PUPPY INFORMATION AND CARE SHEET You have just purchased a new Chihuahua puppy. Now you have a new “baby” and of course you want that baby to grow up and be a healthy playful little bundle of joy. BUT there are certain things that you need to know and do to make this happen. In the following paragraphs I have tried to cover the basics of how to care for a new puppy and some information that may save your baby’s life in an emergency situation. I will also try to educate you to be observant so you may meet the needs of even the tiniest of my little puppies. TAKING YOUR PUPPY HOME. One of the biggest mistakes people make when they purchase a new puppy is they immediately have to take it visiting to show it off. NOT A GOOD IDEA !! Take your puppy straight home and try your very best to keep it there until it has adjusted to it’s new surroundings and it’s new “parents”. Don’t do anything that stresses the puppy out. If it is put into some sort of pen and allowed to “cry itself to sleep” you may awake to a dead puppy. I will provide you with a blanket that will have the scent of its litter mates to comfort the puppy and help make it feel more secure in its new surroundings. Make sure you put it with your new puppy wherever it will be sleeping. You can also put a plastic bottle of warm water securely sealed so it won’t leak into a soft blanket or towel and allow the your new puppy to cuddle up to it at night. This stimulates the body temperature of another puppy in the bed with your new baby so it doesnt feel abandoned. When going to the vet use some common sense. Keep your puppy in a crate or in your lap when visiting the vets office. Do not let it romp on the floor or furniture and most certainly do not allow it to socialize with other animals that also may be in the office at the same time. Where do all people take sick dogs? To the vet! Where is the best place to pick up germs or contract disease? Naturally, it’s where everyone takes sick dogs. TO THE VET!! Your puppy will already have it’s first series of puppy shots when you receive it. Make sure that you complete to proper series of puppy shots as this could save your puppies life. If the vet you choose says your puppy will have to be started over on it’s shots already given run out the door! It is vital that you do not overload your little Chihuahuas immune system. This can cause just as many problems as not receiving any puppy shots. Make sure you take your new puppy to someone you feel comfortable with. Make sure that you do not do more than one treatment in a visit. If you puppy needs a worm treatment ask to take it home and give a couple days after the vaccination was given. Also when your puppy is old enough for it’s rabies shot make sure that is the only shot it is receiving that day. The puppy series that you vet will give will protect it from catching several different viruses. Make sure that vaccination for your Chihuahua does not contain protection against leptospirosis. This vaccination has been know to have adverse reactions when given to Chihuahuas. Discuss this with your vet to see if leptospirosis is something your Chihuahua has to be concerned with catching in your area. Always remember to tell them when taking your Chihuahua in for it’s shots that you do not want it to include “lepto”. It could be fatal to your Chihuahua. DIET AND FEEDING: If you were caring for a human baby you would be feeding it every few hours and constantly changing it’s diaper  and keeping the environment clean. Same thing for your new Chihuahua puppy. You should keep the puppy on the same food that was provided for you so that you don’t stress the puppy any more that necessary. If you decide that you do not want to continue the puppy on the same food you must slowly introduce the new food. Mix a little of the new food in  with the food the puppy is already eating. You can add a little more of the new food and a little less of the old food each day. This should be done over a 10 day period until the puppy is completely on the new food only.  Don’t change the puppy’s diet or eating routine too abruptly. The smaller a puppy the more times a day it has to be fed. You have to remember that because of their small stomachs they have to eat more often to sustain themselves. Never confine the puppy for any length of time with no food or water. This means during the night also. Puppies have to eat and drink during the night time hours just to sustain themselves.  Make sure to confine them in an area that has enough room for a bed, food, water and some paper down so they can relieve themselves. Until they are older they will not be able to go very long without eating, drinking and going to the potty. They are babies. Do not put the puppy in bed with you to sleep during the night. They will attempt to go as far as possible away from where they sleep to relieve themselves and could fall of the bed. That is too far of a fall for a small Chihuahua. I have provided access to dry kibble at all times for this puppy , so that is what it is use to. It has been weaned from mom for several weeks and is eating dry food with no problems.   It is very important to make sure the puppy is eating once you get it home. Do not be concerned with your puppy eating the same kind of food everyday. You should decide on a good puppy food and keep it on it. When you offer different kinds of food all the time “trying to find one he likes” you are actually creating a picky eater. The food I sent home with you new puppy is a great new puppy food. Once your puppy is a little older I suggest Nutro Max. It is a great food and all of my Chihuahuas love it. You can change to adult small bites as your puppy becomes an adult. HYPOGLYCEMIA -This is the scientific name for a condition where the sugar level suddenly drops. The first signs of this problem is usually staggering and falling over as if they are drunk. Or they can be observed lying on their side paddling with their front feet as though they are swimming. If these symptoms are observed you must act very quickly in order to save your puppy’ s life. You have to get the sugar level up to bring the puppy out of this situation. And it must be done quickly. I suggest you have a tube of nutrical on hand. You can get this at any pet food store. If you puppy does show any signs of low blood sugar or if it is not eating, give it some nutrical. If the puppy’s is not willing to lick the nutrical you can put some on your finger and rub it on the puppy’s gums. Sometimes when they get like this their mouth will clinch shut and you will have to pry it open.  This should  help get the puppy’s blood sugar back to a more normal level. Once the puppy is responsive  you must get it to eat. If your puppy has an episode like this it is not eating enough food. It could also be an underlying problem that may need medical attention. Make sure you offer the puppy the nutrical several times a day-even if it is acting fine.  I have never had this problem with any of the puppies I have taken home but have seen many puppies come into the emergency clinic like this. The owners are in a panic that their puppy is two breaths away from it’s last and if this situation is not handled immediately it very well could be. HOUSE TRAINING- Your new puppy has been introduced to eliminating itself on paper since it first started walking.  A young puppy cannot be expected to “hold it” until it is taken outside. You should have paper down on the floor close the where your puppy is at all times. If it is introduced to the option of not having paper down it will forget about the paper thing and just go when needed. Make sure the area that you keep you puppy when you are not with it has a bed, food, water and a place to eliminate away from the bed, food and water. They do not like to eliminate where they eat ,drink and sleep. Once your new puppy is familiar with it’s new surroundings and getting use to it’s new routine you can start introducing eliminating itself outside. Chihuahuas are really smart and catch on pretty fast as to what you expect of them. TEACHING PUPPY TO “DROP IT”-A very important command a puppy can learn is to drop any object it has in it’s mouth on command. The command :NO” is not adequate. Always give a command with the puppy’s name. Whatever command is intended the command words must always be the same. Getting a puppy to drop an object is not an easily learned lesson. Teaching this command is against its innate nature. Teaching this command should be started as a playful training. Give the puppy a tour or other treat and do not release it when the puppy tries to take it. As the puppy holds the toy stroke it’s head and give the command drop it. Of course the untrained puppy will not respond. While still holding the toy repeatedly tap on side of the pups muzzle. Begin with very light taps and increase in pressure until the puppy releases it’s treasure. Praise the puppy once it drops it. After a few moments return the toy to the puppy and let it play with it for a few minutes and then start the process over again. Once they realize that the toy will be returned it will be immediately released. There will be several time’s throughout our dogs life that it will have something in it’s mouth that it shouldn’t. If I say drop it to any of my dogs it’s as if they will spit it out-no matter what it is. I say it often. HAIR LOSS OR THINNING- In Chihuahuas when they are between 8 and 12 weeks of age you may notice a sudden thinning splotchy pattern in its coat. This is often misdiagnosed by vets and they suggest skin scrapings to determine if mites are present. It is a normal condition and should only last a couple of weeks. You should only be alarmed if it is accompanied by a rash. That could be a sign of démodé tic mange mites or some sort of allergy. My first Chihuahuas all did this and I took them to the vet and we did scrapes and everything always came up negative so they were put on antibiotics just in case. I now learned to wait it out and everything is always fine. TEETHING-Chihuahuas  usually have their full set of puppy teeth by six weeks of age. But some of them lack jaw muscles strong enough to crush dry kibble. I will not send home a puppy until I know they are eating dry food without any problems. When Chihuahuas are about 13 weeks old they start to cut their permanent teeth. This process can go on for 3 to 6 months. It can effect puppies differently. Sometimes their ears will droop or they will have one ear up and one down.. This can change from day to day. At this age they will want to chew on everything so make sure to provide a lot of puppy safe chew toys. This will discourage them from chewing on your good shoes or nice leather couch. REVERSE SNEEZE- occasional bouts of sneezing, snorting, honking and wheezing are not unusual in Chihuahuas, and is sometimes called a reverse sneeze. This is usually caused by a elongated soft palate that is thought to become temporarily misaligned. It is a common trait in toy breeds. Pulling hard on a leash, drinking too fast or getting overly excited can lead to an episode of reverse sneezing. Reverse sneezing should not be confused with a different condition call a collapsed trachea. Although reverse sneezing may be scary, it only lasts a short time and can be ended by massaging the dogs neck and throat and encouraging the dog to swallow or lick. Another way to slow the reverse sneeze is to clap your hands to distract the dog, or pinch closed the dogs nostrils with your fingers, forcing it to breathe through its mouth and to swallow. LUXATION OF THE PATELLA- Luxation of the patella or dislocation of the kneecap is a common hereditary problem with Chihuahuas and other small breeds. Patellar luxation can occur in varying degrees from minimal to debilitating. Very young dogs may be able to compensate for this deformity but the condition tends to worsen over time. Most of the time the Chihuahua is older before symptoms of patellar luxation are obvious. The dislocation is most commonly found on the inner side of the patella. The attached ligaments become stretched over time until the patella is rarely where it is supposed to be, and may pop in and out of place very easily. Recent studies have shown that immediate treatment is recommended, rather then waiting until the dislocation has crippled the dog. The reasoning is that while the knee is dislocated the entire body of the dog is compensating for it causing deformations of many other skeletal areas. THE MOLERA- Historically the Chihuahua as developed in Mexico and the United States has displayed a soft spot on the top of its head. In the Chihuahua this spot , or fontanel, is know as the molera, and is the same that is found in human babies. In the past this molera was accepted as a mark of purity in the breed and is still mentioned in most Chihuahua breed standards all over the world. American Kennel Club (AKC) lists it as an acceptable breed standard. It is important to note that while many Chihuahua puppies are born without the molera, there are probably just as many born with one and its presence is nothing to become alarmed over. The molera in a Chihuahua will occur on the top of the head and may vary in shape and size when present. Unfortunately many people(some veterinarians -not familiar with the Chihuahua breed standards) have tried to link the presence of a molera with the condition known as hydrocephalus. The truth is that a domed head with a molera present does not predispose the Chihuahua to this condition. VACCINATION REACTION-It is not uncommon that your puppy will have a systemic reaction to its vaccinations. This can include a low-grade fever or muscle aches and pain. They may be really sleepy for the next 24 to 48 hours after their vaccinations. A more severe adverse reaction would be characterized by hives, swelling of the face or even vomiting. This reaction can be prevented by administering an antihistamine at the time of the vaccination. Please check with your vet about this option. In some rare cases dogs will have a more severe reaction leading to death. Leptospirosis, the component most likely to produce such severe reactions should always be left out of your Chihuahuas vaccinations. Chihuahuas do not respond well to this component so unless the area you live in has a leptospirosis concern  please ask you vet not to include it in its vaccine. If your dog has had a vaccine reaction in the past, don’t skip future vaccinations but do warn your veterinarian so he can take the proper precautions when vaccinating your pet. If your dog does have an adverse reaction to it’s vaccinations always contact your veterinarian immediately. SHIVERING-This is a trait of the Chihuahuas. It is usually a communication of sort. They may be scared or unsure of something or someone. Or they may just be cold. Young dogs often shiver after they have been fed. Shivering is generally caused by the fact that the Chihuahua is so small that its body temperature changes very quickly. Shivering is a way for their body to compensate for this difference. Please make sure your chihuahua is nice and warm during the winter months. It doesn’t take much for these little guys to catch a chill. You will notice that Chihuahuas love to bury themselves under blankets or when its warm they love to bask in the sun. AKC CHIHUAHUA STANDARD General Appearance: A graceful, alert, swift-moving little dog with a saucy expression, compact, and with terrier-like qualities of temperament. Size, Proportion , Substance: Weight-A well balanced little dog not to exceed 6 pounds. Proportion- The body is off squared, hence , slightly longer when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, than height at the withers. Somewhat shorter bodies are preferred in males. Disqualification-Any dog over 6 pounds in weight. Head; A well rounded apple dome skull, with or without a molera. Expression-Saucy Eyes-Full, but not protruding, balanced, set well apart-luminous dark or ruby(light eyes in blond or white colored dogs is permissible) Ears-Large, erect type ears, held more upright when alert, but flaring to the sides at a 45 degree angle when in response, giving breadth between the ears. Muzzle-Moderately short, slightly pointed. Cheeks and jaw lean. Nose-Self colored in blond types, or black. In moles, blues and chocolates they are self colored. In blond types pink nose is permissible. Bite-Level or scissors. Overshot or undershot bites, or any distortion of the bite or jaw, should be penalized as a serious fault. Disqualifications-Broken down or cropped ears. Neck, Top line, Body: Neck- Slightly arched, gracefully sloping into lean shoulders. Top line-Level. Body- Ribs rounded and well sprung (but not too much barrel shaped) Tail- Moderately long, carried sickle either up or out in a loop over the back with tip just touching the back. Disqualifications- Cropped tail, bobtail. Forequarters: Shoulders- Lean, sloping into a slightly broadening support above straight forelegs that set well under, giving a free play at the elbows. Shoulders should be well up, giving balance and soundness, sloping into a level back (never down or low). This gives a chectiness, and strength of forequarters,  yet not of the bulldog chest. Feet- A small, dainty foot with toes well split up but not spread, pads cushioned, Pasterns-Fine. Hindquarters: Muscular, with hocks well apart, neither out nor in, well let down, firm and sturdy. The feet are as in front. Coat: In the smooth coats, the coat should be of soft texture, close and glossy. (heavier coats with undercoats permissible) Coat placed well over body with ruff on neck preferred, and more scanty on head and ears. Hair on tail preferred fury. In long coats, the coat should be of a soft texture, either flat of slightly curly, with undercoat preferred. Ears-Fringed (heavy fringed ears may be tipped slightly if due to the fringes and not to weak ear leather, never down) Tail-Full and long (as a plume) Feathering on feet and legs, pants on hind legs and large ruff on the neck desired and preferred. Disqualification- In long coats-too thin coat that resembles bareness. Color: Any color-Solid, marked or splashed. Gait: The Chihuahua should move swiftly with a firm, sturdy action, with good reach in front equal to the drive from the rear. From the rear, the hocks remain parallel to each other, and the foot fall of the rear legs follows directly behind that if the forelegs. The legs, both front and rear, will tend to converge slightly toward a central line of gravity as speed increases. The side view shows good, string drive in the rear and plenty of reach in the front, with head carried high. The top line should remain firm and the back line level as the dog moves. Temperament: Alert, with terrier like qualities. Disqualifications: Any dog over 6 pounds in weight. Broken down  or cropped ears. Cropped tail, bobtail. In long coats, too thin coat that resembles bareness.