Raising a Puppy - Our View
At Roseknoll we want your puppy experience to be a good one from the first day. Our suggestions for the perfect puppy experience are included below.
Shots:
A health record is enclosed which lists all vaccinations your puppy has had to date. Check with your veterinarian for shots needed in your area. We suggest an additional Parvo vaccination at 5 -6 months of age.
Parasites:
Be aware of fleas and ticks, they should be treated immediately. Check on heartworm incidence and treatment in your geographic area. There are five kinds of worms: round, hook, tape, whip and heartworms. Worms can be especially harmful to a puppy.
Bed:
We recommend a wire crate. This is a bed and playpen for your puppy. It is also helpful when traveling. Allow the pup to come and go at will when someone is around to watch it; when left alone in the house, close the door to the crate. This is for the pups safety and also to eliminate chewing and accidents in the house. Your pup is accustomed to a crate in his pen to play and sleep in; it should not be a big adjustment.
Toys:
Hard rubber toys, Nylafloss (not Nylabones), tennis balls, chew hooves and old socks tied in a knot are the best toys. Rawhide chews work well for small puppies, but adult PWD jaws are too powerful and they may shred and swallow large pieces of rawhide rather than chewing. Do not allow pup to play with soft latex toys when unsupervised, as they can be chewed and can become lodged in pups intestine.
First Day:
Puppy may be afraid and lonely without his littermates. A radio playing softly or a ticking clock may help. He may not eat much until he is adjusted. Try to resist handling him too much at first, as this is tiring for him. Remember this breed is a people breed happiest when they can see you. Use praise and affection freely. Immediately upon arrival, take on lead to his out spot until he relieves himself. Then introduce him to his new home, show him his bed and water dish. Do not give him a large area in which to roam until you are sure of his house training. This would be confusing to a small puppy who is used to a small confined area.
Housebreaking:
It is instinctive for a dog to keep his bed clean. Your puppy has already demonstrated this by using a small papered area in the kennel or going out in the yard. Therefore, he will try to keep his crate clean if at all possible. Sometimes a young pup cannot control himself for long periods of time. Try to remember that an accident is not his fault, but rather yours for expecting him to wait too long. He may not be able to go through the entire night, but will graduate to this very shortly. Take him through the same door to the same spot (they prefer a secluded, wooded or leafy area) each time. Reward him immediately on the spot with a kind word and a hug. He should go out first thing in the morning, the last thing at night, after ever mea, and after every nap. If you are dependable, hell learn to wait for you. Use a specific word, such as potty or get busy. Soon he’ll sit by the door that you use and may even speak to go out. A sure warning signal is his circling and sniffing; this is the first indication that he is searching for his place. Once his scent his there, hell use the same place each time. Until he’s trained, take him to his place before he has a walk, so he knows hes out for business before pleasure. Stand solid, until he’s finished the business at hand, then walk or play afterwards. When he does have an accident and you are not present, it’s best to overlook it and clean it up; he’s forgotten all about it. There are several items on the market that will eliminate the scent and avoid the pup being tempted to use the same spot again (we like PDQ or club soda). However, if you catch him in the act, then scold him and take him outside immediately. Should he then relieve himself in the correct area, be lavish with your praise. In bad weather, beware of chilling, dry off well.
Walking:
Young pups like to walk toward home. Carry him a distance and let him walk back until he begins to enjoy it. This breed is energetic and needs exercise.
Travel:
PWDs love to ride in a car or boat. Take pup on short trips at first. Don’t feed before traveling to eliminate car sickness. As he gets older, he can maintain his feeding schedule and still travel.
Grooming:
Although PWDs do not shed. Dead hair still needs to be removed. If old hair is left in the coat, mats or skin problems may develop. Use a pin brush and a wide-tooth comb. Get pup used to brushing often. They soon begin to love the attention. See your veterinarian for proper age to bathe, beware of chilling. Use a hairdryer in a warm room when the weather is cool. Clipping is advisable. Eyes need wiping daily. Check with your DVM regarding cleaning the ears and nail clipping.
Dental Care:
If you begin at an early age to clean your puppy’s teeth, you may prevent ever having to anesthetize and clean the dog’s teeth at a later date. Begin early to handle the puppy’s mouth. Get the puppy used to having its mouth opened and its teeth examined. As it becomes used to this, start cleaning the food particles from its teeth with a cloth over your index finger. The next step is to use a soft child’s toothbrush. Cleaning the food particles from the teeth 2-3 times a week and the use of hard chew toys should prevent most tartar formation.
The smaller puppy teeth should come out by themselves by the time your puppy is 4 months old and the large canine teeth by 5 months. If the puppy teeth remain in place too long, they can interfere with development of the permanent teeth. If these teeth don’t come out on their own, you can help by wiggling them with your fingers or tugging on a rag or toy with your puppy. If the puppy teeth still aren’t out by the ages listed, check with your veterinarian.
3-4 meals daily until 6 months; 2-3 meals until 1 year; 1-2 meals thereafter.
Do not overfeed give pup all he’ll eat in 10-15 minutes and then remove.
Room temperature food and water is best.
Have fresh water available at all times this breed drinks large quantities. You may have to restrict the amount of water a bit during housebreaking.
Feed only puppy food (we are feeding Solid Gold Puppy Food mixed with Triumph canned for the first year; it contains extra nutrients for proper growth. Table scraps are not recommended. Other acceptable high quality dry foods are Nature’s Recipe, Science Diet, or ANF. We like to supplement the dry food with a bit of cottage cheese each evening and a hard boiled egg once or twice a week until the puppy is about four months old. Yogurt is a good for the dog and may be given anytime.
Supplements:
See your DVM (we recommend Pet Tabs + Improve (powder) and /or Lipiderm (liquid).
Bones:
Never cooked bones raw, soup bones with fat and marrow removed.
Treats:
IAMS or Milkbone biscuits and cheese are good.
Large quantities of milk can cause diarrhea.
This breed loves fish (especially Mackerel), and can have it often.
Try to maintain a regular feeding schedule.
Adult Diet:
At the age of one year, you should begin the changeover to adult dog food. The same brand used as a puppy can be continued.
If you have any problems or concerns about your puppy, please don’t hesitate to call or contact us.
ENJOY YOUR PUPPY!
Good Reading
The Portuguese Water Dog by, Carla Molinari ISBN 972-9181-22-5, unfortunately this book is not available online from Amazon.com.
