TIPS FOR OWNERS

Welcoming a New Puppy!

Photo courtesy of Alison

Dogs bring a lot of fun and love into a family, yet they need responsible care when including them in your home and lifestyle. It's important and necessary to understand your puppy/dog's dietary needs, play time, daily outdoor exercise, grooming and other aspects of raising a happy, healthy puppy or dog. Basic training for you and your dog makes for happy owners, secure and happy dogs that are more likely to enjoy obedient behavior training. Practice good manners and dog owner etiquette, (yes - there is such a thing 🙂). Be respectful of your neighbors yards, their dogs and use leashes where required and always be mindful to cleaning up after them. When preparing to bring a puppy home, be sure to set up a good support team that includes both a knowledgeable veterinarian and possibly a reliable pet sitter if you have a work schedule, as life so often goes off course from our best laid plans. The following AMTC mini-guide will help you get your home and family ready for your new puppy!

So, you just brought your new puppy home and now what?

Home Introduction

When first introduced to its new home, place your new puppy in your house and allow it to roam its new environment under your control. You want it to feel comfortable, but a free-roaming puppy will often have accidents if left on its own for too long. While most new owners may feel a dog crate is isolating and cold, crate training is actually the easiest way to establish good sleep habits and bathroom routines. It also prevents them from getting into trouble while you’re sleeping, which keeps both them and your belongings safe. A veterinarian once told me that puppies don’t view their crate as a place of isolation but rather as a safe place, as we often feel in our own bedrooms.

House Training

American Morkshire Terriers are smart and can learn fast but without training they can get into trouble at times. After receiving its shots, your puppy needs lots of socializing with other people and dogs. Don’t let your puppy learn to bite or growl at humans or other dogs. While this may be cute as a puppy keep in mind that dogs grow up and these habits are not cute as adults. A crate should be used for travel and for home. The crate will become the puppy's den or quiet place, but they must not be left for long extended periods without the opportunity to exercise, play, potty, eat or human interaction. House training requires one to be consistent and most of all patient when working with puppies.

Like a newborn baby, a puppy will give you countless hours of joy while zapping all your free time and some hours of sleep in the first few weeks home. House training takes a lot of commitment, but once a good routine is established, you can resume normal living. House training a puppy begins with a good routine, patience, and positive reinforcement. Plan to take your puppy outside to the same spot around the same time each day, being mindful to plan for times right when you wake up, before bed, immediately after eating, a nap, or physical exercise. The general rule of thumb is to take a puppy outside as many hours as their age plus one hour, example: so for a 2-month-old puppy will need to go out every three hours.

*TIP ~ Purchasing a puppy who was raised with its mom and dad and litter mates will be easier to train.

Puppy Proofing

Puppies love to explore new places, so does your new furry friend and do yourself a favor and spend the time on some preventative puppy proofing to keep all your favorite things intact.

Keep electrical cords covered.
Tie up window cords and curtains.
Put toxic cleaning supplies/chemicals in higher cabinets.
Invest in a tall, heavy duty trash can with a lid that is difficult to knock over.
Purchase a crate for crate training or a baby gate to keep the puppy in a small place, such as the kitchen, with easily washable floors.
Don’t give your puppy old shoes and stuffed animals. Invest in appropriate toys that belong solely to them so your puppy knows the difference between his rubber ball versus your daughter’s favorite stuffed animal and your brand new sandals.

Don’t let them get away with things because they’re small. If you don’t want a 60-pound snoring dog in your bed, then don’t allow it to sleep there as a puppy. Establish your routines early, because breaking bad habits is infinitely harder.

Feeding Schedule

While we can often be swayed to buy the less expensive item on the shelf, feeding your American Morkshire Terrier a high quality food is a key competent to keeping your fur baby healthy. Fromm and Wellness Pet Foods are excellent choices for this breed. If you are unsure of which brand to pick, speak to your breeder and/or veterinarian to see what they recommend. Choose a brand and stick with it, as oftentimes switching brands can upset your little one’s tummy. While you want to control the amount of food they receive, be sure to always keep a bowl full of fresh water available at all times. Be mindful that puppies need more food than an adult dog to keep up with their rapid growth spurts.
Feed your puppy multiple times a day according to its age:

8-12 weeks: 3 small meals per day (1/4 cup x 3) with 1 ~ *snack during the day.
3-6 months: 2 meals per day (1/4 cup x 2) with 1 ~ snack during the day.
6-12 months: 2 meals per day (1/3 cup x 2) with 1 ~ snack during the day.
1 year and beyond: 1 ~ 2 meals per day (1/3 cup x 2) with 1 ~ 2 snacks in-between meals. At this age your Morkshire should now be eating Adult dog food.

Snacks* - Dog snacks are small portions of food that are typically given in between meals.
Training Treats - These are small tidbits that are given to reward good behavior, often used for house-training, command training, etc.
Chews - These are hard, edible chews meant to keep a dog occupied.
Dental Treats - As the name implies, these are dog treats specifically designed to help keep teeth (and gums) in good shape.

*SNACKS ~ Fruit can be a good choice as a snack since most dogs love its sweetness; the fiber in most fruit helps natural fructose, so dogs will generally not get a 'sugar high'. That said, fruit should be given in moderation. Safe fruit to give to Morkshire's include apples (no core or seeds), blackberries, blueberries, banana, mango, pear, raspberries, strawberries, and watermelon. Never give grapes to a dog. On a hot day ~ you can freeze some fruit to give for a refreshing snack! Vegetables can also be a good choice, though most dogs will only like a select few. Veggies that are safe to give to Morkshire's for snacks include carrots, peas, green beans, sweet potato and pumpkin. Putting a dab of plain peanut butter (No Xylitol) on top can add incentive to eat it.!

*The following breeds are more prone to becoming obese: American Morkshire Terrier, Maltese, Biewer and BIRO* For this reason 'free feeding' is NOT recommended for these breeds.

Establish a Recall Command

What are you going to do in the case you accidentally drop your dog's leash or
you or house guest inadvertently let your puppy/dog slip out the front door?

A strong and reliable recall command is important in those situations. Practice recalls ("come" "here" etc.) as soon as you get your puppy so that the command becomes engrained. When your puppy becomes more independent at approximately 6-7 months of age, 'you' will not be as interesting to your dog and it can be more challenging to train this recall command.

Vet Visits

As soon after getting your puppy, take them to the vet for a Well Puppy Exam. At that time your vet will discuss vaccinations, examine your pet and answer any questions you may have. When you set up an appointment to have your puppy spayed or neutered be sure to ask the vet to pull any retaining puppy teeth your puppy may have. This is a great time for Microchipping your pet if not already done so. The American Morkshire Terrier breed is generally very healthy, but health issues can and may exist.

Responsible Ownership

If the day ever comes that, for what ever reason, you cannot keep your American Morkshire Terrier the American Morkshire Terrier Club suggests that you first contact your dog's breeder. If that's not possible, AMTC has a rescue organization, the American Morkshire Rescue Association™️ (AMRA) that has been established. They can help and assist with re-homing your puppy/dog. They have the goal that NO American Morkshire Terrier, Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier, Biewer or BIRO should ever have to go to an animal shelter.
Contact: AMRA

Lastly

Make sure you have a vet on call for any unexpected illnesses or issues.

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