This is the information that was sent home with you and your new puppy. We'll try to add posts on our blog that will go more into depth on these topics. Feel free to leave a comment below with a topic you'd like to learn about.
Additional Poodle Information
(updated 11-01-20)
Food
We now feed Eukanuba brand puppy food with grains (either lamb or chicken formula) and highly recommend it. I’ve tried high-end kibble and have not had good results. We recommend free feeding your puppy. While we try to feed what is best for our poodles, our opinion of what’s best may change. Any changes made to diet will be posted on Facebook so you can stay up to date.
Chewing
Even though it’s hard to remember sometimes, they are dogs. Raw bones play an essential role in keeping their teeth clean and satisfying their urge to chew. I use beef knuckles and beef neck, which are inexpensive. All raw bones are safe for chewing and ingesting. Bones can be fed frozen or thawed. Don’t worry about the bones rotting. Your dog will have any meat picked off before it has the opportunity to go bad. Once the meat has been picked off the bones, they can be kept indefinitely. Don’t forget to use them as your puppy gets older. Raw bones need to be embraced as a lifelong habit!
Raw bones are 100% safe but cooked bones, however, pose a HUGE risk to your dog. Cooked bones splinter and will damage their gums, teeth, throat, stomach, and intestinal tract. Cooked bones must NEVER be fed to or given to your poodle for chewing. Rawhide bones are also dangerous. It is well documented by veterinarians that rawhide chews are not digestible and cause intestinal blockages.
Bonding
I believe one of the most important things you can do to bond with your new puppy is to let them sleep with you. Your breathing and rhythm of your heart is soothing to them and will help them adjust to their new home. I’ve never had a puppy have an accident on the bed but if that is something that concerns you, I recommend using a waterproof mattress cover laid on top of your blankets.
General Health and Grooming
Intestinal- We deworm the puppies three times before they go home, but sometimes puppies can still develop worms. If you see things that look like small white grains of rice in their stools, they need to be taken to your veterinarian and given an additional dewormer. Worms can cause health issues if not taken care of promptly.
Ears- There are many different methods for cleaning a poodle’s ears, but no matter which method you choose to use, make sure that it is done every other week. Lack of cleaning will lead to ear infections.
Nails- should be trimmed regularly in between grooming sessions. We recommend weekly or every other week, depending how fast they grow. Nails should not touch the floor when they are standing. Letting nails grow too long is painful and will damage their joints.
Hair- A poodle’s hair must be combed regularly to prevent matting. The more often you comb their hair, the less time it will take. Use a 6 inch steel comb and comb from root to tip to remove all tangles and mats. The longer the hair, the easier it will matt. Severe matting should always be cut off; do NOT try to comb it out. It is painful for your poodle and will end in an unpleasant grooming experience for him or her.
Sanitary Area- I recommend shaving around the base of the tail area (around the anus) to prevent poopy build up. You can also wipe them with puppy or baby wipes after they’ve gone potty.
Anal Glands- Expressing your poodle’s anal glands is NOT recommended as part of a grooming routine. Proper diet and exercise will help the glands(sacs) empty themselves as your dog defecates. Soft or loose stools will not empty the glands. If you notice constant leakage and odor a change in diet may be needed. Always check with your vet to make sure there isn’t a more serious underlying condition, i.e. impacted anal sacs or infection.
If you choose to have your poodle groomed professionally, do your research. Your poodle’s safety and well being are more important than the groom. Find a groomer who will blow dry your poodle. We do NOT recommend allowing your poodle to be dried by a heated force blower while they are in a crate. It can be dangerous and cause overheating.
I love my poodles and would love to get texts, emails, and picture updates on how everyone is doing. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.
~Rebecca James