TOILETTING
Until now, as we have seen, the mother both stimulates defecation and cleans up afterwards. This is no longer the case. By the start of the third week, the puppy will have begun to make its first moves away from the whelping box. Generally the front of the box is removed around this time, allowing them to move a few feet away from their sleeping area towards the boundary of the den.
They will begin to defecate and urinate on their own. This new independence coincides with the mother’s gradual removal of herself from the scene.
A puppy of three to four weeks will urinate 12 or more times a day and will open its bowels five to six times a day.
At first the puppy will probably do its toiletting around the den. Dogs are by nature clean creatures so the puppy will try to put as much distance as it can between its sleeping and feeding area and its toilet area. You must ensure you have something in place for puppies to go to the toilet on. There are plenty of alternatives: newspapers or absorbent padding or perhaps wood shavings (make sure they are dust-free).
The puppy isn’t going to get to this area every time, of course, so during this phase it is vital you keep the bedding area immaculately clean. You can buy absorbent bedding that takes wetness through to the bottom. A lining of newspaper between this and the floor will provide another layer to take up moisture. This should be changed as often as need be, perhaps even two or three times a day during the early stage of toilet training.
Dogs prefer to do their toiletting in a natural environment so it is good for both you and your dog if you progress the training to a garden or outdoor area as soon as possible. You should start doing this at about four weeks of age. They should have got the hang of walking by then.
• Accompany the dog to the toilet first thing in the morning, after meals and when it wakes from a sleep.
• Stay with it in the garden or outdoor area. When you see it squatting, give it a food reward and use a word such as ‘empty’ or ‘clean dog’.
There are going to be occasions when it catches you out, so be careful to line the dog’s route from the sleeping area to the garden with whatever it is you are using to absorb the mess. The ideal thing would be a flap leading straight from the den to the garden.
If the puppy has accidents away from the toilet area, the important thing is not to chastise it. Clear it up without a word. The key to toilet training is making it a good association, so anything negative at this stage is unhelpful. With a positive association being built all the time, it won’t take the puppy long to make the connection between wanting to go to the toilet and going outside.
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By eight weeks of age, the puppy will be ready to move on to a new home without its mother and siblings. The better the care it has received in these early weeks, the more easily it will cope with the trauma of the change of environment. In the next chapter, you’ll find advice for new owners on choosing a puppy at this stage.
Chapter 3 - Choosing your Dog
Before looking at the details of how to introduce a puppy into your home, it is important to discuss how you acquire a new dog. To my mind, there are only two sources from which we should buy dogs: respectable, responsible breeders and registered rescue centres or dogs’ homes.
There is, I know, a wide range of alternative sources – from pet shops and so-called licensed kennels, classified ads or even from a chance encounter with a seller in a pub or at a fairground.
The problem with buying from a stranger is obvious, in that you will have no comeback if anything goes wrong. A friend of mine once saw a batch of dogs for sale at a horse fair. There were no clues as to where these dogs had come from. Their owners had only one interest: making money. My friend was a soft touch and took pity on one dog in particular. During the next two years she spent more than £2,500 on vets bills, because it turned out the dog was riddled with worms and suffered from a variety of stomach problems. The crucial point here is that she had no way of seeking compensation from the people who sold her that dog. She didn’t even get a contact name.
This type of trade is sadly on the increase. The growth of so-called puppy farms, where dogs are bred in a factory-style environment, is something I abhor. Here in the UK the vast majority of pet dealers and licensed kennels are supplied by puppy farms, and owners who buy from them will often be allowed no more than 48 hours in which to return their dogs. How on earth is anyone supposed to decide whether they will be able to share their life with a dog in that space of time? Health problems may not have emerged within that period, and the dog’s true personality might be masked beneath its anxiety about the new surroundings.
It is my firm belief that if at all possible an owner should be able to meet – at least – the puppy’s mother before taking the dog away. This is something I will explain in more detail in a moment. You should be able to visit the breeder and see the puppy interacting with its mother and siblings. Be suspicious if you can’t; in puppy farms, mother and pups are separated early on. The absence of the mother may mean that the seller is a third party, whose motives are purely to do with money rather than the welfare of the dogs in their protection.
No reputable breeder or rescue centre would sell a dog without guaranteeing that the owner could return the animal to them if they were unable to keep the dog for whatever reason. The dog cannot lose under this arrangement. If it fits into a happy home it will enjoy a long and hopefully rewarding life there. If not, it will return to a place where its best interests are safeguarded.
Owners who leave themselves with no comeback are not able to return an unwanted dog. Many will, of course, ensure they are given good homes but, sadly, many more will not. And that is something I cannot condone.
BUYING A PUPPY
Falling in love with a puppy is the easiest thing in the world. We’ve all experienced the aaaaaaah factor, that moment when we’ve stared for the first time into the saucer-sized eyes of a cute young dog and gone hopelessly gooey. It’s for this reason that I recommend people begin their search for a puppy by steering clear of these charmers to begin with.
We know that owners are going to fall head over heels in love with the puppy. It’s a given. Far better for them to deal with the realities before beginning the romance. And the best way to do this is by first meeting the parents.
Producing a litter of puppies involves a collaboration between the human breeder and the dogs. The dogs deliver this new life into the world, but it is the former who must shoulder the ultimate responsibility. I passionately believe that the best way to assess whether a dog is coming from a good home is by getting to know both sets of ‘parents’ – human and canine.
Given that many breeders go to stud to begin their litters, it is more than likely that only the mother will be available. Her personality, temperament and general demeanour will reveal much. If you are able to meet the father as well, this will provide the clearest possible idea of the sort of dog its offspring is going to become.
Just as importantly, the attitude of the breeder is highly revealing. Is their home well-kept? How does the breeder behave towards the dogs? The extent to which the breeder interrogates all potential new owners is a good indication of the quality of the home. You should expect to be grilled by a good breeder. Personally, I insist on knowing as much as I can about anyone who wants to take one of my puppies into their home. It’s like an adoption society; reputable breeders – and registered rescue centres – are very careful about where they place the ‘children’ entrusted to their care. A good breeder is responsible for innocent young lives and they should want to know everything about the home into which they are considering releasing the puppy. They should always ask what the domestic situation is at home.
• Are there people around all day to look after the dog?
• Are there many small children in the home?
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