Your New Puppy

Your New Puppy Comes With:

Toys

Vaccination Booklet

Water bottle/adapter

Treats

Information regarding the Shih Tzu breed

Agreement-Guarantee

American Kennel Club (AKC) registration papers after Spay/Neuter form we provide is completed by your veterinarian

My support during your puppy's life time

Feeding Instructions:

Your puppy has been fed "Life's Abundance All Life Stages" according to the instructions on the package AM & PM.

Life's Abundance Dog Food is a high quality food and can only be purchased through a dealer or our link at Ryan's

Shih Tzu and is delivered right to your door.

Low quality foods produce more elimination/waste and high quality foods you do not have to feed as much. As your puppy grows you will need to read the package directions for increase of food.

Just because your puppy gobbles their food does not mean they are still hungry after the fact. Do not over feed. It is recommended that all new owners purchase a small bag of Life's Abundance All Life Stages Dog Food before you bring your puppy home. We do not supply food.

If you choose not to continue to feed Life's Abundance Dog Food then your puppy should be weaned off slowly paying close attention to changes in stools. If the stool starts to get less firm, then the new food that you have chosen to feed your puppy is not working for your puppies digestive system. Remember to have a bowl that is non skid and has some weight to it, then the bowl does not move about or it becomes a play toy.

Potty Training:

Your puppy only knows how to drink out of a water bottle with an adapter. We provide your puppy one that will go on a puppy fence or crate door when they leave here. We have water bottle stands available for purchase. Your puppy can learn to drink from a water bowl in one evening, just make sure the bowl is non skid and weighed down so it does not move. Show the puppy the water by placing your finger in the water to the puppies mouth or kindly place your puppies mouth in the water to show them it is okay to drink. Your puppy is used to drinking filtered tap water.

Your puppy started using paper pads to eliminate on as soon as they could walk. Sometimes puppies choose to play with the paper pads, then I use a puppy training pad holder. If the training pad holder does not stop the behavior of playing with the paper pad then we have to switch to cloth pads. We do not train puppies to eliminate outside. We recommend you using pads and training outside. This works well if you travel or on bad weather days. It is always important to potty your puppy right after meals.

Be patient while outside to give your puppy a chance to eliminate, rushing your puppy will only cause accidents in the home.

I use Pet All Start Training Pads from Walmart. If your puppy has been using cloth pads, remember they will think rugs or carpet are places they can eliminate. Each litter is different on how they react to the paper pads. I don't tolerate playing with paper pads and will switch them to cloth after making several attempts to keep them on the paper pads.

Treats:

Remember treats are not to be fed as meals. Very small bites are only necessary to keep your puppy's interest for training and rewards in between meals. We treat and give positive communication after every good deed. Remember your puppy has a sensitive tummy and any treat that is meaty/greasy/spicy will only cause an upset tummy.

The Ride Home:

Some puppy's are sensitive at first to riding in a vehicle and may get sick. Be prepared in case clean up is needed. Your new puppy will not be fed the day your puppy is leaving, per I don't want your puppy to get an upset tummy on the way to your home. It is important to

pick up your puppy in the morning if possible so they don't have to wait all day to eat their breakfast when you arrive home. It is required you have either a small plastic carrying crate that you can seat belt in the vehicle or a harness that clips into the vehicle when you travel. This is for the puppy's safety and yours while in a moving vehicle. Loose puppy's sitting on laps or wondering about the car are a safety issue!

Your Home:

Once it is confirmed you are getting a new puppy then it is time to start getting your home ready.

Shih Tzu are an inside breed and should never be left outside for long periods of time. We recommend

you keep your puppy away from public places until the puppy has received the 3rd or final vaccination.

Find a designated area on non-carpeted floor to keep your puppy for the next few weeks. We recommend starting out with a small area and gradually making the area bigger as your puppy gets comfortable and learns boundaries. We recommend a 4 Panel Iris Exercise Puppy Play Pen and then order 2 extra panels making it a 6 panel puppy play pen. We like the ones that you can add panels to if you want to make it bigger or divide a room off. (The diagonal shaped puppy play pen fences do not hold the water bottles well). These play pens are plastic and easy to carry and are cleanable too. The area you are keeping your puppy should also have a night light and no electrical cords present and the outlets should be covered for safety.

If you are using a crate at night, do not cover the crate with a blanket. The area that your puppy is in should be well ventilated, cool and your puppy should have access to water at all times.

Remember your puppy is just a baby and will need several times throughout the day to rest/nap alone.

We also recommend a small Nylabone for chewing. Remember when stuffed toys get holes in them it is time to throw them away.
Keep your puppy on low surfaces to avoid falls/injuries. Always supervise your puppy around other animals and small children.

Daily face washes are important to keep the face clean and sanitary. We use baby wipes or a wash cloth.

We recommend a tear-less puppy shampoo that is easy on the eyes. A conditioner for the coat is not needed per the quality of the food you are feeding should be helping with skin and coat from the inside out. If you plan on taking your puppy to a groomer then it is important to set aside a few minutes a day to set your puppy down and run a comb or brush through your puppy's coat. Your groomer will thank you for having such a well behaved Shih Tzu. Plus it will make your puppy's experience much more pleasant at the groomers.

Future Vet Visits:

Your puppy already has received 1-2 puppy vaccinations 4 way (DAPP) vaccination and wormed 2 times before they

come to your home. The next puppy vaccination will be your first veternarian visit and the due date will be located on

our agreement. Do not vaccinate before the due date.

Your first vet visit should consist of : 4-way vaccination & Bordetella (kennel cough if your puppy will be going to public places around other dogs.)

Your Second vet visit should consist of : 4-way (DAPP) vaccination & if the puppy is 4.5 months old then a 1 year rabies can be given.

We would like to trust all Veterinarians but they care for all breeds and not just specifically the Shih Tzu.

Remember your puppy is just a baby and sensitive. Allowing your veterinarian to give your puppy more than 2 treatments per visit could result in a puppy that does not feel well and possible repercussions to the puppy. We do not recommend a 5-way vaccination at this young age. We do not recommend flea or heart-worm treatment or anything else until your puppy is at least 8 months old. Lets not over do things, remember your puppy is a baby and is sensitive and needs time to mature.

Teeth care is of great importance and the baby teeth need to be removed at around 6 months of age if they have not fallen out on their own for the adult teeth to come in properly. A good time to do this is when your puppy will be spayed/neutered and the teeth can be taken care of while your puppy is asleep during the spay/neuter procedure.

Please keep your puppy off of veterinarian floors and make sure the exam table/scale has been disinfected before placing your puppy down.

Canine Development & Behaviors

Welcome To Ryan's Shih Tzu

This site was updated 9/2024