Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Holidays and Pets (Part Two)

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can provide your home with a wonderful holiday present. Puppies are often sought after pets this time of year and can make an extra special addition to your home this season. However, there are special considerations that must be made by responsible pet owners this time of year and there are many items that are very dangerous for your new fur baby. Here is a continuation of our previous installment on this important topic; please read on…

Holiday Goodies

Leaving a plate of cookies out for Santa has long been a holiday tradition; however, many of those goodies never make it to that jolly old elf. Puppies have an extraordinary sense of smell and a plate of unattended cookies may end up being munched on by your new furry family member. Many of the ingredients in the cookies you bake for the holidays are very hazardous, even poisonous for dogs, such as chocolate. As your dog breeder may warn you around this time of year, be careful of leaving baked goods unattended with your new pet.

Holiday Wrappings

Although the paper and ribbons themselves may not pose much of a threat to your newest family member, should a new puppy take an interest in what your family and Santa have left as presents for Christmas day can cause your family a lot of grief. Shiny decorations, bells or other giftwrapping goodies may attract your puppy’s interest and appear to be a toy. Not only could your family end up to an unwanted scene on Christmas morning, but your puppy would end up suffering the consequences. Ask your dog breeder what they recommend for safeguarding your family’s gifts from your inquisitive new pup.

Ringing In The New Year

Right after Christmas comes the New Year’s celebration and many different types of hazards can affect your newest family member during that holiday. Just like the 4th of July, many people celebrate New Year’s Eve by shooting off guns or sparking fireworks. These noisy components to celebrations can cause nervous behaviors, especially if a puppy is in the first few weeks of being introduced to a new home. Avoid using any of the noisemakers that could cause trauma to your fur baby and you can even ask your dog breeder about a recommendation for a quality veterinarian that can prescribe sedatives for the event if you are concerned.

There is the additional concern about alcoholic beverages and your pets during the New Year’s holiday. Being extra diligent about not leaving unattended glasses in lower areas where your pets can access the contents of a beer can, champagne flute or shot glass can save your pet’s life.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and safeguarding your new pets during the holiday season, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link. 

Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Holidays and Pets (Part One)

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can provide you and your family with a gift that keeps giving all year round. For this upcoming holiday, if you and your family have been considering expanding your home by adding a furry family member, seeking the advice and wares of a quality local dog breeder can help make your decision. Yet, many families that choose to get new pets around this time of year are unaware of a few holiday hazards that can affect puppies and cause problems and health concerns for your newfound friend. Here are a few things you may need to consider around this time of year if you have a recent addition to your household or are considering getting a puppy as a gift this season…read on!

Christmas Trees

Some of the holiday decorations can cause a problem when a new puppy is introduced into a home. As a quality dog breeder can tell you, the acclimation into a new home can be a confusing time for a puppy, and the hustle and bustle of the holidays adds one more layer of concerns for new pup owners. Christmas trees in particular can be hazardous if chewed upon or knocked over by a particularly boisterous puppy. If your Christmas tree is too tall to be placed on a table that is out of reach of your new pet, you may need to consider using baby gates or other barriers to block off your tree from an inquisitive puppy. You can also choose to crate your new fur baby when he or she isn’t being attended to ensure their safety during the holiday season.

Ornaments

Shiny glass ornaments can be hazardous to dogs if they are hung too low and your new puppy gets out of its containment area or past any barriers you have set up. Glass ornaments can be knocked off with wagging tails or curious noses and subsequently shatter on the floor. Your new puppy could end up with lacerated paw pads or even get cuts in their mouths if they decide to chew on the shards of a broken ornament. It is therefore advisable to either replace glass ornaments with plastic ones or, if replacement ornaments are not an option, placing the breakables near the top of the tree can help.

Tinsel

Shiny and attractive in quality, tinsel has been a mainstay for many years as a favorite decoration for a Christmas tree; however, for just as many years, tinsel has also made the news due to the choking hazard that it creates for pets and babies alike. If you have a new puppy or baby, choosing to skip the tinsel this year is the optimal choice. For those that decide to still use the shiny ornamentation, decorating with it in out of reach areas will help safeguard your new four-legged friend.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and the special considerations of puppies during the holidays, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link. 

Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Appropriate Puppy Treats

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can help round out your family with a new furry companion and give you some helpful advice on how to integrate your new fur baby into your home. Since training will undoubtedly be involved in making a solid, happy home for your newly expanded family, the question of what treats are good for your new pet and which ones should not be considered is something you may want to discuss with the breeding facility; however, to get you started, below are a few of the possible treat time ideas that you may want to discuss…read on!

Commercial Treats

Just about every supermarket, drugstore and super retail center have aisles dedicated to pet food and treats. Commercially produced pet treats are available in many flavors and types for you to try to add to your pet’s diet as a reward for good behavior and as an incentive to learn tricks. However, your dog breeder may have some suggestions as to which brands you may want to avoid for reasons such as low protein content or specific ingredients that a particular breed may be sensitive to digesting. Asking your breeding facility what types of commercially available treats they recommend can help a great deal.

Make Your Own Treats

Some puppy owners enjoy making their own treats for their fur babies. A simple kitchen dehydrating machine can help a pet owner churn out healthy, natural snacks for your pup. Using thin slices of chicken or beef can give your puppy a nutritious protein boost and reward their behavior when he or she has put their best paw forward. If your dog breeder has raised your new pet with homemade treats, this may be a great way to keep them on the same diet and avoid some of the pitfalls you may find with commercially available treats.

No Matter Which Way You Go…

Whether you choose the DIY approach to giving your puppy a treat or have bought a commercially available brand, breaking treats down into smaller bites is a great tip. Your dog breeder can verify that your new pet doesn’t really care what size their treat is, just that they get one. So for instance, if you have chosen a commercial treat, breaking it into small pieces gives your dog more treats and more pleasure than if it is kept whole. Plus this tip helps you to give treats in a more economically efficient manner while still giving your fur baby the training tools it needs.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and how to choose the best treats for your new puppy, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link.

Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Curbing Your Puppy’s Problem Behaviors

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can help your household grow with a new fur baby family member. While bringing home a new puppy can be a joyous time full of excitement and happiness, pups must become acquainted with house rules and what acceptable behaviors are in their new family. After the initial adjustment period and some initial training occurs, you may notice some problem behaviors begin to surface, such as excessive barking, chewing and other destructive behaviors. There are many ways to curb these problems so that your household can enjoy its newest family member. Here are a few ideas to help during this critical phase…read on!

Choosing Training Methods

Talking to your dog breeder about the various training methods can give you some insight into what will be likeliest to work with your new pet. With how many pups a breeding facility has in their care, training would be one of the many specialties that they can be called in for as an expert. Most trainers will advocate a behavioral approach, using positive reinforcement such as treats and attention or other small rewards to allow your new puppy to learn good behaviors. Using only positive reinforcement methods will take more time and more work to get the behaviors you want in your new fuzzy family member, but the results are longer lasting and don’t have the drawbacks that adding negative reinforcements or punishments for bad behaviors, such as instilling fear or even hurting your puppy. Talk with your local dog breeder about the differences in training methods and even ask if there are different methods that work better with particular breeds. Sometimes, these professionals have noticed patterns or know some tricks that really work with the types of dogs they breed.

Not Just Treats

Making sure that you vary your positive rewards for good behavior will help your puppy greatly. While giving treats can be a very satisfying way to reinforce behaviors for you and your new family member, dependence on treats can cause a dog to gain unhealthy weight or always come to expect food when they have done something good. Affection and attention can be just as welcome as a treat to a puppy, plus by snuggling your “good boy” or “good girl”, you nurture a stronger bond between you and your pet that will be even more rewarding in the long run.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and getting tips to help you choose a puppy training method that really works, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link.

Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Puppy Training Tips

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can provide you and your family with a loveable, fuzzy new member to your brood; however, making your home a safe, clean and happy place with your new puppy can be a challenge until he or she is fully trained and housebroken. Many puppies can present a challenge to their new family, both time wise and patience wise. Here are a few tips to help you make this transition a little easier and help you cut down on the stress and strain of training your new puppy…read on!

A Rewarding Experience

Keeping multiple types of rewards available at all times can be one of the first challenges you may face when training your new puppy. It is not always convenient or practical to have a pocket full of dog treats on hand or a training clicker in your hand while you are going about your day to day routine in your home. Ask your dog breeder what kind of training your puppy has already had and try to reinforce those behaviors first, if any have been established. If you are starting from scratch, you may have to temporarily carry a small bag of treats or other training tools with you to help expedite the housebreaking process and reward good behaviors you see outside of designated training times.

Set Aside Some Time

Since your puppy’s wellbeing and your family’s satisfaction and happiness with your new fur baby will depend on getting your puppy through basic training quickly, you should try to set aside a little time every night to work with him or her on different basic commands. During this time, try to limit distractions by penning up other pets, taking your puppy to a quiet area for one on one time and keeping other family members out of the training area as much as possible. This will maximize your time by making each lesson more effective and helping your puppy learn the rules of the house much faster. You may even want to continue training session schedules that were already in place from your dog breeder to ensure maximum efficacy.

Treats vs. Nurturing

Ask you dog breeder what types of training tools they used when working with your puppy, when applicable. Using the same types of rewards can help your fur baby learn faster since they already know what to expect and work for. You should also administer praise while giving treats, and slowly start removing the treats from the reward as quickly as possible to make the behavior more about being a good dog than about getting an extra treat.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and training your new puppy, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link.

Dog Breeder In Buffalo Junction VA: Creating A Routine For Your New Puppy

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can help connect you with a lifetime companion and fuzzy family member. Beyond the day you pick up your new friend for life, you will need to create an environment that supports your puppy’s learning and comfort level, helping him or her adapt to a new home, new family and the routine of the household. To make the adjustment process easier, adopting a routine for the new puppy will help your family care for your newest companion and help your dog learn trust and what is expected of him or her. Here are a few things you might want to consider adding to your schedule to facilitate this bonding period…read on!

Schedule Exercise

Taking your new puppy for a walk helps him or her adjust to being on a leash and to get some of their energy out in a positive activity. As your dog breeder can fully attest, bored, cooped up puppies can adopt bad habits, such as chewing, digging and other destructive activities that will cause your family headaches, clean up and the cost of replacing shoes, clothing, furniture and other things around your home. To avoid this, a long walk in the evenings will release some of the energy and get your puppy ready to settle down without the frustration of high energy levels and being cooped up in a house. Remember to take poop bags and treats on your walk to reward good behavior and begin the housebreaking process naturally.

Keep A Nightly Routine

Trying to maintain a sleep schedule can help a puppy know when to lay down and stop playing around. Before you take your puppy home, ask your dog breeder if there was a specific time that they had already established for “lights out” around the kennels to see if your puppy already has a pattern established. If there is, try to not deviate too much from the schedule and slowly work toward your family’s usual time for bed by either extending the “lights out” time by half hour increments or cutting it back, if needed.

Feeding Schedule

Maintaining an appropriate diet can be a hard adjustment for a family that has adopted a new fur baby. Assigning a person to feed your new puppy ensures that he or she gets the nutrition necessary without accidentally overfeeding. Making this time steady will help ease your puppy’s anxiety, and if you keep close to the feeding schedule already established by your dog breeder, you can easily help your new family member feel at ease and slip right into a sustainable pattern.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and making your puppy feel more at home faster, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link.

Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Making Your New Puppy Feel At Home, Part 2

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can make your family’s dreams of adopting a lifelong furry friend a reality. However, making your new puppy feel at home can be a challenge and, as mentioned in “Making Your New Puppy Feel At Home, Part 1”, there are things you can do as a family to help your new companion adjust to his or her new home easier. This continuation will add to the previous suggestions to get your expanded family on track…read on!

Feeding Times

One of the most important factors to helping your new fur baby adjust to your home is to maintain an appropriate diet as recommended by your dog breeder. Finding out what your puppy was eating prior to being adopted will help you keep the same nutritional levels and eliminate stomach upset that is common with sudden dietary changes. Be sure to ask if there were specific feeding times that you should adhere to at first and slowly adjust to your household schedule or if there were specific concerns with the pup that you have adopted. Depending on the breed that you choose, there may be detailed information that can help you avoid potential health problems, such as overfeeding a breed that has a genetic predisposition for obesity. Keeping a diet that fully supports your puppy’s growth while maintaining an optimal balance will be a huge benefit to you and your new companion for many years to come.

Personal Space

Providing your new puppy with their own space to sleep in will help your new fuzzy family member settle in faster and more comfortably. Whether you choose to crate your companion at night or give him or her a blanket or dog bed to sleep on, reserving a space just for canine comfort will let your new pup have a sense of belonging. Talking to your favorite dog breeder about what types of sleeping environments they recommend for your companion should help you choose a bedding arrangement that will best suit your dog.

Veterinarian/Groomer Introductions

While your puppy probably has all of his or her vaccinations from your dog breeder, introducing your new fur baby to their extended caregivers, also known as your veterinarian and/or groomer, will help your pet get acquainted with their doctor. Making an initial well-puppy check up appointment will help establish regular intervals of care to extend what your dog breeder has already done for your new companion. Keeping your pup healthy with regular checkups and scheduled for booster shots early on will establish a comfortable routine and a rapport with your veterinarian.

If you missed the first part of this informative article, click here to read more tips. For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and helping your new puppy feel more at home, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link.

Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Choosing A Puppy

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia often has multiple puppies for you to choose from when you are ready to adopt a furry family member. However, deciding on which fur baby to take home can be a tough choice, especially if the breeder you are interested in has multiple breeds of puppies to choose from. Here are a few things that might help you make an easier decision…read on!

Temperament

One of the main concerns you should have when looking at adopting a new puppy is what the standards are for the breed’s personality. If a dog breeder has several breeds, you should ask about typical behavior that you should expect, particularly if you have small children. Not all furry companions are family friendly, and some breeds are known to be problematic with younger children or babies. While there are variances in personality with every animal, there are certain quirks that are considered normal for each breed.

Known Health Issues

Purebred puppies often inherit health issues that can dramatically impact them down the road as they mature. Each type has different issues that you may or may not have to face; remember, they are only genetically pre-disposed to certain problems that may never develop. However, being aware of these things going into an adoption will give you more information about how to care for your new fuzzy family member and what to look for. Ask your dog breeder more about the particular type of pup you are interested in and what they know about the breed’s inherited health problems.

Disposition

Ideally, you should visit your dog breeder more than once before taking your new puppy home to determine his or her disposition. Particularly with very young puppies, how they behave and interact depends greatly on how alert they are and, like all animals including humans, infants sleep more often than adults. Therefore, making sure that you have met your future fur baby when they are fully alert and awake will help you decide how affectionate, playful and socialized they are before you make a choice. Yet, you should also try to visit your favorite pup when they first wake up or are starting to get tired. Just like humans, animals’ dispositions change as they get sleepy.

Get A Recommendation

The best source to find out more about the puppy you are most interested in after you have made careful considerations is to ask your dog breeder more about your intended new family member. The people running the facility have been providing care for all of the pups for months before they are ready to be homed. Therefore, they have intimate knowledge about the personality and quirks of each of the dogs in their care. Be sure to ask more about what the dog breeder thinks before you make a firm choice.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and selecting a puppy, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link.

Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Making Your New Puppy Feel At Home, Part 1

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can provide you with outstanding puppies with champion bloodlines, but when you get him or her home, how will you make your new fuzzy family member feel welcome? Making the initial transition can be easier with some help from your dog breeder and a few tips you can find below…read on!!!

Maintain Some Routines

When you purchase your puppy from a dog breeder, you should ask about what types of daily routines that the puppy may be accustomed to, such as being kenneled for nighttime or specific feeding times. Maintaining at least part of a normal routine will help your new family member feel more at home and begin to assimilate to your household faster than changing everything your pup is used to.

Introducing Other Pets

If you have other animal family members, a proper introduction will be necessary to help your puppy adjust to its new surroundings. When approaching a dog breeder about getting a new puppy, you should ask if the young pups have been exposed to other animals. This is particularly important if you have different types of animals, such as cats, rodents or domesticated pigs since these are the types of interactions that may cause conflicts. If you have more than one other animal prior to adopting a puppy, your best bet is to introduce other animal family members one at a time so that the puppy doesn’t feel overwhelmed or threatened. Your current animal family members will also appreciate the gesture of introductions and be able to help you settle your puppy into its new environment.

Attention Hogs In Training

The most unfortunate thing a family can do is to pay a great deal of attention to your new puppy simply because it is new. Other pets that have been in your household may demonstrate signs of resentment, either fighting with your new adoptee or making aggressive displays of power that can only create problems for you and your family down the road.

Additionally, you should not spend too much time with your new puppy since you may end up spoiling your new family member. While it is somewhat normal to want to spend a lot of time with your new furry friend, the newness will eventually wear off and having a puppy that is used to a great deal of human contact will have  harder time adjusting later on down the road. Ask your dog breeder about what types of animals your puppy has been around and how much individual attention they received before leaving the kennel to get some idea of how much adjustment will need to be made.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA, call 434-374-2969 or click on the provided link.

Dog Breeder in Buffalo Junction VA: Keeping Your Scottish Terrier Puppy Safe

A dog breeder in Buffalo Junction, Virginia can provide your family with a wonderful gift…a brand new, fuzzy family member. Much like small children, Scottish terrier puppies are very playful and mischievous; however, their natural curiosity and playfulness can cause pups to get injured, poisoned or otherwise grievously hurt. Protecting your new canine companion from danger is every pet owner’s responsibility and should be a top priority. Here are a few tips to help make your home “puppy proof”…read on!

Confinement

The time of greatest risk for your new Scottish terrier puppy is going to be when nobody is at home. Making sure that your furry friend is kept safe is harder with larger spaces; therefore, keeping a crate, play pen or even baby gates up to block off a portion of your home is the best course of action if you need to leave a pup alone during the day. Talk to your dog breeder for suggestions and find out whether or not your Scottish terrier is accustomed to being confined to certain areas. Some dog breeders make sure that puppies are crate trained prior to looking for forever homes for their pups.

Appropriate Toys

It’s always hard to resist giving a cherished pet a stuffed animal to snuggle with—especially an adorable Scottish terrier puppy. However, much like infants, there are choking hazards associated with some stuffed animals, such as plastic, sewn-on eyes or questionable stuffing materials. Purchasing stuffed animals that are intended for use with dogs is the wisest course of action since most of those toys are free of stuffing and eyes are typically embroidered out of thread.

Food Hazards

Many new pet owners enjoy giving table scraps or “people food” to their new Scottish terrier pup; however, this simple act of giving a dog a treat can be lethal if the wrong thing is given to your pet. Talk to your dog breeder or family veterinarian to find out what are dietary no-no’s for your fur baby and if there are treats that they recommend.

An additional dietary note: dog’s digestive systems are very sensitive as it is. Introducing different foods can not only make a dog seriously ill, but in lesser cases, can cause diarrhea, stomach cramping, stomach upset or vomiting. In any case, try to stick closely to the diet your favorite dog breeder had your puppy on before you brought him or her home. If you need to change their diet for any reason, make sure to blend in small amounts of the new food, increasing the amount slowly to ensure your puppy will tolerate the change better.

For more information about a dog breeder in Buffalo Junction VA and keeping your new Scottish terrier puppy safe, click the provided link or call  434-374-2969.