Your Boxer puppy

-Watch your pup's growth rate; he should be well-covered but lean.

-Puppies should not be performing forced exercise; they are fragile and need supervised daily free exercise such as free running and play ( in a fenced in area ) or short daily walks with you. Moderation & balance are key. If you do not exercise your puppy every day, he will have pent up energy that will very likely be re-directed elsewhere!

-The amount of food calories is directly related to the amount of exercise your dog gets daily.

-Raising your dog's dishes is more comfortable for him and it does not cause bloat. Stress and overuse of antibiotics without giving beneficial bacteria are the triggers for bloat.

-Some healthy treats which can be given in moderation: a small piece of carrot, a slice of apple, a couple of berries. Baked liver treats are wonderful for training!

-Feed in a stress-free environment such as the crate. If food is not eaten in 10-15 minutes, remove, throw away and feed at next feeding time.

-Never soak the food as it will destroy the nutrients. Instead, do add room temperature water to the food just as you are about to feed your dog. This will prevent him/her from overdrinking during the day and will help with the digestion process.

-Let your dog digest after feeding. Do not allow lots of exercise for 1-2 hours afterward.

-Fresh water must always be available, although you can remove it a bit before bedtime to prevent nighttime accidents.

-All bedding should be washed in hot water and a little bleach. No detergents or fabric softeners. If you really want to use a detergent, use Ivory Snow.

-For crate cleaning you can use a 2 % Oxydrops solution or vinegar dilluted in water.

-For baths, use a mild dog shampoo, not a human one.

-Use the Oxydrops 2% solution for ear or eye cleaning and for topical skin issues.

-To prevent accidents, doggy proof your home before puppy's arrival.

-Supervise your puppy and crate him when you cannot watch him.

-To reinforce potty training, take your puppy outside often throughout the day ( after waking up from naps, after eating, after playing, etc... )

-Puppies need lots of socialization with other dogs, people, new environments, surfaces etc...

-Puppies need to be trained with positive reinforcement, time and patience and more imprtantly, as your puppy's new parent, you also need to learn how to train and educate your puppy so that he will be the best he can be!


What to expect in the beginning with your Boxer puppy

-Some carpet or floor cleaning due to puppy accidents. You can only correct your puppy for an accident if you are catching him in the act as dogs learn by association and live in the present moment. Otherwise, just clean up the mess and move on. It will not be long before your puppy is fully housetrained; Boxers are very clean dogs.

-A few sleepless nights ignoring whining and barking until your puppy learns that this is his new/her home.

-A few damaged items around the house as puppies do chew and left to their own devices, they will find something to chew on.To prevent this, crate your puppy when you cannot supervise him and give him plenty of chew toys such as Nylabones, Gummabones or Kongs filled with cheese or peanut butter.

-Boxer puppies have boundless energy and can be hard to tire out. Be sure to provide adequate amounts of daily exercise and lots of interactions with the family.

-Puppies often have hic-ups, this is common and nothing to worry about.