Puppies: Bits and Bites

Puppies are cute. It’s just a fact. Even if you aren’t a dog lover you can still appreciate a cute puppy picture at least. But that’s how they suck you in. They look all cuddly and sweet and innocent. And then you bring them home and think what did I get myself into?

I’m not saying don’t get a puppy by any means. There are plenty out there looking for homes and I advocate for rescuing. I’m saying there’s a lot that comes with that cuddly, sweet and innocent face. I speak from experience. You’re listening to the girl who brought home a tiny little Boston Terrier the size of my hand, got all this stuff for him, and then thought, okay, what do I do now?

Luckily I had many avenues to gain knowledge from. The internet is the quickest way to do research. I read articles, books, blogs and magazines. I asked a million questions at the vet and of my friends. And I learned a lot along the way just by trial and error. Chaos came only a few months behind Ares so having 2 puppies at once sort of forced me to pay attention and get creative to preserve my sanity. Several of my friends have gotten puppies recently and our conversations sparked me to write this post. I have to add a little disclaimer that I do not have any formal behavioral or medical training for animals. I'm happy to share the little tips and tricks I have acquired to hopefully help any new puppy owners but please make sure to consult a veterinarian and/or a certified dog trainer before doing anything you are not sure of. 

Baby Ares and baby Chaos came with a lot of extra stuff. How can these tiny little things need so much? And then there's so many different brands and styles and recommendations it can be really overwhelming. I've developed a list of puppy essentials that we used to get through the first year and into the second. Keep in mind these are things that worked for my dogs but every dog is different.

The List:

Potty pads
Bitter Apple Spray

Training treats

Teethers

Styptic Powder

Vetericyn 
Kongs

I actually only used potty pads for a short period of time. Both Ares and Chaos were crate trained from the day they came home but when I was home, I couldn't watch them every single second. Chris bought me a play pen to set up when I was home but couldn't give all my attention to the puppies. It's actually a human child's playpen but it worked when the boys were small. Basically it's just 8 connected gates that fold up together when not in use. I would set it up on the floor, put some toys in there and a potty pad on one side and go about my business around the house. If they had to go potty they could use the pad. Luckily neither of mine chewed them up but I know some people have had that issue. Which brings me to the next thing on the list. 

Bitter Apple vinegar tastes terrible to a dog. We still keep a bottle of Grannick's Bitter Apple Spray on hand just in case somebody decides that toys and bones aren't good enough anymore and goes for mommy and daddy's stuff. The spray is non toxic to pets and humans and just serves as a deterrent to putting something in their mouths. It can also be sprayed on hands to help with the often painful puppy mouthing. 

Whether you train your dog yourself or take him to formal obedience class, you're going to need treats. We used Pet Botanics Mini Training Rewards because they are small and only 1/2 a calorie so I didn't have to worry about adjusting their meals to compensate for the extra calories. All they need is a little taste to understand the concept of positive reinforcement. 

There are tons of puppy teethers out there. Some are flavored and some have nubs and some are shaped like dinosaurs. When puppies start losing their baby teeth and getting big kid teeth, just like humans, it hurts. The natural instinct is to chew. I wanted the boys to understand what things were theirs and appropriate to chew on. After several teethers that were destroyed (by Chaos) or untouched (by Ares) I found out the Nylabones worked best for my boys. The favorite is the Nylabone DuraChew Double Action Chew. The ends are hard plastic with nubs and the middle is tough rubber with nubs. A great way to keep them interested is to dip the teether in chicken or beef broth and stick it in the freezer. The taste is enticing and the frozen texture keeps them busy longer.

Styptic powder and Vetericyn sort of go hand in hand. Puppies are rambunctious and usually aren't all that coordinated yet. Even with the most vigiliant owner there can be accidents. Styptic powder stops bleeding quickly. This is extremely helpful if you're like me and accidentally cut the quick while nail trimming. I never knew so much blood could come out of such a small area. And I also did what any rational person would do as soon as I saw the blood coming out of Chaos's paw..I freaked out. Luckily I had the styptic powder and Chris was there to remind me to use it. Chaos healed up just fine but he is still a little leery of the clippers. I talked about Vetericyn in this post as a wound healing solution. 

Kongs are an amazing invention. If you've never seen one the original design is kind of funny looking. It's a tough rubber object with a larger opening at one end, smaller opening at the other and hollow in the middle. They are meant to be filled with treats and the design makes it so that your dog has to work to get them out. It helps with mental stimulation and keep them occupied. There are different shapes and sizes and the package will indicate which level of chewer the rubber strength is for. We have to get black for Chaos because he is a strong chewer. We found out it works best to also freeze the kongs once you've filled them with treats (we use cheese wiz, peanut butter, nonfat plain yogurt, pumpkin, dog food or dog treats in all different combinations). 

What are your puppy tips and tricks?