Guide To Bringing Home A New Puppy

You have found the newest member of your family and are finally bringing him/her home for the first time. But what do you need to do in order to ensure that this new family member will have a smooth, healthy and safe transition from the kennel/breeder to your house?

When bringing home a new puppy, you need to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Chances are, your puppy will be an angel compared to what you expect of him/her, but at least you would have covered all bases. As with anything else in life, it is always better to be over-prepared than to be under-prepared.

The most obvious supplies are usually at the forefront of any new pet-owner’s mind. These include feeding and water dishes, a leash, a collar or harness, teething toys, a bed, some sort of confinement and sleeping quarters for the puppy, wee wee pads, food and of course treats.

When choosing feeding and water dishes, consideration must be given to the size of the puppy. Dishes too large may prevent a tiny puppy from eating and dishes too small may provide too little food for a large puppy. Pay particular attention to the amount of food the puppy is currently eating and the height of the puppy when choosing dishes.

A leash and a collar are two very important items as a puppy needs to get used to walking on a leash even before he/she is ready to go outside. Speak to your veterinarian before taking your puppy out for walks but in the meantime you can get your little furry addition to warm up to the leash by walking him/her inside the house. When choosing between a harness and a collar, attention must be focused on the size of the dog. If a dog is very tiny and fragile, a harness may be a better option because it will prevent accidental injury to your puppy when restraining him/her with a leash.

Teething toys are a must in any household with a new puppy. Puppies, just like babies, lose their puppy teeth and gain adult teeth as they grow. Because of this, they constantly like to gnaw on anything in sight. If you provide your puppy with quality teething toys that entertain him/her then the puppy will continue to chew on the provided toys. You must be sure to select toys that you know your puppy will be entertained by. If the puppy is not entertained, he/she will look to other “toys” around the house to play with.

Choosing a confinement area for your new puppy also needs a lot of planning and thought. Puppies should be supervised at all times if they are freely running around the house. However, there will be times when no one is able to supervise the puppy (when you are sleeping or out of the house etc). During these times, the puppy needs to be confined to a crate or a safe area of the house. If left alone, puppies can be destructive and they can cause harm to themselves. The easiest and most popular form of confinement is usually a crate or an exercise pen. However, you may also choose to have the puppy confined to a gated off section of the house like the kitchen, hallway or bathroom. Whichever form of confinement you choose, you need to choose the proper bedding and soiling area for that arrangement as well. Wee wee pads work well as a scented paper that encourages a puppy to go to the bathroom. These pads will help to ensure that a puppy has an area to go to the bathroom when you are not there so that there are not many soiled areas of the puppy’s sleeping quarters. These pads should be placed away from the puppy’s bed so that the puppy can differentiate between the sleeping quarters and the bathroom area as puppies inherently do not like to soil where they sleep.

Feeding your puppy is also another important factor in preparation planning. As far as treats are concerned, they should only be given to a puppy when the puppy has done something to earn a treat. Always follow the guidelines on the packages to ensure that you are not over-treating your puppy. As for feeding your puppy, you need to ensure that you have the same food for your puppy that the puppy has already been eating. Changing your puppy’s food too quickly can cause upset stomach and diarrhea. Keeping your puppy on a constant, healthy formula is the best way to guarantee your puppy a healthy transition to your home.

After all these factors have been considered and decided upon, you need to make an appointment to have your puppy examined by a Veterinarian to keep him/her current on vaccines. If all goes well, then it is up to you when it comes to training and caring for your new puppy. You can always seek the help of a professional trainer if you are not able to train the puppy properly or you can read training tutorials online or buy training books specific to your breed of dog.

With the proper planning, care and attention, your puppy will be acclimated to your household within a short period of time. Always remember to socialize your puppy with people, kids and other dogs so he/she will be well rounded as an adult. Puppies need lots of sleep, lots of care and most importantly, lots of love.

Looking for puppies for sale?

Visit us at http://www.internationalkennel.com/ for your new puppy. Or call us at 516-794-PUPS for more information on how you can get your puppy bred for quality, temperament and trainability. The International Kennel Club has brought happiness and joy with its selection of puppies to New York residents since 1979.

Guide To Puppy Travel

Planning a trip or a move with your family and your four legged friend? If so, have you set aside any time to gather the proper information for a safe travel for your puppy? Most people do not know how much preparation is required when traveling with a puppy. Much thought should be given to transporting your puppy whether the destination is another house, state or country in order to guarantee a safe and comfortable trip for your pet.

Transporting your puppy over long or short distances requires more planning than most would think. There are certainly more steps to transporting a puppy via an airplane than by car however, both types of transport require some preparation ahead of time.

If the puppy is to be transported to another state or country, there are certain requirements that must be met before the puppy can travel. The puppy must be up to date on all vaccinations that are mandatory by the state or country the puppy will be traveling to. This usually includes a rabies vaccination. You must also be aware of and abide by all the laws and regulations concerning incoming puppies within the destination country or state. If the destination is another country, these laws and customs regulations can be found by contacting the appropriate Consulate within the United States.

When traveling via airplane it is usually mandatory for the puppy to have a health certificate within ten (10) days of travel from a licensed veterinarian stating that the puppy is free of any contagious, infectious or communicable diseases. This certificate must also contain an acclimation statement which would affirm the temperatures between which the puppy would be able to adapt.

Consideration also needs to be given to the carrier within which the puppy would be transported. If the puppy will be traveling via airplane as pet cargo, a plastic transport crate would be sufficient. You would need to find the suitable size for your puppy. A general requirement is that the puppy should be able to stand comfortably in the crate. Dishes for food and water must be mounted within the crate so that the puppy is nourished throughout the trip. You should also decorate the crate with the appropriate “Live Animal” and “This Way Up” stickers to ensure a smooth and safe trip for your puppy.

If the puppy will be traveling via car then a plastic travel crate, a soft sided carrier, a regular metal crate or a seatbelt harness are all suitable to keep your puppy safe within the car during vehicular movement. The type of containment you choose for transport within the car would depend completely on your puppy’s preferences. This trip needs to be as comfortable for your loved one as it must be for yourself.

In short, planning your pet’s move ahead of time is the safest choice especially if the puppy is traveling to foreign territory. Having the proper documentation, travel crate and knowledge prior to the day of travel will give you the peace of mind you will need to provide your puppy with a comfortable and safe travel experience.

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Looking for a new puppy?

Visit us at http://www.internationalkennel.com/ for your new puppy. Or call us at 516-794-PUPS for more information on how you can get your puppy bred for quality, temperament and trainability. The International Kennel Club has brought happiness and joy with its selection of puppies to New York residents since 1979.

Guide To Choosing The Right Puppy For Your Family

You are finally entertaining the idea of adding a four legged member to your family but every member of your family wants a different breed of dog. Deciding on a breed of dog may seem like a daunting task at first but here are a few tips to help you when making this very important decision. Remember patience is key!

The first step to narrow down your search is to find out whether any member of the household is allergic to fur. If this is the case, then you will have to only entertain breeds with hair such as the yorkshire terrier, maltese, poodle, wheaten terrier, bichon frise, havanese etc. Dogs with hair do not produce as much dander as dogs with fur and therefore are less likely to stir up allergies.

The second step is to understand why every member of the family wants the dog and what they would be capable of doing with the dog. Our four legged friends can be watchdogs, playful companions, exercise buddies or just simply lapdogs or lazy couch potatoes (bulldogs anyone?). The main issue you need to address here is the exercise requirements. If everyone wants a dog to roughhouse with or to exercise/play with then you definitely want to steer towards a more agile and athletic pup. If no one wants the responsibility of taking the dog on long walks or actively entertaining the dog with quality play and exercise time then you want to turn your focus to dogs that require very little physical exercise.

The third step is to decide whether you want a purebred or a mixed breed pup. While choosing a purebred seems to be the most predictable option (as every purebred pup has their own breed personalities), going with the new “designer breeds” may be as viable an option as a purebred because they are purposely mixed and therefore their temperaments can be predicted almost as perfectly as a purebred’s temperament. Understand though that every dog has their own unique personality regardless of breed, size or gender and it is wise to interact with your puppy before you purchase him or her.

The fourth step is to determine whether you want to buy a puppy or adopt a dog. Ultimately this is
a choice you will have to make on your own and it will be based on your own preference. However, the key question is whether you want a puppy or an adult dog. If you have young kids, it may be wise to get a young puppy (under 1 year of age) due to the fact that a puppy is a lot more trainable at this age and has not been exposed to any ill treatment or abuse that would adversely affect the temperament of the puppy. The main concern here is the dog’s personality.

Other factors that may contribute to a better result for you and your family are smaller concerns but yet will help make everyone happier with the new addition. These include how much shedding would be tolerated and how large or small of a dog everyone would be able to handle.

Visit us at http://www.internationalkennel.com for your new puppy. Or call us at 516-794-PUPS for more information on how you can get your puppy bred for quality, temperament and trainability. The International Kennel Club has brought happiness and joy with its selection of puppies to New York residents since 1979.

Puppy Scams: A Growing Online Business.

There are many scammers parading around the internet as puppy lovers trying to sell you puppies they do not possess. It is an utter shame that these scammers would take advantage of kind-hearted people searching for a new puppy to add to their family. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when searching for a puppy online:

-You should always ensure that the pet seller has a public location where customers can visit to interact with the puppies. Even if that location is not anywhere near you, at least you know that other people are able to visit the puppies and that the puppies actually exist. If they do not offer you this option, you should ask for pictures of the puppies next to specific items (such as a coke can etc.) to ensure that this puppy exists at the seller’s location.

-Never wire money! If you are purchasing a puppy online without visiting the seller’s location, always ensure that payment is made via a traceable source (such as credit card or paypal) to ensure that you are guaranteed a refund if the puppy never arrives.

-Try to stay away from “Free Puppy” ads. Usually these are scammers disguised as puppy lovers who will rip you off by asking you for money for shipping in advance.

-Never fall for ads from people disguised as so-called missionaries from other countries (Africa etc.) They usually claim to have high end pedigreed puppies such as bulldogs, yorkshire terriers and maltese puppies for ten times less than the price of the puppies at local or other reputable breeders and they usually ask for money to be wired to have their “babies” shipped to you.

-If the seller is a reputable business, you should find out if complaints have been made and have never been resolved by searching the BBB’s website.

Always adhere to these guidelines when looking for a new puppy to avoid emotional and financial pain associated with trying to acquire a puppy from an online scammer. Many people have made and are currently making these mistakes. Don’t be one of them!

Looking for a new puppy?

Go to http://www.internationalkennel.com/ for your new puppy. Or call us at 516-794-PUPS for more information on how you can get your puppy bred for quality, temperament and trainability. The International Kennel Club has brought happiness and joy with its selection of puppies to New York residents since 1979.

What is a Teacup Puppy?

Many people like to refer to small dogs as “teacups”, “minis” or “micro puppies”. There is no “teacup” breed of dog and neither is there a specific differentiation between a “teacup” yorkshire terrier or maltese and a toy or regular yorkshire terrier or maltese. All yorkie and maltese are toy breeds.

“Teacup” is a fictitious term used to describe puppies that are under a certain normal weight for the breed standard. For example; many people use the term “teacup” to describe a yorkie or maltese puppy that is under 4 lbs fully grown. The breed standard for maltese and yorkies, as described by the AKC standards, is that the dog must not exceed 7 lbs at maturity. However, many breeders would agree that a yorkie or maltese that is under 4lbs full grown at an adult age, usually has many health problems (hereditary and non hereditary) more so than a dog that is between 4-7 lbs. Pups like these are usually individually referred to as “runts of the litter”. Birth defects and organ failure are common issues attributed to these runts. Breeders would also agree that there is no way to intentionally breed these puppies to be under 4 lbs fully grown unless you bred two “runts” together and thereby perpetuate the bad genes of the runts and encouraging bad breeding. A reputable breeder would not breed for a smaller size puppy but rather to perpetuate good genes in order to keep up the quality of their breeding stock and to produce puppies of good temperament that conform to the breed standards, aesthetically and sociably.

Of course, this is not to say that every puppy under 4lbs at maturity will be unhealthy. There are sometimes one or two pups in a litter from two healthy parents that just happen to be smaller in size. And thus, just like humans, this creates a little diversity within the same breed of dog.

When looking for a small puppy such as a maltese or yorkie, it is imperative that you consider temperament as a major factor before considering the size of the puppy. Size may matter to a certain extent depending on your situation and a reputable breeder/handler would be able to give you a close estimate as to the pup’s adult weight based on his/her weight at the time.

If you are looking for a small puppy, give us a call or e-mail us through our website http://www.internationalkennel.com/

Beagle Wins "Best In Show" at 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Annual Dog Show.

The breed that made it to number 5 on the AKC's "Top Ten Breeds of 2007" made it to #1 as "Best In Show" at The Westminster Kennel Club 132nd Annual Dog Show yesterday, Tuesday February 12th, 2008.

CH K-Run's Park Me in First a.k.a. Uno, a 3 year old, tri-colored, 15-inch beagle, was the first hound to win the coveted title ever since 1983, triumphing over a toy poodle that had 108 best in show prizes at the start of the day. Prior to his "Best In Show" win, Uno also nabbed the #1 position in the hound group, to become the first beagle to achieve such a win since 1939.

Competing against Uno were a Sealyham Terrier winner of the Terrier group, a Weimaraner winner of the Sporting group, an Australian Shepherd winner of the Herding group, an Akita winner of the Working group, a Standard Poodle winner of the Non-Sporting group and a Toy Poodle winner of the Toy group.

The Beagle breed has always been and continues to be an American favorite.

Are You & Your Dog Prepared For When Disaster Strikes?

Disaster Tips: For Dogs

Are you prepared to take care of your dog when a disaster strikes? If not, now is the time to stock up on the items that you will need so you will not get caught unprepared. Listed below is a handy shopping list for you to use. The next time you buy food or supplies for your dog, take this list with you. Don't put off doing what you should do now - it may just make the difference between being able to keep your dog alive when a disaster strikes.

Here are the supplies that you should have in a disaster kit for dogs. Adjust the amounts, depending on the number of dogs that you have.

FOOD:

Always have a reserve supply of the type of food your dog is used to eating that would last at least a week. If your dog eats canned food, buy cans small enough to be used at one feeding since you may not have a way to properly refrigerate any left over food, and buy pop top cans if you can since you may not have access to a can opener (you should include a can opener with your disaster supplies just in case though). Store food in an airtight, water proof container and rotate food at least once every (3) months. Include with your disaster supplies an extra feeding dish, just in case the one normally used is lost. Include with your disaster supplies a spoon to scoop and/or mix food.

WATER:

Have enough drinking water to last at least one week for each dog in your household. Store water in a cool, dark location, and be sure to rotate it so it remains fresh, remember that if the tap water is not suitable for humans to drink, it is also not suitable for animals to drink. Include with your disaster supplies an extra water dish, just in case the one normally used is lost.

SANITATION:

Have a pooper scooper in your disaster supplies for picking up after your dog. Have some plastic bags in your supplies for disposing of your dog's waste, you may want to purchase some disposable pooper scooper bags at a pet supply store.

CLEANING SUPPLIES:

Include with your disaster supplies a small container of soap for washing out your dog's food dish. Include with your disaster supplies some paper towels for drying dishes and other cleanup if you will be housing your dog in a crate, include with your disaster supplies a disinfectant that can be used to clean the crate.

COLLAR AND TAG:

A proper fitting collar and an identification tag should be kept on your dog at all times, and an extra collar and identification tag should be kept with your disaster supplies should the permanent ones get lost during a disaster (do not keep a choke collar on a dog all the time, as your dog may accidentally get it caught on something and choke itself. Have a spare identification tag with your disaster supplies that you can write on, so that if you are going to be living somewhere temporarily you can put the phone number and address of that location on the tag. Keep a proper fitting dog harness and at least a 6 foot long leash with your disaster supplies to be used when you walk your dog - this is a stressful time for dogs too, and a frightened dog can slip out of a collar, but not a harness.

TEMPORARILY CONFINING YOUR DOG:

You may wish to purchase a plastic airline crate or a wire collapsible crate to transport your dog should you have to evacuate and/or to keep the dog in following a disaster - be sure the crate is large enough for your dog to lie down comfortably and allow room for a food and water dish (remember that fences and walls can come down during a disaster, making it easier for a dog to escape and get lost). You may wish to purchase a metal stake that screws into the ground, with a place to fasten a dog chain - be sure if you stake your dog out to provide protection from the hot sun, extreme cold, snow, or rain - a dog house should be placed within reach to protect the dog - it is also important when staking out a dog that you do not leave it somewhere that other aggressive animals might be able to get to it. When staking a dog, be sure to use a chain and not a leash that the dog can chew through - also be sure that the dog is not chained in a place where it could fall off of something and hang itself (for example, an elevated porch).

FIRST AID KIT:

Check with your veterinarian to find out what he/she recommends you include in your first aid kit some suggested items include:first aid book for dogsconforming bandage (3" x 5")absorbent gauze pads (4" x 4")absorbent gauze roll (3" x 1 yard)cotton tipped applicators (1 small box)antiseptic wipes (1 package)emollient cream (1 container)tweezers and scissorsinstant cold packlatex disposable gloves (several pairs)proper fitting muzzle

MEDICATIONS:

If your dog is on long term medication, always have on hand at least a (2) week supply, since your vet may not be able to open right away to fill a prescription. Check with your veterinarian to see if he/she has a disaster plan - if not find a veterinarian in your area who does have a plan so that you can get medical care for your dog should it get injured during the disaster. Keep your dog's medical records, including records of vaccinations with your disaster supplies.

PICTURES:

You should have in your supplies some current pictures of your dog to use in case your dog gets lost during the disaster - be sure to include yourself in some of the pictures in case you have to show proof of guardianship.