds and avoid getting water in the ears. Tips of the
toenails should be trimmed with a pair on dog toenail trimmers weekly. (I actually use human fingernail trimmers when the
puppies are small) Your puppy has had this done several times. Another thing to get your puppy used to is having his/her
teeth cleaned. A small, soft toothbrush will work or you can use and old, thin washcloth wrapped around your finger. Dog
toothpaste is available or you can use a little baking soda with water made into a paste. Don’t use human toothpaste. Run
your brush or cloth along the gum line. Make the sessions short and reward with a treat afterwards. Getting your puppy
used to all this while he/she is young will make things a lot easier in the long run and keep him/her healthier too.
When you purchase your puppy he/she will come with a health guarantee and a new puppy packet, which will include the
health record with listed information on vaccinations and worm medicine used, new puppy information and a sample of the
food he/she is eating. Plus our continued help and advice as you raise your new family member. We love when our puppy
owners send us happy reports and pictures of the fun they are having with their puppy that we can share with others on our
website or feel free to post them yourself on our page.
If you decide on a Pinewood Kennels puppy, we wish you many happy, healthy years with your puppy. May you make many
wonderful memories together. But please know that a puppy needs lots of time and attention and wants to be part of your
family. They don't want to be just left out in your backyard. If you don't have that time to dedicate to him/her, maybe a
goldfish would be a better choice:)
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| Some people have their minds made up as to whether they want a male or female, but if you're undecided let me share a quote that I got from a good friend. "A female dog loves you, but a male dog is 'in love' with you. You own a female dog, but a male dog owns you." |