DO be on time to pick up your puppy....whether at a meeting place or at the airport

DO communicate with your breeder when you receive your new puppy

DO keep your new puppy separate from your other pets (quarantine) for at least 30 days

DO play with your puppy, but give it lots of rest! 15 minutes of play to 45 minutes of rest

DO keep your new puppy in a small enclosed area with enough room for bed and easy access to food and fresh water

DO pay attention to what your puppy eats. NO table scraps and know what foods & houseplants are poisonous

DO read any material & instructions your breeder sends to you or gives to you with the puppy.

DO communicate directly with your breeder about any issues and for updates and pictures. Your breeder is your best resource for advice/help with your new puppy

DO read the contract and make sure you understand all terms and can 100% agree to your responsibilities and the terms

DO keep food and fresh water available at all times for your new puppy

DO brush/comb, blow dry and clip nails of your new puppy on a regular basis

DO keep NutriCal or Karo (light corn syrup) on hand for new puppies. Learn the signs of hypoglycemia and how to react without panic. It could save your new puppy's life!

DO use a harness (if a toy breed) rather than a collar on your puppy's fragile neck

DO keep the hair clear around the anus to prevent plugs

DO use positive reinforcement for training

DO make a small play area outside for potty training

DO learn the "puppy shuffle"...keep feet on the floor with a little puppy

DO remember to register them with your city

DON'T get a new puppy unless you are fully prepared to properly care for and are ready for the time commitment

DON'T get a new puppy unless everyone in your household is in agreement about getting a new puppy

DON'T take your new puppy to the store, to the neighbors, to the pet store, groomers, etc. This is a new baby and just like human babies they need rest, with no interruptions. Your new puppy should be confined/protected and kept as stressfree as possible! Moving away from its siblings into a new unfamiliar surrounding is stressful on them and the stress can ignite hypoglycemia and allow opportunistic , otherwise dormant parasites to release into their gut and could have very serious consequences!

DON'T leave your new puppy unattended in the yard

DON'T change the puppies food immediately...this must be done GRADUALLY over a course of several days

DON'T leave your puppy or dog in a hot car...not even for a few minutes

DON'T allow your child to handle a puppy unsupervised

DON'T put tiny puppies on beds, sofas or chairs where they can fall off

DON'T give leptospirosis vaccinations

DON’T allow puppies under two-years-old to run alongside a bicycle, jump off or on furniture in or out of cars, or long distant run. This can cause injury or hip dysplasia