Helpful Hints

This information is for Litton's Aussies website use. Please do not copy any or all parts with out asking .. Thank You! 

• AKC has some amazing articles about all stages of puppy through adult!
  https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/puppy-information/preparing-for-puppy/

 Free Ebooks

• You need Adobe Reader (free download)
• BEFORE You Get Your Puppy
• AFTER You Get Your Puppy
• Some pages with good information
  http://www.k9magazine.com/reports/ 

 Your puppy is eating only dry puppy food before it leaves. We always  send puppies home with food they were eating here. We also send a can of  wet can food. Puppies are scared in their new home. Some pups do not  understand where their food and water is yet. I always leave food &  water out all day long till 2 hours before bed time while potty  training. Taking away food & water about 2 hours before bedtime  gives your pup time to go potty and be able to hold it longer during the  night. Always remember during those 2 hours you do not want to play  hard with your pup, it will make them thirsty again and you could have  quite a mess overnight. Its best to use that time to teach your puppy  calm time. A relaxed puppy will sleep much better that a wild puppy.
The can food is only a temp fix IF new pups are not eating. Please dont continue can food!
Where  ever you have your pups food and water dishes, the first few days take  about a 1/3 of dry food and 1/4 of the can food and mix together &  sprinkle dry food on top. Place that extra food BETWEEN the food and  water dish where he will normally eat. Once your pup is done eating the  mushy can/dry food and walks away. Pick it up and you can place in the  fridge for the next meal. Can food should not be a constant in your dogs  life. Dry food is best for them. IF needed feed the mush mix 3  times a day, next day down to 2 times, then down to once a day till can  food is done. Your pup will learn where the food is, they just may need  some extra time. Do not give in and keep feeding can food. It can be  very bad for their teeth!
Around six months change over to a premium  grain free adult dog food. Please read the ingredients on the back of  the bag of dog food. You do NOT want CORN, WHEAT OR SOY in the first 3  ingredients of your dog food.
Grain Free diets are the best, even  though they cost more, they do not need to eat as much to be healthy. If  you need help deciding on a grain free feel free to contact me and I  can help you find the best food local. 

We work very hard here so you DON'T get a nervous puppy. If you do, or if buying from others here are some good tips.

Your puppy may be a bit  nervous the first few days. The puppy is no longer experiencing familiar  sounds and smells that it’s used to. This unsettling feeling will pass  shortly. Plenty of peace and rest in their crate will help with the  adjustment to their new family. It’s very important that the puppy is  given time to rest when needed. As much as we love playing and cuddling  our new puppy, They are still young and sleep often. They really need  relax time in their own kennel with their normal smells to relax. Don’t  worry in a week you will wish you had that quiet time back!

Hopefully your baby will come home and out of the crate excited to see you!
If not, here are some tips to help them adjust.
After  putting your puppy down on the floor for the first time, Back away and  get down to their level. Sit on the floor and talk soothingly to them.  Reassure them by saying "Hey baby, What’s the silly puppy doing?” in a  very happy voice.. This is usually what we say when pups wake up and  still groggy after a nap. Your puppy will soon come over and sniff and  check you out. Go slow and let them lead the way. Your puppy will be  fine. Long trips home and away from littermates, mom and us can be  confusing.

 Your puppy will leave here with a bath & nails done. I  would suggest getting a gentle puppy shampoo and bathing the puppy at  home till all shots are given. Take them in the bath and use a small  amount of shampoo, and rinse, rinse, rinse! Shampoo left on your puppies  skin can cause itching or other problems. Dry puppy as much as you can  with a towel, then brush. Make sure puppy is in a warm area till  finished drying. As your pups gets older they will need regular  grooming. A Slicker brush or a Rake will be the best thing to use on  their coats.
I suggest as a puppy, brushing daily to get them  used to it. My dogs now LOVE their personal time of getting brushed.  NEVER let your puppy chew on the brush, or run away. If needed find his  favorite treat, let him lay down and brush as long as he is eating. This  teaches 2 things. Brushing is a good thing, and they can eat around  people and not be food aggressive!  

Never leave a young pup or adult dog in a Kennel for long  periods of time unless absolutely necessary. The Kennel is just a  training aid and safe house for your pup and should not become a total  way of life or a place for punishment! Young pups should be Kenneled for  their own safety when they can not be supervised, but they need to come  out frequently to go to potty - even at night. I notice they start here  around 5-6 am walking around and going potty. You hear your pup crying  in the wee hours, do not talk to him, Take him out to go potty then  return to kennel and go back to sleep.
You will soon be able to  extend the time your puppy is in the crate. Remember the first few days  will be hard, Do not give in. Stick to the rules and by 3 days your new  pup will be comfortable in his new situation and be settled in. He will  know when it is bedtime and behave through the night. You give in 1 or 2  times, you are showing your pup that rules do not matter, and they will  just try harder to break the rules! They are Aussies by the way, Very  smart! Do not under estimate them! Its for your pups safety they are in a  kennel at night. You are sleeping, you cant see if they are chewing up a  power cord, or destroying your new shoes!  

 This is your puppies bed, If they are sleeping DO NOT disturb! If you want them to come out, Do Not Pull puppy out.  Rule of thumb, if pup is in the kennel, leave them be and don’t bother  them. My pups all grow up loving their kennel, they all have their own  they can get away from all the commotion of life. You want them to feel  safe, so remember....
Only time your hands should be in your pups kennel, is when you are cleaning it!
Kennel  training is started here. All pups share a kennel, and sleep in it 90%  of the time. They horde their toys in there, treats, blankets etc. That  is their area, and unless I’m cleaning it I don’t touch anything in it.  (It does get cleaned 2-3 times a day, less as they get older)
The  week before they leave. Any time I clean the pup area, they go into  their own kennels. They stay in there while I clean and come out once  they are quiet. If they fall asleep I leave them in till they wake up.  This helps them learn to be in a kennel alone and to be quiet in there.
I  send home pups with a Nylabone Healthy Edible Bone. I suggest every  time you put your pup in their kennel at first, you also give them this  bone. They are pretty hard, but very safe for puppies, and take quite a  while for them to finish them off. It will give your puppy something to  chew on, and keep them busy. Replace as needed.
I always use the  words *Kennel Up* When ever I pup my dogs in their kennels. They run for  them now waiting for that tiny treat for going in. I do this with the  pups also. Continue to use it when you go home. I use *Kennel Up* for getting into the car, going into a room I want them to go into, really for any place I want them to Go Into. 

There are as many ways to housebreak a puppy, as there  are books on the subject. Your success depends on your ability to  predict the call of nature & to be consistent! Watch your puppy!!!  They will tell you when it's time. After playtime, after they wake up,  and after mealtime. Take your pup outside right away. The more times  they go outside, the less accidents you will have inside and the quicker  your pup will be housebroken.

What we do here with ALL our puppies.
While  you are at home take your pup out every hour on the hour. Don't talk to  it until it has gone to the bathroom. When it is physically going  potty, repeat the words “Get Busy” … Nothing else till is it finished  going potty.. Then its a treat then play time outside.
*That’s  our command for our dogs to go to the bathroom when asked. Teach them  early, and later on in life when traveling with your pup, you will love  how easy potty breaks will be!*

Once your pup finished going potty then you show them lots of love and affection, making a huge deal out of them going outside! or  a treat! Have TREATS with you while training to go  out to potty! Stick  a bag near the door and hide them till your pup goes potty. Once it is  DONE and walks to you give it a treat! I see many doing potty training  with pups and go.. Come on in for a treat..Dogs will learn later on..  Hey if I go potty I get a  cookie when I go in, Puppies dont get that.  They go hey I went in I get a  cookie! They do not understand that cookie was for going potty outside.

If  pup doesn't go, take him back in the house, put it back in the playpen,  and resume your normal activities. Wait about 10 min and then pick the  pup up and take it back outside. Again, no talking until puppy does what  it's supposed to do. Remember to pick puppy up when you are going  outside.  The call of nature comes very quickly and there is nothing  sadder than the look on a pups face as it looks in your face as it has  to squat. 

Pups learn to go in Litter Boxes here. WONDERFUL. So your puppy knows to go in a litter box??.. 

When you first bring that pup home, your home is DIFFERENT! Take the litter box and put it right in front of door you plan to use for potty  breaks. Place the pup IN the litter box and say *Get Busy* The pup will  sniff or walk away, but it knows where it is. Dont pick your pup up  after placing it in the litter box, let him/her walk away. They have to  remember to get back to it. Its BEST if the litter box is in their view  the first few days! Let your pup go potty in their litter at least 1 time.  Treat them the same as if they went outside and went potty! Puppies HAVE  accidents. You would rather an accident in the litter box rather than your carpet, or in a back room right? Good puppy, you  went in the litter box!! Yesss!!! Next time, you see that pup walking to the litter box.. Open the door and bring it out to potty! There is your first sign the pup needs to go.
So now you are teaching your pup 2  things... Walk to the door and go out to potty!  You are 1/2 way there! I  leave a litter box near the door till a the pup goes for 2 weeks with out an accident. Then I remove it. 

IF your pup is still using the box after a few weeks... Try putting pellets IN YOUR YARD where you want your pup to go.

If the children are young spend these days teaching them how to handle  puppies – explaining common sense rules on how and when they are allowed  to handle the puppy. Young children, under the age of ten, should not  be allowed to carry a young puppy around. They are very wiggly and can  easily fall to the ground from a child’s arms. They will not be able to  contain the puppy and a disaster could happen. No pulling ears or tail,  No going in their kennel, and no allowing the pup to chase them around  the house. No chewing on kids. Simple rules will teach them that your  children are not chew toys and are to be respected. 

Please do not bring new puppies into grooming shops to get groomed on your way home!
Puppies  leave here with a bath and age appropriate shots, but that does not  mean they are ready to go into places like Pet Shops, Grooming Shops,  Vets, Dog parks, Puppy Classes, Or other places people bring dogs and  allow them to roam around. Visitation to these places should be very  limited and only if needed!
Bring puppy to vet, keep in carrier or hold at all times till you get to the vet table!
Puppies  are not fully immune till ALL puppy shots are given! Nothing worse than  falling in love with your new puppy just for it to catch parvo because  you had to show the puppy off to everyone! Some of these things pups are  susceptible to before all their shots are very harmful to your new  baby. Most pups that catch parvo and the like do not make it. Please  keep your new baby safe till all shots are given!