How much and how often should I feed my new puppy?

          It’s important to establish good eating practices early. I always say to feed at least 2x/day and as much as they will eat in one sitting.  Increase the food as they start to clean it all up.  They should leave a little in the bowl each time they are fed.   When the puppy gets about  4 months old, you can begin to limit their intake.  You don’t want them to become a picky eater but on the other hand, you don’t want them to be rolly pollies.     When they get about 6 months, you need to be careful about   overfeeding.  A heavy, growing puppy puts stress on the bones and joints so you don’t want them to overstress their frame.

When can I take the puppy to obedience school?

          As soon as you have had at least one distemper/parainfluenza and two parvo vaccinations you can take the puppy out to public places.  Until then, you should avoid contact with the public and especially, with other dogs.

When should I visit the vet?

          Take the puppy in ASAP and take the health guarantee with you.   You might also take a fresh stool sample.   Puppies often have round worms even though they have been previously wormed.  The stress of the new environment nurtures a new growth of parasites that might have been missed by earlier wormings. Another common parasite is coccidia.  Coccidia causes diarrhea and is usually self-limiting but can become a major problem in a stressed puppy.  Since puppies eventually develop an immunity to the coccidia,   this problem is not seen so often in older dogs.

How often will the puppy have to piddle?

          The first two weeks the baby will have to go about every 2 hours.  This period may be longer but it’s easier to plan for the shorter time.  As soon as the puppy begins to stir after napping, gather him/her up and take to the designated bathroom area.  Then they are good for a couple of hours before having to go again.  Stools usually follow almost immediately after a meal.

What if my puppy has diarrhea?

          The first couple of days are stressful for the new puppy, especially with the change in food and water.  You may get a loose stool similar to pancake batter.  If this persists or turns more watery it needs to be addressed quickly.  Call me (or your breeder for web readers)   or check with your vet.  Worms often cause diarrhea and that can be “fixed” by having the vet worm the puppy.

How often should I give water?

          Always.  Some people limit water in the evening, but I’d prefer if you did not.

What about leaving the puppy alone while I work.

          As I mentioned earlier, this will result in a totally maladjusted dog.  Someone needs to spend some quality time with this puppy throughout the day.  A good lunchtime play period can be followed by confinement.  Leave a radio playing.  Just remember how terrible neglected children turn out.  If you must leave your puppy, make sure the area is puppy proof.   Use baby gates to section off a kitchen area.   The more room available the better.  You can place the crate in this area. Leave the crate door open.  Make sure there are no electrical cords anywhere little teeth can find them.  Some people hire someone to come in and play with the puppy during lunchtime.

What types of toys should I buy?

          Avoid the rawhides unless they are huge and the puppy can’t swallow them.  They love old shoes and clothes.  Socks can become a problem as the puppy gets larger and begins to ingest everything.  A swallowed sock can end up being a monumental vet bill.   Balls are great if they are too large to be swallowed.  Puppies are like little babies and will put everything in their mouths.  Check out your yard area for any articles that the puppy might ingest.   Bark or mulch seems to be attractive.  Ingested wood   will not show up on x-rays.  Rocks are another source of worry.  For some reason, puppies and some older dogs love to chew and swallow rocks.  Surgical removal is really expensive.  (If at any time of your weims life, you notice a complete lack of appetite, general lethargy and lack of bowel movements, suspect a rock and get some x-rays asap.)

What kind of crate should I use?

          Get a crate that is large enough - a 400 airline size.  If you use the crate as a “den” where he/she goes to sleep, make sure the door is open and can’t accidentally close.  You can close the door at night but expect the puppy to have “accidents” in the crate.  If you plan on closing the door…have a blanket in one part and paper in the other.  Don’t put a pan of water in the crate as it will get knocked over quickly.  Please read the article on crate training that comes with the puppy.

What should I bring when picking up my new puppy?

          Bring a small soft collar and leash.  Cat size if for large cats will work.  If you stop at a rest area or anywhere on the way home, make sure the puppy is securely leashed.  They will be very frightened and dash for the underside of your car.  Imagine trying to get under the car to retrieve your new weim baby.   Puppies will do better in your arms rather than in a new crate.   Remember, they’re going to be scared and holding them on the way home will help reduce that initial stress.

How long will it take for the puppy to adjust to my home?

          Usually two days is the adjustment time.  Some are only frightened for a few hours, but most are a little cautious about the new surroundings. 

What about biting?

          I get a lot of new owners calling about biting.  Do not play tug of war or wrestle roughly with him/her.   Do not encourage any rough play.  Do not allow any growling, biting during play.  Throw a ball or other toy for play time.  Do not tolerate any biting ever.  Remember who’s in charge here.  Be firm with the puppy on any unwanted behavior.  Weimaraners are not naturally aggressive dogs but can easily be taught to bite through careless roughhousing.  Rolled up newspapers are fine for my puppies but if you have a field dog, you want to be careful about smack noises and punishment.  Fly swatters also work.  You want to be careful not to physically hurt your puppy but you do want to discourage negative behaviors.   I’ve had Weimaraners a long, long time and the pack behavior approach to discipline has never worked for me nor has the distraction approach.  I think distraction is a great tool but the guidelines and rules you want need to be enforced.  I suggest a punishment for the biting along with the “no bite” command, followed by distraction and praise.  (Remember to reward for good behavior).

Your breeder should be able to help you with any of these “new puppy” behaviors.  If you purchase a Weimaraner from an ethical breeder, you should expect this support and guidance.     Most of us will give you support and advice for the lifetime of the dog. Watch Summer puppies.