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New Puppy Care |
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Activity - The joints and bones of a growing puppy are still pliable and have not yet fully hardened. Wet linoleum, tile, or hardwood floors can be very harmful to a puppy’s health. Keep puppies off wet floors or when they just come back inside with wet paws. Puppies are full of energy and like to run, keeping them from sliding on slick floors will prevent problems in later life. Try to limit the use of stairs and never allow the puppy to race up and down. It may look cute, but it isn't a good idea while the puppy is still growing. Remember those bones are still not hardened. Socialize, socialize, socialize! This cannot be stressed enough. These are going to be big dogs. Berners by nature are not aggressive, but a fear of strangers may produce aggressive-like behavior. Although some puppies go through a fear stage, others do not. Socialization at an early age will ensure that you have a well adjusted pet. Make sure that they are accustomed to a variety of people and other pets. Take your Berner to a variety of different settings with strangers present. If you go out for a quick errand, take your Berner with you. Let people pet him or her and have treats in your pocket. Once your puppy learns that people are fun, they are less apt to be fearful of strangers. On the subject of treats, I have found that a few kernels of the Wellness brand dog food works as well as any treat. The dogs love it, and it has fewer calories than other treats. Play Toys - Go to the store and buy some proper toys for your puppy to chew on and play with. Don't give them an old sneaker. The puppy won't know an old sneaker from a brand new pair of shoes. Feeding - When they are younger, puppies must eat three times a day. After about 3-4 months you can switch to twice a day. We feed our dogs twice a day now. These are big dogs and two smaller meals are better than one large meal. Food – We feed our dogs a combination of dry food supplemented with our own homemade recipe. Our personal favorite brand of dry food is Wellness. About once a week, we make our own concoction of chicken or beef, fresh vegetables, and pasta for our Berner gang. We don't use canned dog food. I don't like paying extra for a food loaded with fillers and preservatives. When we make our own and we know exactly what goes in their food. Each dog gets one cup of Wellness brand food and 3/4 cup of our homemade food twice a day. Bloat - Sometimes called overeating syndrome, bloat causes the dog’s stomach to swell up due to gas or fluid, or both. Bloat is also the name of the condition when the stomach twists on its axis. Bloat can be a major problem in big breed dogs. Both types of bloat are veterinary emergencies. The dog is in great pain, and his or her life is at stake. You must bring the dog to the attention of a veterinarian immediately! The classic cause of bloat is a big meal, or a large intake of water, followed with rigorous exercise. It happened once when one of our females got into the dog food in the closet and ate all she could. Her stomach was so distended she looked as if she was ready to deliver puppies. We rushed her to the emergency hospital where she was treated and thankfully, didn't need an operation. Keep the food locked up and inaccessible. Keep cookies, meat, bread, cake anything away from the reach of the dog. You may be surprised with what they are able to grab off the kitchen counter. Collars – Purchase inexpensive cloth or leather collar for your young puppy. They will grow fast and quickly outgrow collars. Your obedience handler will help you when it is time to switch to a choker collar for training purposes. Never use a prong collar! If not fitted or used correctly, the prong collar will harm your dog. It may even be harmful enough to cause permanent damage. With proper training, the dog will learn with just a choker. If an obedience trainer wants you to use a prong collar, get another handler. The Word ‘No’ – Saying “no” to a puppy is difficult. Don't let those cute eyes fool you. All puppies understand the word “no” from living with me for a few weeks. They will try to ignore you at first, but be persistent. Remember that cute little 20 lb. darling will gain another 80+ lbs. It may be cute today as he chews on your fingers, but wait until he is 110 lbs. Hugs & Kisses – Last, but not least, praise is the best tool of all. Berners are intelligent. They learn quickly and easily and are eager to please you. Their love for you is endless, try your best to return it. Don’t hesitate to praise your puppy when appropriate. During housebreaking, when he or she goes outside successfully, it is ok to clap and praise the little one. Let your puppy know that you are proud of the accomplishment. Always support positive behavior. |