Treat/Training/Puppy question...

[Jennett Pulley]

I know this can go in multiple groups so I thought I would start here. 

Lolli is seven weeks and loves her crate. She will not eliminate in it and runs in and out at will.  She whines for about 2 seconds when the lights go out and goes to sleep just fine.  She puts herself to bed randomly during the day, but will also pass out anywhere on the floor in pure puppy exhaustion.

She has only been home two days, and I don't expect miracles, but we are having trouble getting her to go potty outside.  She goes out for ten minutes or so, and then comes in and poops/pees inside.  We have a lot of dogs in our neighborhood and a smallish yard, but we are afraid to walk her until she is fully immunized.  (Come on 16 weeks!)

When she does pee/poop outside, we praise her enthusiastically (you'd think she just laid a winning lotto ticket) and she knows it.  She runs over and rolls around between our feet waiting for her rubdown. 

I was thinking it might be a good idea to add training treats to our efforts.  We bought Buffalo Blue  Blue Bits for puppies (She eats Iams, but we will be switching her over to something else, I think.)

These bits are little hearts and I was thinking that breaking them into threes for just a bit of taste more than a belly filling treat.  The breeder said ABSOLUTELY NOT, to only use American Cheese for treats for her lifetime, but that's impractical (melt factor and travel factor). 

I will do what's best for her, but I think using these in small amounts might help our efforts in getting her to come to her name and to poop outside.  Thoughts?

[Emily & Wispa]

That's bizarre, because according to a dog nutritionist (i know, how does one become a dog nutritionist?!),

What NOT to feed

·         Sugar (disease thrives in sugar)
·         Grains & starch (pasta, rice, bread, wheat, cereal, corn, maize etc)
·         Salt
·         Cooked bones!
·         Corn on the cob
·         Grapes, raisins, currants & sultanas
·         Avocado
·         Macadamia nuts
·         Onions
·         Caffeine
·         Chocolate
·         Alcohol (including hops)
·         Rhubarb leaves
·         Xylitol (artificial sweetener)
·         Seeds, stones & pits of fruit (flesh is fine and recommended)
·         Yeast Dough (unbaked bread)
·         Baking powder & baking soda
·         Brewers yeast
·         Dairy (with the exception being natural yoghurt & cottage cheese)

So, if dairy is a no-go, why would your breeder suggest american cheese?  Especially as it's completely processed crap!  I have to admit that Wispa sometimes gets tiny bits of cheddar, but not much at all.

As for training treats, it may be best to stay away from any big brands.  We started with coachies, which are tiny little heart shaped biscuits, but stopped because when you think about it - how are those all that good??  You need a really special treat for toilet training.  Use real food!!  Our treat of choice has been bits of sausage. 

And the sleeping?  Puppies that age actually sleep about 20 hours a day, so she should be sleeping TONS.

[Jennett Pulley]

Thank you.  We have two days of pills left so we will use less than a smidge of cheese to get them down if the yogurt doesn't work.  Her poops are good and pasty so I assume I am not giving her enough to make her feel bad.  I am using about a half a dime sized piece to wrap around the pill.

As for sleep, phew!  She plays hard for about 20 minutes and then sleeps hard for an hour or two.  And repeat.  She has slept through the night both nights so far.  Fingers crossed THAT continues.

[Sally Huff]

Lolli is precious!  The treats I use for our goldendoodle are shredded baked chicken tenders, cheese sticks sliced into rounds(mozzarella holds up in the heat) and I bake pumpkin peanut butter "cookies" cut into 2 inch bone shapes.  I've been doing agility training with Gracie since she was 5 months and these really kept her attention.  Good luck and enjoy this very short puppy phase.

[Jennett Pulley]

Your pup is quite adorable, too!  So fluffy!!!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Can you use PLAIN Natural Yogurt to give the pills to the puppy?  This would be much much better.  And from then on, don't give any people food.  EVER. 

This breed seems to have a lot of digestive issues, including IBS, Pancreatitis, and so many others.

Also, no one has said it here yet, but they are thinking it; 7 weeks is way too young for a puppy to be adopted.  Not your fault, but your breeder should have known.  It is best to be no earlier than 8 weeks and 10 weeks is ideal.

I am also disturbed about the Giardia issue.  Does the puppy actually have Giardia?  Does this breeder have a  history of having Giardia as a chronic parasite? 

Many puppies have gotten Giardia and there are ways that it needs to be cleaned up and handled.  Do you know those ways?  Can we help you?  First, you need a lot of bleach.

As far as potty training--this puppy is a BABY!!!   Give her lots and lots of time.  If indeed, your puppy has Giardia, no way in HECK can it control explosive diarrhea or  loose stools.  Even the bladder will have a  hard time if the tummy is upset.  She needs to get well first.  But keep potty training. Just don't expect much. 

[Jennett Pulley]

I do have plain yogurt just in case.  :)

Our last pup got no human food as there is nothing that drives me nuttier than begging. 

No, I do not think she has Giardia as her poos are consistently toothpasty-firm and are a good brown color.  The breeder and her vet both use the med as a preventative (from what she told me) but Lolli is going in for a full exam with my vet on Wednesday.  My vet took care of our chocolate lab from birth to the end and there is NO ONE I trust more. 

Trust me when I say I have plenty of patience when it comes to potty training.  I simply was curious about the use of a bit of treat to facilitate the process as we did bring her home so young.  The seven weeks thing is a whole 'nother story...

:)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

okay.  Well another suggestion then, since you were asking about treats, many of us make our own; many of us make our own since the recall of nasty commercial treats  and/or because our dogs get really upset tummies.

Join us in the DK Cookbook!   Lots and lots of great recipes there.  It is fun to make and your dog will love them. 

Say CHEESE, Just don't feed much of it!  Enjoy that new puppy

[Jennett Pulley]

Thanks!  I will check it out.  I love to cook/bake so I would love to check out what you have.  :)

My lab had an iron stomach so thanks for the head's up on the easily upset belly. 

I want to get her away from the Iams the breeder had her on and I am overwhelmed by the thread listing all the foods.  We feed our hedgehog Blue Buffalo cat food, so I am leaning in that direction out of familiarity.  What sort of ratio mix do you suggest to introduce?

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

There is a list of recommended food brands on DK:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/recomme...

I think Blue Buffalo is generally good, but I think they had some recalls in the past.

As for the ratio, don't change anything for the first two weeks and let the puppy adjust to the new environment. After that, you can start gradually mixing in the new food into the old food. Let's say quarter of new and 3 quarters of old food. After few days increase the amount. Hopefully, her poo will be just fine with the switch. American cheese as the only treat sounds fishy to me. Dogs do love cheese, but it's not good for them. There is an abundance of healthier treats, especially for the young bellies. :-)