A New Puppies First Nights

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These are the supplies you will need to have on hand to welcome your new arrival:

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Crate	Purchase one for the size your dog will be as an adult, with dividers that can be removed to enlarge the crate as the puppy grows.
Exercise Pen or Gate	Lightweight exercise pens or childproof gates will allow your new family member to be confined to controllable areas, yet be close to the family's activities.
Toys	Be sure to choose toys that do not have loose or small parts that can be chewed off and swallowed. Toys provide entertainment, but are also necessary for teething and training. Nylon or hard rubber bones and toys are excellent choices for teething puppies. Stuffed animals, which can be torn apart, should only be allowed under direct supervision.
Food	We feed all our puppies Eukanuba Puppy Large Breed Formula. We selected this food because it is readily available to most of our clients and it is correctly balanced for what a large breed puppy needs nutritionally. Your puppy will arrive with a Puppy Starter Kit provided by Eukanuba. The kit contains about 2 days worth of food so it is a good idea to have a bag on hand before your puppy arrives. If you would like to switch your puppy to your own preferences of dog food we don’t recommend doing so until the puppy is settled into your routine. To switch foods make the change a gradual process to help the puppy adjust, slowly increasing the ratio of food you prefer. Most dog food brands have their own recommendations on how to switch a dog over to their food. You should follow any directions they print on their bag.
Dishes	Water and food dishes should be non-tippable and preferably made of heavy stainless steel or sturdy stoneware (ceramic). Make sure fresh water is always available. You might want to put a mat or tray under the dishes to protect your floor from spills.
Grooming Tools	It’s a good idea to have basic grooming tools, such as a comb and dog nail clippers.
Setting Up	When you first bring your puppy home, place him in a limited space with easily washable floors. An exercise pen, spread with newspaper, is ideal. Keep the puppy confined, but close to the family, so he can be supervised yet still feel he is "part of the pack". A room that usually perfectly fits these criteria is the kitchen. Place his water dish, with fresh water, close at hand. Place his crate, bedding and toys inside the pen. Pet and talk to him softly and tell him how glad you are that he is with you. Talking to your puppy in a soft, reassuring voice is extremely important. He will get used to your voice and will soon realize that you are there to protect and comfort him. He may not understand the words, but he will appreciate and understand the meaning. However, don't pick him up every time he cries or barks, or he will soon associate that undesirable behavior with getting a positive response.

What you need to know:

It's important to remember that pets do not have the same digestive systems as humans and that we need to keep certain foods away from them. Dogs should never eat chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, macadamia nuts, walnuts, tomatoes, avocados, nutmeg, coffee, tea or breath mints. All of these are toxic and can cause severe health problems or even death. All pets should avoid foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar, bones that are likely to splinter (such as chicken bones) and alcohol. Meaning do not give beer to your dog, even if you think it's funny. If you are baking, keep pets away from yeast dough or bread dough, baking soda or baking powder - ingesting these ingredients can cause serious problems. The seeds, leaves and stems of many kinds of fruits and some vegetable can be toxic to pets.