Canine Parvovirus is the first thing every puppy owner should be aware of. Parvo is a highly contagious virus that is often deadly if a puppy comes into contact with it. Parvo is spread directly from dog-to-dog contact, any contact with contaminated feces (even the smallest drop that could be left behind after someone cleans up after their dog), contaminated environments, or people. Parvo is very resilient and can survive on surfaces for a very long time. It is best to limit what and who you expose your puppy to until one week after they have completed all of their puppy vaccinations. Please click the links below to learn more about Canine Parvovirus.

Parvo In Dogs: Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention & More

THE PUPPY KILLER YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT: PARVO

If you’re preparing to bring a new puppy home, you should always ask what your breeder recommends, but here is a good list of items that we recommend to help set you and your puppy up for success:

Puppy Freya’s set up when her new owner brought her home

It is highly recommend that you crate train your puppy until they can be fully trusted to have free roam of your home. Puppies should not be allowed to have free roam until they can be trusted to not only not have accidents in the home, but more importantly you want to be sure that your puppy isn’t going to eat anything that it shouldn’t. An x pen around a small crate is a great set up for a small puppy. Most animals like having their own area to retreat to and often times you’ll find that they willingly go into their pen. This is also a great area for time out or when the puppy can’t be watched. Another very important reason to crate train your dog is so that they feel safe in a crate rather than anxious. God forbid your dog have an emergency where it needs to have an overnight stay at a vet, it will be kept in a metal cage. It is best for your dog to already feel safe in a crate so it does not have any additional stress.

How to Crate Train A Puppy

The best way to prevent your puppy from chewing on things that they shouldn’t is by constantly supervising and by having plenty of bones and chew toys lying around to satisfy your teething puppies urge to chew.
Here are some toys and bones that I recommend. Please make sure the treats that you purchase are made in the USA. Please never feed rawhide and please make sure your dog has fresh drinking water with every bone and treat. 🙂
 
  • Bully Sticks
  • Farm Hounds Beef Hide Rolls
  • OraVet Dental Hygiene Chews
  • Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Tuff Bone Tough Dog Chew Toy
  • Nylabone Reach & Clean Bacon Flavored
  • Nylabone DuraChew Textured Bone Chicken Flavored
  • Nylabone DuraChew Chicken Flavored
  • PetStages Beyond Bone Tough Dog Chew Toy
  • Nylabone DuraChew Antler Alternative Venison Flavored
  • Nylabone Dental Chew Bone Chicken Flavored
  • Nylabone Puppy Chew Starter Kit Triple Pack
 
Sly & Mika (Ruby x Malone D.O.B. Nov. 2018)
PLAY WITH YOUR (DOG) FOOD: THE EASY WAY TO PREVENT FOOD AGGRESSION

Other items we highly recommend are a martingale collar (as pictured above), leash, slicker brush, greyhound comb, undercoat rake, dremel, food puzzles, licki mat, snuffle mat, Kong, Snoop, West Paw Toppl, Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff GuRu, baby gates, kennelsol, Vetericyn, hydrogen peroxide, and a thermometer.

With Open Arms and a Level Head:  How to Bring a Puppy Into Your Life

Attention is the Mother of All Behaviors – Puppy Culture DVD

Book Recommendations:

When Pigs Fly! Training Success with Impossible Dogs

Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development

The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Puppy

Patricia McConnell, PhD: Your Source for Science and Soul in Dog Training Behavior

Canine Enrichment: The Book Your Dog Needs You to Read