Royal Crown Chins 

NEW PUPPY INFORMATION, TRAINING AND TIPS

THE FIRST 48 HOURS

The wait is over and it's finally time to bring home your new puppy.  But before that happens, there are a few preparations that need to take place.

Puppy-proofing your home

Create a safe and friendly environment for your new puppy by following this simple checklist: 

Make sure all poisonous household items are securely stored out of puppy's reach.

Move or remove any poisonous plants (you can find a list of plants poisonous to dogs by searching for "plants poisonous to dogs" on a search engine like Yahoo or Google).

Look at your house from a puppy's point of view and remove any hazardous items.

Supplies you will need

There are certain things your puppy will need from day one, so it's best to purchase these items in advance, if possible. 

-Food and water bowls

-Collar and leash (harnesses are preferred - Chins are much more comfortable with a harness rather than being pulled around by the neck.  You can find harnesses at Wal-Mart, Petco, Petsmart and most pet stores)

-Brush & comb

-Safe, appropriate toys (as a general rule, if the toy can fit comfortably in a puppy's mouth, it is too small)

-Dog bed

-Puppy/baby gate

-Supply of wee wee pads/newspaper

Feeding

Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs.  By feeding complete and balanced nutrition now, you can impact your dog's lifelong health.  Remember these three tips:

Consistency.  Feed your puppy the same food at the same time every day.  Young puppies should be fed two-three times a day.  Fresh drinking water should be available at all times.

Don't overfeed.  Studies indicate that avoiding overfeeding may help a puppy's development. 

Don't be alarmed if your puppy's appetite changes.  Occasional loss of appetite or digestive upset is normal for growing puppies.  Continue your consistent feeding regimen, however, should the upset become severe or last for more than a day or two, contact your veterinarian.

The first few days

Make the transition easy for your new puppy with these helpful tips:

-Decide on a name and use it consistently.

-Limit visitors for the first few days. 

-Keep your puppy in your line of sight at all times for his/her safety and to establish correct behavior (unless he is in his "room" that you have designated and puppy-proofed for him) 

-Teach your family the proper way to hold a puppy by placing one hand under the hindquarters and the other under the chest.

-Never pick up a puppy by the front paws or scruff of the neck.

-Do not leave a new puppy unattended with very small children or other family pets until you're sure everyone is ready.

House-training

Your new puppy is paper trained.  You can certainly continue this method but if you would like to train your pup to potty outside, try this approach:

This is one of the most important training efforts you'll ever make--but it doesn't have to be difficult. 

1. Establish a routine and stick to it.  Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, the last thing at night and within fifteen minutes after he/she eats.

2. Until your puppy is trained, keep a constant eye on him/her and prevent accidents before they happen.

3. Crate train your puppy.  As a general rule, your puppy can safely be left in a crate the number of hours that equal his/her age (in months), up to 6 hours.

4. Designate a potty area.  Train your puppy to use this designated space by consistently taking him/her there and using a command like "go potty."

5. Correct your puppy's mistakes only when you catch him /her in the act.  With a firm "NO!" pick up your puppy and take him/her to the designated potty area.  Accidents will happen, so remember to be patient.

**Be patient.  Most pups are not completely potty trained until they are at least 6-9 months of age.  They are simply too young to understand what you are asking of them.  Try to come up with a good system to start training early but have a backup in case of accidents (such as taking them outside on a regular schedule but provide newspaper inside until they are completely trained).

THE BASICS

Here are a few things to remember to help keep your new puppy healthy. 

Teacup puppies and tiny toys should eat 2-3 times a day and they also need fresh water down at all times.  Sudden food changes can cause loose stool and diarrhea.  New surroundings can cause stress.  Stress can cause a lot of things.  I cannot guarantee that this will not happen to your new puppy, but I will try to help you with your new puppy as much as I can. 

When changing a puppy from one food to another, mix the old and the new for a few days to avoid stomach upset.  Never starve a puppy to try to make him eat something that he has refused.  You will make him ill.  If he refuses the new food, offer him something else.  When you find what he will eat, mix this with what you want him to eat and after a little time he will eat the food by himself.  Some vets say that a dog will not starve himself if the food is available, but it has been my experience with puppies that some of them will.  If a puppy has refused what you give him, after 2-4 hours, give him something he will eat.  They must eat or they will become weak and wobbly.  If they do get weak give them a teaspoon of honey or Karo syrup every hour until they recover.  Then get them to eat. 

Please remember, it is very important to follow up on your new puppy's vaccinations.

Play with your puppy every day.  Bond with him/her.  The puppy will adore you and will really want to please you.  Your dog is a social animal and wants to be with you.  Most of the incorrect behavior you will experience can be traced to loneliness, boredom, or the lack of your patience.

When training, remember your puppy's age.  Puppies have short attention spans.  Just because your dog may look adult, don't be fooled.  Different breeds mature mentally at different ages.

PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE!  Your dog loves your smiles, and your joy in saying his name.  Every time your dog does the correct behavior, PRAISE IMMEDIATELY USING HIS NAME.

A healthy dog is happier and will be a better companion.  Good food, annual check-ups, current vaccinations, clean teeth, and regular exercise will extend your dog's life.  Spay or neuter all dogs not used for breeding.  Watch your dog's weight, more is not better.  Adjust your dog's intake to his age, and the amount of daily activity your dog receives. 

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR PUPPY.  YOUR JOY WILL BE IMMEASURABLE.

HYPOGLYCEMIA

(Low Blood Sugar)

This condition can be seen in Toy breed puppies most commonly between five and sixteen weeks of age.  Often it is precipitated by stress and/or missing a meal.  Sometimes becoming chilled or too much activity from simply play can bring on an attack.  Those puppies that are particularly small or high-strung are at greater risk since they have less energy reserves than average.  It is important that young pups are kept on a high quality diet and have regular offerings of food. 

In early signs of hypoglycemia the puppy is noticeably confused and disoriented.  He becomes drowsy at unusual times, shivers or staggers about and can't stand.  He can actually collapse and become unconscious if left untreated.  This situation requires immediate attention.  If left untreated the puppy will die.  If this condition continues over an extended time, permanent brain damage may result. 

If you find that your pup may be experiencing symptoms of hypoglycemia, feed him a teaspoon or so of Karo syrup or honey.  If the pup will not lick the syrup or honey, mix it with a little water and try feeding him with a syringe.  It is imperative that you get sugar into him immediately!  You should see improvement in thirty minutes or less.  If the pup is unconscious or does not improve, a veterinarian should be contacted at once.  He can give the pup an intravenous solution of Dextrose. 

It is important that any small pup be kept from over activity and unduly stressful situations.  It is critical that they do not miss a meal.  Anyone with a Toy breed puppy would be wise to keep Karo syrup or honey on hand for emergencies.

Please note, we do not guarantee against hypoglycemia.

FEEDING YOUR NEW PUPPY

Be sure to keep fresh water and Kirkland Signature Chicken Rice & Vegetables puppy formula kibble (available at Costco) available at all times.  In addition, twice a day I soak about 1/4 cup of dry kibble in water for a couple of minutes until soft.  Your puppy should eat most of it before his/her next meal.  Keep this routine until your puppy is at least 3 months old, and thereafter as needed.  Be sure your puppy continues to eat well.

Pups need puppy food until they are at least 12 months of age, then switch to an adult maintenance food, preferably Kirkland Signature Chicken Rice & Vegetables adult formula, available at Costco.

BRACHYCEPHALIC (FLAT-FACED) BREEDS

Your new puppy is a brachycephalic breed. Most people are not familiar with the term "Brachycephalic," but if you own a Pug, Boston terrier, Pekingese, Japanese Chin, Bulldog or any one of the other breeds with "pushed in" faces, you should become familiar with this word.  The word comes from Greek roots "Brachy," meaning short and "cephalic," meaning head.

HEAT STRESS - Because of all these upper respiratory obstructions, the brachycephalic dog is an inefficient panter. A dog with a more conventional face and throat is able to pass air quickly over the tongue through panting. Saliva evaporates from the tongue as air is passed across and the blood circulating through the tongue is efficiently cooled and circulated back to the rest of the body.

Labs, for instance, are able to pass air quickly over their tongue through panting which causes the saliva on the tongue to evaporate. The blood in the tongue is cooled and circulated back to cool the rest of the body.

In the brachycephalic dog, so much extra work is required to move the same amount of air that the airways become inflamed and swollen. This leads to a more severe obstruction, distress, and further over-heating.

BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS ARE THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR HEAT STROKE.

Altogether, the upper airways of the brachycephalic dog compromises his or her ability to take in air. Under normal conditions the compromise is not great enough to cause a problem; however, an owner should take care not to let the dog become grossly overweight or get too hot in the summer months. Be aware of what degree of snorting and sputtering is usual for your individual pet plus, should your pet require general anesthesia or sedation, your vet may want to take extra precautions or take radiographs prior to assess the severity of the syndrome. Anesthetic risk is higher than usual in these breeds, though under most circumstances the necessary extra precautions are readily managed by most animal hospitals.

Cold weather - When dogs breathe in cold air, his nose will help warm the air before it enters his lungs; however, because brachycephalic dogs have such short noses, the air is not warmed as much as it would be in a non-brachycephalic dog, making brachycephalic dogs more susceptible to the cold.  Keep this in mind during the cold winter months.

To keep your brachycephalic dog healthy:

1. Keep him fit with moderate exercise – no frenzied activity, please. These are not the dogs to accompany you on jogs. A pleasant, short walk will do.

2. Avoid extreme temperatures, especially extreme heat. These dogs need to live in air-conditioned homes.

3. Keep his weight in check. Overweight places additional stress on his body and breathing and increases his risk of respiratory problems.

4. Use a body harness to walk him rather than a leash attached to his collar.

If you have any questions about your brachycephalic dog, please do not hesitate to call your veterinarian if you have further questions.

A FEW FINAL THOUGHTS

When get your new puppy, try to pick him up on a Friday or a Saturday morning so you have all weekend with him before going back to work.  The more time you spend with him the better.  Take it slow.  Remember, your puppy is tiny and your home will seem big and a little scary in the beginning.  Pick an area of your home that can be converted to a "starter room" for your puppy.  Kitchen or bathroom is a great place, and you can incorporate baby gates and/or x-pens to keep your new baby confined to this smaller area.  You can find x-pens at Petco or Petsmart.  Put your new pup on linoleum or tile so its easier for you to keep the area clean.  Puppies, believe it or not, like a clean area to potty.  The cleaner you keep it, the cleaner the puppy is when it comes to going potty in the appropriate place. 

In a small area a puppy will feel safe and secure.  I always have a 5-item checklist when I leave my Chins:

1. water 2. food 3. toys 4. bed 5. wee wee pads (or newspaper)

These are absolute necessities for puppies.  Any area that is large enough for all five items plus a small area to play is good.

I highly recommend leaving your new puppy at home as much as possible and not having too many visitors until he is four months old and has all his shots.  Taking a young puppy to work or to a friends house or anywhere else outside your home just opens the door for him contracting a virus (just like kids at school pass around a cold and the flu, plus not all the other kids had their shots!)  Remember, the older a puppy is, the higher his chances of recovery if he gets sick.  Also, a little trick of the trade, take your shoes off before you come inside your home until your puppy has all of his shots.  Viruses can be transferred from your shoes to the carpet where the pup can easily pick it up on his paws.

I personally am not a big fan of crates (other than transportation of your pup).  A locked crate is not appropriate for a puppy unless it is for a short period of time or unless he is traveling.  It is good for a puppy to be comfortable in a crate for travel but when home alone they do better in a bathroom or x-pen with a little room to stretch their legs, play, and not get bored.  It would be very depressing for a puppy to spend hours a day in a crate.

Find a good local veterinarian.  Talk to friends, co-workers and family about their veterinarians and their experiences with them.  Once you have chosen your vet, keep his information handy in case of emergency.  In addition to your regular veterinarian, it is a good idea to find a 24-hour emergency veterinarian near you, if available, and keep their contact information and location on hand as well.  It's good to know who to call in case of emergency. 

Toys: Chins are very small dogs and do not like large or hard plastic toys that are difficult to play with.  Smaller plush toys with squeakers are wonderful.  You can also find soft plush toy rattles in the baby department at Target, Wal-Mart, etc.  They also like soft rubber squeaker dog toys.  Be sure to keep lots of toys on hand for your puppy.  Your puppy will be happier and more outgoing if he has lots of toys to stimulate him, especially if you play with him often.  But do remember that Chins are a Toy breed dog and do not like to play rough.  Be sure to teach your children the proper way to play with your Chin.

Please keep in touch with us.  We love to hear about how puppies are doing and we love pictures.  Feel free to call or email us with updates and/or questions.

One final suggestion - Keep some toys hidden away for a rainy day when your pup is bored or decides one of your household items looks like it might make a nice toy.  You'll be glad you did.  Chins are rather materialistic and love new "stuff," especially toys!

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