Choosing the breed of puppy you want, and

puppy proofing your home, plus naming your new puppy

From the Desk of Barkley

I have been asked by some of my k9 and two-legged readers, to write on the subject of the care and feeding of new puppies. I must start my writing by telling the two-leggers out there that getting a full grown K9 friend from a pet shelter or rescue group can be as rewarding as getting a new puppy. There are a lot of K9s out there, who need a good home, and are as filled with love as puppies are.

Albeit, being a puppy myself, I have some personal experience with the care and feeding of puppies, from a puppy’s point of view. You see I thought that all a puppy needed was to play, go for walks, eat his K9 food, and take lots of puppy naps. I did not realize how much more there was to being a healthy and happy puppy.

I have learned from my Alpha, over the course of the last three months that being a cute puppy lasts only a short time. In order for me to grow into a magnificent grown up apricot standard poodle, I needed to play, go for walks, eat a high-quality K9 food, and take puppy naps, as well as have the necessary veterinarian care, and learn the proper ways to behave as an adult poodle, by going to puppy school.

Because I do not know the answers to all the questions about raising a puppy to a full-grown K9, I wanted to give my two-legged and K9 readers a complete account of the subject of raising puppies. To do this I realized that I needed to do some research on the things that puppies need in order for them to be safe, happy and healthy and to grow into the greatest K9 friend you can have.

So, in order to get the needed information, I got on my computer and looked up all the web sites with information about raising puppies. Boy, there were a lot of web sites about raising puppies to become loving, caring and trained full-grown K9s.

If you are interested in delving deeper into any subject that I write about, you can go to any of the web sites that I have researched or any other web sites that I might have missed and read through the material yourself, to gain a deeper understanding on the proper care of puppies. Simply choose any search engine, write in puppies, or puppies followed by whatever subject you need more information on and press go.

I found that some of the web sites were good, some were not, some were breed specific, and some were not. After discovering there was so much information about puppies under so many topics, I decided to write about puppies in installments rather than trying to cover the whole issue in one article. I chose the topic and took what I thought was the best of the information to use in my writing of this article.

I will be starting my article with choosing the breed of puppy you want. Next, I will go into puppy proofing your pack’s den and then I will write about naming your new puppy. I will start with the idea that a two-legger has just started thinking about getting a puppy.

The first thing a two-legger must realize is that a puppy or a full grown K9 is a living creature with feelings and emotions; and not a thing that can be used and abused or tossed aside if you do not want it any longer.

This two-legger must be willing to make a commitment to care for a puppy and the K9 the puppy will grow into, for as many years as the K9 lives. The two-legger must have enough love in himself that he can share this love with a puppy and the K9 he will become. It’s easy to love and care for a cute puppy, but it is not as easy to love and care for a five-year-old K9, who sometimes makes you mad by misbehaving.

K9 owners must have a lot of love to give because a puppy, or adult K9, will love you unconditionally. You do not need to be cool or macho, nor do you need to prove anything to them; they will love you for who you really are.

All they ask from you in exchange for giving you enough unconditional love to last three life times is for you to love them and do the things they need done for them, in order for them to live with two-leggers in a two-legger world. Every K9 ever born knows how to do all the things that come naturally to K9s; what they need help on is learning to live in the human two-legger world.

So, Mr. two-legger, if you cannot say honestly that you will still play with the full-grown K9 your new puppy will become, be willing to get up on those cold winter mornings to walk your adult K9 friend and show the same love after five or ten years that you felt for the cute puppy, please do not get a new puppy or any pet. Buy yourself something else to satisfy your ego. I would suggest a pet rock. My Alpha told me about them and they would be perfect for some one who cannot truly love and commit to a loving creature like a K9.

Now that I have written about the two-leggers that should not get a puppy, I will now start writing about what it takes, in raising a puppy, so he turns out to be the most loving friend you will ever have when he is full-grown K9.

When getting a new puppy, you, as the two-legged Alpha of the pack, must do a few things even before you bring your new puppy to your pack’s den, more on this later. The first thing you must do is decide what breed of puppy to get. You will also need to puppy-proof your pack’s den for your puppy’s protection, more on this later, puppy-proofing your house will give you peace of mind. After you get your new puppy, you must decide on a name.

The first thing you should do after bringing a new puppy to your pack’s den, is to take your puppy to his new veterinarian for a check up, and if need be, his first shots. Remember, the relationship between you, your veterinarian and the great K9 your puppy will become will be a long one. Your new K9 friend will need checkups from the very start of your relationship with him, till the very end of it.

In deciding on what breed of puppy you want, you will find there are so many K9 breeds, and mixes of breeds to choose from that it will take some research to decide which breed of puppy you want. In general, there is no significant difference in the temperament between male and female K9’s.

There are so many breeds and mixes that I cannot cover them in this article. It is up to the two-legger who is looking for a puppy, or for that full-grown K9, to research the different breeds so he can make an intelligent decision on just which of the pure breeds or mixed breeds fits his life style.

One thing you two-leggers must think about, is how much room you have for a K9 in your pack’s den. You should not keep a large breed K9 in a small apartment (the pack’s den), where a large breed puppy or adult K9 would not have enough room to spread out.

You must also think about how much time you have to exercise and play with a K9. If you only have a limited amount of time to spend with a K9, you should to choose a breed that does not require a lot of exercise. That does not mean that you can skip walking him every day, it just means that you do not need to take them as far on the daily walk. Also, you still need to play with your K9 friend every day, like my Alpha does with me.

Another consideration is the amount of grooming your new K9 needs. Some breeds like myself, an apricot standard Poodle, need a lot of grooming. Some breeds require very little grooming, but remember that brushing and grooming a K9 is an act of love for both of you. Grooming is part of the deal when you bring a K9 to your pack’s den.

As new two-legged Alphas, you may not be aware of your new puppy’s habits or how great their curiosity is. Puppies are chewing machines and a lot of new puppies are injured or harmed because they get into things they should not. Before you bring your new puppy to your pack’s den, try to pretend you are a curious puppy and take a look around your pack’s den.

My Alpha went though our pack’s den and removed all the papers, magazines, books and knick-knacks from the coffee tables and counter tops. He put these things out of sight or out of reach. How ever, he missed one thing, a foam-rubber cow, which I chewed up one day when no one was watching, because it had been knocked to the floor from a desk.

My Alpha has done a good job of teaching me there’s never anything interesting to chew on those tables and counter tops so even with me being a tall [23 inches at the shoulder] puppy, I never bother to look for chewables on those tables. He has also taken the time to play with me using the toys that I can chew, so, with the exception of the cow on the floor, the only things I have chewed up have been the chew toys he has given to me.

While we are on the subject of coffee tables, counter tops and all the rest of the tables in your den, we will go on to the topics you two-leggers need to be aware of now that your puppy is living in your den. You two-leggers need to remember not to leave food, candy, dirty dinner plates, utensils or glasses on any of them.

You new two-legged Alphas should remember that your new puppy can easily develop the habit of looking for goodies in places he should keep his nose out of and if you leave stuff out like the above mentioned items, your puppy can draw the wrong conclusion. I know that my Alpha never leaves anything out that I would be interested in, so I do not even bother searching for goodies. I think it will be a very long time before he does leave anything out that I might get into, because I am a curious and headstrong puppy who would take advantage of any slip by my Alpha.

Besides cleaning the tables etc, I would like to list other ways my Alpha has puppy proofed our den and things he does to protect me from harming my- self. I will start with the bathroom. He always tries to keep the bathroom door shut and the toilet bowl lid down. He also put in a trash containers with a lids on them, as well as putting puppy proof locks on the cabinet doors, so I cannot get into items stored in the cabinet. Remember that some puppies can open cabinets and get whatever is in them.

I will now list what my Alpha, and the other two-leggers in our pack do, or have done to keep me safe, as well as things that do not apply to our den, but might apply to other dens with puppies.

I see my Alpha looking at the floor a lot, to make sure there is nothing that could be dangerous for me. Things can fall tables, etc, that I could find and injure my self. Luckily the foam-rubber cow that fell off a desk did not harm me when I chewed it up.

Remember that puppies are chewing machines; so make sure you take care of the electric wires around your house. A puppy that chews an electric wire could be burned or even killed. So if you do not need something in your den plugged in, unplug it. For the wires you need plugged in, you can buy a pet repellent such as Bitter Apple to spray on the cords.

Most puppies love to root through garbage cans; so make sure your kitchen garbage can is behind a closed cabinet or closet door. For the rest of your rubbish containers, make sure they have tight lids on them or are in a place your puppy cannot reach.

If you smoke, do not leave your dirty ashtrays out where your puppy can reach them. Eating cigarette butts or pipe tobacco can lead to nicotine poisoning. My Alpha, and the other two-leggers in the pack, are very careful about making sure any dirty ashtrays are kept out of my reach.

Remember at Christmas time to keep Christmas decorations out of your puppy’s reach. Crushed glass ornaments can cause serious cuts and other ornaments can be toxic to your puppy.

If you like to burn candles, be sure to keep them out of reach of your puppy. The flame can attract him and he can get a serious burn.

Remember that childproof containers are not strong enough to keep your puppy out of your medication containers. My Alpha keeps his medication containers in a locked cabinet.

Do not forget that a young puppy is as vulnerable as a young child, so please keep any upper story windows closed, and do not leave any cellar doors standing open. A young puppy or even a curious adult K9 could be hurt by a slamming door, or could fall out of an upper story window, just like a small child could.

If you enjoy eating chicken and turkey, please be sure to dispose of these bones in a puppy proof manner. Brittle bones can be life threatening to a puppy and to an adult K9.

Going back to checking the floor, one of the things to be aware of is needles or pins that puppies can swallow. Always make sue you store needles and pins in a puppy proof manner.

Anti-freeze is DEADLY TO PUPPIES AND GROWN K9S, so make sure that any anti-freeze you have stored in your garage, is stored so your puppy or grown K9 cannot get to it. And make sure you thoroughly wipe up any spilled anti-freeze, because K9’s like the taste of it.

If you use pesticides or rodent poisons, use with the greatest of caution. Hanging fly strips or fly paper and other exposed toxins must be kept out of reach of any puppy, or grown up K9.

Do not forget there are plants that are toxic to your puppy and your full-grown K9. Two of them are Rhododendron, Lilly’s of the valley. In order to find out if a plant or tree you have is poisonous, you can call your local poison control center. They have the information about which plants and trees that are poisonous and which are not.

You two-leggers also need to check your yard to make sure there is no place your puppy can escape. Check your fence to make sure your gate is secure and inspect your yard periodically to make sure your puppy is not trying to dig a way out.

If you are into gardening, make sure the products you use are stored in a puppy proof manner because you do not want your puppy to get into them.

Well, now on to naming your new puppy. First of all, do not be in a hurry to select a name for your new puppy. Watch him to see how he acts. Too often two-leggers name their new puppy from a list of names on a web site or in a book right after they get him home and later find that that the name does not match their new puppy’s personality at all.

However, you might think of a name the first time you see your new puppy. He could have some physical distinguishing quality that brings the right name to you instantly. Then again, you might think of a name out of the blue, before you even see your new puppy, which fits him perfectly. That is why I have the name Barkley. My Alpha chose my name as he and his two-legger wife were driving down to look at me. Boy, does my name fit me; I am a barker and a talker, meaning that I make vocal sounds that most K9s do not make. The sounds run from a growl-like sound to a high-pitched low howl.

As a rule, most two-leggers do not get a name right out of the blue that matches their new puppy’s personality. Most two-leggers must watch their new puppy at play, while he is napping, as they pet him and while he eats in order to find the right name. After you have observed him, sit down with all the two-leggers in the pack, then starting with the Alpha of the pack, have all the two-legged pack members make suggestions, till you all agree on a name.

As you, the two legged pack members, discuss the name you want your puppy to have, try to remember some of these suggestions. The name you give your puppy your puppy is forever and it says as much about you and your pack as it does about your new puppy and the wonderful K9 he will grow to be. It shows just how you view your K9, as well as your relationship with him. The name you choose can cause other two-leggers to respond positively or negatively, or even fearfully when meeting him.

Remember that two syllable words are easier for K9s to learn and comprehend. K9s do not know if you are saying "come here" or "comb hair". Your K9 friend is reacting to the familiarity of the sounds, as well as the inflection and the tone of your voice. For your K9’s sake, do not use one-syllable names if you can avoid it, because they can be easily confused with other words and sounds.

When you are deciding on a name for your new puppy, stay away from names that sound like any of the commands that you will be teaching your new puppy. Otherwise you could end up with a confused K9, who is eager to please, but confused nevertheless.

It is important that after you and your pack have decided on a name for your new puppy, that all of the pack members use it often so he learns it quickly. Use his name when you are hugging him, playing with him, grooming him, feeding him, or just trying to get his attention. The more you use his name the faster he will learn who he is.

Avoid using your new puppy’s name in stressful situations or when you are angry because he has had some kind of puppy accident. You want your puppy to have a very strong, positive connection with his name. If he grows up associating his name with a "wrong-doing" he will not like his name. Thus, you will have trouble getting him to come to you when you call him.

This ends the first installment of Puppy Care, by a Puppy.

Love Barkley