Every dog, whether shorthaired or longhaired, needs to be groomed on a regular basis. Dogs also need to be bathed regularly. They love to be clean and groomed, evidenced by how playful they become after their grooming sessions. They enjoy being told how beautiful they look, and a clean dog is a lot more fun to train than a dirty dog.
Food and Water Bowls: A puppy needs a variety of basic items. Topping the list are a food dish and a separate water bowl. A mat to put them on is also necessary in order to save the floor from slurped water and spilled food. If your puppy has long, hanging ears, get dishes specially made to keep their ears out of the food or water. Consider bowls with weighted bases or non-slip bottoms so your pet cannot push them all around the room. For a dog that will be very tall, two dishes in a raised stand will keep food and water where they belong and at a comfortable height. Lightweight plastic bowls are not a good idea especially for a teething, chewing puppy. If your puppy is in an exercise pen, a water bowl is available that hangs on the wire and can be raised as he grows.
Food: Begin with whatever dog food the breeder was feeding, or ask your veterinarian for advice. You may also buy a top-quality food made especially for puppies. Vets today agree that it is not necessary to add vitamins or minerals to a quality dog food for a healthy puppy. Too many vitamins are actually detrimental, especially for large breeds.
Cookies and treats: Small, plain dog biscuits are ideal for “good puppy” rewards and an occasional treat. Fancy flavored treats are okay for adult dogs, but young puppies do better on a blander diet and fewer treats!
Collar and Leash: Collars come in all colors and styles. Just keep in mind that the puppy will outgrow several collars until he reaches his full size and he may go through as many as six different collar sizes as he grows. It is very sad to see a little puppy weighed down with a heavy chain collar and a leash strong enough to restrain a horse! Be sure each collar and leash you select matches the current size and strength of your puppy. Take him with you to the pet store to be sure you get the right collar, and keep in mind that you will probably be back in a couple of months for a bigger one. The leash will last longer, unless your puppy is allowed to use it as a teething toy, which is definitely not a recommended game.
Collars that can tighten around the dog’s neck are meant to be used only as training devices and removed when the lesson is over. They are not intended for continuous wear because they are dangerous. If this type of collar catches on any immovable object, the dog can easily strangle in his efforts to get free. Stay with soft buckle or snap-closure collars for everyday wear. If you go for “motivational training,” you will be staying with the soft collar.
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The following are three steps to place a snap-around collar on your dog.
1. Start with you and your dog facing each other. Take the clasp in your left hand and the two rings in your right hand.
2. Place the collar under your dog’s neck and bring the ends up to the top of his neck, directly behind the ears. When you begin to put on the collar, the dog flexes his neck muscles, expanding the circumference of the neck and creating the impression that the collar is much tighter than it actually is (similar to the effect produced by a horse taking in air as it is being saddled).
3. Attach the clasp to the floating ring. The smooth side of the clasp should be next to the dog’s skin.
You may get the impression that the collar is much too tight and that you can barely get it around your dog’s neck. It is recommended that you wait for about five minutes after the first time you put the collar on. After the dog has relaxed, you can then test for correct snugness. You should be able to easily slip two fingers between the collar and your dog’s neck. Use one finger if you have a toy dog. If you cannot, the collar is too tight. On the other hand, if you can get three or more fingers through, the collar is too loose.
One way to make the collar smaller is to tie a knot in it. Once you have the collar on, you can use it as a training collar by attaching the leash to the live ring of the collar or as a buckle collar by attaching it to the dead ring of the collar.
The live ring of the training collar is called the stationary ring while the dead ring of the collar is referred to as the floating ring. Some dogs do not respond well to a check on a snap-around collar because the check does not create an unpleasant experience for the dog. Therefore, he does not learn to accept the responsibility for his behavior. Also, the dog’s size and weight in relation to your size and weight may be such that he does not feel your check.
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