BRINGING HOME YOUR NEW PUPPY
In some respects bringing home your new Chihuahua puppy is like bringing home a
tiny newborn human baby. There are various things to watch for and some do's and
don'ts that are helpful.
Most important!
Chihuahuas, like many other toy breeds, may be susceptible to a form of low blood
sugar, called hypoglycemia. The good news is that this condition is easily arrested
and puppies who do experience hypoglycemia will usually outgrow it by 4-5 months of age.
During this time the puppy is weaned from the dam, wormed, vaccinated, bathed and sometimes
sold into a new home. Also the immunity that a puppy gets from the mothers first milk
will drop off somewhere around the ninth week and that will increase his/her vulnerability
to virus and bacteria. All these factors contribute to a very stressful time for the little
dog. Most puppies breeze right through this time and others have problems.
Hypoglycemia is seen most often in smaller specimens of Chihuahua puppies, but we caution
all new owners to watch their puppy carefully until he/she is at least 18 weeks of age.
Many breeders have to use their judgement as to when the puppy is strong enough to leave
home. Once that call is made, then the new owner has to take over and become the puppies
guardian.
You probably won't experience low blood sugar with your particular puppy, but, in the
event that you do, it is an emergency. A little bit of sugar, given to your dog in some
form, may save his/her life. Glucodin in the puppies drinking water or a little honey directly
into his/her mouth will help restore lost blood sugar. If you leave your puppy for any
extended period of time, ensure that he/she has food available to eat whilst your away.
Some chihuahuas are nibblers who eat slowly and some are finicky, so make allowances for that
and leave him/her with nutrition that is tempting enough to make him/her eat.
Vaccinations
Isolation is the best form of protection for a new puppy until it has had his/her 12 week
vaccination and he/she can begin building its own immunity. Parvo and other problems can
be brought into an environment on the bottom of shoes, on clothing (airborne virus) and by
other animals, or by humans who have been exposed to infected animals. If your puppy is
under 16 weeks of age, it is a good idea to keep him/her away from other animals as
much as possible and ask your friends to wash their hands, before handling your new
addition. Another dog may look normal and be perfectly healthy itself, but can be a
passive carrier of a virus or bacteria that your puppy has no immunity to. An ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure, when it comes to exposing your new puppy to outside
dogs.
Warmth
All chihuahuas dislike the cold. Make sure your puppy does not chill, especially
if he/she has got itself wet. A warm bed out of draughts and a warm coat in winter, will keep
him/her happy.
Anal Glands
Ask your vet to show you how to check and empty if necessary (ideal time is bath time).
Reverse Breathing
Most chihuahuas at some time or another will make this snorting/snuffling/honking sound.
Do not panic! Gently cover his/her nose with your hand thus making them breathe through
their mouth and it will stop.
Eyes
As chihuahuas are very small and their eyes are very close to the ground, they are apt to pick
up little particles of dust and suffer from watery eyes. Wipe the eyes with a cool tea bag. Murine
or Optrex eye drops will not harm him/her, if used occasionally. If persistent, mention it to
your vet.
Fleas
No dog article would be complete without mentioning fleas. Never let your puppy get fleas,
as they can become anaemic if they are being eaten by fleas. Fleas carry tapeworm larvae and dogs
get tapeworms by ingesting fleas. Invest in a flea prevention program from your vet or petshop.
General
Watch your new puppy carefully the first few days after you bring him/her home. You will
quickly learn what is normal behaviour and what isn't. Monitor his/her eating habits, bowel
movements, play patterns and sleep times. Most puppies have two speeds; full speed ahead and
"crash". Any time you see variations of behaviour that trouble you, don't hesitate to call us;
if we can't give you a satisfactory answer, then call your vet. With chihuahuas, it is better
to address a potential problem before the little animal is in serious trouble.
Diarrhoea or vomitting may be caused by a chill, infection, stress, contaminated food or worms.
If not severe, try a teaspoon of acidophilus yoghurt or a Kaolin mixture every 2 hours - constant
diarrhoea/vomitting can kill your puppy very quickly - seek urgent help from your vet.
After about six months of age the chihuahua is a very hearty little dog. They require very little
grooming (weekly for a smoothcoat and every third day for a longcoat will keep the knots away). Bathing - Use
your discretion (too often dries the coat and too little and he/she will begin to smell doggy). Nails need to be
cut at least monthly.
Chihuahuas live a long time. Feed the best foods available and your little dogs immune system will be
sturdy, well into its old age. He/she is what you feed him - so to speak. Read and follow the diet sheet
we provide you (and also available on this site). If you change, do so gradually otherwise the puppy
will get an upset stomach. Worm regularly, vaccinate yearly. A little bit of information and some common
sense can keep your chihuahua with you for many years to come. Consult your breeder (the good ones don't mind)
or your veterinarian, as needed.
When we sell someone a puppy, we always tell him/her to call us anytime that they see something in the
puppy that they don't like. If it is 3.00am and the puppy has a problem, we want to be contacted, so that we
can help. We do not recommend that anyone buy a dog from a breeder who doesn't have a similar
attitude. Your breeder should be your mentor and a shoulder to lean on for as long as you need the
assistance. We breeders help guide the creation of these little animals and we owe it to them to make
sure that we are there for them as well as for the new owners.
Good luck with your new addition and our very best wishes!
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