Bringing Home My New Puppy

There is no doubt that owning a dog is one of the greatest privileges that any person can have. Dogs are loyal, friendly, and funny and they provide people of all ages the opportunities to learn and grow. They don't care how rich we are; how pretty or successful we are or; how many friends we have. Dogs love us for who we are not what we have.

However, bringing a new puppy home can be fraught with lots of challenges that many people are not prepared for. This guide was put together to offer assistance, tips and encouragement to any one who has just picked up their new puppy or who is just about to.

Before Puppy Comes Home: Creating a Puppy Proof Environment

Think: where do I want my puppy to sleep when he's grown up?
Puppies are all cute and soft and it's fun to have them sleep on our beds, but if your puppy is going to grow to a medium or large size dog is there enough room for him on the bed or even in your room? Start where you mean to end when it comes to sleeping arrangements. It will be much better for you and your puppy in the long run. The laundry, bathroom or a warm place outside are all good places to settle your puppy in.

If you have time, take an old t-shirt or other piece of clothing with you when you are purchasing your puppy. Leave it with the puppy until it is old enough to leave its family. This way it will be very familiar with your smell and be more settled when you bring it home.

Set up an area where you want your puppy to sleep and place his mat or bed there. Make sure there is somewhere to go to the toilet that is farthest away from his sleeping area - dogs don't like to go to the toilet near their beds. Make sure there is room for a food bowl and a water bowl. Place a piece of old clothing, blankets and old towels in his bed. This will give your puppy something to snuggle into. Put newspaper down or you can purchase toilet training mats from your local pet store. Don't leave anything in this place that your puppy can chew or tear up that you don't want them to.

Also have plenty of food ready before you bring your puppy home. Check with the breeder or store where you are buying him from and purchase the same brand. Don't change your puppy's diet straight away as it may give him diarrhoea and cause him to become ill. You can give your puppy milk but make sure it is lactose free and not normal cow's milk because it may upset his stomach. Puppies don't need milk in their diet after they've left their mothers; water is very good for them.

Also buy some fun and long lasting toys for your puppy. Only purchase professionally toys made puppies. Cheap toys can pose choking problems or can damage your puppy's new teeth. Wrap up the toys in an old t-shirt that you have worn; this will put your smell on them and make them more attractive to your puppy.
You should also buy your puppy's first collar and leash and get him used to wearing it as soon as possible. Puppy collars and leashes are made from light weight material so they don't irritate your puppy too much.


The Day Your Puppy Comes Home:

Try to bring your puppy home when there is plenty of daylight because you will need to spend time settling your puppy into his new home. Take your puppy to the place where you want him to sleep. Give him some food and water. Don't worry if he won't eat, it is common for puppies to go off their food when they are adjusting to a new home.

Take your puppy outside and let him explore his new back yard. Use a high pitched voice to call him to you and use his name also. You should start training your puppy straight away in all types of obedience skills and tricks. Getting your puppy to come to his name will be very difficult if you leave it until he is a few months old so it is best to start now.

Remember your puppy is still a baby and needs lots of rest. Allow children to play with him but not too much. If he begins to look tired, but him in his bed and leave him to rest.

What should I do when my puppy starts crying?

It is natural for your puppy to begin to feel alone and sad the first few nights he has come to his new home. Everything will appear strange and new to him and he will miss his family. You need to teach your puppy that it is OK for him to be on his own. This is called independence training and it is very important to start this straight away so when you do have to go to school or work, your puppy will be happy to left on his own.
If your puppy starts to cry for attention whether it is the middle of the night or during the day, it is very important that you do not open the door or pick him up. The best, but most difficult, thing to do is to leave your puppy crying and let him learn that you will spend time with him in the morning or when it suits you. It may take several days and nights for your puppy to learn this but in the long term it is the best approach.
If you can't wait until morning you can open the door only when he is quiet. This way he will learn that he will get attention when he is quiet not when he is making a lot of noise. A few seconds is a long time for a small puppy so you can go to him, when he has been quiet for only 10 or 20 seconds. It may seem funny, but it is best to stand outside the door and wait for those few seconds of silence before going to him.

When should I start socializing my puppy?

You should take your puppy out and straight away and start introducing him to the world. Check with your veterinarian about possible diseases but as long as your puppy has been vaccinated he should be fine to go out and meet as many different people, dogs, animals and things as possible.

When should I start training my puppy?

Start training your puppy the day you get him home. Training just doesn't mean teaching him to sit, drop or stay. It involves lots of other things. It is important that he doesn't learn to jump up on people; that he doesn't bolt out of the car when you open the doors and many more things. You can choose to go to an obedience or agility club or you can train your puppy yourself.

Remember: when training your puppy always give your puppy the opportunity to correct his behaviour and do the right thing. It is up to you to teach him what is acceptable and what is not. Reward acceptable behaviour; discourage unacceptable behaviour by using loud unpleasant noises, withdrawal of attention or treats or leaving your puppy on its own. Never hit or strike your puppy; you will only be teaching him that violence is an acceptable behaviour in your pack and he may use it on other pack members or friends including children.

Checklist:

Old towels, blankets, puppy bed or mat; toilet training mats or newspaper; suitable puppy toys; puppy collar and leash; puppy food; information about training; my local veterinarian's contact details, my local dog training centres.

Puppy Training - Biting - The Steps You Need to Take

One of the biggest challenges that new puppy owners face with their puppy training is the puppy training biting stage. It is one of the most worrying parts of having a puppy especially if you have children. Before we get into the basic steps of how to stop biting puppies we need to understand about your puppy's behaviour.
Why do puppies bite?

When puppies are born they explore the world through their eyes, ears, sense of smell and unfortunately their teeth.

When puppies are in the nest for the first couple of weeks they will start to develop their senses. They will start to play with the other puppies and will start playing with the other puppy's chasing, rolling over each other and biting each other. They want to be number one in the pack and this is a way of getting to the top, but if the puppy gets to boisterous the mum will tell them off.

So you are now his mum and it's your job to reprimand him.

When your new puppy arrives at your home he is now part of your pack. He wants to pick up anything that smells and looks good and he will want to give it a good chew. The problems start when your puppy decides that your fingers fall into this category. This is play biting and we need to stop this behaviour.

If you have children you will need to sit down with them and teach them what they need to do. When puppies bite a child, the child will usually pull away from your puppy and he will think it's a game, the more the child pulls the harder the puppy will hold and the more fun your puppy will have.

Up until the age of around 4 months your puppy will have his milk teeth. These teeth are little needles they will not do much damage at this age but as he gets older his teeth will get bigger and you will feel it. So we now understand why are puppies bites so let's start with are Puppy training biting.

Let's start with your Puppy Training Biting.

One of simplest ways to stop your puppy biting is to bellow "ouch" in a deep gruff voice. This will surprise him and in most cases he will release his grip.

As soon as he lets go offer him a toy, he will learn that he is allowed to bite his toys. Let him chew the toy for a few minutes, then take it from him using the command "give".

You must remember not to get angry with your puppy. You may feel concerned that your puppy biting is a sign of a poor temperament. Your puppy's behaviour is instinctive and it will be your job to teach your puppy that biting is not acceptable if he wants to be part of your pack.

Training your new lab puppy to take toys and treats gently is a great way of controlling his behaviour. This way your puppy will learn how behave in the way that you want him to. If he's good he will get a treat and praise.

Puppy Training Biting next step.

Start off with offering your new puppy a treat. If your puppy tries to grab it, close your hand and use the command "gently".

Offer the treat again; if the puppy tries to grab it again close your hand again.
When your puppy shows an improvement reward him with the treat.

Try this several times a day, withholding the treat until your puppy starts to take it nicely.One of the biggest challenges that new puppy owners face with their puppy training is the puppy training biting stage. It is one of the most worrying parts of having a puppy especially if you have children. Before we get into the basic steps of how to stop biting puppies we need to understand about your puppy's behaviour.

Why do puppies bite?

When puppies are born they explore the world through their eyes, ears, sense of smell and unfortunately their teeth.

When puppies are in the nest for the first couple of weeks they will start to develop their senses. They will start to play with the other puppies and will start playing with the other puppy's chasing, rolling over each other and biting each other. They want to be number one in the pack and this is a way of getting to the top, but if the puppy gets to boisterous the mum will tell them off.

So you are now his mum and it's your job to reprimand him.

When your new puppy arrives at your home he is now part of your pack. He wants to pick up anything that smells and looks good and he will want to give it a good chew. The problems start when your puppy decides that your fingers fall into this category. This is play biting and we need to stop this behaviour.

If you have children you will need to sit down with them and teach them what they need to do. When puppies bite a child, the child will usually pull away from your puppy and he will think it's a game, the more the child pulls the harder the puppy will hold and the more fun your puppy will have.

Up until the age of around 4 months your puppy will have his milk teeth. These teeth are little needles they will not do much damage at this age but as he gets older his teeth will get bigger and you will feel it. So we now understand why are puppies bites so let's start with are Puppy training biting.

Let's start with your Puppy Training Biting.

One of simplest ways to stop your puppy biting is to bellow "ouch" in a deep gruff voice. This will surprise him and in most cases he will release his grip.

As soon as he lets go offer him a toy, he will learn that he is allowed to bite his toys. Let him chew the toy for a few minutes, then take it from him using the command "give".

You must remember not to get angry with your puppy. You may feel concerned that your puppy biting is a sign of a poor temperament. Your puppy's behaviour is instinctive and it will be your job to teach your puppy that biting is not acceptable if he wants to be part of your pack.

Training your new lab puppy to take toys and treats gently is a great way of controlling his behaviour. This way your puppy will learn how behave in the way that you want him to. If he's good he will get a treat and praise.

Puppy Training Biting next step.

Start off with offering your new puppy a treat. If your puppy tries to grab it, close your hand and use the command "gently".

Offer the treat again; if the puppy tries to grab it again close your hand again.
When your puppy shows an improvement reward him with the treat.
Try this several times a day, withholding the treat until your puppy starts to take it nicely.

Dog Training Tips - How to Train a Puppy - the 10 Most Important Principles

Training Your Puppy

How to train a puppy is one of the most common questions raised by new dog owners. You have just brought this new creature into your lives and before too long you realise that unless you do something about it, his boisterous, carefree puppy ways are going to turn into a real headache when he is five times his current size and weight.

With that in mind, the following are what I consider the ten most important principles to take into account when training a puppy.

The Ten Principles of Puppy Training

Beginning Training

1. Utilise the first three months of the puppy's life to shape the puppy's behaviour. This time should be spent teaching the puppy where it can and can't go in your house, getting the puppy into a routine so that it knows its boundaries and potty training the puppy.

2. Don't start formal obedience training with your puppy until it has reached at least three months of age. Your puppy goes through drastic change during his first three months where the central nervous system is developing. A puppy will not be able to understand or cope with formal obedience training before then.

3. When you do start formal obedience sessions at three months of age do not make the sessions any longer than four to five minutes long. Break the sessions up so that your puppy never becomes bored and ensure that you make the sessions happy so that your puppy is left wanting more. This is crucial.

The most important commands

4. At 3 months of age concentrate on the three most important commands, 'down', 'stay' and the command that I consider is by far the most important-'come'. (The come command is crucial, it can save your dogs life). The way to introduce these commands is as follows: "When ever your dog sits or goes into the down position on its own free will, simply state the command 'sit' or 'down' to coincide with the action". Likewise, when ever you walk away from your puppy and want the puppy to remain where it is, simply state the command 'stay'.

You can even do this before the puppy is 3 months old because you are not putting any pressure on the puppy. When the puppy is 3 months old it will then be ready to associate the command with the action in formal obedience sessions.

Praising and Rewarding the Puppy

5. Never yell at, hit, punish or scold your puppy during obedience sessions, this will only hinder your puppy's learning by having a negative effect on his confidence. Instead concentrate on positive reinforcement i.e. giving praise and/or a reward for completing the command. If the puppy does not do as you wish, simply withhold the praise and/or reward and move on.

6. Use food rewards 100% of the time when you start formal obedience sessions with your puppy. However, slowly withdraw them to around one reward for every twenty commands over the coming six months. That way your puppy will always be motivated because he will never know when the next reward is coming and he will be looking for it.

The two steps forward-one step back Principle

7. Do not make each training session progressively longer and harder for your puppy. Concentrate on the 'two steps forward -one step back' principle. This means, progress over two training sessions, then regress and make it easier on the third session. For example, you are teaching your puppy the 'stay' command. On Monday you have your pup stay for twenty seconds, five metres away from you, Tuesday thirty seconds seven metres from you and Wednesday forty seconds ten metres from you and so on. When you consistently progress like this you are de-motivating your puppy by making it harder for him every time that you teach the command. The correct way to go about this would be as above for Monday and Tuesday, however on Wednesday take the exercise back to fifteen seconds at three metres. Then progress again on the following day.

The Retrieve

8. When ever your puppy brings an item such as a ball, stick or any toy to you, do not immediately reach for the item. Instead pat the puppy on any part of his body except his head and ignore the item at first. If you immediately reach for items that your puppy brings to you, he will always feel threatened when ever he has an item in his mouth. This will hinder progress with retrieve exercises and even with games such as retrieve with a ball or stick.

The Collar and Lead

9. During the first three months familiarise your puppy with the lead and collar. Do this by introducing the collar first. Show the puppy the collar and let him smell and investigate it before you place it on him. Do this in a positive environment, for instance when you are outside playing with the puppy. After he has investigated it, simply place the collar on the puppy with minimal fuss, give a food reward so that the puppy has a positive association with the collar and continue playing with the puppy as if nothing has happened. If the puppy becomes distracted and starts pawing at the collar etc. distract the puppy with a toy or food item to take his mind off the collar. Very soon, your puppy will have forgotten that the collar is there. After two to three days of wearing the collar, introduce the lead. Again, do this under positive circumstances. Allow the puppy to investigate it and then clip it onto the collar then give a food reward. Allow the puppy to run around an area where he cannot get tangled, with the lead dragging behind him on the ground for around five to ten minutes. Extend this to around thirty minutes over the following week and then start picking up the lead for short periods while slowly walking around with the puppy following you.

Enjoy your Puppy

10. Lastly remember to enjoy your puppy. Make learning as stress free as possible. Accept that when you are training a puppy that things will go wrong and when they do move on with minimal fuss. Obedience Training is your responsibility as a dog owner. It is well worth the time and effort because the result is a companion that is always under your control and a pleasure to be around.

Nick Wilson is an author, a former Police Dog Handler, and the owner of K9Koncepts, based in New Plymouth, New Zealand. He focuses on teaching owners how to train their dogs with a simple and forthright approach. He also specialises in teaching owners how to overcome issues with problem dogs, and helps them understand the importance of the Canine Dominance hierarchy in dog training. You can obtain his free report Canine Dominance and the Five Key Factors to Dog Training from http://www.train-your-K9.com/ If you really want to understand canine dominace in more detail, and how it effects dog training, then his recently authored e-book "Train Your K9" is also available from the site.

Puppy Whisperer: A Compassionate, Non Violent Guide to Early Training and Care

"I've known Paul personally for many years and have faithfully followed his training advice with wonderful results. I can't recommend him highly enough." -Jeff Probst, host of Survivor
Following the success of his book The Dog Whisperer, Paul Owens turns his attention to puppies. In The Puppy Whisperer, Owens and his protoge Terence Cranendonk offer a compassionate step-by-step guide to all things puppy, including how to:

• Evaluate temperament
  
• Choose the right pup personality for your family
  
• Monitor diet, play, and exercise
  
• Train and problem solve
  
• Provide early socialization and positive training
  
• Potty train, step-by-step
  
• Ensure safety and health care, including the latest on vaccinations

Puppies can be a lot of work, but they can also be a furry bundle of joy. If youíre thinking of bringing a puppy into your home, The Puppy Whisperer is your must-have guide.
Price: $14.95
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Choosing The Right Puppy - The Definitive Do's And Don'ts

So you want a Puppy! Do the entire family buy into this idea? Experience has shown that if one or more are against a pet, then bringing an animal into that environment can cause considerable family friction and stress.

Have you weighed up the financial and time implications, these can be considerable, owning a dog is a serious commitment and should never be taken lightly.

You should take into consideration your health, age, and overall time constraints, do you want an active or sedentary animal? Some dogs demand and require almost constant attention, lots of exercise and mental stimulation. Others are more laid back; therefore you need to research which dog will suit your family's outlook and lifestyle that includes living arrangements. For instance if you live in a flat and had limited time, a Border Collie or Springer Spaniel type dog would be madness, and would most probably lead to serious behavioural difficulties. Not only for the dog!

Lots of people buy a dog because they like the look of them, ie for aesthetic reasons, without taking into account the needs and temperament of that breed. You need to research both the positive and the negative side of your chosen breed and make sure what you are looking for is suitable for your environment and lifestyle. Make sure you have fully decided on the breed before you start looking for your new addition to the family

PUPPIES: WHERE TO BUY

If you have decided on a Puppy then there are some fundamental things you must do and some places you should never buy from, and rules that you must adhere to whatever the breeder or seller tells you.

Rule 1. Never ever buy a Puppy from anywhere or anyone without being able to see at least one or preferably both the parents. There are places called Puppy Farms that are absolutely deplorable. Just look at this link for more information and to report a potential puppy farmed dog. http://www.puppywatch.org.uk The puppies from these farms normally have major problems throughout their lives. This is caused mainly through poor breeding, bad sanitation, cheap food etc, and are generally taken from their mother and siblings far too early causing socialisation problems with people and other dogs.

Do not let the word Farm give you the wrong impression. It may not be a farm but kennels that are clear, airy, and bright, and on the face of it look like a professional establishment. If you cannot meet at least one parent or their are lots of different breeds of pups then do not even consider buying a puppy you will live to regret it.

Quite often they will buy the whole litter at say £45 from puppy farms in Ireland or Wales then sell then on to you at £450.00 complete with bogus pedigree certification.

Rule 2. Never buy a puppy from a pet shop or any other similar outlet; other animals are OK but not Dogs. You could be supporting the horrific trade in puppy-farmed dogs. I have even seen pups being sold at car boot sales.

Rule 3. Never buy on impulse or because you feel sorry for a frightened or timid puppy.

Rule 4. Never take the word of a breeder or any seller who says you cannot meet any of the parents, or they skirt your questions re the parents. The excuses commonly used are the mothers ill or not available or at friends or they are selling a pup for someone else.

Rule 5. Do not automatically believe that your dog is a pedigree. Just because they have supplied a certificate, especially if parents cannot be seen, some of these certificates are not worth the cheap paper they are printed on. I have a puppy at my classes at the time of writing this, with a full pedigree certificate, sold as a Cocker Spaniel yet it is clearly and without any shadow of a doubt an English Springer Spaniel.

Rule 6. Unless you are an experienced handler/dog owner then do not pick the puppy that bounds up to you and pushes all the others out the way in it's haste to get at you. This is normally the most dominant of the litter. Do not also go to the other end of the scale and pick the runt or the frightened one, because you feel sorry for it, you are taking on a whole heap of problems if you do, the majority of all dog attacks are based on fear not aggression. You are far better off picking a pup from the middle rankings. The breeder if worth their salt, should be able to advise you on this. Alternatively you can employ a behaviourist or specialist who can assess the pups using specialised puppy assessment tests.

Rule 7. If you looking for puppies do not automatically think that if you go through the Kennel Club route that those dogs and breeders have all been personally checked or vetted by that organisation. This is not the case though an excellent and well meaning establishment, they really do not have the facilities nor the ability or time to check the credentials or bona fide of all the breeders on their books.

You may be better to go to the breed clubs of the type of dog you are looking for, as they generally know each individual professional breeder, and respect each other ethics and work. Contact the secretaries and they should be able to point you in the direction of available quality pups.

CHOOSING THE PUPPY AND TAKING IT HOME

You have now set out what you want and where to buy it from. I would recommend you visit the puppies at the very least twice, at 4/5 weeks and again when you pick up the pup. The best age to take the puppy home is 7 weeks see my Psychological Changes in a Puppies Growth. NEVER ever accept a puppy less than 7 weeks of age, it is vitally important they are with their mother and siblings up to this age, and puppies over twelve weeks should be avoided if possible, however this would depend on where they are kept, ie, if they are kept in a house not in a kennel outside without human contact, if it is a loving home with plenty of contact with the breeders family then it can be considered.

Check the appearance of the mother and puppies. Do they appear healthy; eyes clear and bright, free of any discharge? Are their coats shiny? If possible get confirmation of the eye and hip scores of both the mother and the father. If the breeder allows you, always stroke and fuss the parents, check their temperament, look for signs of aggression, fearfulness, nervousness, or 'Neurotic' symptoms such as chewing feet, tail, or skin damage, are the dogs pacing etc. This is especially important in the mother, as the puppies are in close contact with her. It has been shown that, it is the mother that shapes the behavioural future of the offspring, genetics may load the gun but environment fires it.

Make sure you handle the puppies if they become distressed or shy away this could mean that they have not been properly socialised. If the puppies have been socialised correctly, then they will adapt and accept situations that are potentially stressful. You should then end up with a happy well-balanced dog in maturity.

Before bringing your new dog home, make sure your garden is 'Safe & Secure'. Purchase a collar, lead, bowls, and dog tag with name address and telephone (law max £5000 fine) bed, toys and treats etc, check with the breeder what she is feeding the pups, a good breeder will supply you with some food and give you a feeding chart. Leave a small blanket or towel on your first visit, so that it gets the mother and the litter smell on it, this should provide some comfort in the first week or so at home. Check with other dog owners as to the best Vet in your area. If you live near me check on the local links section, as I have recommended what I believe to be the best Vets in our area.

When you pick up the pup take a crate/indoor kennel or a cardboard box with you and line it with newspaper, take spare newspaper with you as the pup may be sick and will almost certainly urinate and defecate on the journey, especially if it is any distance.

When you get home place the bed or crate near somewhere warm, if you are using a crate and I heartily endorse them, cover the crate with a blanket or sheet to make it more den like introduce the puppy to the crate gradually and positively, see my article on Toileting With a Crate.

If you have a loud ticking clock put this near the bed or crate, you can also put in a hot water bottle; it mimics the mothers and siblings heat and the tick of the clock the heartbeats, leave a radio on in another room, make sure it is tuned into a talk not a music station. 97.3 LBC is my favourite and the one I choose every time. Not sure about what the pup thinks though?

If the puppy continues to get distressed you can take it into your bedroom, though I would only normally advise this when using a crate/indoor kennel as you can gradually move this away over a period of time, once the puppy has settled in. You can also put in a hot water bottle; this will mimic the heat from the mother and siblings over the first few nights. Make sure it is well covered or you may get a very wet bed/crate.

Your new puppy will needs lots of sleep, just like a human baby so too much interference in this pattern will be detrimental, rough handling by children or adults could affect the behaviour and attitude of your new puppy, and could have a long lasting effect as the dog matures. However not enough contact and gentle handling will also have a negative effect on your dog, finding the right balance is of vital importance.

A puppy can be an absolute joy or an unmitigated nightmare, which one you get, can be affected by the effort you initially put into your research, decisions, training and ongoing socialisation. It is vitally important to book your puppy into a good socialisation class, make sure that they do not have more than 8/10 dogs in any one class and that the pups at the start of the course are not over 18 weeks old, and the trainers do not allow the puppies to just jump on one another at the start of the class, integration of the puppies in the class should be careful and slow to avoid problems and long term bad manners in later life.

Puppies need lots of time, care and patience. Follow the above guidelines and your efforts will be positively rewarded with what I personally believe is the best companion in the world. "A Dog".

Stan Rawlinson Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly and K9 Magazine and Shooting Times.

He is also the founder member of PAACT The Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers.

http://www.doglistener.co.uk

enquiries@doglistener.co.uk

http://www.paact.co.uk

The Perfect Puppy: How to Raise a Well-Behaved Dog

Aims to teach owners to bring up a puppy to be well-behaved, friendly and happy. The book deals exclusively with raising a puppy and promotes good, responsible ownership aiming to prevent problems in adult dogs.

Price: $12.99

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Puppy Cerelac - The One-Stop Solution For Successful Parenting

Dog lovers across the globe have always been very responsible to their dogs. But this is not the case for all. Whether it comes from real irresponsibility or due to the lack of awareness, many people are still following the wrong track as far as food and nutrition are concerned. Many people can't even think that what they are feeding their puppies are mostly good for nothing stuff. People have always wanted to give their puppies the highest quality of stuff but have many a times turned out to be utter flop, leaving the puppy health prone to many diseases. This mostly happens due to the want to proper knowledge regarding puppy health and nutrition.

General people are not scientists, nor nutritionists. Nor it is always possible for people to scoop time out of their busy schedule and start studying about canine nutrition and health related issues. People widely use the cerelac that are used for human babies. Remember, dogs are entirely different animals; they have different food habits; they require different kind of nutrition for proper growth. Foods that are good for human babies may not be completely helpful for puppies. However, a few - very few people have gathered the knowledge about the puppy care, food and nutrition. All that is possible is to get some real good tips on puppy feeding, nutrition and puppy health care. That saves a lot of time for them and if followed correctly, will yeild good result. Here are some guidelines for those busy people, who are real dog lovers and are looking for general guidelines regarding puppy care, and nutritional food for puppies.

The best but shortest answer is that your puppies need good food. Now the question is what actually the term 'Good Food' refers to? Well, it means nutritional food. Now, it may again sound quite vague to you, because you may need to know what 'Nutritional Food' actually contains. Nutritional Food refers to a perfectly balanced diet that ensures the proper growth rate and develops the right degree of immunity. Puppy cerelac has proved to be the best diet for puppies, because it promotes the optimum growth. Puppy cerelac are very much different from the cerelac that are used for human babies, because the puppy cerelac is composed of all the necessary requirements for the puppies' optimum growth. The food is made up of high quality cereals, dosed with all the most significant minerals, vitamins, trace elements, amino acids and protein in right proportion, so as to make it a perfectly balanced diet for your lovely little pooch. And guess what? The puppy cerelac is also a very delicious food that the most odorable pooch of your family will never loath to eat.

The ingredients of the puppy cerelac are wheat flour , rice, milk, all essential minerals, multivitamins, amino acids and choline chloride. Remember that its just a starting point of your relationship with your dog and feed him the right food (highly nutritious puppy food) is the best way to strengthen your relationship. Just show how much you love your dog. Give your puppy the puppy cerelac and discover the fun of accepting the challenge of parenting.

Why puppy cerelac and not the home made diets?

Why the most successful canine nutritionists always recommend the high quality puppy food to puppies instead of traditional human diet. The truth is revealed right here; its not a myth! With the already-made puppy food the owners have have to do nothing but to serve it right into the puppy's bowl. But that is not amongst the salient reasons... its only one of those many reasons why people tend to shift to the ready-made puppy food from home made foods. Main thing is the what benefits does a puppy get by eating puppy cerelac.

High quality cereal: The high quality cereals that are used in the puppy cerelac helps formation and retention of calcium, which is of prime significance as far as the proper rate of growth and development of bones and teeth are concerned. Cereals are the healthy ingredients of the puppy cerelas that makes keep your puppy active and agile.

Wheat flour: Wheat flour together with finely ground particles of wheat bran and wheat germ are nutritionally useful for your dog's body. This gives your puppies adequate strength. Also makes him or her healthy enough and comparatively active.

Rice: Rice is the main source of starch which is again really important for the puppy. Moreover, this acts as the chief and a long-term source of energy as well as energy storage for your puppies. This can also act as a filler in order to boost the food's protein percentage, which in turn makes the puppy cerelac a good puppy food.

Calcium: It is essentially necessary that the diets of dogs - especially puppies should be balanced by an appropriate dose of calcium. An adequate Calcium : Phosphorus ratio is maintained in the puppy cerelac or puppy food. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in all animals; dogs needs it much more than human beings. Human cerelacs are not enriched with that much of calcium that is actually needed by your puppy for proper growth.

Vitamins: Dogs needs more of vitamins than human babies. Human baby foods do not contain as much of vitamins as is actually required by your puppy. Vitamins are of prime importance for proper vision, healthy skin and coat, mucous membranes, and normal bone and teeth development. Vitamins helps proper cell growth and promotes optimum immunity.

Minerals: Like the significance of vitamins, minerals also promote proper growth by developing healthy internal health. Certain minerals promotes perfect blood circulation and is hence are the essential parts of a perfect puppy food.

Amino Acids: Essential Amino acids stimulate the immune system response of your puppy by enhancing the T-cells production.

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Take the Hassle Out of House Training Your Puppy

So, you have added a puppy into your family. Unfortunately, your puppy hasn't been house trained. Most people think of this process with much distaste. However, the process doesn't have to be difficult for you or your puppy. If done correctly, the process may only take a few weeks and can prevent a lifetime of messes.

The first thing you need to do is to think of your puppy as you would a toddler. Just as you can't expect a toddler to be potty trained in a couple of days, you also can't expect a puppy to be house trained in that time. Properly house training a puppy will probably take several weeks. Your puppy hasn't learned the signals his body is sending him yet to tell him when he needs to eliminate. When he does feel the need to eliminate, he goes, right then and there. Just as a toddler does when they first start potty training, a puppy needs to learn how to indicate to you the need to eliminate and be able to wait to go until you take him to the proper spot. You can begin to teach your puppy these things by first putting a little thought into a plan of action. You need to think about what things trigger your body to need to eliminate and apply those same ideas to your puppy. Most people need to eliminate a little while after eating or drinking, after waking from sleeping, and after waiting a long time between trips to the bathroom. These same things apply to a puppy. You need to keep this in mind when deciding how often to take your puppy outside to eliminate. In general, a puppy should be taken outside to eliminate hourly when first starting to house train the puppy. This may seem like a real hassle, but it will only be for a few days, maybe up to a week, that your puppy will need to go out this frequently. Each time you take the puppy outside to eliminate, say "out" as you are going outside. This will help the puppy learn that he needs to go out to eliminate. This will also help him understand that he needs to communicate with you when he needs to go out. Once you have spent several days taking the puppy out hourly, you can go for longer periods of time in between outings.

Eating is a large cause of elimination. Therefore, you need to consider this when you decide when to take the puppy outside. Generally, a puppy will need to eliminate within an hour of eating. So for the first few days, you should probably feed the puppy immediately after bringing him in from eliminating, so that in about an hour, he will be ready to go out again. Puppies usually need to eat about 3 times a day, so plan your meal times and elimination times accordingly. You should offer your puppy his final meal of the day several hours before bedtime.

When you take your puppy out to eliminate, always take him to the same area. This area will retain the scent of previous eliminations and the puppy will learn to go to this area for all elimination. Reward good pre-elimination behaviors, such as sniffing, with some mild praise. Try to use a consistent command, such as "potty time" with your puppy each time. That way he will learn to associate going outside with eliminating. When your puppy does eliminate in the proper area, reward him with lots of positive praise, some play time, and possibly a treat.

Until your puppy is fully house trained (he has gone 6-8 weeks without an accident) you will need to provide him with constant supervision. This is easier done, of course, if more than one member of the family can assist with supervision. It is highly recommended that you get a new puppy at a time when at least one member of the family can be home with the puppy almost constantly for at least the first week. I recommend adding a puppy to your family during your children's summer vacation from school. That way you have some help with supervising the puppy. Puppies are naturally curious and tend to wander off to explore. When you are occupied with other things, try keeping the puppy near you using a leash. When you can't provide constant supervision because you are sleeping or away from home, confine your puppy to a relatively small area, such as a dog crate or cage. But remember that for the first few weeks, you can't leave the puppy confined for longer than he can physically control his need to eliminate. Always allow your puppy to eliminate immediately before confining him.

This will mean getting up a couple of times a night for awhile, but after a few weeks he will probably be able to go for longer periods of time, especially at night, without eliminating. Most puppies quickly adapt to the crate if you make it fun. Put a couple of toys in there and maybe some food. Your puppy will learn to love his crate as his own special place. If you have to leave your puppy alone for a long period of time, confine him to a larger area, such as a small room or a dog run. He will need enough space to eliminate if the need arises and still have room to lay down several feet away from the elimination. You can put newspaper in the areas you think are most likely for him to choose to eliminate. Again, make his confinement area a fun place for him to be.

Just as with all newly learned behaviors, it will take some practice for your puppy to be fully house trained. That means you need to be prepared to deal with accidents. Remember that punishment is the least effective way of dealing with accidents. Never rub the dog's nose in his elimination. This will only scare him. Only reprimand him if you actually catch him in the act of eliminating. If you do catch him in the act, use a startle technique, such as stomping your foot once or saying a loud "no", to make him stop eliminating. Then immediately take him outside to his elimination area for him to finish. Once he finishes make sure to praise him. Don't reprimand him if you don't catch him in the act, because he won't understand why he is in trouble and it will cause him to be afraid of you. When your puppy does eliminate in the house, make sure you clean the area thoroughly with an odor eliminating cleaner. Since dogs tend to eliminate in areas where they have eliminated before, if you don't get the odor cleaned out of accident areas in your home, the puppy will probably try to eliminate there again. If your puppy begins to eliminate frequently in a certain area of the home, deny him access to that area by closing the door, blocking the area off with gates, or moving a throw rug or piece of furniture over the area. They do sell motion alarms that can be used to teach your puppy to avoid certain areas. Also, most dogs avoid eliminating in areas where they eat, sleep, or play. So putting a dog bed or food bowl in an area can help to avoid future eliminations there.

Puppies are a lot like toddlers who are potty training. It will take them a little time to understand the signals that their bodies are sending them and to learn to signal to you their need to eliminate. With a little patience and a lot of consistency, your puppy will be successfully house trained in no time at all!

Eileen Michalczyk is the mother of four gifted children and owner of dog Hannah. The family has worked together to research the best methods for training dogs to become happy and productive members of a family. For more information on adding a dog into your family, visit her blog at http://darnthatdog.blogspot.com

The Art of Raising a Puppy

The monks of New Skete, authors of the classic guide How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend, now apply their highly successful training methods to the crucial first months of a puppy's life. 50 photographs.

Price: $24.99

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The Puppy Book

OK so today is the day that you decided to bring that new puppy home. So let's start talking about how the puppy will adapt to this new situation and how you as a family will adapt to a new puppy in your home.

We will start with the whelping of a litter of puppies. When a puppy is born it is completely dependent upon his mother for almost everything from his nourishment through his protection to its establishment and the order of the pack. The mother teaches the puppy almost everything the puppy will need to survive on his own but there comes a day that the puppy will be separated from his mother and the rest of the litter and be taken to your new home.

Now your new puppy has been on a diet and a certain type of water from either the breeder or the pet shop. We strongly suggest that you take a gallon of the water that the puppy is used to drinking and purchase the same kind of dog food that the puppy has been eating. Now understand the excitement of bringing a new puppy home for the family can be quite overbearing for the new puppy.

Now you've got the puppy... you've got the food and a gallon of the water, so let's talk about introducing the puppy to the rest of the family. Puppies are full of energy in very short bursts and spend a great time sleeping. Understand this bringing the new dog home that not only will he be nervous he will be excitable and also very tired. We never suggest taking a puppy to the veterinarian for at least 2 to 3 weeks from the time you bring the puppy home. There is no reason to introduce any more stress from vaccines until a puppy gets used to a new home.

When a puppy is brought into a new situation and is given a vaccine shot, he might not be up to full strength and the vaccine may cause problems and make your puppy sick. We have whelped a great many litters of German shepherds and we have been breeding for over 20 years. The advice that I'm giving you in this book is an overview of what we've encountered in all of our years of breeding and selling puppies.

Understand the puppy no longer is learning from the mother and the rest of the litter. They are now moved into your pack and will continue to learn just like the young child learns and at a very fast pace. It is very important to start training your puppy as soon as the puppy is adapted to the new household.

Crate training with your new puppy is very important. This allows a puppy to have the security of the crate and will also stop your puppy from making mistakes all over the carpet which can lead to punishment and a very negative experience for both you and your new puppy. Dogs love their crates. They like to feel secure and surrounded in a place that is their own. A place that smells like the right place and feels comfortable to them. If your find that the puppy is eliminating or defecating in his crate, you need to purchase a smaller kennel or you need to divide the kennel in half. Most dogs will not soil their own crate.

Understand puppies are a lot like little babies and they have to use the restroom very quickly after they eat. You need to release the dog from the crate and then the dog should immediately go outside. When your puppy is done going to the bathroom outside the dog should be praised as if he won the Olympics. This will teach the dog what is acceptable behavior and he will learn that pleasing you is of the utmost importance.

Now the children in the house will be very excited about the new puppy. Please always supervise the children with a new puppy and restrict play time to 15 to 30 minutes at a time. A puppy will become exhausted which could lead to sickness. As a puppy becomes more comfortable in his new surroundings the playtime can increase. One thing that we need to keep an eye on with a new puppy is his stool. At any time that you notice a loose stool, you need to take action to tighten that stool. Diarrhea can dehydrate a puppy very quickly and this can be very dangerous to your new puppy.

OK so let's have a little overview of all we've talked about so far. We have talked about bringing the puppy home. We have talked about bringing food home and a sample of water. We talked about crate training and also exercise time with the children and the family.

Now let's talk about the beginnings of the basic obedience training that all puppies should have. One of the most important commands to teach your new puppy is the "come" command and this can be done very easily. Always kneel down to where you're at eye level with your puppy. Call the puppy to you, making any sound you need to in order to get the puppy to come to you. Once the puppy comes, praise the puppy as if he won the Olympics. Never use a forceful voice, finger-pointing, or yelling at your puppy. All this will do is cause the puppy to run the other direction and will frustrate you to no end.

Once your puppy has learned this very basic command, we can start to work on the "sit" command. This can be initiated with a small piece of food or toy that the puppy likes. With the dog standing in front of you, raise the toy or the food up above his head. This will cause a dog to lower his rear end and automatically he will sit down. As soon as the dog's rear end hits the ground, you need to reward the dog either with praise or the toy or that treat.

Now that we have these two very basic commands out of the way, let's start working on your new puppy walking on a leash. I have always put the collar on the puppy attached the leash and allowed the puppy to play with the leash attached to the collar for at least two or three days at different intervals so that he gets used to having the leash on. Then we never want a start tightening or pulling on the leash to get the puppy to go. Your puppy's instinct will be to fight back, but if the puppy is used to dragging the leash around he will understand the leash and not fear it. Do not allow them to chew on this leash. Encourage the dog to come to you. As your puppy learns the come command and with the puppy dragging the leash, encourage him to come to you and walk very slowly with a very loose leash. This will cause the puppy to not only come to you but also to walk on the leash.

With these three basic commands I think that you should start with a slow progress as the puppy ages. I hope you are found this book to be helpful and informative and we wish you the best of luck with your new puppy.

Dog Training in Harrisburg Pa. York Pa. Lancaster Pa. Dover Pa. and all of Dauphin County, York County,and Lancaster County: Training books and videos

Puppy Socialization, Raleigh NC - What it is, How to Do it and Why Puppies Need It

When your puppy first comes home, his mind is a blank slate. He knows nothing about the world except what you show him. Puppies are not born understanding the world around them, what traffic is, what objects such as worms or leaves are, how to cope with people, cars, other pets or noises. These are things you must expose puppy to, ensuring that he has positive experiences with each exploration. All the sights and sounds we take for granted in our world are novel to a puppy...he's never seen any of it! Introducing him to all of these things in his environment is no small task but it's the most important thing you'll ever do for your puppy.

Puppies need to be socialized between 4 and 16 weeks of age. A puppy's brain is most accepting of new experiences between 4 and 12 weeks of age making this the critical period for socialization. In the following 4 weeks, the socialization window starts to close. If socialization doesn't start until after this period, the puppy will be socially handicapped. After four months of age, when the socialization window closes, it's much more difficult to influence a puppy's opinion and attitude. Of course, the puppy can still learn, but it is infinitely harder because the puppy has to unlearn inappropriate responses such as fear or reactivity. For example, if a puppy is not exposed to crowds prior to four months of age, he may be so paralyzed with fear of the sights and sounds that crowds make, it may be impossible, or at best, uncomfortable for him to cope in this situation. If the puppy is exposed to crowds prior to four months of age and introduced in a positive way, he will accept crowds as "normal in his environment" and not be reactive or nervous about it. The key is to make sure your puppy gets exposed to everything he may ever be exposed to during his lifetime, while he is very young. Introducing puppy to new stimuli and experiences is critical to having a well-adjusted and behaviorally healthy adult dog.

Prevention is far better than rehabilitation! A properly socialized puppy is well adjusted and makes a good companion. It is neither frightened by nor aggressive towards anyone or anything he would normally meet in day-to-day living. An un-socialized dog is a liability. Typical behaviors of an unsocialized dog include fear and stress disorders, fear biting and fearful aggression. Unsocialized dogs cannot adapt to new situations and a simple walk around the neighborhood can panic your pet creating hiding behaviors, pulling on the leash to get away from the "scary thing" or offensive aggression (lunging on leash, biting or acting like Cujo to scare the frightening thing away). Don't let this happen to your dog. Start socializing your new puppy NOW!

Vaccinations and exposure risks

Enrolling your puppy in a puppy socialization class is ideal and is typically safe. This is a wonderful opportunity to get your puppy out of the house on a regular basis and expose him to new situations and experiences.

People are sometimes warned not to take their puppies out in public until they are fully vaccinated for fear that the puppy might catch disease. But times have changed and veterinary behaviorists now recommend that you get puppy out and socialize him as soon as he's completed his first round of shots. The risk of life-long behavioral consequences of not socializing a puppy prior to 16 weeks by far outweighs the small risk that puppy may catch something contagious. Behavioral problems are the number one reason dogs are euthanized in this country. And many of these problems would not have presented in the dog if he was properly socialized in puppyhood. Visit the link at the end of this article to read the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior position statement relative to puppy vaccinations and socialization.

The chances of your puppy contracting a disease are rare but you do want to minimize risks. Only take your puppy into controlled environments until he is fully vaccinated. Facilities that hold puppy classes are usually sanitized and prepped specifically for puppies. Puppies are also typically separated from regular dog traffic. Dog parks, dog beaches and any other environment where dogs can run free should be avoided. Numerous diseases are transferred via infected urine and feces so avoid places where puppy can accidentally run through pet waste. Pet stores and boutiques are great places to socialize your puppy but carry him or put him in a cart, not on the floor, until he's fully vaccinated.

Where socialization begins

Puppy socialization should begin at home. When you first bring your pup home, visit your vet for a wellness check. If all is well, begin acclimating your pup to the sounds, sights and smells of his new environment - your home and yard. Be patient with puppy and remember that he's never seen household items like mirrors, TV's, a remote control, etc. His vision will still be blurry and his brain and hearing still developing. While you're introducing puppy to all the items in your home and yard, plan a puppy party. Invite everyone you know to your home for a "meet my puppy" event. Invite the gang over to watch a sporting event so that puppy can see and hear people having fun and getting loud! After a few days, it's time to introduce puppy to the world around him and all the wonders contained within it.

The car ride itself is a novel experience for puppies so don't travel too far the first few times puppy gets in the car. Head into town, carrying your pup around. Bring lots of treats, and ask everyone you see if they want to meet your pup to offer him a treat. There are very few people in this world who can resist a puppy! You want your puppy to think that loud noises, funny smells and silly people roaming the streets are perfectly normal.

If there's heavy traffic, give your puppy a treat as it passes. If a fire engine or ambulance goes by, treat and sound happy. Truck or bus backfires? Treat and act silly! This will get your puppy used to all the noises and potentially scary things that he will inevitably encounter. If you expose your puppy to street sounds and traffic in a positive way he'll be comfortable walking down the street with you despite loud noises and other distractions.

Where to socialize

Dog friendly, open air shopping centers are ideal for puppy socialization. If you live in Raleigh, the Lake Boone Shopping Center is pet friendly. Stop into Unleashed, the Dog Store to introduce your puppy to dog-loving humans and friendly canines and have lunch at a sidewalk cafe next door. This environment allows your puppy to have new experiences while on leash. Quail Corners Shopping Center is also dog friendly. Relax in the patio section of It's a Grind, coffee shop where treats are available for humans and canines alike.

Can't find a shopping center near you? Most Starbucks and Panera locations have outdoor seating where you can sit with puppy while you enjoy coffee or a snack.

Dog bakeries also make a rewarding (and yummy) socialization outing! These specialty bakeries can be found in most cities. If you're in the Raleigh area, Bone Appetit, Three Dog Bakery and Gourmutt's can't be beat for friendliness and scrumptious, homemade treats!

Your veterinarian's office is also an important place to visit. Puppy's early experiences there are surrounded by vaccinations (ouch!) so counter-balance this with positive experiences! Stop in a few times and let puppy hang out by the counter for a few minutes. Feed him lots of treats and let him get loved on by the staff and waiting clients. Now that's a positive experience!

Banks can also be a great training ground for socializing a puppy. Many will let you carry your puppy in and may even offer him a biscuit. Your bank doesn't welcome dogs? Take your puppy through the drive-thru so he can have that experience as well! Speaking of drive-thru's, these can be especially traumatizing for a dog who's never seen one before. Take your puppy through several drive-thru's such as the bank, drug store or fast food restaurant.

People parks (not dog parks) are an excellent place for socialization. As long as dogs are allowed on leash, take puppy and let him see the walkers, joggers, bikers and wild life that abounds. Another benefit to parks is the exposure to multiple flooring surfaces. A typical park offers grass, concrete, gravel, wood and pine straw. Parks such as Shelley Lake in Raleigh offer all of this plus wood-plank bridges, a playground where puppy can meet some kids and of course, the lake. This is a socialization extravaganza!

Make play dates for your puppy where he can socialize one-on-one with a safe and friendly dog. Your puppy should meet and greet numerous dogs in his critical socialization period (30-50 is not unreasonable). Playing with the same dog repeatedly, won't give puppy the social skills or confidence he needs.

Scary Situations

Be careful not to give too much attention if your puppy acts fearful in a situation that is normal. If a bicycle races by and your puppy cowers you will be tempted to pet him and reassure him that "it's ok, you're alright, its ok". If you do this, you are unknowingly praising puppy for his fear and rewarding the behavior. It's best to be silent, not to acknowledge the reaction and move on. When the next bicycle (or other scary thing) comes near, offer a food reward to puppy so he redirects his thoughts from fear to treat.

From 16 weeks through at least one year of age, it is imperative that you make every effort to expand the puppy's environment and expose him to new things. Puppies should be around as many different people and animals as possible. Take them with you when you go for a walk, shopping, or even to work. Encourage your children to bring their friends over to meet the new puppy. Take an obedience or training course where they will meet other dogs... all of this is important.

The list of things to socialize a puppy to include:

People and children of every size, shape and color, especially people wearing hats, sunglasses, beards and uniforms. Other animals but especially dogs, cats, squirrels and rabbits. Odd sounds and sudden, loud noises. You may want to pick up a Puppy Desensitization CD for this purpose.

Things that move and make sound are critically important and include: cars, bikes, skateboards, roller-skates, rollerblades, strollers, vacuum, motorcycles, garbage trucks, mail trucks and buses. City life including car traffic and crowds are essential!

Don't forget to assess your family's hobbies and entertainment preferences. If you're golfers, introduce puppy to the golf bag, spiked shoes, golf hat, etc. If you're boaters, introduce puppy to the boat several times before taking him out on the water. Baseball fans? Let puppy watch his family throw and hit balls. Even better, take puppy to a local children's game and sit in the bleachers with him for 20 to 30 minutes. This is a great new experience for puppy. You can typically find a baseball, soccer or football game every weekend! Anyone up for basketball? Find a public court and sit with puppy (not too close). Let him watch the moving ball and all the frenzied action!

The bottom line is to involve your puppy as much as you can in your daily activities. He will become well-socialized and besides, that's the reason you got him, right?

Resources for additional information: www.avsabonline.org

Paws in Training, Inc. 2010

http://www.pawsintraining.com

Paws in Training provides dog training, dog behavior evaluations, dog consultations and dog education services in Raleigh North Carolina.

Puppy Training for Kids

Kids and puppies make natural friends. This heavily illustrated guide is written especially for kids, with information on dogs and how they develop and grow. Just as important are easy-to-understand instructions for boys and girls on puppy training and care—always with an emphasis on fun. Kids learn what to feed puppies and how much to give them, and how to play games that are safe and enjoyable. They also learn basics of puppy handling and grooming, giving commands and teaching obedience, tricks they can teach young canines, and much more. There are instructive and charming full-color photographs throughout the book. Suitable for ages 9-12, or 4-8 with parents' guidance.

Price: $14.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Guide to Bringing Home a New Puppy

When bringing home a new puppy, you need to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Chances are, your puppy will be an angel compared to what you expect of him/her, but at least you would have covered all bases. As with anything else in life, it is always better to be over-prepared than to be under-prepared.

The most obvious supplies are usually at the forefront of any new pet-owner's mind. These include feeding and water dishes, a leash, a collar or harness, teething toys, a bed, some sort of confinement and sleeping quarters for the puppy, wee wee pads, food and of course treats.

When choosing feeding and water dishes, consideration must be given to the size of the puppy. Dishes too large may prevent a tiny puppy from eating and dishes too small may provide too little food for a large puppy. Pay particular attention to the amount of food the puppy is currently eating and the height of the puppy when choosing dishes.

A leash and a collar are two very important items as a puppy needs to get used to walking on a leash even before he/she is ready to go outside. Speak to your veterinarian before taking your puppy out for walks but in the meantime you can get your little furry addition to warm up to the leash by walking him/her inside the house. When choosing between a harness and a collar, attention must be focused on the size of the dog. If a dog is very tiny and fragile, a harness may be a better option because it will prevent accidental injury to your puppy when restraining him/her with a leash.

Teething toys are a must in any household with a new puppy. Puppies, just like babies, lose their puppy teeth and gain adult teeth as they grow. Because of this, they constantly like to gnaw on anything in sight. If you provide your puppy with quality teething toys that entertain him/her then the puppy will continue to chew on the provided toys. You must be sure to select toys that you know your puppy will be entertained by. If the puppy is not entertained, he/she will look to other "toys" around the house to play with.

Choosing a confinement area for your new puppy also needs a lot of planning and thought. Puppies should be supervised at all times if they are freely running around the house. However, there will be times when no one is able to supervise the puppy (when you are sleeping or out of the house etc). During these times, the puppy needs to be confined to a crate or a safe area of the house. If left alone, puppies can be destructive and they can cause harm to themselves. The easiest and most popular form of confinement is usually a crate or an exercise pen. However, you may also choose to have the puppy confined to a gated off section of the house like the kitchen, hallway or bathroom. Whichever form of confinement you choose, you need to choose the proper bedding and soiling area for that arrangement as well. Wee wee pads work well as a scented paper that encourages a puppy to go to the bathroom. These pads will help to ensure that a puppy has an area to go to the bathroom when you are not there so that there are not many soiled areas of the puppy's sleeping quarters. These pads should be placed away from the puppy's bed so that the puppy can differentiate between the sleeping quarters and the bathroom area as puppies inherently do not like to soil where they sleep.

Feeding your puppy is also another important factor in preparation planning. As far as treats are concerned, they should only be given to a puppy when the puppy has done something to earn a treat. Always follow the guidelines on the packages to ensure that you are not over-treating your puppy. As for feeding your puppy, you need to ensure that you have the same food for your puppy that the puppy has already been eating. Changing your puppy's food too quickly can cause upset stomach and diarrhea. Keeping your puppy on a constant, healthy formula is the best way to guarantee your puppy a healthy transition to your home.

After all these factors have been considered and decided upon, you need to make an appointment to have your puppy examined by a Veterinarian to keep him/her current on vaccines. If all goes well, then it is up to you when it comes to training and caring for your new puppy. You can always seek the help of a professional trainer if you are not able to train the puppy properly or you can read training tutorials online or buy training books specific to your breed of dog. 

With the proper planning, care and attention, your puppy will be acclimated to your household within a short period of time. Always remember to socialize your puppy with people, kids and other dogs so he/she will be well rounded as an adult. Puppies need lots of sleep, lots of care and most importantly, lots of love.

Looking for a new puppy
Visit our website for our available puppies for sale

Visit our website for more information about us and our available puppies for sale.

All of our puppies, hand-selected and sold through the International Kennel Club, are bred for quality, temperament and trainability. These puppies are provided by our professional licensed breeders. Call us at 516-794-PUPS or email us through our website for more information.

Happiness is a Well Trained Puppy

If you are reading this article you might be thinking about buying a puppy; or already bought on. Congratulations on the new addition to your home! You now have a friend who is always ready to play, never too tired to go for a walk and one of the most loyal companions you will ever have. There are some things you are going to need to know about training your puppy. A puppy is only as well-behaved as his training allows.

During the first few weeks your puppy needs constant supervision to prevent accidents in the house. But it's easier to teach good habits now than it is to correct bad behavior later in life. Your puppy needs to start understanding what is and isn't acceptable in your home right away. You are the leader of the pack in the home and your puppy looks to you to work out what is allowed and what isn't.

It's important that your puppy starts to understand their boundaries. You will need to decide soon what the limits are - what furniture they may or may not climb on - what areas of the house they are allowed. Decide where your puppy will sleep and what they may or may not chew on.

Getting your puppy housetrained is not difficult and can be quick if you follow some of these tips. Make housetraining a painless and quick procedure by using the crate method.
The Crate method
The crate method is well known because it is one of the most humane ways to train a puppy. Your puppy will need to relieve himself after eating, drinking, running, playing. The frequency will depend on the size of your dog and also on the breed. Be careful - it can happen as soon as 15 minutes after any of these activities. One of the easiest ways to keep your home pee free is to keep a record of when he needs to go. Try to learn the natural schedule and take your puppy outside at the times when you know they are going to need to go. Plan your walks around this schedule. Take the puppy out when you expect they will need to urinate.

When your puppy is 10 weeks old until they are six months they will need to be walked between 5 and 10 times a day. Quite a task if you are not used to including a puppy in your daily schedule. Take turns walking the puppy. One of the most important things about housetraining you pup is that you do not return from your walks until he/she has urinated and done all his business.

If for some reason you need to go inside before he has gone you will need to take your puppy out every 15 minutes. Give lots of praise and affection when your puppy has done what you wanted. You might feel silly praising your puppy for going "wee wee" (or other!) but it is very important to the housetraining process.
Some tips for using the crate:
The crate method works and is one of the most humane ways to train your puppy. It works because dogs are naturally neat and don't like to eliminate in their sleeping area. If your puppy sleeps in the crate they will not want to mess in it. It's an instinctive desire to keep their sleeping area clean.

The crate should become a sanctuary for your puppy. A crate is your dogs' den in the house; their very own 'safe space'. Your puppy needs to associate the crate with positive feelings. Put your puppy's favorite blanket, toys and treats inside.

Help your puppy get used to the crate by leaving the door open until the dog seems comfortable. It's important that your puppy is comfortable in the crate - the more comfortable they are - the less likely they are to soil inside.

Never use the crate as punishment. The crate must be associated with positive feelings. If your puppy does start whining, barking or scratching don't let them out. Establish a regular schedule. After feeding take you puppy outside until they have done their business.

Put your puppy in the crate at night - but make sure to take him outside before bedtime and first thing in the morning. Let your puppy play for a while after they have done their business. Don't give your puppy free reign of the house until they are housetrained.

Make a chart of when your puppy needs to go. Take the puppy outside within 15 minutes of eating, or any other time you know they will need to go.
After they have done their business; play with them for a while and then put your puppy in the crate for a nap. Repeat this throughout the day. After your puppy is fully housetrained you can leave the crate open during the day.

Some do's and don'ts when housetraining:

Do

- If you are going to be away for long periods of time put your puppy in an area of the house where you are prepared for accidents. Put newspaper in this area.
- Limit the food and water supply if you are going to be gone for long periods of time. If it's hot make sure your puppy has enough to drink (but remember what goes in must come out!).
- Praise your puppy when they are good.
- Be consistent. You don't want to confuse your puppy.
- Involve the whole family in the training process. Even small children can participate in the housetraining.
- Be realistic, you can't get mad with a puppy for not being completely housetrained. Accidents happen despite your most careful schedule.

Don'ts

- Don't ever use the crate as punishment.
- Don't let your puppy outside of your designated area until they are housetrained.
- Don't reprimand your puppy for accidents.
If this all sounds like a lot of work - don't worry. Your puppy should be completely housetrained after about 6 months. Even sooner if you use the crate method. As your puppy gets older it will get easier. A well trained puppy will bring much more happiness into the home then an untrained puppy. Owner and puppy will be more happy and in tune with each other for years to come.



Steve Allison is a third generation of professional dog breeders along with his brother Gary. It all started with his grandparents in 1970 with the Boston Terriers and has expanded to Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Pugs, Shih Tzu’s and Pomeranians. He is also actively involved with dog rescue and has a website that showcases the puppies they occasionally has for sale at All My Puppies Online Steve is also the co-author of two consumer guides, Carpet Secrets and Moving Secrets Guide [http://movingsecretsguide.com].

How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With

Worried about leaving your puppy home alone while you work? Need to keep him from barking too much? Read on! This classic has answers for all that and much more! *six things to expect from your puppy *Ten keys to housebreaking without a hitch *Common puppy personality types and how to deal with them *Six gentle, effective methods of dicipline

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How to Stop Your Puppy From Biting

Why do puppies bite?

Dog owners have been trying to stop puppies from biting without knowing why puppies bite in the first place. By understanding why your puppy bites is the first step in training him not to bite.

The main reason why puppies bite is as a result of Puppy Teething.

Puppies' jaws are weak and as a result of new teeth they gnaw, mouth and even play-bite to sooth the gums around the teeth. This combination of weak jaws with extremely sharp, needle-like teeth, can result in numerous play-bites which, although painful, seldom cause serious harm. The developing pup, therefore, receives ample feedback regarding the force of its bites before it develops strong jaws - which could inflict considerable injury. The greater the pup's opportunity to play-bite with people, other dogs and other animals, the better the dog's bite inhibition as an adult.

Puppy Socialization

Proper puppy socialization is important when teaching your dog bite inhibition. Your puppy is a blank slate and needs to be taught proper behaviour around humans and other animals. Once she is taught proper behaviour, it will carry into adulthood.

For puppies that do not grow up with the benefit of regular and frequent interaction with

other dogs and other animals, the responsibility of teaching bite inhibition lies with the

owner. All puppies love to play by being mouthy and biting or chewing anything they can get their sharp little teeth into. These sharp teeth are the reason that it is crucial for puppies to learn bite inhibition (controlling the force of their bite) during the first few months of life. Normally this is learned naturally and effectively through contact with mom and other littermates. If the puppy bites mom during nursing, mom can roll the puppy over to correct it or just get up and walk away. Most young puppies do not aggressively bite. If you have an aggressive puppy, you should give very serious consideration about keeping such a dog. Puppy aggression may lead to dangerous behaviour as an adult dog if not properly handled.

Next the owner must realize that the puppy does not know how to act around humans.The puppy has not had much life experience outside of its interactions with its canine family. Proper socialization techniques are crucial at this stage of your puppy's development. You can learn these puppy socialization techniques in "Dog Bite Prevention", which is part of our Puppy Health & Training Package.

How to Train a puppy to stop biting:

The first and best way to start teaching your puppy to stop its biting is to do what his littermates would have done were they in the same position. Puppies usually learn bite inhibition from their mothers and littermates. When a puppy bites its littermates, they will yelp and go away. This same method can be applied by you. As soon as your puppy starts to bite, you should give a loud, yelping OUCH! Glare at the pup, get up and move away. This way you can start ignoring behaviors you don't like. Be persistent with this method and advise your family to do the same.

If your pup does not change then you can start applying the ''Time Out ''method. You just leave the room or take him into his crate.

Another way to use this method is this; when your puppy bites, say "no" and gently hold its mouth shut. This will teach him to keep his mouth shut. Since the puppy is a social creature, saying no, yelping, holding his mouth or walking away will teach him that he will lose his playmate. An important fact about the above two methods is to maintain eye contact with your pup when saying "no" and also watching the tone of your voice. Your tone should be in the form of a command, sharp and to the point. Emitting a growling tone will convey the message in his language.

Your duty as a puppy owner is to plan a response to active puppy teething that will soften the impact on you and your possessions. The best way to do this is to provide your pup with better chewing alternatives instead of your fingers and limbs. You can buy toys like hard rubber balls, sterilized or nylon bones and knotted ropes from pet supply stores.

In a low voice you can say "no" then remove her into a neutral area where you can give her any of the above stated toys or others to play with.

Praising your puppy whenever she behaves well is one of the best ways to teach her what's right. She will surely want to continue getting the praise. So when she plays nicely and appropriately, praise the action.

Another method is teaching the "off" command.

You get a puppy's dry food. Hold a handful and close your hand with it then say "off."

Note what will happen. After a few seconds, if your puppy has not touched your hand, say "take it" and give him a piece of food. The lesson you are teaching him here is that "off'' means not to touch.

It is important to give your puppy daily exercise and give him enough playtime. It is advisable to have a specific daily playing time. Your puppy will always look forward to this period and will be less likely to seek attention at anytime, thus limiting his biting behavior. Also you will be distracting his attention from biting by teaching him new tricks and taking him for a walk. You will be establishing a great bond with him doing this as well.

Teach all your family members not to play any rough games like tug-of-war or wrestling which may encourage aggressive behavior like biting. Also teach them to be consistent with the "no biting" rule. With everyone working together, you will achieve a well-behaved, well-adjusted puppy and, ultimately, adult dog.

Russ Richer is a Dog Lover who has done extensive research into Dog Care. Visit [http://www.dogdaypets.com/newsletter.html] for free reports, articles, and newsletter. You can learn more about Puppy Health & Training at: [http://www.dogdaypets.com/perfectpuppy.html] You may use this article on your website or newsletter as long as all links are kept active.

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Puppy Housebreaking - Proven Technique

The arrival of a new puppy is cause for great excitement in any household. It soon becomes clearly apparent that puppy housebreaking is an urgent priority and the number one thing to teach our new housemates.

You'll find lots of puppy housebreaking articles and theories across the net and in books everywhere, but I've got a method that has never let me down. The potty training technique I have come to rely on and trust requires a fair degree of commitment to begin with but the rewards are quick and last forever. My veterinarian first told me about this house training method which could be summed up as follows:

"Closely monitor your puppy to prevent messy mistakes, enthusiastically reward desired behavior every time, and if a mistake happens work out where you went wrong."

Things To Keep In Mind When Puppy House Training

Owning a puppy is a big commitment for all family members, especially in the first few days and weeks.


Puppy potty training is not a race, the key is to prevent mistakes and establish good habits early - dogs are creatures of habit.


From your dogs point of view there is no right or wrong place to go to the toilet, they feel like going and just do it. It is our job to clearly communicate and reinforce where it is acceptable to eliminate and also where it is not acceptable.


Opening your back door every couple of hours to let your puppy out will not house train your puppy.


A puppies natural instinct is to keep their bedding/sleeping area clean - the puppy housebreaking method outlined below utilizes this knowledge to our advantage.


No matter how attentive and diligent you are in the house training process there is bound to be the odd slip up. Don't worry about it just ensure that you clean mistakes up thoroughly, including the use of an odor neutralizer to take away any lingering smell.


My puppy house training strategy involves close supervision and confinement to start with but only so we can allow our puppies greater freedom much sooner.


Understand your puppies capabilities and be realistic, keep in mind you are dealing with a very young animal. Young puppies can only hold on for so long before they need to go, they don't have much control early on. As a general rule a puppy can hold on an hour for every month of his/her age, plus another hour. This means that a 2 month old puppy can be expected to hold on for three hours and at 3 months old this same pup could be expected to hold on for four hours at a time.


Develop a food and water schedule. Each day feed at the same time (never close to bed time) and take away your dogs water bowl before you go to bed (don't forget to put it back first thing in the morning!). You'll develop a routine this way and "what goes in on schedule comes out on schedule, if you know what I mean...


Puppy House Training - Step by Step

This method is for when you are at home with your puppy, follow it as closely as you possibly can.

Equipment you'll need:

I prefer to use a good quality crate. Ensure that it is nice and safe and the right dimensions for your puppy.

or

You can also set up a small pen area with a comfortable dog bed, water and a couple of chew toys (like a food stuffed kong toy). Do not put a toilet in this pen area.

Puppy Housebreaking - Step-by-Step

Choose the spot outside where you would like your puppy to go to the toilet (eliminate).


Keep your puppy in his/her crate, pen area or even tethered to a chair where you are working. Your puppy cannot have free run of the house at this stage, he must be confined. Every 60 minutes take your puppy straight to the designated toilet area outside. Carry your puppy or walk out on leash.


When you reach the toilet area walk back and forth or circle around and around. At the same time say and repeat a cue word you would like to attach to the act of your dog eliminating. I use "hurry up" but just pick out a cue word or short phrase and stick with it. In your dogs mind you are building an association between the cue "hurry up!" and him emptying out.


If your pup does eliminate continue to repeat your cue word and the instant your dog finishes doing his business enthusiastically praise and reward him with a small tasty treat. Make it clear that you are very happy with him and that he is the best little puppy on the block! If after 3-4 minutes of circling around your puppy shows no signs of needing to eliminate take him back inside (put in crate or pen) and try again in about twenty minutes.


Immediately after a successful toilet trip outside you can allow your puppy some free play time (under supervision) in the house. Just spend some time enjoying the company of your puppy, then place him back in his crate or pen area.


Continue with this 60 minute puppy house training schedule, you'll be rewarded for sticking to it. Remember that you are trying to prevent any mistakes and at the same time establish good habits in your little puppy.


"What about overnight?" I hear you ask. Yes well, firstly do not feed your puppy close to bedtime and take away his water before you go to bed (don't forget to put it back first thing in the morning). You'll need to set your alarm clock to go off once and possibly twice throughout the night. This is an important step, just take your puppy out to the toilet area as usual and then hop back into bed. When your puppy is young it is physically impossible for him to hold on all night, but before long you will be both sleeping peacefully right through the night.

In addition to your 60 minute schedule it is important to take your puppy outside after each meal time (most puppies go to the potty within 15 minutes of eating).

That's the puppy house training process, follow it consistently and I'm sure you'll experience pleasing results. When you are not home you will need to set up an area with comfortable bedding, water, toys and a toilet. Place the toilet (you can buy one from a pet store or just use plastic and papers on top) at the opposite side of your puppy's living area. When you arrive home remove any toilet area inside and follow the potty training method detailed above.

The Final Step In The Puppy House Training Process - teaching your puppy to let you know he needs to go outside.

If you aren't able to install a doggy door it is handy if you teach your dog the right way to let you know he wants to go outside. Do this by hanging a bell on a piece of string attached to the door handle (at the level of your puppies nose).

Follow the puppy house training schedule as detailed above. Each time you get to the door to go outside give the bell a bit of a shake and say "go potty". Do this every time you take your puppy outside to the toilet for a week or two.


After a week or so when you arrive at the door say "go potty" but don't touch the bell. You want your puppy to give it a nudge, if he does give lots of enthusiastic praise and quickly open the door. If your puppy doesn't nudge the bell after standing at the door for 10 seconds, shake the bell yourself while saying "go potty".


Keep trying this procedure every time you go outside until your dog "gets it".


Eventually your dog will make his way to the door and tap the bell every time he needs to go outside to the toilet.

Good luck with your puppy housebreaking - remember to be consistent in your training and show a bit of patience.

Chris Smith is a long time dog lover and creator of How To Train A Dog.

Discover the right way to train your puppies and older dogs yourself, at home. From puppy housebreaking to solving problem behavior right through to advanced obedience training.

Puppy Housebreaking Does Not Have to Be All That Hard

Puppy Housebreaking / Housetraining Procedures and Methods

Puppy housebreaking should start just as soon as you bring your new puppy home - and it is the best way to teach your purebred puppy to go outside when it has to relieve itself. How long does it take to do puppy housetraining?

The easiest answer is: as long as puppy housebreaking takes. I had one German Shepherd puppy that housetrained herself pretty much in just over 3 days, and I have had others that took closer to 2 weeks.

All puppies and breeds of puppies are different and not all can be housetrained in the same amount of time. Housebreaking can easily vary from puppy to puppy.

Additionally, keep in mind that even though this article deals primarily with purebred puppies (due to the focus of this web site) that many of these housetraining techniques can also be used with most any other puppy breeds- pure or mixed breed.

When you get your new puppy home the first day, start puppy housebreaking him /her immediately. After he has been briefly introduced to his home and new surroundings, give him a drink of water and immediately take him outside to relieve himself. Take the puppy to the housebreaking area that you chose before bringing him home.

Remember, choice of this housebreaking spot is crucial as it enhances the housetraining - so take careful consideration of where "the housebreaking spot" is before bringing your purebred puppy home. This is the spot where you want the puppy "to go".

There is a direct correlation between the time you actually put into the puppy housebreaking process and the speed in which the housebreaking of the puppy successfully occurs.

This is a very crucial puppy housebreaking step so be patient and wait until the puppy relieves himself. It may take a while especially with all the new things happening to your new puppy, all the new smells, unfamiliar objects, etc. Do not play with the puppy however until after it has "done it's business". If you do it may make the puppy forget about going at all. Since housebreaking is all new to the pure bred puppy it doesn't know what it's purpose of being in "the housebreaking spot" is in the first place.

As soon as your puppy finishes, praise it excitedly and immediately take him inside. From that point on, take the puppy to the same housebreaking spot each time and encourage him with a command such as "go potty", "hurry up" or whatever you choose.

Be consistent using this single command only with the process of puppy housebreaking so that the puppy will learn to associate this act with the command. This will be a huge help in the future, especially when in a new environment or location when traveling, visiting relatives/friends, etc. Being completely housebroken and completely reliable is the final outcome you are looking for.

You must watch them like a hawk at all times - in the beginning of housebreaking especially. If you can not keep an eye on your purebred puppy for some reason please put them in a safe and secure puppy proofed spot (such as a crate or some other small room with easy to clean floors, such as linoleum, closed off with a baby gate so you can peek in as needed). If you are consistent in your puppy housebreaking in the very beginning, ESPECIALLY when it is inconvenient to you (late at night, while you are watching your favorite TV show, etc.), you will actually help the new puppy housebreak itself to alert you when it "has to go".

A puppy should be taken out immediately (to a prearranged housebreaking area outside):

- when it wakes up first thing in the morning (before if you manage to get up before the puppy),

- after each and every meal,

- after each and every nap,

- and again before he goes to bed for the night.

Another good housebreaking tip is to take up the puppies water early in the evening and to not feed or water it after say, 6:00 at night, otherwise you may have to make more housebreaking potty trips than usual outside to let the puppy relieve itself. Keep the puppy on a strict housebreaking schedule, both feeding and elimination, and you will have puppy housebreaking success much sooner.

More Puppy Housebreaking and Housetraining Secrets: From Housebreaking to Housebroken

Know in advance that a very young puppy will probably not be able to go through the night without relieving itself so get used to taking it out during the middle of the night until it grows enough to sleep through the night.

You wouldn't expect a young human baby to be toilet trained in a week, would you? Give the same consideration to your new purebred puppy. He will not be able to be considered reliable as far as housebreaking goes either after only a few days.

The puppy is a baby with a small bladder and weak sphincter muscles. Like human babies, your new puppy will be able to go longer between housebreaking breaks as it grows older and will soon become completely housebroken if your are vigilant in the housebreaking process.

Oops... found a mistake, now what?

If you find your puppy has made a mistake in the house and you did not catch it in the act, simply clean the spot without comment. Clean up all residue and clean the area with a bacteria/enzyme digester. These housetraining aids are available at your pet supply or grocery store. This will get rid of both the stain and the smell. And the smell is the most important part to get rid of. Even if you can't smell the urine, believe me, your puppy can and he will be encouraged to go back to the same spot again unless you remove ALL urine odors. This is absolutely critical in housebreaking your puppy.

If you find the puppy "in the act", scoop him up as quickly as possible with his tail between his legs (to help prevent spillage) and take him out asap. Say "out" or "quick" as you take him out but never NO. Since No is used for negative things you do not want your puppy to think that eliminating is wrong, no matter where he does it.

If the new puppy thinks that eliminating is bad he will probably start hiding it from you and you do not want that to happen. That is a whole other behavioral issue to contend with and believe me it's much better and easier to prevent behavioral problems before they happen than having to deal with them later.

Generally speaking, most puppies are naturally clean dogs - assuming they had the right start clear from the beginning. Puppies raised in small runs or cages develop dirty habits right from the beginning making housebreaking harder. Since they are used to playing and sleeping in their own excrement they will not have any problem with continuing to do so. This is not the puppy's fault, it's just what they were accustomed to from an early age.

Keep in mind, housebreaking puppies raised in these type of situations can be much harder and more time consuming than usual but housetraining can still can be done.

Overall, puppy housebreaking problems are often more of a human problem than a puppy problem. If the new owner is steadfast in keeping a watch on the purebred puppy in the beginning of ownership, especially during the first 2 weeks of housetraining, then puppy housebreaking can accomplished and the new puppy will become a reliable member of the family as far as bathroom visits are concerned, and will soon be completely housebroken.

Remember, as the new owner you must be patient with the entire housebreaking process. Each puppy will housetrain at his own speed and with your help. Take him out religiously as outlined above, and keep him on a strict feeding/bathroom housebreaking schedule (as well as anytime the GSD puppy acts as though he has to "go out"). It is very important that you learn to read your puppies potty signals during the housebreaking process: sniffing out "a spot", circling, whining, going to the door, etc.

Finally, think about how you would like to be housetrained if you were in the puppies place? The puppy won't enjoy being yelled at, jerked around or frightened any better than you would. A kinder, gentler and more patient puppy housebreaking approach will yield much better results, help your bond with your new puppy and develop a more confident housebroken dog. And isn't that what we all want as purebred dog owners in the first place?

Debbie Ray, owner of http://www.pedigreedpups.com and http://www.total-german-shepherd.com is a lifelong animal lover and dog enthusiast. Interested in more dog information? Training and health tips? Thinking about getting a purebred dog? Interested in the German Shepherd Dog in particular? Need to promote your dog related website and get additional in bound links? Check out pedigreedpups.com, total-german-shepherd.com or canine-hotline.com (dog only products store) for more information.