All our puppies are eating Dimond Natural chicken and Rice small breed puppy food
We do NOT Reccomend trying to change their food for the first 4 month. Too many changes can cause tummy upsets.
During potty training, you may want to feed 2x a day (3x is also ok if you want). Remember, when puppies eat, they poop! So if they nibble on food all day, they poo-poo all day!
Kennel Training
YES PLEASE! Kennels are not punishment, they are a safe place for your puppy. If you have kids, this is where the puppy can go to get aways from your kids - kids are not allowed in the kennel!
Kennels are great for potty training, keeping your puppy safe and more.
We reccomend your puppy is kenneled at night, when you are gone, and when you are not actively watching them.
Kenneling at night - Its soooo easy for your puppy to get off thier bed, go potty and go back to bed without you ever knowing! By being in a kennel, they will (most of the time) whine and alert you that they need to go potty!
When we start, we always get a bigger kennel, put a potty pad in the back and a small bed in the front. This give the puppy a safe spot if YOU fail to let the puppy out. They can potty on the pad without soiling thier bed.
Kenneling when you are gone- YES! Your puppy is just that - a puppy. They are curious and into everything. Besides the naughty chewing on your favorite chair or table leg, potty accidents, and chewing your dry wall, lets talk about that tv cord thats peeking out from the stand - ohhh it looks like so much fun to chew on! Or how about your laptop/cell phone charger... nothing like getting zapped with some electric current.
When your not activly watching them - YES! If you are not watching them, whats the difference between being gone and not watching them? NOTHING. They will be into everything. Give them a safe place to relax - give them some toys, a bone, something to keep them occupied, while not being naughty.
We get a kennel they will grow into - This allows for a potty pad in the back and a bed in the front. the 2 door makes it easier for you to change and clean potty pads.
Kennel: Amazon Link Here
S 24" 20-30 lbs.
M 30" 30-40 lbs.
L 36" 40-70 lbs.
Potty Training
1- Get on a schedule
2- Take your puppy out often
3- Watch your puppy
POTTY BEFORE PLAY!
Want your puppy to potty in one area? Put 2-3 days worth of poop in the area you want them to poop at. Why are we cleaning it up immediatly outside when we want them to potty outside? We clean it up immediatly inside because thats a no potty zone.. so why clean it up asap outside? Once your puppy get use to pottying in the area, then yes, please clean up your puppys poop.
Your puppy will be able to hold their bladder for their age in months plus 1.
2 months old - 2+1= 3 hours
3 months old 3+1=4 hours
Be proactive - don't feed your puppy right before bed!
If your puppy drinks alot before bed time, they are going to have to wake up more to potty.
The last one to bed takes the puppy out last. The first one up takes the puppy out in the morning.
General Training
* Get enrolled into a puppy training class. Your puppy can start learning new things immediatly.
*LEASH YOUR PUPPY 100% of the time. Yes, you heard me! Keep a leash on your puppy 100% of the time! Or in a kennel*
Everyone has that stinking coffee table in thier living room - lets say you are in the kitchen and your puppy goes to the living room to be naughty (potty, chew, etc). You see the behavior and yell to startle the puppy and stop the behavior.... Then you go to the living room and now you and the puppy are playing catch me if you can around the coffee table. You are gettin madder and madder and your puppy thinks your playing. By the time you catch the little rascle, he has completly forgot why you were playing and you are so upset that nothing good is about to come. If you had a 6ft leash on your puppy, you could easily step on the leash, correct the behavior and move on.
Outside - they can still run with a leash... and if they go through a naughty toddler phase where they don't want to 'come' you can often get within that 6ft range to step on a leash.
Start teaching your puppy NOW. Your puppy will soak up new things. The first week at home, you will teach them thier name, sit, down, potty, dinner time, kennel up, etc.
Keep that going. Teach your puppy a minimun of 3 new things a week. Google some ideas and make a list. Each week teach them something new. Youtube will help you learn how to teach a trick if you have questions.