GETTING YOUR PUPPY STARTED RIGHT

The first 12 months of your puppy's life are critical; feeding, training, and keeping the little rascal healthy at this age determines the dog's future.  The first year of life is also fraught with many puppy perils: things that you shouldn't eat, diseases that you shouldn't catch, and behaviors that you really, really shouldn't do.  These "Puppy Pages" offer some ideas about getting your puppy started right, and our doctors will fill in the gaps of your "Puppy Knowledge" at every visit.

First, everyone needs a great puppy raising book.  There are many, but perhaps the best is Puppy's First Steps (The Whole-Dog Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, Well-behaved Puppy), edited by Dr. Nicholas Dodman.  Dr. Dodman is one of the foremost veterinary behavior experts, and he has written several other excellent books with stories from his behavior practice at Tuft's University, including The Dog Who Loved Too Much, and The Cat Who Cried For Help.  This is a must-read for any new puppy owner.

Search the menu at the left for information about your puppy; if you can't find what you need, let us know so that we can add more helpful hints for your puppy's first year!