Your new puppy will need lots of attention and care!  It will be easy to spoil your them but remember, your puppy can become TO spoiled with out proper training and discipline. Treat your puppy like your new infant. Have constant supervision, lots of patience, and of course gentle handling. Of course your puppy will want lots of attention, so always give lots of love and affection! 

Moving to a new home is a big change for a puppy! The first few weeks of acclimation will be the most important. Puppies are very social, but don't be alarmed if it takes the puppy a couple days to get comfortable, this is very normal.  Try to socialize the puppy with positive encounters and weave them into your normal routines.

Potty Training

Okay, this is a big one folks! The key word is CONSISTENCY and also patience. When the puppy has to go there are several signs to be attentive to,

• sniffing
• whining
• scratching
• circling

If you recognize any of those signs, take him outside immediately. If he goes, praise him. Never punish an accident, if you do, he may learn to go when you are not looking. Crate training is a successful way to promote potty training.  Some people may cringe at the thought of using one, but dogs are actually den animals. They find comfort and security in their cave crate environment. This makes it easy to train your dog to love her crate!  The principal in using a crate is that dogs like their "den" clean and avoid going to the bathroom near their eating and sleeping areas, so their instinct will be to keep their crate clean!  Keep your puppy in the crate during crate time and in the exercise pen whenever you are not directly supervising them.   

We have a doggie door that the puppies will learn to use while they are here. Obviously they will be able to go in and out as they please, so they will learn from their mother to go to the bathroom outside.

Nap Time

A new puppy will need to have nap times throughout the day to rest.  It is also important that he has a warm place to sleep. Be aware that play times are kept short, whether the play is with people or other pets. Puppies can play themselves into exhaustion or not take the time to eat or drink.  Your puppy should also be able to retreat to it's "den" or  crate on its own accord if it becomes tired or frightened. 

Socializing With Other Pets

All contact between a new shihpoo, poochon or maltipoo puppy and resident pet should be 100% supervised for the first two weeks minimum. Be especially careful if your other pets are much larger than your new puppy. We suggest separating your pets with child safety gates or pet exercise pens until they are acclimated.

Until your Teddy Bear Puppy has completed its immunization shots, remember to keep your shihpoo, poochon, and maltipoo puppy away from areas where non-resident pets may frequent. (public parks, rest stops)   

When your puppy comes home, it is NOT fully immune to the many viruses until all booster shots have been given.  We encourage you to speak with your licensed Veterinarian about completing these vaccinations when you receive your puppy.  Your Shichon/ Zuchon or Shihpoo puppy will be up to date with our de-worming and vaccination program when he/she goes home!

Your Puppy's Diet

Do not put the food in a bowl and assume your puppy is eating.  Pay careful attention to how much he is actually eating each day because this is critical to their health.  If you are concerned with minimal eating habits use Enercal (as seen on our Puppy Shopping list) and/or blend a small portion of warm water with his normal ration, creating thick smoothie consistency for enticement!

The small breed puppies do not have a large fat reserve, so it is essential that these puppies eat three meals a day.  Missing a single meal can cause these puppies to have dangerously low glucose levels (hypoglycemia).  Once a puppy’s glucose levels are low, he might become too confused to eat and could refuse food. 

Your new Teddy Bear Shichon, Shihpoo puppy should be eating three times a day (see Potty Schedule).  1/2 cup of dry food total (approximate).   We feed our puppies “Life's Abundance“ but also recommend “ Life Protection Formula Puppy Blue Buffalo Chicken and Brown Rice for small breed."  Blue Buffalo is easier to find in stores..  Your puppy will be sent home with a small bag of our Life's Abundance puppy food along with a feeding guide and instructions on how to gradually switch puppy over to Blue Buffalo if you prefer! 

Whichever food you choose to feed your puppy,  always read the label! 

Look for these ingredients: Whole meats, Whole grains (Oat and Rice), Natural preservatives or non at all, Animal based Proteins, Good Fats (Omega 3&6), Fruits, and Vegetables.  The best dog foods contain high quality ingredients that are appropriate for your dog's digestive system.

Once your puppy reaches around six months old, switch to two feedings a day and maintain this through through maturity.  Your puppy can be switched to an adult formula food between 9-12 mo. of age.  If you choose to switch to a different brand of dog food, the change must be a gradual one. Change the food over a 4 day time period, giving 100% of the original food the first day,  75% original food and 25% new food the second day, 50% of each the third day, and 25% of the original and 75%  new the fourth day. This gradual change will reduce the amount of stress to the puppy. 

As your puppy grows follow the directions on the bag for the age and weight of your puppy.  

Hazardous Items

Keep household cleaners and chemicals out of his reach. Restrict access to food, plants and chemicals that are dangerous to dogs:  

-Foods: chocolate, caffeine, onions, garlic, chives, moldy foods, alcoholic beverages, nuts, grapes, raisins, yeast dough, corn on the cob, Xylitol (found in sugar free diet foods), milk, bleu cheese.

-Plants: Azalea, Amaryllis, Daffodil, Bird of Paradise, Eucalyptus, Hyacinth, Hydrangea, Iris, Calla Lilly, Morning Glory, Rhododendron, Rose, Jade, Tomato plants, Tulips, Poison Ivy/Oak

-Chemicals: Antifreeze, Ibuprofen, rat bait.

Remember to safely store all chemicals out of reach.

Make sure breakable items are out of reach.  Put up electrical cords so he won’t chew on them.  Keep toys off of the floor-since some parts may be small enough for your puppy to swallow.  Use a cover and/or protective fencing if you have a pool or hot tub.