Ok ! You bought your puppy but now your learning really starts ………..
Tips for looking after your new Bullie baby….and keeping him safe
· Remember that your puppy will turn out just how you treat him in these early days ,my main thought you should apply is ask yourself when hes big will I want him to do this ?if the answers no you have to work at instilling kindly the behaviour you want
· The first few nights he will probably miss his litter mates or his mum a cuddly teddy bear [with its eyes removed ] and the radio playing softly will help him not be so lonesome, in a safe area in your kitchen or under stair area make him his bed, or buy a crate as his indoor kennel ,when hes settled they rarely soil their bed so this will also help house training after the first night if he cries after one check up to make sure nothings wrong you have to ignore his cries. if you bring him to bed or run to his cries he will learn a powerful lesson that you come at noise and demand .
· Other than safety issues its best to generally ignore bad behaviour and reward good.
· Make a good check around to make sure wires plugs and small things that could be choked on are well out of a little puppies way even if you are in the same room you will be surprised at the speed and the damage a pup can do in minutes
· Your breeder should have given you a care sheet specifically on the diet and a routine that your new puppy is used too… even if you don’t like the food the pup has been reared on follow it to the letter for at least a week whilst the puppy gets used to its new environment ,then you can try by adding one thing new in small quantise to the existing diet never add more than 1 new food in 48 hours or you will not know what upset his tummy .Follow the cleaning and grooming instructions your breeder should have told you about, clean and cream the wrinkles on the face and the tail especially if its a screw or tight one ,if neglected this will cause the pup to be growly and miserable, it can get infected.
· Don’t give a bullie puppy the hide chews they go slimy and if left alone I have heard and had experience of a bulldog choking on one [these are the stuff that those mock shoes are made of]
· Put a collar on the pup only when you are with him its easy for an inquisitive puppy to hang itself ,but let him wear it a few hours a day before you try out walking on a lead. walk early in the day or late at night in the hot weather
· If your puppy hasn’t had his final Parvo ,shot do take him around in your arms and in your car before he has completed his jabs. Experiencing many sounds sights and noises is imperative to be in place before 16 weeks ,when a natural shy and spooky attitude develops ,this will help him develop into a well balanced and well behaved dog .
· Remember its at least 16 weeks before the bladder is under full control [like babies who are not able to be potty trained till their bodies are capable of control] if you train your pup before this its You who are trained!!:-))Scolding and shouting can create fear issues with puppies it may start them eating their own faeces as an attempt to hide the evidence that gets the anger directed at them or make them sneaky and hiding where they are defecating.
· Do have him micro chipped bulldogs get stolen everyday here in the U K, a chip may alert a suspicious vet to check for the number enabling you to make a positive identification ,it’s a wise precaution. Do check for any escape routes out of your garden and if its overlooked by a public pathway NEVER leave him outside alone whilst tiny .
· Care should be taken that if he corners any cats his eyes may get scratched. causing ulcers, if cherry eye develops seek help from your breeder as to which vet to go to to correct this , do not let your tiny puppy have a general anaesthetic unless its life threatening not to…6 months is safer and make sure your vet is bulldog knowledgeable .
· Worm the puppy according to the instructions from the breeder it should be 2 weekly till 12 weeks then 3 monthly for 1st year then every 6 months for life ,especially if you are letting the dog /puppy play with children, modern wormers dissolve worms are environmentally friendly so if you don’t see any don’t assume there are none ,the puppy will thrive after a worm burden has been removed .
· Take the puppy to training classes or to vets puppy parties to socialize him , this early meeting with other dogs may help avoid dog aggression coming into play as he matures .barking at noises can be kept to a minimum by praising the puppy for letting you know about the ‘nasty’ intruder but you will now deal with it…. Taking away the pressure to protect will relieve the puppy of the burden of being a protector….become your dogs ‘alpha person’ .pack leader and you will have a happy harmonious home for him .
· Do not let your bullie puppy go up and down stairs.not only is it easy for them to throw out their joints but it’s a real danger that as they come down they gather speed and momentum causing a broken neck or spinal injury I have heard of both of these happening
· Keep in touch with your puppies breeder, or if this fails join your local bulldog club where you should be able to meet someone to help and be your mentor as you discover the personality of our wonderful breed .
· Good luck e mail any questions to me vicky@keziabulldogs.co.uk hugs to your bullie puppy x
Kezia's Legacy from Fantome August 2003