EXERCISE - Toy poodles are an easy dog to exercise.  Most of the exercise they need they get while playing in the yard or in the house.  Miniature poodles require slightly more exercise and are a little more active than the toy variety.  Poodles do love to run though so be careful, they can get away from you.  They also love to play so be sure to provide plenty of toys to play with so they do not mistake furniture and other house hold items as chew toys. SOCIALIZATION - Poodles can sometimes be shy and timid (this is mostly due to their small size), it is very important that you take time to socialize your new puppy with kids and other pets that are in your home.  If not properly socialized your puppy could become nippy and aggressive out of fear.  Puppies get important socialization from their mother and human contact during the first 6-8 weeks of their life.  Go slow when introducing your new puppy to children and other pets.  Never force a relationship.  This can cause the exact opposite of what you wish to accomplish.

OBEDIENCE - Poodles are very smart, eager to please, and easy to train.  In fact they were used in the circus for years because they were able to learn many tricks and are very agile.  Books can be a great way to learn to train your puppy or you can take an obedience class.  Places like Humane Societies, Petco, Pet Smart and private trainers often offer a variety of classes.  It is as important for a dog to have good manners as well as people.  No one likes a disobedient dog!  It can be fun for both you and your puppy.  You will be amazed at what your dog can learn to do with a little training and a lot of patience.  Often it is the owner that has to be trained as the puppy knows how to get what they want with various behavior techniques.  The problem is, often it is not the behavior the owner wants.  Ignoring unwanted behavior,turning your back on them, and then rewarding immediately when the behavior such as barking stops, even if only for a few seconds, can be very effective. Diffuse barking with a spray bottle of water.  Spray when they bark and state in firm voice, “no barking.”

Rewards can include healthy treats,dental chews, round small bones (these can be raw), dental chews, love and petting.  Making statements like “good. no barking” helps.  These are just some of the things that you can learn in classes, training dvds and books on training your dog. There are some good websites with training information, vets often have brochures, check your local library or bookstore.

FEEDING - Do NOT feed your puppy soft canned food for very long.  The chewing of hard food helps to keep teeth clean and healthy.  Canned food can also cause your puppy to become overweight.  Try not to change your puppy's food unless absolutely necessary.  It can hurt your puppy’s digestive system and can also cause diarrhea. If you decide to change food, do it gradually, mixing the old food with a little of the new and keep adding more and more of the new food and less of the old food over a period of time. Puppies need to be fed 3-4 times a day.  As your puppy ages, the number of feedings can be reduced to two times a day.  I recommend that you follow the feeding directions on the back of your dog food bag.

Free feeding is not encouraged when trying to potty train your puppy to go outside, on a newspaper, etc.  Put the food down, give plenty of time for the puppy to eat, and 10-15 minutes later, take the puppy outside to potty.   Remember, dogs will pee and then look around for spot to poop so don’t bring the puppy in too soon.  Some owners like to have an exercise pen in a certain spot in the yard, put puppy in their and then there is one set spot for pottying.  As the puppy learns, the pen can be taken away and the dog will continue to potty there. ( if you live in a rural area or country, remember small puppies/adults look like small rabbits for large birds).

The food we feed our adults and puppies is Nutro Ultra small breed adult food after 6 months old.  We feed the puppies a mixture of Nutro Ultra puppy food and the adult food.  Then when time to wean from the puppy food, we put more adult food and less puppy food gradually so they adjust easily. Remember,  no food dyes, gluten, additives. 

The larger dogs such as the standards, are fed Nutro Ultra large breed puppy food.  At six months, they are fed Nutro Ultra  arge breed adult food.  

PLEASE DO NOT feed your puppy human food!  Dog food has everything your puppy needs for proper nutrition. The exception to this is cooked chicken breast pieces, some cooked hamburger,  plain, natural yogurt,  cottage cheese, and be added to food or used as a treat or reward on a limited basis.  Brown rice is good for them also.  Be careful, you can spoil the dog and then they don’t want to eat their regular dog food.  I sprinkle less than a tsp. of Missing Link (available in pet stores and online websites such as PeT Edge) at am feeding.  This supplement provides anything missing in the dog food.  There is a definite difference in healthy coats, etc. when using this product. 

HEALTH - Please remember your puppies regular immunizations.  These are essential to good health.  Especially PARVO shots.   BEWARE!  Some small dogs have adverse reaction to the chemicals in the shots.  However we have never lost a dog from an immunization and this is not an excuse to not have immunizations.  Most puppies just become lethargic and may have some diarrhea.  This usually resolves itself within 24-48 hours.

Worming is important too.  We use liquid worm medicine on younger puppies and mothers to be or nursing mothers.  At 3-4 months, we use heartguard once a month.  Give one dose at the same time of the month each month.

Your puppy/adult that we place in your home will be current on his/her vaccinations, worming.  If they will be exposed to other dogs, then Bordetella given as a nasal spray should be given to deter kennel cough. Remember, if your puppy should become sick at any time, please do not wait too long to see your vet.  Regular brushing of their teeth, yearly professional dental cleaning, proper diet, and regular grooming, including cleaning ears and clipping toenails will help ensure that your new family member will be healthy and happy. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your puppy.  Introduce your new pet to your vet and don’t hesitate to call him/her and ask questions if you have concerns.