Behavior/training
Whether you choose a male or female, training is essential for it to be a valuable part of the family. Dogs
have to be taught what is expected of them, just like children. Behaviors that show dominance or
aggression can be altered with training. Because dogs are pack animals, they need to know their place in
the pack. Until they learn their place, they may test you or your family members to see who the leader of
their pack is. Choose the animal that is right for you, but be ready to invest the time in training it to
ensure a good relationship with your pet.
I've bred & trained my own dogs as well as Tennessee Walking horses. The experience that comes to mind
the most is with my female Walking horse, Precious, that I purchased/saved from a very poor handler who
claimed the horse was mean spirited and not safe. She would ride her with 6" shanks attached to a double
twisted wire bit. Precious would come back to the stable with her gums bleeding. The first thing I did was
remove everything harsh and rode her with a simple snaffle bit, no shanks. It took quite a while for her to
not be afraid. As it turned out she was one of the best and sweetest horses that I ever owned or trained.
She did so well that eventually I could guide her with simple shifts in my seat or a touch of my leg using no
reigns at all. I donated her to a riding center for handicapped children and they absolutely loved her and
rode her with no problems at all! It's my opinion that there are no "bad dogs" or "bad horses" just
misguided handlers/trainers. Patience and love are the most important tools you will need.
Please see House Training further down the page!
Puppy's immune system
The most important thing to keep in mind is that your puppy's immune system will not be 100% until age
12-16 wks. Please do not take your puppy to a park, rest stop, fast food area, pet store, etc. There are alot
of dogs that frequent those areas and some may be sick with infectious/contagious diseases. Please do not
take the chance of exposing your puppy. When you take the pup to the vet, keep it on your lap or in a
crate. The waiting room is almost always full of sick pets waiting to be seen by the vet.
Parvo, for example, is often fatal for puppies. Prevention is the only way to ensure that a puppy or dog
remains healthy since the disease is extremely virulent and contagious. The virus is extremely hardy and
has been found to survive in feces and other organic material such as soil for over a year. It survives
extremely cold and hot temperatures. Puppies will be vaccinated against it but it takes a series of
vaccinations before puppy is fully protected! I know puppy owners look forward to taking their pup out
and about to meet their friends at the park and would love to show off their new puppy but please be
patient for your puppy's sake.
Vaccinations
Start with a vet visit. Your puppy will need to continue his/her series of shots at 9wks. Your vet will
inform you of an immunization schedule for your puppy.
Feeding your puppy
Feed your puppy a high quality food made for puppies. They should be fed 4x per day. Let him/her eat as
much as she wants in about 20 mins and then put the food away until her next feeding. At about 4-6
months you can feed puppy 3x per day. You can gradually cut back to twice per day by the time the puppy
is 12 months old. We'll give you a bag of Purina puppy food when you pick up your pup. If you wish to
change the puppy to another type, please do so gradually so you do not cause your puppy stomach upset.
Currently they eat at approx. 6:30-7 am, 11:30am, 3:30-4pm & 8pm. All food and water is put away at 8
pm.
Heartworm Prevention
Heartworms can kill your dog. Mosquitoes are carriers. Dogs over 6 months of age should be tested for
heartworms before treatment or regular preventative care can safely begin.
Spaying or Neutering
Females that are not neutered not only endure heat cycles which as an owner can be a challenging time
but by spaying your female her chances of developing breast cancer are decreased. This is usually
recommended by 6 mos of age.
If you have an intact male he may be more likely to roam or fight, and to develop testicular cancer and
prostatitis. Neutering is done at approx. 6 mos of age.
Discuss the pros and cons with your vet.
Parasites
Talk to your vet about signs and symptoms of worms to keep puppy healthy and comfortable. External
parasites including fleas, ticks, lice mange mites, ear mites and ringworm live on a puppy's body. The two
most common are fleas and ticks. Discuss flea and tick control with your vet. We use Frontline Plus on all
of our adult dogs. Due to their age, we use a flea & tick shampoo only by Sentry for the pups. Please do not
panic if you notice a flea or two. This treatment is not as strong as Frontline or Advantix. We are very
careful not to treat the pups with anything too harsh for their young age while they are with us. You and
your vet can discuss what type of treatment to use and the best age to begin. By the time the pups are old
enough to leave they are usually able to handle a stronger treatment but not until that time.
House training
We suggest crate training at night. The pup will become comfortable in her resting area and eventually
think of it as her safe and private place to relax undisturbed. We do not offer food or water after 8pm.
This makes it easier for puppy to make it through the night comfortably. We let our dogs out at 11 pm
before they go to bed for the night. They all go out in the morning around 6-6:30am. Be sure to let puppy
outside within 10-15 minutes after mealtime or when they are given water. Give him/her lots of praise
when she goes potty outside. Be patient! It will take your pup time to learn. Keep puppy in an easy clean
up area such as the kitchen until he/she is housetrained. Certainly during playtime or just after she's
been outside you can have her in the family room for awhile. It's much easier to train a puppy this way.
Otherwise she'll find a hiding spot to go and you'll realize it in the obvious fashion.
Look for things in your home that puppy might get into that could be harmful. Move power cords that
they might be tempted to chew on. Cover outlets in areas where puppy might be confined to. Certainly
put away your favorite shoes etc. that puppy might think is his/hers to teeth on or play with. Put high and
away any and all chemicals, cleaning supplies, etc. that could make your puppy very sick or worse!
Please keep in mind that we are not miracle workers!
We are often asked if pups will be house broken and crate trained by 8 wks when they are ready for their
new homes. You must be prepared to train your puppy! We do paper train and litter train the pups.
They are not born seeing, hearing and walking. Pups make great strides in development during their
short 8 weeks here but they can only do so much in such a short time. They can not see or hear for the first
1/4 (2 weeks) of their time with us. Their sight continues to develop after their eyes begin to open at two
weeks. They try to walk at that time. They are not walking well until they are approx 4 wks old (1/2 their
time with us). Pups' immune systems are not fully developed until 12-16 wks which is why we do not allow
the pups to go outside and play until they are between 5-6 wks of age (3/4 of their time with us). If it is
cold outside, pups can not stay out and play for very long. They are too small and could become ill. We
do not allow them to get chilled. They will have plenty of time to roam and play when they join their new
families and are old enough to safely play outdoors for extended periods of time. Our first priority is the
health and safety of our puppies.
Grooming
Some prefer to take their pups to the groomer. I do all of mine myself . You can schedule that every6-8
weeks. Be sure to keep your puppies nails trimmed. We use a professional nail grinder. This takes some
getting use to. Nail trimmers are fine but a grinder is more gentle. You can bath your pup every 3-4 wks
unless they are rolling in the mud which happens. Mud is great fun for a puppy! Overbathing can dry
your puppy's skin. We use Johnson & Johnsons baby shampoo for our dogs and puppies. I use Mane &
Tail conditioner for my adult Cockers because their hair can easily become matted.
Invest in a good grooming brush. You can brush your pet often. Pets can develop skin irrations or have a
scratch or cut that might otherwise go unnoticed so this is the perfect opportunity for you to keep a close
eye on your pet's skin and coat.
Ear care
Cocker Spaniels are prone to ear infections due to an ear canal that is slightly more narrow and their
beautiful long ears which can hinder air circulation. It is strongly recommended that you clean your
pups ears weekly, Cockapoos too, to avoid this painful condition. You can find ear cleaning solution at
any pet store or any department store that sells pet supplies. You'll need cotton balls also. For pups
you'll want to tear the cotton ball in half, soak it with the ear solution, put it in the ear and close the "flap"
(let the ear fall back down), massage the ear allowing the solution to cleanse the ear well for about 15
seconds on each side and then remove the cotton ball. Keep the inner ear free of excess hair that can trap
dirt and debris.
Most importantly, enjoy your puppy. Always allow time for play and cuddling!
If ever you have any questions, please contact us and we will be more than help to give you all of the
advice and support we can!
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