tips on caring for a new puppy
Feeding
Morning:
Milk Mix: 1 Weet Bix (or similar) softened with 1/4 cup of hot water, 1 egg and 3/4 cup of milk (lactose free) blended together, this amount can be made up daily and will do the puppy throughout the day if kept refrigerated, small amounts can then be warmed up as required.
By the time the AM feed is discontinued between 10 to 12 months of age, the puppy will be getting through the whole amount in 1 feed. A few biscuits with some of the milk mix will be adequate for the morning meal.
Noon and Evening:
This can be a meat meal, a chicken wing or 2 or 3 chicken necks, plus a little of the milk mix.
Alternativly a scrambled egg: I use 1 cup of milk to 1 egg, and flavour with a few drops of vanilla (no sugar please) or some cheese, microwave on low for 5 minutes, this is usually long enough for the mixture to get to a custard consistency.
Minced meat approximately a small handful with a few puppy biscuits added, or any vegetables that may be left over from the family meal, the more variety the better.
Do not worry too much if the puppy misses a meal now and again, as if food is offered he will not starve himself. If you find that he is becoming finnicky with his eating, offer the meal and only leave it with the pup for 1/2 an hour, if no interest is shown remove the meal, refrigerate and offer it again at the next meal time.
Depending on what is convenient for you all meals are interchangeable.
As a rough guide when you receive you puppy at around 10 weeks of age he will be having 3 meals per day, this continues until 6 months when the noon meal is eliminated and somewhere between 10 to 12 months of age the meals can be cut down to 1 daily, or 2 smaller meals. This timing of the cutting back of meals are to be used as a general guide only and can be flexible depending on weight gains.
This feeding regime is by no mans rigid, and dogs can eat just about anything that you would eat, with the exception of chocolate or onions, variety is good. Dachshunds generally are very good eaters and are prone to gaining weight easily.
Health and Vaccinations
When you receive a puppy from us, it will have been wormed (except for heartworm) regularly since 2 weeks of age the last just a few days prior to leaving us, repeat worming at 12 weeks, at 3 months, then 3 monthly after that.
It will have had it's first temporary injection against Hepatitus, Distemper, Parvovirus and Kennel Cough, it will need a booster injection at 12 weeks of age and then annually thereafter for complete protection against these diseases.
Your puppy will also have been micro- chipped for lifetime identification purposes.
Reminders
Do not leave chocker chains around your dog’s neck when unsupervised, as they are easily caught on things and many dogs have been choked to death in this fashion.
Do not leave your dog in a car unattended. The inside of a car is like an oven and the heat builds up very quickly, many dogs have died in only a few minutes by being locked inside cars.
Snail bait and Rat bait is poisonous to dogs and they will eat it given half a chance.
Swimming pools can be death traps for dachshunds. Unattended they get themselves to the side of the pool, then keep trying to jump upwards until exhausted and then drown. Dachshunds must be fenced out of pools. If you have a pool, it would be advisable to train your puppy constantly to go to where he can get safely out by himself.
Make sure that your puppy is securely locked away from the road, dachshunds have very little road sense.
Let your puppy sleep when he wants to, he will play until exhausted and then needs undisturbed sleep, it won't be long until he is rearing to go again.
If your puppy is wriggling to get down when you are holding him, please put him down. He may need to relieve himself, and he will keep struggling until he gets free and could fall and injure himself. It is a good idea to get small children to hold puppies while sitting on the ground as young children don't always understand when puppies need to be freed.
Do not give cooked bones to your dog as they can splinter and penetrate the bowel. RAW meaty bones are good for your dogs teeth. Brisket bones are best, chicken wings or necks are good also. Replace a meal once or twice weekly with a meaty bone, as this will help to keep your dogs teeth and gums in good condition. Raw carrots are good for this also.
If you have any questions or problems you think we may be able to help you with, please don’t hesitate to contact us.