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Feeding: We recommend that you offer puppy as much as she can eat in 15 minutes, three times a day until her appetite slows down (around 6 to 9 months), at which time you can reduce feedings to twice daily. After 15 minutes, pick her food bowl up. If she eats everything, offer her a refill. If your dog eats so quickly as to cause vomiting, use a slow-feeder/puzzle bowl. We find they do well on Royal Canin puppy food, but you can slowly transition them to any brand your vetrinarian recommends. If you find they are having digestive issues or allergies (such as skin or ear infections) on another food, you will do best to go back to Royal Canin.

Crate and Potty Training: Limit puppy’s crate time to a couple of hours during the day, and about 8 hours at night. A puppy pen is essential gear for starting off with puppy so that he/she can be safely contained when you are not able to watch closely. Start puppy’s crate inside the pen with the door open for the first few nights. You can leave a pee pad or towel inside. If puppy’s pen is free of potties in the morning, after a few nights they can be left in their crate with door closed at night. Puppy may cry when first crated, but you should ignore the crying and get them out only at the time you normally would (for example 10 pm bedtime to 6 am wake up time). If you respond to crying, they learn quickly that crying/barking in their crate produces a desired response. Teach them that you like them to be quiet in their crate by ignoring any noise, and getting them out only when they are being quiet. Feed an early dinner (4 or more hours before bedtime) and pick up their water dish an hour or two before bedtime. Make their last potty before bed the last thing you do before you go to bed. Give a small treat when they get in their crate. They will be happiest if their crate is in a busy part of your home like the kitchen or family room. Crate puppy for 45 minutes immediately after meals and then carry them straight to their potty spot outside. Wait for their potty then praise and give a small treat. If puppy goes back into the house without going potty, watch closely or put in the pen, then try again a little later. This is a very smart breed, and responds well to praise and consistency.

Heartworm Prevention: A monthly tablet to prevent heartworms is essential. We recommend a product like Sentinel (Sentinel kills worms and prevents flea infestations by acting as a birth control for fleas, but does not actually kill the fleas). We do not recommend any products that kill fleas because they contain toxins that may build up in your pet over time to a level that could be harmful to your pet.