Quality AKC registered Boston Terriers

BRINGING HOME YOUR NEW PUPPY AND WHAT TO EXPECT

PUPPIES FIRST TRIP TO THE VET

PUPPY PROOFING YOUR HOME

PUPPIES AND KIDS

INTRODUCING YOUR NEW PUPPY TO EXISTING HOUSE PETS  

HOUSEBREAKING YOUR NEW PUPPY 

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR NEW PUPPY STARTS TEETHING

GROOMING AND KEEPING YOUR NEW PUPPY CLEAN

WHAT TO FEED YOUR NEW PUPPY

WHEN AND HOW MUCH YOU SHOULD FEED YOUR NEW PUPPY

SUPPLEMENTS AND VITAMINS

DANGEROUS FOODS FOR A PUPPY

TRAINING YOUR NEW PUPPY

Once you have decided on the puppy for you and your family, you must prepare mentally for the new addition. Once you adopt a puppy the first few weeks will require a lot of your time. Your puppy will need a lot of your attention and care. The puppy will be exploring and will be getting into everything which means that you will need to be on the lookout, overseeing everything your puppy does and everywhere the puppy goes. You must remember to have some patience and take everything one step at a time. You will need to have a sense of hummor when your puppy misbehaves otherwise you will become stressed out and being stressed out like that is not good for you or your new puppy.    

You will have to not only puppy-proof your home but you will also need to pick up any important items, from off of the floor to about waist high, so that your new puppy will not be able to get to it. After about a week or two, you will know what to expect from your new puppy. He will become more acclimated to your home and his new environment. You and your puppy will have a wonderful time getting to know each other and learning together!

Here are just a few things that you will need to have before your new puppy comes home;

*A wire or plastic dog crate 

*Bedding for the dog crate that is machine washable as well as having thick padding for your puppies comfort

*Two stainless steel dishes; one for dog food and the other one for water

*A puppy collar and leash; make sure that the collar is adjustable and has plenty of extra room for your puppy to be able to grow into.

*Dog tag with your phone number and if space permitting, your address, so in case your puppy wanders off there is a way for him to be returned to you

*A few high quality chew toys

*Grooming supplies such as; a comb or brush, nail clippers or a nail grinder, shampoo, ear cleaner etc.

*Premium dry puppy food (we feed our puppies Iams) 

*A baby gate for blocking areas that you don't want the puppy to go 

*A puppy play pen for letting your puppy play outdoors while still being contained

Your new puppy will have recieved it's immunizations from it's mother's milk from day one. This will provide a base for a strong and healthy puppy. There are a few vaccinations that the mother cannot provide. This is where your vet takes over. Your new puppy will need a few immunization shots or vaccinations to help your puppy build up immunity to certain diseases. Your puppy will need these vaccinations at least every 2-3 weeks early on, after you've brought your new puppy home from the breeder. These vaccinations will be a series of 3-4 (at least) shots until the puppy is around 16-18 weeks old. The last round of shots should be given after the puppy reaches the 16 week mark. The shots that are given early on include; Distemper, Measles, and CPI. The shots after that include; Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus.

During these early weeks you should be sure to keep your puppy away from strange dogs to reduce the risk of your puppy becomming infected by a disease. If you have another dog at the home or know of another dog that you are cartain has all of it's shots and is free of any diseases, then you can certainly let your new puppy play and become aquatinted with the other dog(s). The same goes with humans. You should make sure to tell whoever wants to pet or hold the new puppy to wash their hands before interacting. This is important because the new puppy is just building up its immunities and could still catch a disease easily. After the first few rounds of shots you can slowly let your new puppy interact on a more normal basis.

Your new puppy will also need to be dewormed. Worms can infect your puppy and cause a series of problems that could even lead to even death if not taken care of. You will need to get a few rounds of a dewormer either from your vet or from a good pet supply store to prevent any problems from happening.  

When bringing home your new puppy from the breeder there tends to be a lot of excitement, but it is very important to remember that your home may not be 100% ready for this new addition. Your new puppy will be quite small but will still be able to get himself into trouble.  Puppies are like human babies and will play with anything and everything. This means that things low to the ground will need to be considered. Puppies tend to want to put everything into their mouths. Things such as electric wires and cords will need to be secured and out of the puppies way.

Another concern for your new puppy can be cleaners and poisons. Many people have cleaners and bug and rodent killers on low shelves in their homes. Just like you would for a new toddler who is crawling around, you would want to make sure these items are put away on a higher shelf. This is important because virtually all of these things are considered poisonous for a puppy. 

Household plants can also be very harmful to a puppy. Some plants are very poisonous to animals. Plants such as Aloe Vera, Eucalyptus, and Baby's Breath are VERY toxic, just to name a few. It is always best to check with your veternarian before you bring your new puppy home. The vet can tell you which plants you may need to get rid of.

It is best to remove all objects from the floor and lower areas of your home. It is recommended to get down on your puppies level and take a look around to see if you can spot anything that you may have otherwise over looked.

The toilet is another issue for a puppy, you must always remember to keep the toilet seat lid down. Certain cleaners in the water and in your toilet bowl can be toxic to animals. Also your new puppy could fall in head first and may not be able to get a grip to get himself out. It is always recommended to always keep the toilet seat lid down. 

If you have a balcony or porch, you must NEVER leave the puppy unattended. Sometimes puppies tend to get to sneak through the bars or find a little opening. Your small puppy could slip right through the bars before you even have time to notice that they are gone. Also if your balcony is on a higher level this is VERY important to remember because your puppy could slip through the bars and fall to the ground below, this of course could cause serious injuries or even death!

Your new puppy will act like a toddler exploring their new environment and surroundings. A good rule of thumb is to keep in mind that your puppy is like a small child, anything that could be harmful to a child will most likely be harmful for your puppy as well!

Your new puppy will be very exciting and your child will want to spend a lot of time holding and playing with the puppy after bringing it home. You must remember that your puppy, though cute and tiny, is still an animal. Animals have instincts that are different than humans.

Keep in mind that your new puppy will usually only tolerate so much from a small child. Explaining to your son or daughter how to play with the new puppy is important. Tips to include are; explaining that all living creatures feel pain and to be very gentle when playing with the puppy, not to bother the puppy too much especially when he is eating or sleeping, and that screaming, pulling, hitting, kicking or restrainig the puppy is very harmful and should NEVER be allowed!

There should ALWAYS be adult supervision when a child is playing with a puppy. Show your child by example what is considered nice and good play, so your child has something to follow. Have your child help with walking and feeding the new puppy; this will teach your child responsibility and respect for animals. Having your child help with bathing the puppy will also show your child about resposibilities. Once your son or daughter understands these ideas and are old enough, you can slowly allow for more alone time with the puppy.

Once your child understands these concepts, having your child attend training classes with your puppy is a smart idea. This step will show your child tips that can be used in training. Your child can watch and see how the trainer interacts with the puppy and will follow by example. If your child is really into training your new puppy and your puppy is a show quality purebred then having your child get involved in junior showmanship may be something they both enjoy doing together.

Sometimes a child can be afraid of dogs, even cute little furry puppies. This is very common and can be resolved over time to allow your child to live a life filled with the love and joy of having animals around. Some tips to help cure this phobia or fear include:

*Teach the child to remain calm around the new puppy. Most children will scream and try to run away when they are frightened, this will only startle the puppy and cause the puppy to react in either a playful or scared manner. When you remain calm, the puppy has no reason to believe otherwise.

*Tell the child the puppies name. Most dogs have a cute or nonthreatening name that sounds much better than calling the dog a dog; this will help the child feel more at ease and may be more inclined to approach the puppy. 

*Take the child to a park and have her watch the dogs run and play, having fun. Show her the ones that are behaving nicely; this will allow for a comfort level around the dogs. She will get used to seeing many different type of dogs, including your new puppy, playing in a nonthreatening way.                          

When introducing your new puppy to your existing pet(s) some kind of thought out plan is a must! Placing your new puppy loose in your home, free to roam with your existing pet(s) may be a bad idea. You will need to consider the worst possible situation and that it likely will occur. There are a few steps to make this transition a plesent one. Here are a few things to keep in mind and some tips we have found that work quite well.

Many dog professionals suggest that you take a towel or some sort of rag and gently rub your new puppy with it; this will allow the scent of your puppy to get on it. Then place the towel in your existing pet(s) resting area. Your dog or cat will smell the scent of your new puppy on the towel. This is the first step to allowing your existing pet(s) to become a bit familiar with your new puppies scent. You will also want to do the same with your existing pet(s) so that your new puppy can become familiar with their scent(s) as well.

Once your new puppy is home with you, you will want to keep him in a sepperate area of the house where the other animal(s) cannot get to. They will both become courious and will be able to smell each other from under the door. A few days of this will allow both pets to become accustomed to each others scent. You should start thinking of making the face to face introduction at this point. However, make sure that you have someone to help by holding onto one of the pets while you hold onto the other so that they are protected. The puppy should become submissive of your existing pet while your existing pet will most likely become protective and on guard. After a few trials of this face to face introduction the two will begin to calm down some and will want to sniff each other. The scent will be familiar to both because of the introductions you had implemented early on. This will help ease their fears because both scents will be somewhat familiar. 

There may be some growling and paw raising but this is to be expected. You should just allow this to occur unless of course you feel like your new puppy is in danger. This is a very natural part of the introduction process. After a few minutes, you should put the puppy away in his crate. Each time you take your new puppy out of his crate to mingle with your existing pet(s); you should extend the time by a minute or two. 

Please remember to never leave your new puppy and the other animals alone together. This is very important and shouldn't occur until you are 100% certain that everyone is comfortable and are getting along well. It is also recommended to give the existing animal(s) lots of attention and extra love to boost their confidence. Many times, the origional pet will become to feel threatened by the new puppy thinking that they are being replaced. This causes the origional pet to be on the attack. Extra added attention will help ease that fear and will allow for a much easier transition. 

If you want your pets to get along and become friends, you must alloe this to happen naturally, on their own time. The natural progression of this introduction should be allowed the time to run it's course.    

The housebreaking process can be a long and tedious one at that. Most responsible pet owners prefer to crate train their puppies. This method starts by having a schedule where your puppy either is allowed to go to the bathroom in a specific area inside or goes to the bathroom outside. You must choose one and stick with it (this is where positive reinforcement comes into play). You will want to reward and praise the puppy when he goes to the bathroom in the correct area and simply state a firm "NO!" when he goes anywhere other than the correct area.

The crate is a major part of the training process. Your Boston Terrier puppy will not eliminate in a crate if that is the puppies primary resting area. Keep your new puppy in the crate for short periods of time, letting him out to use the bathroom, to eat, to play etc. then put him back inside the crate when he can't be watched. If you have a crate that is much larger than the puppy you will want to make it smaller by blocking off the part that is not being used, you can buy special dividers made specifically for this purpose. You will want an area just big enough that the puppy can lie down comfortably and that the puppy can turn around in.       

Remember the magic number *15*! A puppy has a very small bladder and they are physically unable to "hold it" for long periods of time. If you remember to take your puppy out 15 minutes after he eats, 15 minutes after he wakes up from a nap, 15 minutes after playing etc. you will be off to a great start! Also remember that until your puppy gets a little older he will need to be let out several times a night to be allowed the chance to use the bathroom.      

It is very important to be consistent, making sure to give your new puppy lots of chances for success. You must NEVER use harsh or violent methods when housebreaking your new puppy; use only positive reinforcement techniques. Also when correcting your puppy with a firm "NO!", do it while or immediatly after the puppy messes up. Your puppy will have no clue why you are yelling at him if you wait longer than 5 seconds after the fact! It also does absolutly nothing to "rub his face in it"! If you catch your puppy in the act, pick him up while at the same time giving a firm "NO!", this should make him stop going. Walk the puppy to the selected area, put him down while saying "go potty" (or something along those lines) when he finishes, lavishly praise him for doing such a good job. Soon enough you will be on your way to having a totaly housebroken Boston Terrier puppy! 

When cleaning up after your puppies accidents make sure to use a organic solution made specifically for pet urine. There are enzime's in these products that literaly "eat" the proteins in the urine. These products are the only thing that totaly cleans the mess, smells and all. If your puppy can still smell the spot that he has gone in before he will no doubt go there again! 

As your puppy grows, he will show signs of teething. This stage occurs when the puppy is around 4-5 months of age. Teething tends to be a very uncomfortable process for a puppy and they will often want to chew on things to ease the irritation. There are a few ways that you can help ease the pain for your puppy. Ice cubes made from chicken soup then either placed in a bowl or handed off to the teething puppy helps numb the gums and mouth as he chews on the ice cubes. Another way to help your teething puppy is to soak a clean rag in water then put it in the freezer. After the rag freezes the puppy can then chew on it to help ease the pain. This period of time can be quite painful for your puppy and bleeding can sometimes occur. It is very important to discourage your puppy from chewing on objects that are not for him to chew on. At times your puppy may even want to chew on your arms and hands, don't let him. If you see your puppy start to chew on something not allowed, give a firm "NO!" and remove the object from your puppies mouth. Right after taking the object away from your puppy make sure to replace it with an ice cube, toy or something else that belongs to the puppy for chewing on. The teething process can be a very painful, uncomfortable period for your puppy, using a frozen compress or ice cubes can help ease the pain.

                        Once your new puppy is home with you and your family, you will want to start a schedule for grooming and cleaning your new puppy. This is not only important for the appearance of your puppy but also for it's health and well being. It's not something that we often think about but puppies not only can produce an order when not clensed or groomed but also may get matted areas of fur and can develope skin allergies as well.

Properly grooming your new puppy will make you and your puppy very happy. The fur is the main area that will need to be groomed. This involves trimming of the fur and brushing and/or combing of the fur. With long-haired puppies you may want to comb the fur on a daily basis, trimming at areas that may be matted or may have a tendency to become matted. With curly and wooly dog breeds you will have to brush them every day to avoid knots which tend to come out more often. The short-haired dogs with close tight hair or fur will only need a combing or brushing every two or three weeks. The amount of time brushing and/or combing is solely up to you, the puppies new owner. 

You will also need to do regular checking of your new puppies paws. This will involve trimming of the puppies nails as well. You will need to check for any kind of dirt or debris that can become lodged in between the toes. This is especially important if your dog spends a great deal of time outdoors. The nails will need to be trimmed every few weeks or as needed, this will help your puppy with movement as well as prevent any ingrown nails that could grow inwards into the paw pads. This can be extremely painful for the puppy and will cost you a bit at the vets office to have removed and then closed up. To avoid this problem you must do a check every two weeks. Trimming of the nails will also save your furniture as well. If you have hardwood floors you will want to make sure your puppies nails are nice and trim to avoid any damage to them. If you hear your puppies nails making a clicking noise on hardwood floors, then your puppy may need a nail trim.

Ear care is very important to your puppy. As a rule, the ear should be a pale pink color and should not carry a fowl odor. If you notice anything odd you should take your puppy to the vet to get checked out. Cleaning your puppies ears is a fairly easy task. You will want to wet a cotton swab or pad with a little warm water and gently clean the inner areas of the ear. Only go as far as you can see NEVER go deep into the puppies ear canal! Cleaning of the ears should be done as often as you groom your puppy. 

Dental care for your puppy is also very important and should start at an early age. As soon as the teeth start showing dental care should start to begin. Poor dental care is one of the main causes of early health problems in dogs. Decay in the mouth and teeth can lead to serious kidney and liver disease. This can lead to an early death. You should brush your puppies teeth as often as possible and take him to the vets for a thorough cleaning once a year. Dog biscuts, toys and bones are a good way to keep your puppies teeth clean. These help because by the action of chewing on them the puppies teeth and gums get cleaned.

Checking and cleaning your puppies eyes should be done at least every couple of days. You will want to see clean and clear eyes. Any eyes with signs of drainage or cloudiness should be seen by a vet. To clean the eye area take a moist cotton swab and gently wipe the OUTER areas of the eye to remove any discharge. To remove any discoloration of the fur around the eyes, there are a few products that can remove these common stains and will prevent new ones from forming. One product that has been highly praised for doing a good job of removing tear stains from the fur is "Angels' Eyes". This product safely removes tear stains without any harmful chemicals and is completely wheat free. 

Bathing your puppy is another way of getting rid of dirt and smells that most dogs carry. At first sniff, if your dog has a smelly odor then you will certainly want to bathe your puppy. Most dogs will need to be bathed once a month the exception would be for curly or wooly coated breeds, they will only need to be bathed every two months or so. Always remember to use the special dog shampoos; never use shampoos made for humans!     

Feeding your new puppy the right type of food can seem difficult with so many different brands out there that promise to do so much for your growing puppy. Take your time to look at a few brands, the premium brands (which are usually sold at vet offices, online, pet supply stores etc.) will normally have a higher nutritional value. This will allow you to feed your puppy less food at scheduled feedings since the brands that have a higher nutritional value will also be easier for your puppy to digest.

Some dog foods that are being sold as premium are filled with additives and by-products. These can be hard to digest and can be harmful for your puppy. Look for a good quality food free of all by-products and additives. look for just pure natural human grade ingredients such as fresh fruit and vegetables which help provide antioxidants and minerals, all premium chicken meal and catfish meal is free of all by-products so your puppy is getting just pure protein needed in the early stages in life. Try to also find a premium food filled with whole grain brown rice which aids in adding fiber to your puppies diet. With beet fiber,brewers yeast, and bacteria cultures, your puppy will have an active immune system, and great overall health.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER FEED YOUR PUPPY TABLE SCRAPS!!! Human foods are not always the best for a growing puppy. They need specific ingredients to stay active and healthy and what we eat may not be good for their systems. 

Dog foods on the market today are made specifically for certain periods of a dogs life. There are foods made for early puppy stages to old age. These foods contain added ingredients to help the dog excel for that stage. Most vets recommend that you feed your puppy "puppy stage food" for the first two months that the puppy is home with you. After the two month mark you should feed your puppy adult dog food. An excellant way to judge excellent way to judge exactly when you should switch the type of food, is to look at the growth of your puppy.

Once your puppy has grown to around 90% of it's growth then you should switch the puppy food to adult food. This is recommended because many puppy staged foods contain calcium and proteins. This may seem like a great addition to the food because we think of a puppy as always growing and needing more calcium and protein; unfortunately the added calcium and protein can cause problems in the joint, tendon and muscle devlopement of the puppy.

All of our Boston Terriers are feed Iams Smart Puppy food (toy and small breed formula). They all have beautiful, shiney coats and bright, clear eyes and are all VERY healthy and happy! Learn more about Iams by clicking on the Iams bag to the left to go to their website.

There are conflicting views on when a new owner should feed their new puppy. There are two basic forms of feeding that are commonly used in puppy feeding; free feeding and scheduled feeding.

Free feeding is when the owners leave dry dog food out for the puppy all day long so the puppy can eat whenever he pleases. Scheduled feeding involves placing a bowl of food out for the puppy and then taking it away after a period of time, which is usually a 30 minute period. For the puppy stage most experts recomend using the scheduled feeding proccess. This is an easy way to allow your new puppy frequent smaller meals which help control how frequently the puppy will need to go outside to use the bathroom and also helps control weight gain.

The most common mistake new puppy owners make is allowing their new puppy to eat all day long whenever he pleases. This may seem like a thoughtful idea but really you are not putting any discipline on the puppy and it's eating habits. During the early stage of housebreaking an established feeding schedule will also become a wonderful tool. You can essentially control when the puppy eliminates or not. 

As your new puppy grows or if there are any digestion or finicky eating issues, you may adjust this schedule to meet the needs of your dog. Your vet will be able to give you tips and other feeding methods if needed. 

The exact amount of food you should allow your new puppy to eat at one sitting will be labeled on the back of the bag of your new puppies' dog food. If you have any questions concerning the amount or what form of feeding to use, it is best to consult your veterinarian.

Your growing puppy is now away from it's mommy, and all of the benefits that the mother's milk provides. Certain vitamins and supplements can help give your new puppy what he is missing. NuVet Labs,has developed a line of supplements to help your puppy through every stage of life. The veterinarian at NuVet Labs understands that most dog food on the market today is lacking the proper amount of vitamins and minerals that are important for your dog. 

As your puppy grows, he will need supplementsto aid in a certain part of development. Most dog foods contain by-products which are seen as being toxic and poisonous to our beloved animals. These toxins are known as free radicals. Free radicals have been the cause of various forms of cancers, heart disease, arthritis, and premature aging. The ingredients in NuVet's line of supplements are designed to combat the assault of free radicals in our pets. The formula used consists of specific amounts of vitamins and minerals with high potency antioxidants that help boost your immune system and help with healthy growth. 

Below is a list of the more common food items that can pose a risk to the health of your puppy, and should, under no circumstances, be given to a dog to ingest:

*Alcoholic Beverages

*Bones from Fish, Poultry or Meats 

*Chocolate, Coffee, Tea or Caffeinated Products

*Citrus Oil and Extracts

*Grapes and Raisins

*Hops

*Human Vitamins and Supplements with Iron

*Large amounts of liver

*Macadamia Nuts

*Milk and other Dairy products 

*Moldy or Spoiled Foods   

*Mushroons

*Onions and Garlic (powders, raw or cooked)

*Persimmons

*Pits from Peaches and Plums

*Potato and Tomato Stems and Potato, Rhubarb and Tomato leaves

*Raw Eggs

*Raw Fish

*Salt

*String

*Sugary Foods

*Table Scraps

*Tobacco

*Yeast Dough

Your new puppy will need some sort of training at an early stage. This trailing will shape how your puppy will act and respond as an adult and will also give your puppy a strong base for good discipline. You can start with the basic preliminary training and continue into more advanced training if you feel that is important for you and your type of lifestyle.

Obediance training is the first place to start. It is important to remember that your puppy does not speak the same language that you and I do. You have to find a way to communicate with your new puppy in a way that he will understand and obey. Basic obedience training includes teaching you new puppy not to jump up on people, sit, stay, come back when called and not to run away or otherwise act disobedient in any way. Taking your new puppy to a professional trainer is recomended. Many new owners are attending puppy kindergarten classes with their new puppies. These classes are seen as very basic obedience training and will help your new puppy to become more socialized and well behaved.

You should continue the training classes for about 10-15 minutes a day, or do your own classes at home for the same amount of time. Starting training very early on is essential for success. Using a firm "NO!" command when the puppy is misbehaving and rewarding your puppy when he is showing good behavior is a form of training even though many owners may not realize that they are not teaching but training their puppy. Training your puppy to know what is acceptable and what is not tolerated is very important. There are TONS of books out there on the basic rules and training techniques that can help you with training your new puppy. Each puppy is different and has it's own unique personality and each puppy responds to different forms of training. Try out a few forms of training until you find out what technique works best with your new puppy.

It is very important to understand that you should NEVER hit your puppy! Being consistant and using lots of positive reinforcement and praise are truly the best ways to train your new puppy. Using a firm "NO!" when the puppy is doing some unwanted action (or directly afterwards) is important but it should NEVER be followed with a slap or a hit! Dominance over your new puppy will come by with you using a leadership mentality, NOT with harshness!