The Finney Family
What to do puppy proof recommendations potty training keep it low key first nights microchip updates
It's time to welcome home your new Finney Ranch puppy!
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What to Do Puppy Proof Puppies have a charming tendency to CHEW! Go through the area the pup will spend most of its time and remove anything you don’t want chewed, and anything that might hurt them! For example: Kid’s toys Shoes Laundry (dirty socks are a doggy delicacy) Books Video game controllers Cleaning supplies Plants (find out the dangers in your area) Grapes Chocolate Mice/Rat Poison ANTIFREEZE ELECTRICAL CORDS MEDICATIONS AND PILL BOTTLES SUGARFREE GUM (These last 4 can be fatal) It is best not to allow the puppy access to every room right away. Good rule of thumb: Puppies EARN their right to be in any space outside the crate. Any access without supervision= more opportunities to get into mischief. Use small crates, Ex-pens (exercise pens), baby gates and closed doors to keep the pup where you can supervise.
Gather your puppy essentials! For a full list, check out recommendations page on our website at finney-ranch.com A high-quality puppy food Your puppy has been eating FREE CHOICE Nutrisource small/medium puppy food for the past 3 weeks. If you decide to choose another brand of high-quality puppy food—mix the new food with what we sent home to slowly introduce the new kind. The dogs at Finney Ranch are fed using the FREE CHOICE method. We always have a bowl of food available to them so they do not need to compete for food or have a need to develop food aggression. We do not recommend you continue free feed when your puppy goes home. If you want to know how much and how often, refer to the feeding amounts on the food bag or talk to your vet about a feeding schedule. Be careful not to give too many treats right away as it might upset their tummy or make them not hungry for their regular food. Love them with attention instead! Puppy tummies can be sensitive to abrupt changes. ALWAYS HAVE FRESH WATER AVAILABLE TO THEM Crate Your puppy has been sleeping in a crate for the past several weeks.This helps them learn that a crate is a safe place. It also gives you a place to keep the pup out of trouble when you can’t supervise. For more recommendations, view our "PACK MEMBER RESOURCES" page.
Potty-Training Please do NOT expect your 8 week old puppy to hold their bladder (or poop) for hours at a time! A good rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold its urine for the number of hours that corresponds to her age in months, plus one. This means that when you first receive your puppy it will be able to hold its bladder for no more than 2-3 hrs. Potty training can be frustrating—but human CONSISTENCY is the biggest indicator of success! Set a schedule your puppy can count on. If you find there are accidents happening, set a reoccurring timer every 30-45 min and take them outside. Stay outside for at least 10 min or until they potty. Supervise closely to prevent accidents. Remember it it never the fault of your puppy when they potty inside the house. It is your responsibility always. Yelling or punishing them will not change their behaviors. Set them up for success! As a Finney Ranch Pack Member, you have direct access to our exclusive training website. PLEASE USE THIS AS A RESOURCE! We love questions and helping you and your puppy understand each other! Keep it Low Key While it is fun to show your puppy off to friends and relatives we recommend letting it settle in to its new surroundings to prevent overwhelming it for the first week.
How to Get Through the First Nights Remember your puppy is a baby that is spending their first night away from his/her littermates Expect some whining Expect that your puppy will be a little timid when experiencing new things, different sounds, people, surroundings, etc. Do not expect to get much sleep Make sure to take them potty during the night—their bladders are small
Don’t forget to find a good veterinarian you can trust. Check with other “doggie friends” to find a good one. They will guide you on the vaccination schedule and when it is best to spay/neuter your dog. See our Recommendations packet and your Gotcha Day bag to find out what vaccinations your puppies are going home with. The information to register your puppy’s Microchip is included in the Gotcha Day folder. Please do this right away - extremely important! Lastly—we love each and every puppy we raise at Finney Ranch! If for any reason you become unable to care for the needs of your puppy we would like to be contacted so we can assist you in re-homing them appropriately. No questions asked! We absolutely LOVE updates of pictures and videos! We NEVER get sick of seeing pics/videos of the puppies we’ve loved and cared for during the first eight weeks of their lives! Please use our Spaces App Communication forum to keep us up to date!