Bringing Home a new Puppy                          

Your veterinarian can be a tremendous resource for starting a loving relationship with your puppy that will bond over the years into a joyous and rewarding experience. Contacting him/ her for advice on your new puppy concerning vaccinations and overall health will help you with any questions or concerns.

Examinations within 48 hours after taking home your puppy are very important. Some medical conditions may not show themselves for several weeks, so repeat visits as outlined in the wellness portion on this page are very important.

Once you bring your new puppy  home, handle the feet, ears, face, and belly while talking in a calm soothing voice. Open the puppy's mouth and observe for pink gums around the contrast of white teeth. If the gums are pigmented as in chows or other breeds, you may have to look at the tongue, lips, or foot pads. A vibrant pink color is normal. Pale or white gums can indicate anemia which is most often due to severe parasitism (worms) If the gums are pale or white, the puppy should be examined by a veterinarian immediately. The puppy should also look well kept. Observe the hair for fleas or ticks. The hair coat should look healthy and the skin on the belly should be free of sores or bumps. Dried waste under the tail may indicate that the puppy has been having diarrhea. The ear canal should be clean and free of any wax. Puppies commonly have ear mites which causes a brown to black discharge in the ears.

Home care to have ready the first day:

Food & water dishes:

Separate dishes that are difficult to tip over are recommended. Wash separately from household dishes to help prevent disease transmitted to humans. Even though these conditions are rare, it is best to practice good hygiene from the first day.

Brushes:

A soft hair brush or slicker brush would be best. The slicker brush is a wire type brush is very effective in combing the hair yet as the name implies is not harsh to the skin.

Beds:

Dog beds are available, but it may be best to wait until the puppy is larger to accommodate the size bed . A soft blanket or towel will suffice for the beginning.

Collar & Leash:

It is never too early to train your puppy to accept a collar. Many collars are available today that are adjustable to allow for growth. Consult your veterinarian about the safest collar to use. Collars also provide a place to put forms of identification such as a tag with your name and phone number.

Shampoo:

Consult your veterinarian about the safest shampoo for your puppy. Puppies can be bathed every two weeks for cleanliness and fleas. Your veterinarian can provide handouts on proper bathing for puppies.

Puppy food:

We suggest a premium type puppy food such as Healthy pet net or Nutro puppy food..

Crates:

In the wild, dogs and wolves live in dens or caves. Puppies come to view the crate as their "den" or "hideaway" for rest and seclusion. Think of the crate much as a crib for a baby to keep your pet out of harms way. The crate is also helpful in housebreaking the puppy.

Wellness Exams:

Puppies should be examined by a veterinarian within 48 hours after arriving in their new home.

  When taking your puppy home the first day, it should be agreed ahead of time that the puppy belongs to the entire family- not just to one person. For the "get acquainted" period, it is often best to divide responsibilities for feeding, watering, and taking out your puppy. This interaction helps your puppy quickly feel like a member of the household. This also prevents unnecessary anxiety for your puppy when it comes to who will walk him in bad weather or clean up the inevitable messes before he is housebroken.

  Even though we do not recommend your puppy sleeping with you, some people cannot resist the temptation. It is best to purchase a crate or carrier that will approximate the puppy's size when full grown.

  Many experts recommend crate training as an excellent form of housebreaking. See our Crate training page for additional info.

   Puppy proofing your home should be done just as you child proof the area. Puppies are prone to chew on electric cords, pick up objects like toys, needles, coins, hose, and crayons. Remember that your puppy sees the room from a different vantage point than adults. You may want to lay on the floor and look around the room to make sure there are no obvious "temptations" that will be visible to your puppy's eyesight.

   To help eliminate your puppy getting into things that could be harmful it is best to not leave your pet unattended. Allowing the puppy to roam through the house may also sabotage your housebreaking efforts. Puppies have very small bladders and sometimes will go on the floor. If this happens, say no in a firm voice, but do not hit the puppy or push its nose in the evidence since puppies cannot understand our actions in this manner. Be sure to clean the mess thoroughly and deodorize the area. Puppies can smell the spot at a later time and will continue to use the same spot for other accidents if the area is not properly cleaned.

  Collars and leashes are an important part of keeping your puppy out of danger. Collars can be put on the puppy at a very young age, but make sure it is an adjustable collar. It is best to check the collar for tightness by slipping two fingers between the collar and the puppy's neck. You should not have to force your fingers under the collar. Remember that puppies grow fast and the collar can become too tight if it is not checked every week. When you take your puppy outside for a walk, be sure to use a leash. Puppies natural curiosity can get them into trouble and they have no fear of roads or automobiles.

  When feeding your pet it is important that the puppy receive the proper nutrition to meet energy, growth, and developmental needs. Most puppies do best by feeding them three times per day. Put the food in a clean bowl and leave the food in the bowl for thirty minutes. At the end of that time take the food up until the next feeding period. Water should be available at all times during the day.  Feeding times should coincide with your meal times to discourage begging. Do not offer people food to your puppy. Not only does the puppy not need the table scraps, but bad habits are formed and proper nutrition cannot be achieved on people food.

  Many dogs wind up in the animal shelter before the age of two years for behavior problems. It is important that your puppy learn early on what is considered acceptable behavior. Failure to teach your pet the difference between right and wrong can result in a grown dog so out of control that it is no longer a pleasure to have in your home. Consult your veterinarian or obedience trainer concerning when to get started with basic commands and obedience training.

Puppies
Puppy Development Cycle Period Behavior   

1st - 3rd week Puppies are born blind and deaf, totally dependent on their mother for warmth and nourishment. Between 10 and 14 days after birth, the eyes and ear canals open, and the puppies begin to move actively around their nest. As they grow, they become more curious and start to investigate their surroundings independently. The mother will begin to leave them alone briefly. This stage of development lasts about 20 days and is the first of four critical periods. 

4th -6th week Beginning at three weeks of age, the most adventurous puppies will seek ways to get out of the whelping box and will start to investigate the larger world. At this age puppies are receptive to human contact, which is essential if they are to bond with people when they become adults. Dogs left alone from four weeks on will never reach their full potential as pets and will often become independent and more difficult to train than those accustomed to close human contact from an early age. At about four weeks of age, puppies can be offered solid food in the form of a soft gruel. Individual socialization of each puppy in a litter can begin at six weeks of age. This is when puppies begin to be more receptive to handling and attention. 

7th -12th week The third critical period in a puppy's development is from 7 to 12 weeks. It has been shown in studies undertaken at various breeding kennels that this is the best age to form human-dog relationships. Attachments formed during this period will affect the attitude of the dog toward humans and toward its acceptance of direction and learning. During this period the pack instinct, which has played such an important role in the puppy's early development, can be transferred to humans. This is when a human can most easily establish dominance over the dog, becoming the "leader of the pack." At this age a dog will accept a submissive role more readily than at any other time in its life. Learning comes most readily at this age. Puppies taught basic commands, even if they are not reinforced for several months, will remember them and respond if they are taught during this critical age. 

12th -16th week The fourth critical stage in a puppy's development is between 12 and 16 weeks. At this age the puppy will declare its independence from its mother and will become increasingly daring in its forays from the familiar. Puppy training can begin during this period, and it is a time of rapid physical and mental growth. The permanent teeth begin to emerge at this time, which is often a painful and distractive process. Puppies need to chew during this period, and, if they are not provided with appropriate teething toys, they will use any available hard object, such as furniture. Puppies at this age may be less willing to cooperate or respond to new commands. 

A dog's personality continues to develop during its entire maturing process and will undergo radical changes while the dog matures sexually and physically. Dogs mature sexually earlier than they do emotionally. Their personalities develop more slowly than their bodies, much like humans but unlike wolves, whose personalities and sexuality develop more harmoniously. 

Source: Behavioral Development 

                            Scottish Terrier Puppy Growth Chart   

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                                                                   Tab and Robin Barkley 

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