Animal House

ANIMAL HOUSE

Tips for parenting a new puppy

DENISE FLAIM

After more than seven years, I am heralding the arrival of a new puppy into my household. (Actually, I bred the 8-week-old Ridgeback who I hope will grow up to be a successful little show dog like her mom and dad, so she met the world in a whelping box at the foot of my bed, along with her 13 siblings.)

For those who might be anticipating the arrival of their own new four-footed family member, here are some important puppy-parenting resources:

Crate. Forget your reservations about these pseudo-dens being "prisons." Your puppy's crate is a sanctuary, a place where he can retreat from obnoxious kids (not yours, of course), other critters or just the day-to-day bustle. It's also imperative that puppies learn to accept crating in the event they are ever forced to travel or evacuate.

Getting a puppy to like its crate is easy: Feed every meal in there. As with a crying baby in a crib, never let a barking puppy out of a crate - wait until the complaining stops or you will just invite more.

Buy a crate for the size that your dog will be in adulthood. Since puppies should just be able to stand up, turn around and lie down (anything roomier encourages pooping and peeing in a far corner), displace any extra space by putting an appropriately sized empty cardboard box in the back of the crate. As the puppy grows, replace with ever-smaller boxes until they are no longer needed.

Do not use wire crates for small puppies, which can catch jaws and limbs in those unforgiving bars. Instead, use a plastic travel crate until at least six months for large breeds, and never place any dog in a wire crate without removing its collar.

Like anything, crates can be abused. No dog should be crated for more than four hours at a stretch. Also, remember that puppies have roughly one hour of bowel control for every month of age. So, if you cannot take your 3-month-old pup out every three hours, you need to hire a puppy walker.

Kong. My list of suitable chewables is a pretty short one. Marrow bones can crack and fracture teeth. Compressed-vegetable chewies can get impacted in the intestines. Rawhide is a no-go unless it has been processed in the United States. (Read the label closely: Just because the cow was American doesn't mean the plant that cured it is here.)

Dehydrated animal parts, from lamb lungs to cow tendons, are safe, but in addition to the gross factor (those popular bully sticks are the, er, manliest part of the steer), they can get expensive.

The biggest no-brainer is the Kong, which is hollow, made out of heavy-duty rubber and bears a striking resemblance to the Michelin Man. It can be stuffed with yummy treats (peanut butter or Velveeta are perennial favorites) and then frozen to make them last even longer.

Dremel. I stopped clipping nails long ago in favor of this hand-held rotary tool. Use the sandpaper attachment, never the grinding stone, as the latter gets too hot. Take care with long-coated dogs, whose tresses can get caught, resulting in a serious case of the ouchies. For big breeds, forget the cordless models; they just don't have enough juice.

Doberman people are masters of the little black stubby nail. The best Dremeling tutorial on the Net resides at DoberDawn.com.

Puppy kindergarten class. The 8-week mark is generally accepted as the earliest time a puppy should be separated from its mother and siblings, since important social skills are learned during those crucial weeks. (Toy dogs usually stay well beyond that, as long as 12 weeks.)

Once it is home, expose your puppy to as many different stimuli as possible, including new people and dogs at "socialization" classes. Remember, however, that not all classes are born equal; attending one before you plunk down your cash is always advisable. Look for trainers who use positive reinforcement (treats and toys) instead of negative (collar jerks and pops). If you feel uncomfortable about a trainer's technique, there is probably good reason.

A good library. For a deep understanding of how dogs learn and why they react like they do, devote shelf space to anything by Jean Donaldson (including "Dogs Are From Neptune" and "The Culture Clash") and Patricia McConnell ("The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs"). Brenda Aloff's very visual "Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide" is another must-read. For training books, dogwise.com offers the best of the best.

A good vet. Many people choose their veterinarians based on proximity. I'm of the mind that diagnostic and clinical skills, commitment to continuing education and an ability to listen are far more important than how much mileage you save.

Make sure your vet is not overvaccinating by comparing his or her vaccination protocol to the canine guidelines recently updated by the American Animal Hospital Association (aahanet.org).

And if you can't talk to your vet about these issues, that's likely a sign that a replacement is in order.

WRITE TO Denise Flaim, c/o Newsday, 235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville, NY 11747-4250, or e-mail denise.flaim@newsday.com.