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 You need to be prepared for
your new puppy, WELL BEFORE the puppy comes home. Here is a list of articles and resources that will give you the information
and tools to make your puppy experience a positive one. Click on the links below for more information. Choosing
the Right Breeder- The first and most important part
of getting a puppy, is choosing the right breeder before you even look at the litter. I can guarantee that if you visit
a litter of puppies, no matter how bad the environment or the breeder, you will take a puppy home with you. So do yourself
a favor and find a reputable breeder FIRST, and get on their list for an upcoming breeding. Most reputable Ridgeback
breeders have their litters placed prior to them even being born. Read the "The Culture Clash"
by Jean Donaldson - This is a must-read for anyone buying a puppy from me. I have never had anyone be sorry they
took the time to read this short, fast-read paperback that prepares you for what to expect from your puppy and how to appropriately
respond to them.
Understand Puppy Development - There
are many different developmental periods in a puppy's life and you should be familiar with them and know the appropriate way
to respond and handle them. Click on this link for a puppy development chart.
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Things To Do
Time Off from Work If you are like most familes these days, everyone in the home works. If this is the case, I
would highly recommend that you plan on taking the first two weeks off from work to bond with your puppy. An alternative
would be to leave them with a friend or relative, but remember that means the bonding with that person will be strong!
So don't get upset if your dog is more excited about seeing them, than you! During this critical time with your puppy, you
have the advantage of getting their housetraining off to the best start since bad habits won't have as much of a chance to
begin. It also gives you a better opportunity to gradually prepare them for crate training and being gone for longer
periods of time. Do NOT spend every minute with your puppy those first two weeks when you are off and then expect them
to be happy in a crate when you go back to work unless you utilized that time to also properly crate train them! Dog Sitter
If you do not live close
enough to work to come home during the day, it is imperative that you have a dog-sitter, whether it is a releative, friend
or someone you pay to relieve your pet throughout the day. BEFORE your puppy comes home, you should have a suitable pet sitter lined
up to provide potty relief and human interaction for your puppy. Once they are an adult (not until about 2 years old).
Puppies' bladders are
not mature enough to hold their urine for extended periods of time, although, thankfully they can hold it better through the
night when sleeping as their metabolism changes and their need to urinate is diminished. See the chart below for guidelines on how long
you should leave your puppy or dog alone before needing to relieve himself. 2 -4 months old - 2 -3 hours
5 - 6 months old
- 4 hours 6 months 1 year- 5-6 hours 1 year to adult - maximum 8 hours Veterinarian
Find
a veterinarian who understands the benefits of minimal vaccines who is willing to either order vaccines that only have parvo
and distemper (no other vaccines included like lepto, corona, parainfluenza, etc.), or are willing to administer the vaccines
the breeder supplies you with. It is hard for a breeder to guarantee your dog's health if you are continually damaging
their immune systems with annual vaccines. Check out the "vaccine"
page in my website and familiarize yourself with information about this issue. You can print out and take the
two documents listed to the vet for ammunition. Remember, Rabies is the ONLY vaccine required by law, the rest are not
required by anyone and you can just say NO to your vet.
Trainers
You
MUST enroll your puppy in classes BEFORE they are 13 weeks old, during the prime socialization age, optimally starting
a class by 10 or 11 weeks old. You may have to wait until your puppy's second set of shots, depending on the rules
of the training center you will be attending. Making sure you get your puppy scheduled for a class is critical
and you don't want to wait until the last minute or a class may already be full.
This
also requires you do some homework before your 8-9 week old puppy arrives home to find the appropriate trainer.
The trainer should (MUST for Yandisa puppies) be approved by the breeder and should utilize primarily positive motivational
methods. Going to the Association of Pet Dog Trainers' website (http://www.apdt.com) and doing a search for available trainers in your area is the first place
to start. Don't assume, however, that if they are listed on that website, that they are acceptable trainers but it is
a good starting point. Look for trainers who have the CPDT certification first as they are most likely to apply appropriate
training techniques and have a good understanding about dog behavior in general. Ask to watch a class and for references
of people who have attended. Also ensure they allow your puppy to play with other puppies for socialization, in addition
to the companion dog training they will be assisting you with. As a breeder, I always ask for the name/number so I can
interview the prospective trainer as well. Their vaccination requirements of puppy is also a factor because there are some who require even
a rabies shot prior to starting a puppy class at 10 weeks old. Ideally, they only require one set of shots of parvo/distemper
before starting the class. Your puppy should have had its shot a week prior to starting the class.
Puppy Proof Your House
You need to start
thinking about what you would do to keep a child safe if you had a toddler coming to stay with you, because you will have
to do the same things for a puppy. All breakable items need to be out of reach. Any chemicals need to be completely
inaccessible to the puppy. Keep shoes, socks or any small edible items out of the reach of the puppy. You may
want to use a small x-pen or child-pen to confine the puppy for the first month in an area of the house for a play area when
you cannot watch them 100% of the time. This can be an alternative to their crate, giving them room to play, but still
not giving them the run of the house.
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Things to Buy
Crate - This is not a negotiable investment
if you are bringing home a Yandisa puppy. Click
here for more information about crating, including
what size to buy, how to properly crate train, etc. Chew Toys - Ropes, Kongs, Teething
rings, Natural Bones (I highly discourage feeding Nylabones and rawhides for safety reasons) Homeopathic
Remedies - I would highly recommend you purchase the
following to have on hand at all times. They can all be purchased from www.naturalrearing.com. If you cannot
find them in the product catalog, just call "Roger" and he will send you what you need.
Thuja and Sulpha Tinctures- given immediately after parvo/distempervaccines. Give Thuja 1/2 dropper 2xs per day for 1
week and then Supha at same dosage for the 2nd week. Thuja and Lyssine Tinctures- given immediately after Rabies vaccine, 1/2 dropper Thuja in am and 1/2 dropper
of Lyssine in pm. Arnica
Tincture- given immediately
after any trauma or injury...dosage provided. (I also use this for humans after trauma or injury)
Heartworm
Based
on information supplied in the March/2006 edition of "Whole Dog Journal," a periodical I highly recommend you subscribe to, I would recommend giving "Heartguard"
every 45 days...and only during the mosquito season if you live in the North and, unfortunately, all year round if you live
in the South. Ticks/Fleas
I am very reluctant to
utilize the Frontline liquid that is administered between a dog's shoulder blades. Does it work to rid the dog of fleas
and ticks? Yes it does. My concern, however, is the detrimental affects on the dog's overall health. Just
thing about it...any chemical that kills fleas and tickes FOR A MONTH or longer by just applying it to the skin, HAS to be
strong. They've discontinued the 6 mos. Frontline shot because of so many dogs dying from it.
That said, I am equally
as concerned about Lyme's disease since I have had two dogs diagnosed with it. I do use the Frontline Spray and don't
use nearly as much as the directions say. If your dogs aren't regularly exposed to ticks, you wouldn't have to apply
it until it was necessary. The manufacturer says it is safe to use on puppies and I have used it, but sparingly.
I also utilize natural
sprays that help repel the fleas and ticks. "Cloud Nine" is a great natural spray concentrate you can purchase from many internet
sources, including www.naturalrearing.com.
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