Helpful Hints

Hopefully, your new Papillon will bring many years of joy to your life.  I am not an "expert" on Papillons or any other animal, but I have been around the block a few times, and I enjoy sharing my experiences with others.  I am also an avid researcher, so when I combine my research and personal experiences, I can usually lend some practical advice.  Of course, everyone has his or her own preferences on how to raise an animal, but I would be remiss if I didn't share some of what I've learned.  Here are some thoughts and ideas to guide you along:

 

More About Socializing......

Remember....while your puppy has been socialized at my home for the first 8 weeks of his or her life, the socialization process lasts much longer.   Be sure to take your puppy out in public to meet all kinds of new people.

When your puppy enters his or her "fearful" stage, and begins to act timid or scared around new people or places, do your best not to nurture this fearful behavior.  Nuturing your puppy when she is showing signs of fear and anxiety will encourage this sort of behavior.  You want to nurture your puppy when she is in a relaxed state of mind.  Simply allow her to be afraid - that's normal - but let her learn on her own that she can handle the situation.  Knowing that you are near her and showing a calm presence will help her to understand tThis will build her self-confidence and help socialize her to many different situations.

AWWWWW...how cute.......NOT!

Remember....if chewing on your shoe isn't going to be cute 6 months from now, don't let it be cute now either.  The same goes for teething on your hand, your clothes, etc.  Start teaching proper manners now. 

To Crate or Not To Crate....

I highlly recommend a crate.  Dogs are den animals; it is their natural instinct to want to be in a "den."  At first, your puppy may cry in her new crate, but trust me, she will learn to love it as a place of her own.  It will be her own personal area that she knows is safe and is all hers.  There are benefits to you as well.  You've probably heard that dogs will not go to the bathroom in their crate.  This isn't ALWAYS true, but they usually will learn not to soil in their den.  Especially when young, a puppy will often soil in her crate simply because she can't "hold it" that long.  As they get older, though, they really won't want to lie in a soiled crate, so it will become a useful housetraining tool.

If you purchased your puppy from someone other than me, there could be other factors at work as well.  Some breeders just aren't very diligent about keeping their puppies' living quarters clean.  If this is the case, these puppies have become accustomed to living in "dirty" conditions and so a soiled crate won't matter too much to them.

A crate should be purchased to accommodate your dog when full grown.  Your dog should be able to stand up easily and turn around in her crate, yet it shouldn't be too big.  Since this size crate will be too large for your puppy, you can usually block the back part of it off with a piece of cardboard or inexpensive material.  I also recommend purchasing a washable puppy - pooch pad to put in the bottom of the crate - especially while housetraining.  It will absorb any accidents your puppy has, and then you simply throw it in the washing machine.

 

House-training....Be Patient and Consistent!

The key to effectively housetraining your puppy is to HOUSETRAIN YOURSELF FIRST!  This means that YOU have to remember to take your puppy outside every half hour or so because SHE WILL NOT COME AND TELL YOU THAT SHE HAS TO PEE!!  You have to be able to predice that she MIGHT have to go and then take her outside and give her the opportunity to go in the right place. 

Immediately take your puppy outside in the morning.  DO NOT allow her to wake up and play with you in bed on Saturday morning because she is so cute and cuddly....I can almost guarantee that she will pee in your bed!  She also needs to go outside immediately after waking up from a nap.  It is a good idea to attach her leash to her and walk her directly to the door so she doesn't have the opportunity to make a pit-stop on the way to the door!

If you have a male puppy, I would recommend early neutering to prevent him from establishing "marking" behavior.  Even a housetrained dog may mark, but neutering helps prevent this behavior.

 

Choose a High Quality Food

This is a touchy subject for a lot of dog experts, but all agree that a high-grade food is best.  Some advocate a raw food diet, some advocate cooking all of their dogs meals from scratch, and some rely on regular dry kibble.  Personally, I rotate my dogs foods often, but I always use a high quality kibble.  Some of my favorites are Wellness, Prairie, and Solid Gold.  I also supplement with Nature's Variety Raw Food Medallions which I purchase from the freezer section at my local pet health center.   I think it's a good idea to rotate foods once in a while because I don't think any ONE food is perfect and my reasoning suggests that rotating will help ensure a balanced and complete diet.

I do not recommend table scraps unless you want your dog to become accustomed and dependent on them.  He may learn to expect table sraps and therefore forego his usual kibble.  It is okay to treat them with some raw vegetables (carrots, green peppers, cucumbers, etc. ) and fruits (apples, watermelon, etc.).  Never give a dog onions, chocolate, grapes or macadameia nuts.

 

Outside Safety

If your yard is not fenced in, I highly recommend an exercise pen.  They aren't too expensive; you can link several together to create a larger area; and they will keep your dog safe while outside.  Even a trained dog may get rebellious once in a while and dart off towards the road.  Never tie your dog to a chain or tether him in your yard.

If you decide to use an electric fence to contain your dog, keep in mind that the fence will keep your dog IN the yard, but it will not keep other animals (fox, coyote, large dogs) OUT of your yard.  Never leave your dog outside unattended or unprotected.