7. Raising a Newfoundland Puppy

• 7.1 Is there a good book to get regarding the raising of a Newf puppy?

Very highly recommended is Judi Adler's "The Newfoundland Puppy: Early Care, Early Training". Many breeders make it required reading before bringing your puppy home. It can only be purchased through the author.

To purchase a copy of this fabulous book (or other great Newf books by Judi) contact Judi Adler directly at:

sweetbay@teleport.com

Judi Adler
12320 SW Mallow,
Sherwood OR 97140


If there is one book to get regarding your Newfoundland puppy, this is it. Of course you should then go out and buy every other Newf book you can find too!

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• 7.2 I'm getting a puppy soon! What sort of things should I buy?

Here's a quick list. This is not a list of all the things you need. It is a list of some things you need, and some things you need to think about. For a good list, check out The Newfoundland Puppy Shopping List by Nic Rosenau.


• Judi Adler's book (See 7.1)
• Every other book on puppy care and training you can find
• A crate
• Puppy toys (beware of dangerous toys)
• Towels
• Bowls
• Food (your breeder should tell you what to get)
• A week (or more) off from work
• The realization that your life is about to change forever
• A vet
• An emergency pet facility (ask your vet)
• Devotion
• A puppy sitter
• Patience
• Love


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• 7.3 Is there anything special my puppy needs?

Above all, your puppy needs you. Dogs are very social creatures. If they are left alone they will get bored and cause trouble. Puppies need a lot of love and attention and will basically starve without it. This cannot be stressed enough. If you cannot devote a good deal of time to your dog every day, don't get one. Would you leave a toddler alone for any time at all? Your puppy should be given the same respect and love you would give a small child. The reward you will get is immeasurable. Love your puppy. Learn as much about him as you can.

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• 7.4 My Newf pup is eating rocks/twigs/leaves. Is this normal?

Remember that puppies like to chew on things. Eating things is a different story. If your puppy is consuming things he shouldn't be, check with your vet and your breeder to ensure that he his getting enough to eat. As puppies grow their food intake must be adjusted. The problem may be related to insufficient diet.

As always, keep a careful eye on what your puppy consumes. There are many dangerous things in a puppy's world. Only you can save him from them.

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• 7.5 My Newf pup is eating poop! What does this mean?

Stool eating or corprophagia is more common that you might think. It is possibly a disgustingly bad habit, or a more serious deficit in your dog's diet.

Check for a lack of protein in your puppies diet. Many pet foods are very high in protein (cat food for example). If your dog seeks protein, the excrement from a cat may smell especially inviting. While we humans find this revolting, your dog may be instinctively trying to survive.

Many dogs like to eat deer and rabbit poop when they find it. While this should certainly be discouraged, scolding you puppy will probably have little effect. Make sure your dog is eating a properly balanced diet, and talk with your vet. There may be something more serious causing this.

If you dog does eat feces, try not to let him kiss you on the mouth. [-blech-]

Of course the best way to prevent your dog from eating feces, is to remove them from your yard (the feces, not the dogs). Timely removal of all animal waste will help prevent this icky habit from forming. It is also much healthier for all involved.

Want to learn more? Check out this study on the subject at http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/pets/study.htm.

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• 7.6 How do I keep my Newf pup from chewing?

First, get a book on puppy training. Second, read it. Third, get another book, then read that one. Get the idea?

Puppies chew because they are dogs. Dogs chew. If you don't let them know what is acceptable to chew, they will decide for themselves. If you don't place your remote controls out of reach, they will get eaten. Yes, I'm speaking from personal experience.

When you find your puppy chewing on something bad, scold him (usually a stern "NO" is enough), then immediately give him something that's OK to chew (a toy etc.), and praise him to high heaven. The minor scolding will let him know what he was bad, but more importantly the major praise will let him know that by chewing the item you gave him, he has made you happy. All a puppy wants is to make you happy.

Remember; replace the bad item with a good item and praise the puppy when he takes the good item. Be consistent! Do this every time he chews something bad. No exceptions! You'll be amazed how well this works.

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• 7.7 How do I keep my Newf pup from biting?

Puppies bite for many reasons. Some bite out of fear, some out of aggression, and some just for attention. Remember, dogs don't have an opposable thumb, so they grab things with their mouth. The trick is to teach them not to grab people at any time.

That being said, there is no excuse for a dog biting anyone at any time. Curb this act as a puppy and you will end up with a happy, well behaved dog in the long run. A biting poodle may be considered an inconvenience by some people, but a 140 pound Newfoundland that bites your neighbors daughter is a menace that your neighbor will want put down. Your hand in your puppy's mouth is adorable. A toddler's hand in your puppy's mouth is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Do not allow your puppy to bite, nibble, or otherwise mouth any human body part in any way. There is usually no need for violence on your part. Most puppies so want to please you that a stern "NO" will curb their felonious activities at once. Remember you must be consistent. Every time your puppy bites, sternly tell him not to. Give him something you want him to chew on, and heap on the praise.

Get a book on training when you puppy is small. Get your puppy to training at the proper time. Get your puppy socialized at the proper times. Make sure your puppy does not fear strangers. There are so many things you need to do to ensure your puppy grows up both emotionally and physically sound. Do them all and you will have a dog to be proud of.

If you still have trouble after reading up and trying everything you've read, seek out professional help. The sooner you curb your puppy's biting (or any bad) habits, the better off you'll be. Don't put this off. If you think you're in over your head, find a professional trainer.

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• 7.8 How do I keep my Newf pup from barking?

Imagine if you could only communicate verbally using the word "Bob". Now suppose your job was to warn of any living thing getting to close to your house. You would sound the alarm the only way you were able: "Bob! Bob! Bob! Bob! Bob-Bob-Bob! Bob! Bob!".

The point is, a dog has limited way in which he can communicate. The trick is to get your dog to understand when you get the idea and he doesn't have to tell you anymore.

In most cases, teaching a dog how to bark on command is the first step. By doing this your dog understands what the ground rules are. Once he has mastered that, try teaching him "quiet".

As with all training, dogs respond best to positive reinforcement. A dog that is neglected or bored however, will respond to any reinforcement. What does this mean? Imagine a dog locked outside alone for hours at a time. All that dog wants is to please you and maybe some companionship. Remember; dogs are very social animals. This dog barks outside until you come out and yell at it. The dog stops for a while then barks again, making you come outside to yell at it again. Guess what? That dog has learned that by barking, you will pay attention to it.

Dogs bark for a lot of reasons. Remember, they have limited ways in which to communicate with you. When they want or need your attentions, they are going to bark. The trick is teaching them when barking is OK and when to stop when you tell them to.

A well trained and well cared for dog will be secure enough to know what quiet means, and smart enough to know that if there is an emergency, it's OK to break the rules and keep barking. This is called intelligent disobedience, and should be every dog owners goal; A perfectly behaved dog, unless the situation warrants otherwise.

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• 7.9 How do I keep my Newf pup from mounting people/furniture/other dogs?

Like any behavior, you need to teach your pup that this is unacceptable. Mounting is often a dominance behavior that needs to be curbed if you are to stay in control.

When our Cozy goes into heat, she starts mounting Daisy regularly. She would never do it to us or furniture, but she is constantly after poor innocent Daisy. Yes, females do it too.

Cozy is the Alpha female between her and Daisy (My wife is the Alpha female in the house), and we figure her out-of-control hormones made her that much more willing to establish her place in the social hierarchy of our house.

In this case care must be taken, as we don't let Cozy pursue this behaviour, but we must let her know that being the Alpha over Daisy is OK. If we confuse the perception of dominance, tension increases and fights may break out.

Mounting of people must never be allowed. It is not cute, and your dog is not horny. He is showing you who's boss, and in his mind, it ain't you.

As with most dominance problems, one of the best ways to curb this behavior is to have your pet spayed/neutered.

After Cozy is spayed, I will post the changes in her behaviour in this space.

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• 7.10 What is "crate training"? Do I need a crate?

A "crate" is a term used for those (often) wire cages with hinged doors that many people use to provide a safe haven for their dogs. They are also useful for restraining you dog when a delivery man is in the house etc.

Crates are not cruel, as many people mistakenly think. Let me rephrase that. A crate, used properly is an excellent tool for training and a wonderful hideaway for your dog. Crates can easily be misused and care should be taken to understand the proper uses for a crate.

A crate is not a place to send your dog when he's bad. It is a place for your dog to go when he needs to get away from the busy house, or a place to go to get a nap.

Crate training is the process whereby your puppy learns that his crate is his own special place where he can go to escape the stresses of life.

Remember: Dogs are pack animals that live in dens. To provide you puppy with a sanctuary free form outside stress is possibly the best thing you can do for him. Dogs that are not crate trained are often found squashed between the sofa and the wall or in some other odd place. This confinement is comforting to them. A crate gives them this comfort as a place they can call their own.

An added benefit is that the crate can be taken with you, giving your dog a comforting place anywhere you go, and allowing you to keep you dog safe from harm.

Many owners do not use crates and their dogs grow up just fine. The use of a crate is entirely up to you, the owner. Just remember that used properly, a crate is a wonderful thing. As with anything regarding you new puppy, read all you can on the subject. You cannot learn too much.

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• 7.11 My puppy is limping on different legs each day. Why?

The first thing you should do is take your dog to the vet. While this is probably not serious, taking serious advice form the Internet should not be your first choice. ;-)

Often a puppy that limps on different legs is suffering from "Wandering Lameness", which is a normal part of growing up. This is a real condition, referred to by vets as Panosteitis.

Puppies grow at a phenomenal rate, and often their different body parts mature at different speeds. Our pup limped on different legs after exercise. Can you guess what we did? We brought her to the vet. She told us it was probably nothing to worry about but to keep an eye on our puppy.

The term "Wandering Lameness" may be used by a vet that has no other explanation for an otherwise inexplicable lameness. If you feel you've gotten the brush-off from your vet and you think you dog has serious problems, find another vet! Dogs can get second opinions too.

When in doubt, call your vet.

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• 7.12 My X month old puppy's legs are too big for his body. Is he abnormal?

Probably not. Puppies go a through growth spurts just like teenage humans. Remember being a gangly awkward teenager? Your puppy will go through that same stage, often called "the uglies".

Puppies tend to grow very fast, and some parts grow faster than others. You may look at your Newf one week and say "What a massive head", then the next week wonder "Where's those long legs come from?".

Any living thing is a wonder to watch grow. Give your puppy plenty of love and enjoy the show. So long as you give your pup everything he needs, the end result will be a beautiful majestic Newfoundland.

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