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New Puppy Tips/Advice?

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Newbie
Oct 23, 2010
71 posts
3 upvotes
Toronto

New Puppy Tips/Advice?

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are the new parents to a very playful 18 week old female Samoyed.

She's been with us since last Friday March 6th. Since then it's been quite the roller coaster ride, from seeing her smile at us, lick our hands/face and follow us around to lunging at us, peeing over the floor, and trying to mouth anything that comes within 2 inches of her face. I was hoping we could ask this subreddit for some general tips and advice on how to best care for our little girl.

1.) Her paws are very soft and tender. Should we try to put a cream on them to keep them that way? I don't want her to have dry paws but also acknowledge her paws need to toughen up over time...

2.) How often should we be cleaning her ears / brushing her baby teeth these days? Should it be a daily routine? Again, don't want to go overkill and cause any inflammation as a result of trying to do too much.

3.) Potty training: In the morning, after being crated during the night, she will go pee outside when we take her. However, after that, she will constantly pee everywhere in the house, in different locations. When we spot her peeing, we try to carry her outside to finish peeing, but this doesn't usually work very well.

4.) Going #2: As of right now (2:01PM EST), she hasn't gone #2 in over 30 hours (since yesterday morning). We've continually left the water bowl out for her to drink and we've gone on multiple walks, but she doesn't seem to have a desire to go #2... does anyone have any tips or advice on this??

Greatly appreciate any feedback or tips/advice.
4 replies
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jul 4, 2009
1685 posts
1122 upvotes
Windsor, ON area
Hello sen6es,

Congrats on your new puppy!

Puppies are a handful. My new puppy does the same thing, she's great one minute and a menace a minute later. I have to watch her at all times, otherwise she goes for everything she shouldn't. She could be licking me, then it turns into lunging and nipping at my face. Or I go to pet her and she bites (mouths) me, but hang in there, they get better.

1) I've had four dogs in my life, and I never needed anything for their paws, just make sure you don't walk them on salty streets.

2) You should try to brush your dog's teeth everyday, minimally 3x a week. As a puppy, start slowly, put dog toothpaste on your finger and rub it on her teeth, just get her use to the sensation before starting to use a brush. With the ear cleaning, I always had my dogs groomed at the groomers every 6-8 weeks and I never do anything to their ears, but that may be just me.

3) Potty training: You need to take her out after every nap, after every meal and every time she plays. Sometimes that can mean you are outside once an hour. Also, you might be giving her too much free space. She needs to be confined to a small area, and when shes good with that area, to slowly give her more space.

4) If there's nothing wrong with you're puppy, I've always given my dogs canned pumpkin for constipation or diarrhea. Make sure it's the canned pumpkin that is nothing but pumpkin (no sugar added).
Newbie
Oct 23, 2010
71 posts
3 upvotes
Toronto
Thanks for your response! Your description of puppies is exactly what we are going through right now. Good to know I'm not the only one.

1.) Which type of toothpaste do you use?

2.) The issue with her potty training is, we will take her out, and try to stay out until she goes. But I think she is too distracted by her surroundings - noise of cars / planes and the various smells. This causes her to want to play. But immediately after she comes back inside, within 2-5 minutes, she will pee... Is this normal? Should I just keep taking her outside after every nap/meal/playtime with perhaps some of her old pee, so she'll know we want her to go outside?
kittypink wrote: Hello sen6es,

Congrats on your new puppy!

Puppies are a handful. My new puppy does the same thing, she's great one minute and a menace a minute later. I have to watch her at all times, otherwise she goes for everything she shouldn't. She could be licking me, then it turns into lunging and nipping at my face. Or I go to pet her and she bites (mouths) me, but hang in there, they get better.

1) I've had four dogs in my life, and I never needed anything for their paws, just make sure you don't walk them on salty streets.

2) You should try to brush your dog's teeth everyday, minimally 3x a week. As a puppy, start slowly, put dog toothpaste on your finger and rub it on her teeth, just get her use to the sensation before starting to use a brush. With the ear cleaning, I always had my dogs groomed at the groomers every 6-8 weeks and I never do anything to their ears, but that may be just me.

3) Potty training: You need to take her out after every nap, after every meal and every time she plays. Sometimes that can mean you are outside once an hour. Also, you might be giving her too much free space. She needs to be confined to a small area, and when shes good with that area, to slowly give her more space.

4) If there's nothing wrong with you're puppy, I've always given my dogs canned pumpkin for constipation or diarrhea. Make sure it's the canned pumpkin that is nothing but pumpkin (no sugar added).
Deal Addict
Jan 28, 2014
3926 posts
1039 upvotes
Toronto
First, congratulations on your new puppy! Secondly, I strongly suggest that you buy a dry Swiffer (and the extra duty pads) and if you don't already have one, a good groomer (we have one, conveniently located in same building and entrance as our vet - weight scale time - plus if anything happens it is good they are there). Then vacuum and don't look.

Obviously we have a Spitz....

As Kittypink posted, you do not need to put any sort of softener on your pup's paws. Except in the winter if your pup won't wear boots (mine won't - we gave up after 4 pairs of professionally fitted boots) you might want to consider one of the balms to help against the salt/ice. And, hopefully, your pup won't consider the ice/snow balm an appetizer and lick it all off (ours does and thinks Bitter Apple spray is an appetizer too). Suggest you try balloons or baby socks before you invest in boots, then decide what to do. Some dogs will insist on them - others, forget it.

Of course if your pup has issues with the pads of her feet, you might want to see your vet.

Sadly, pups and 16 year old dogs (ours) get distracted just when they are about to do their business so all you can do is stay out until they go. Not ideal in the winter but not much you can do. Especially bad is a white dog who goes to the top of a snow hill and howls - looks like a wolf! And of course, they seem so white until they are against the snow.

kittypink is quite correct in that puppies (and dogs) have to go out after meals - even if you have taken them out before breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks (mentioning the food just in case your pup is like ours and lives to eat).

I agree about brushing of teeth except our fluffo kept trying to eat the toothbrush - we tried the glove, toothbrushes, topical stuff, the vet, you name it - forget it. His favourite flavour of toothpaste is the C.E.T. Poultry flavour, but he will eat anything. I put it on one of his treats - he expects it. Watch out, about every year or so the C.E.T. toothpaste is out of stock - at every vet clinic. It is a supply issue - so I start checking at every vet clinic after determining that ours does not have any - so far I have been successful once. You may be lucky and your pup will allow you to brush her teeth - but if tartar develops fast and easily you may find yourself having dentals. At least there will not be too many teeth in a small mouth - we experienced this with small dogs. Your dog will be considered a "senior" at age 7 which is kind of funny - ours was still a "puppy" at that age and in the terrible twos.

Our dog had crate terrors so I don't know much about that. Except he had the normal accidents as a pup and at 16 thankfully is not incontinent.

The Spitz breed does not do well on corn. I know that many people are against corn in general these days, but the Sptiz breed actually does not do well on corn period. Our guy has never had a reaction to anything - except corn - he had the trots. We feed him Fromm Four Star Kibble (not the grain free) - he likes the Duck A La Veg. And his meds in the canned Fromm Pate.

Health wise I am sure you have looked into it, but while he does see a board certified eye specialist he does not have PRA. He does have arthritis now, has hypothyroidism and is deaf (I taught him hand signals as a pup - thankfully). He is very concerned about his own pain.
He has never experienced Hip Dysplasia, a torn ACL or Patellar Luxation - again, thankfully.

Your pup should by now have had all of her shots. Time to start puppy school and socialization. We don't allow our dog off leash, ever or use extend-a-leashes. Each to his own. Kittypink takes her dog to a paid off leash centre so that would be something to consider. One thing I learned is that when you give your dog a command - e.g. Sit, just say it once - if you say it perhaps 4 times then 4 times will be the command. I bought yet another puppy book when he was 7 (we have had him since he was 11 weeks).

People think our dog is still a puppy - at 16. He is like an old man until it is time for his meds - with the Fromm canned food. He gets it just after his morning and evening walks and there are no signs of dementia when food is around. Some dementia has set in of course but he knows who we are.

Oh, and you may find that her nails grow very quickly and do not wear down on the sidewalk. Our dog's are cut when he is groomed - or sometimes the vet does them in between grooming when they get bad. Hopefully your girl will not be as "sensitive" as is our guy.

If you are in Toronto, the 24 hour emergency is located on McMurrich St. This is where we see the eye specialist. But it is good info to have on hand just in case.

Best of luck with your pup. I can't believe our dog is now 16 years of age, especially when we got him at 11 weeks.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Aug 29, 2001
6584 posts
1749 upvotes
rural ontario
As someone who got two puppies at the same time - I would definitely advise someone NOT to do this unless you know exactly what you are doing.
Everything becomes WAY more difficult and much longer to train.

In the end it works out, but first couple of months are very difficult then just one puppy to focus on.
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