Puppy Care
Before you bring your bundle of joy home, there are some things you may want to consider. Make your home as safe as possible for the new arrival. Puppies like to chew: They will find the darndest things to play with, like wires, small toy pieces, and things that can be dangerous to them. You might want to get down on your knees for a while and see what they will see. It may surprise you!
After a puppy eats, it likes to nap, and after the nap, it will want to go potty. Be alert at that time if you want to house train your pet. The sooner the better on potty training. Find a safe place for them to be outside away from where any other dogs may have been. Until your puppy has had its third shot series, you need to be extremely careful about where it goes. Puppies like to sniff the urine and feces of other animals, and if the other animal has Parvo, then your little one can get it, too. Be very careful! After the third series of shots and a Rabies vaccine, you are safe enough to venture to the dog park.
Puppies need play time, sunshine, good food, rest, safety, guidance, and plenty of love.Pomeranian puppies are very playful. They enjoy the company of other small dogs and make friends easily. I have found that male puppies bond more to their owners. Although both males and females are wonderful pets, my males are very upset if they cannot be with me, and therefore have become my particular favorites.
Play Time
I do not recommend raw hide for Pomeranians because it can get caught in their intestines...Designate a play time for you and your new pet at least 3 times per day. It is a good idea to have plenty of chewy toys for it to play with. Even though they are small, Pomeranians love to play tug the rope and fetch. These are also good games to play outside. Tennis balls are great toys for them, also. However, I do not recommend raw hide for Pomeranians because it can get caught in their intestines and make them very sick. Instead, get something for their little needle-like teeth to clamp onto, like Nylar bones.
As discussed before, be careful what is left on the floor. Remember, your new pup is just a baby, and it will get into things that can harm it. The puppies also cannot discern between their chew toy and your flip flops—both are just made of chewy stuff to them! So if you want to keep your shoes nice, keep them in your closet with the door closed. Remember you are the human, you have to be smarter.
Diet
See my Links page for dog food suggestions.The diet you choose for your new friend is very important. After the 2007 dog-food contamination scare, it is important to know what your dog is eating. I recommend dry dog food. It is healthier for your pet. I find Nutro to be a particularly good dog food. Feed your new pet puppy food for at least their first year, and try to only have food available at designated times. Also, I feel that there should be no food and water offered after 6 or 7 pm (depending on what time you go to bed). This will help to train your pet to have fewer accidents at night.
Nighttime and Naptime
I recommend putting your new pet in a crate at night for their safety. If you make their crate a positive experience, with toys and other favorite things, they will love to sleep there at night. I also keep the crate doors open during the day, so the pups can use them to take naps too.
Puppies play hard and sleep hard. You may be playing with your little friend for a little while, and then notice they have disappeared. They may have just gone to find a place to sleep. It is normal for a puppy to sleep often during their first 4 months. As the pup gets older, it will be awake more and more often.
Potty Training and Discipline
With all these things in mind, you will realize that you are teaching your puppy with every interaction. Contrary to some beliefs, putting a dog's nose in their own urine or feces and smacking their butts are not good ways to train a new friend. These actions will only scare your pet and teach him/her to not trust you. I have found that if you stick with the rule that dogs have to go to the bathroom about 45 minutes after they eat, and every time it wakes from a nap, you will have your pup trained in no time. Congratulate them when they do urinate and defecate outside.
If your pup runs away from you, get down on your knees and call it back with a happy tone and it will come to you. Never scold a dog when it comes back to you, even if you were calling for an hour—you want its return to you to be pleasant every time so it wants to return again and again.
With dogs this small, it is always better to keep them on leashes so they wont dash away and under a car. They are difficult to seen, since they are so tiny! Be consistent with your actions, be kind and patient also. Above all give it lots and lots of love!
I hope you found this page helpful. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me.
Sincerely,
Jeannie Williams-Marrocco