Puppy News!
Congratulations! You have been notified that one of our dogs is pregnant and you are up in line to receive a puppy from this litter. A few weeks later you get an email informing you the puppies have been born and advises you to prepare for "Puppy Pick-up Day"....where do you start?!?
What to Expect When You're Expecting...
a Northern Inuit
First things first, plan your trip
Currently, Mountain Myst does not ship puppies to their owners (shipping a puppy can be a very stressful experience for a 10 week old pup). The email you received will include a date that the puppy can be picked up (10 weeks after they are born, vet's orders). This is a hard date. You can plan your travel arrangements from it. It is normally a Saturday and Sunday timeframe.
If the dates do not work for you, notify us immediately so we can make other arrangements. We understand that traveling is a hardship for you so we will try to accommodate you as much as possible so you have a stress-free introduction with your puppy. Keep in mind that driving is the preferred method to pick up your pup. However, since we have customers from all regions of the U.S. we understand that driving can be difficult for long distances.
If you are DRIVING your puppy home
Your puppy will be driven around a lot prior to you picking them up (vet appointments, socialization visits, etc.) so they will be used to riding in a car. However, we cannot guarantee that they will not get car sick if driving for long distances. Come prepared with a leash, bowls for water/food, a blanket, and a towel or two to clean up any accidents. Plan lots of stops along your route home to allow the puppy to do its business and stretch out its legs.
Kennels for DRIVING your puppy home:
We recommend you place your puppy in a kennel while you drive so the puppy feels safe and any puppy accidents can be easily cleaned. The driving kennel size should be 28"L x 20.5"W x 21.5"H for pets 20-30 lbs, size MEDIUM in this link example or larger such as this 30-50lbs kennel that is 32.3 x 23.2 x 22.4 inches, size INTERMEDIATE in this link example. When driving only a few hours (about 4 or less) you can choose to have a passenger hold your puppy during the ride. This will save you the expense of having to buy another kennel when the puppy outgrows this one.
If you are FLYING your puppy home
If you are flying you need to ensure that your airline has a pet cargo area that is heated and pressurized. Your puppy will be too large to fit under the seat in front of you. You also need to inform us immediately that you intend to fly so we can get the puppy the necessary paperwork from the vet to be allowed to fly (certificate of health). Please keep in mind that being lonely in a cargo bay is a stressful experience for a puppy, flying should only be used as a last resort or for those that are too far away to make the drive.
Kennels for FLYING your puppy home:
Airlines require the kennel to be large enough for the dog to freely stand up without touching the roof and wide enough for the dog to be able to turn around in it. Each puppy will weigh between 22 and 28 pounds at the time of pick up but for flying we recommend you get the 50-70lbs kennel that is 36 x 25 x 27 inches, size LARGE in this link example. If you are flying to Colorado, we recommend that you purchase your pet carrier/kennel in Colorado to avoid additional baggage fees or purchase it online and ship it to us (just let us know so we are waiting of it).
Other Items to bring
Leash
Collar
Food/Water Bowls*
Dog Toy*
Treats*
* These items may be included in your puppy package depending on availability
Who's a big boy!
Keep in mind, your puppy will be big when you come pick him up >
THE BIG DAY!
The day has finally arrived and you've come to Colorado to pick up your puppy. We understand that you might have had a long trip and we will try to expedite the paperwork process as much as possible. After you meet your puppy, we will sit down with you and go over health records, insurance, payment, etc. Although you might be very excited after meeting your puppy you need to pay close attention to the information we are providing. This is also your time to ask any questions you might have about the puppy. You are more than welcome to stick around and chat with other new owners and meet the rest of the pack. We try to make Puppy Pick-up Day an enjoyable event (similar to a baby shower) and we want you to leave feeling prepared to take care of your puppy.
Please keep in mind that your meeting with the Sharon (the breeder) will last at least 2 hours. Sharon will meet with owners in this order.
Flyers: 9:30am-1pm
Out-of-state drivers: 1pm-4pm
In-state drivers: 4pm-complete
We will try to accommodate your travel plans as much as possible but ask you allot plenty of time for this meeting.
ARRIVING AT THE PUPPY'S FOREVER HOME
The trip was likely stressful on your new family member. Allow your puppy to rest and explore its surroundings on its own prior to introducing your pup to other pets or children. While your puppy is resting, familiarize yourself with the puppy binder we gave you. It has all your puppy's records and plenty of useful, Northern Inuit-specific, training information.
INTRODUCING YOUR PUPPY TO OTHER PETS
When introducing your puppy to other pets start slowly and remember that your puppy is young and can learn to socialize with any animal, however, the other pet may not be as willing to get along with a new pup. Allow them to sniff each other first from under a closed door. Then supervise any encounters until you are certain there will be no misunderstandings between the pets. Correct bad behaviors early, both from the puppy and other pets.
Introducing your puppy to children
As you might know, we discourage adopting a Northern Inuit if you have small children in your household or are expecting a newborn baby as the puppy will not get the attention it requires. Older children may also need to be educated on how to properly handle a puppy. Your puppy is likely to fall in love with your children but may want to play rough with them. Stop this behavior at once and teach your children how to properly reprimand the puppy without hurting it. Remember, Northern Inuits have a pack mentality and you want to prevent your puppy from viewing your child as a sibling. Your pup needs to know that the child is also in charge in order for the Northern Inuit to respect the child.
Feeding your puppy
There will be a lot of changes that your puppy has to go through when you take him home with you. Food should not be one of those changes. It is best that you continue to feed him the same brand of food that we do until he is well adjusted to his environment. Changing his food will likely result in loose stools which may lead to weight loss and is not good for a developing puppy. Below is the food that we are currently feeding the puppies.
Feed your puppy three times a day. Two kibble+canned food meals and one raw meal a day
Kibble+Canned Food Meal: Mix canned Royal Canin All Breed Puppy Food (see image to the right) with Nature's Recipe Grain Free Puppy Kibble. Every once in a while, add pureed organic pumpkin to their food so they get used to the taste of pumpkin in their food. Pumpkin helps settle their bellies if they develop a loose stool.
If your puppy develops a loose stool for whatever reason incorporate organic canned pumpkin puree (such as Libby's canned pumpkin) into their kibble mix. Consult a vet in the problem persists past 2-3 days.
Raw Meat: You can add raw food to your puppy's diet but not too often or you will create a picky eater (once a days is good enough). Below is a list of prefered raw meat to give your dog:
- Chopped Boneless Pork
- Pork Ribs (1-2 with meat on them)
- Chicken gizzards and hearts (once or twice a week but no more)
- Raw ground beef/turkey/chicken/pork/elk/venison
- Canned (not smoked) salmon/tuna in water or oil (no seasoning)
Snacks:
- Carrots (good for a teething puppy)
- Raw coconut (good for their fur)
- Raw beef knuckles or beef marrow bones (good for when you have to leave them in a kennel for a few hours)
- Chicken feet (great puppy snacks)
- Pork neck bones (add one along with a meal or 2-3 to make a full meal, pork bones are softer than beef and they can eat these)
- Turkey Necks
Remember we are always here to give you advice as well 719-373-0696.
Other Training Guides
Information on how to prevent or redirect your Northern Inuit's digging habits
Information on how to prevent unwanted chewing.
Northern Inuits are very large dogs and need to learn at a young age to not jump on people. Read how to stop this habit.
Northern Inuits can be very stubborn and are not for the novice owner. If you are getting frustrated with your pup, read this document, it helps you gain perspective and refocus your efforts. If you are still having problems, give us a call, we might be able to help.
The Humane Society Offers a great guide to crate training a puppy here.
Recommended Products
Hartz Extra Gentle Tearless Puppy Shampoo: Your puppy will get dirty often and you might have to bathe them more than once a week. This shampoo is gentle enough that you can do that without drying their skin.
You can mix these two together for your puppy's meal
Chicken feet aka chicken paws
Beef Marrow Bones
aka Soup Bones
Pork Neck Bones
Pumpkin can help settle your puppy's belly if he/she develops a loose stool
