​​Your puppy’s first day with his new family can be a stressful day for him. The puppy may not eat or drink. This is normal, but please make best efforts to get them to drink water and eat a few kibble. 

It is very important that the puppy not be too stressed when you get him home. Please comfort him/her so that the puppy feels safe and secure.  But not too much!   

It is best for the puppy to remain at the home until he has adjusted and settled into his new home before going out in public. Meaning car rides, visiting family, etc.  It is recommended that all vaccinations are completed by 16 weeks of age before walking on sidewalks or going to the parks.

Give the puppy a few days to adjust and bond with you before starting into any heavy training and discipline.​​​

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Diet

I recommend that you keep the puppy on the same diet for the first few months. If you decide to change their diet, do so gradually so you do not upset their tummy.

All puppies are currently on, First Mate Pacific Puppy food. First Mate uses a combination of wild caught herring, anchovies, and sardines.  Fewer ingredients makes this formula easy on their digestion. 

The chicken fat used in FirstMate Pet Foods is processed free of protein, eliminating the risk of allergies derived from chicken.This diet will be much better for digestion.  I love this food and its ingredients.   You will need to keep the puppy on this same diet and eventually you can rotate to lamb and salmon.

Be careful when introducing your puppy to treats. The puppy’s digestion is just developing and is not ready for the ingredients found in treats. If you need to use something for training just use the kibble, but more importantly use your VOICE/TOUCH as the reward. The puppy will respond more to your voice in the beginning stages.

Rawhide's are not ideal. Other types of chews should be given once they are a bit older and you should supervise them when they are given the chews.

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Crate Sizes

My recommendation for crate size is (15 – 30 lbs) the 30″ x 21″ x 24″ is best. I find the wire crates to be much more effective in the transition period.

IMPORTANT: Please purchase new crates. If from a family member be sure to sanitize thoroughly.

Just remember make the crate a happy, comfortable place for the puppy. This will be his/her safe place where they will want to be. Toys and treats (kibble) also help with the crate training.

You will need to have a confined space for the puppy. I highly recommend buying a new metal puppy play pen. Please note when buying used you can put your puppy at risk as you don’t know the history of the animals that used the pen. I stress the importance of buying your supplies new and not take any chances with used items. Thank you for putting your puppy first.

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Puppy Classes

We recommend that first time owners take a “Puppy Class”. The classes are highly beneficial and will teach you a lot about your puppy and what kind of behaviour you can expect. Please check pet stores and vets for local class schedules.  I DON’T RECOMMEND THIS RIGHT AWAY.   Let the puppy adjust, bond and follow my training instructions until it is safe to do further training, if needed.

With respect to training, be consistent in what you do and the puppy will learn much faster. They learn through consistency and reward. 

The most important thing is to make the puppy feel secure and safe and everything else will fall into place. A happy puppy is everything.

Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions or concerns regarding your puppy.

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Grooming

All Schnauzers will require grooming, as the hair will continue to grow.

How often will depend on the length of hair you like and are able to manage. An average period between grooms is any where from 8-10 weeks.

It is very important to find a groomer that you like and trust. I beg you to please read their reviews as 1 bad experience can traumatize the pup for years to come.

It’s ideal for the puppies to see a groomer for the first puppy trim by 17 weeks. Your puppy is not protected until after all vaccinations are completed. Plan ahead as most good groomers will be booked in advanced. I suggest short frequent visits for the first few times. This way when it is time for a full trim or shave down the puppy has already established a relationship with the groomer. This will be less stressful on the puppy and easier for the groomer. Please do not over bathe. Too many baths will dry out their skin. I have exposed the to baths, dryers, nail trims and clippers in my home before they leave.

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Puppies will need:

• To have the eye area kept clean and short, as not to poke his/her eyes. Hair in the eyes will irritate the eyes and will cause them to water.

• Also the bummy/private area should be kept trimmed to keep the area clean.

• The toe nails should be trimmed often so that the nails don’t get too long and hurt the puppy/dogs feet. Long nails are very painful to walk on. So please remember to trim toe nails. Many forget because most times we cannot see them under the furry feet. Make it a happy time. I use my happy voice as a reward when I trim their nails so they don't become afraid.

• Ears must be cleaned and excess hair removed from the canal.

The above can be done as maintenance grooms, please see your groomer for puppy grooms, they are usually less expensive than full grooms.

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Your puppy’s health is the most important thing, so regular grooming is very important to their health. Dogs that have been neglected will end up with matted hair. Mats are very painful to the dog. The mats tighten over time and actually pull away from the skin causing the dog to bleed and have big sores. If you choose to groom yourself, that is ok, but please make sure to brush and comb the dog a few times a week to avoid mats. Brush out mats before bathing as wetting mats will make them much worse.

Your groomer will be happy to show you how to properly brush and comb your dog. They can also recommend the proper type of tools to use depending on the type of coat your dog has.

Please do your part in keeping your pets happy and healthy.