Caring For And Raising Your New Miniature Pinscher Puppy🐾

Your Puppy's First Arrival At Their New Home

Keeping Your Puppy Safe Inside The House

Developing Your Puppy's Confidence And Independence

Introducing Your Puppy To Existing Dogs

Socialisation With Other People, Dogs And Novel Stimuli And Environments

Basic Obedience And Puppy Classes

Puppy Biting, Mouthiness And Food Aggression

Your Puppy's First Vet Visit, Microchipping And Vaccinations

Adolescence Phase, Second Fear Period And Re-training

Pet Sitting, Dog Boarding Or Day Care For When You’re Away

Caring For And Raising Your New Miniature Pinscher Puppy

You’ve just bought and brought home your new Min Pin puppy. Congratulations! You must be feeling incredibly light as if your walking on air. That new puppy feeling is comparable to no other. However it doesn’t last long when you realise that you’ve just taken on a momentous responsibility that brings you right back down to earth. Family life and other responsibilities will still demand your resources which can be a challenge to juggle all at once. That’s why we’re here to help you navigate the rollercoaster ride that is bringing up a Min Pin from puppyhood. Done correctly, you will be free to cherish the joys it can bring you and your family. Bringing your new Min Pin puppy home is an incredibly exciting time and it’s important to get everything off to a good start from the moment they come home with you. At some time during the planning of a new puppy acquisition (see here for bringing home an older dog) you should have scheduled around two weeks off work to integrate them into your family and home. This is a must. In these two weeks 100% of your focus and energy needs to be on acclimatising your puppy to his new environment. You should focus on the two most important aspects of puppy training which are housetraining (see below) and getting your puppy to be comfortable being by himself during these two weeks. Another reason for taking time off work is also because you will not have the time or energy to live a normal routine in the first few weeks of settling in a new puppy if you are doing it correctly. We at Heathside all know this from experience. You will be exhausted and drained during the first few weeks and it’ll be hard but you can help yourself and facilitate your puppy’s integration into his new environment by being prepared. Think of a puppy as a new baby in that it’ll take up all of your available resources mental, physical and emotional. Everyone in the family including children should be involved with the puppy’s strict schedule during the two weeks in order for your new arrival to become a well-adjusted, happy puppy.

Basic Essentials🐾

Your new Min Pin puppy will require certain basic essentials which should be acquired before you bring him home. This can amount to a fair amount of money. It’s worth mentioning that your first year with your puppy will likely be the most expensive year of his entire lifespan regarding the bits and pieces that you’ll need. Some items will need updating such as crate and collars to stay consistent with your puppy’s growth although given a Min Pin’s size you’ll probably only need to do this once. Our first Min Pin Mikki cost a bomb in his first year but as there was a budget to stick to, definitely not as much was spent as some new owners. If we had gotten Mikki today things would have been done differently so a lot more money would’ve been spent. But let’s have a look at the essentials checklist below.

Food. Your breeder (or dog shelter/rescue) will either have given you a diet sheet of what he’s been eating or recommended food. Sometimes breeders give a small amount of the puppy’s existing dog food for the first few days that you can use until he is settled to avoid stomach upsets. However you may want to look at alternatives to the commercial diets we as dog owners are often presented with. The team at Heathside advocate a raw diet which you can start your puppy on as soon as he comes home
Treats for training. As with food we recommend all-natural alternatives to the commercial brands. Always ensure that puppy training treats are low in calories
Crate. This is a super important item. We highly recommend that you crate train your puppy in order to toilet train him and give him structure to his first few weeks in his new home. Crate training also trains him to cope with being alone when you’re busy or at night when you are sleeping
Playpen. This is good to have when you want to contain your puppy to keep him safe when he’s out playing
Baby/dog gate also to prevent your puppy accessing parts of the house you don’t want him to
Blankets and bedding. You can also use old towels
Newspaper. Although you should ensure that your puppy’s toilet training begins the day he comes home you can still use newspaper to line his crate for accidents. We do not recommend training your puppy to use puppy pads because they send mixed messages to your puppy about where he should be toileting
Hard plastic dog bed. We recommend a hard plastic bed because puppies are very messy and will for sure soil their bed with food and pee/poo and you really want something that’s quick and easy to clean. They will also chew anything material to pieces so a soft bed will only have to be replaced. Save the pretty fleece beds for when your Min Pin has passed the puppy phase
Feeding and drinking bowls. Puppies are very messy when they’re eating so buy a non-slip bowl which usually has a rubber bottom to prevent the bowl from tipping over. Alternatively you buy deeper bowls
Collars, leads and harnesses including training leads. Do not use a flexi/retractable lead until your puppy is lead-trained
Dog identity tag
Brush or groomer for short-haired dogs
Flea and tick preventative (a vet can supply a good wormer). We recommend some good natural alternatives to the generic chemical-filled ones
Tick remover
Toothbrush and toothpaste appropriate for dogs
Dog poo bags And Dispenser
Toys. It’s worth giving your puppy a good selection and we tell you which ones we recommend and which ones to avoid
Puppy/dog shampoo. We recommend some high quality and natural brands formulated for the Min Pin’s sensitive skin
Baby or pet wipes for when your puppy gets himself dirty (there will be times!)
Nail dremel/trimmer
Microchip. Most breeders and all shelters rehome their puppies already chipped but if not, you’ll need to get it done immediately as it’s a legal requirement. Your vet can do this as part of a new puppy consultation
Pet insurance. If your min pin puppy comes from a Kennel Club registered breeder they usually provide 4 weeks free insurance so you may want to continue with that insurer or shop around. We go into insurance more here

This is a basic list of items that you’ll need right away although it is not exhaustive. You will likely spend more on other items and services such as vet consultations and health care necessities in should your puppy need them. You may want to take your new Min Pin puppy to puppy classes or you may need to hire a trainer or behaviourist to help out. Although you as a clued-up and dedicated new owner will be able to train your new puppy yourself you may want to invest in professional help to assist you at any point in your puppy’s first year or if you have adopted an older puppy who needs re-training. This is because training your dog can be very time-consuming and require lots of patience

Your Puppy’s First Arrival At Their New Home🐾

When you arrive home before you even enter or put your Min Pin puppy on the floor inside, it is a good idea to take him on the grass either in your garden if you have one or outside the house if you have a communal piece of greenery. If there is a park you can get to that not too far from home even better. This partly because your puppy may have had to endure a long journey without having been able to relieve themselves or haven’t done so for a while. You also want his first experience with your garden or the outside to be associated with needing a wee or a poo and you definitely do not want him to relieve himself inside the house. Getting your puppy used to relieving himself outside the day you get him is best because he will be relieving himself outside anyway.

Exploring The Outside World🐾

Before we talk about basic training we want to talk about when you first take your puppy out because you will be doing this first thing. Your puppy will likely be 8 weeks of age and may not have had his second vaccination (typically given at 12 weeks) and you should to be safe just wait until this is done to take him to parks around other dogs. Before this however you should take him outside in the street for two reasons; to begin lead training and to acclimatise to the outside world. During the period of up to 16 weeks a puppy is extremely impressionable and everything they experience, good or bad, will impress on them for the rest of their lives. In short this basically means you want to get your puppy used to the sounds, smells and sights of the outside world such as traffic noises and other people. This is so important for any puppy but especially for an anxiety-prone, sensitive breed. Socialisation is vital during this period too (we’ll get into that below). So you definitely want to build your puppy’s confidence by being with him outside and allowing other people to pet him. To do this safely if your puppy has not had all of his vaccinations, avoid letting him walk in areas where there are other dogs. That means no contact with dogs such as in parks. If you want to go to a park you could carry your puppy around thus keeping him safe from curious dogs. Carrying him will make it feel very secure too but you should only carry him initially until he’s had all his vaccinations. When your puppy has received all his vaccinations is it safe to let him explore areas where other dogs frequent.

Learning To Walk On A Lead🐾

Lead-training will be your puppy’s first introduction to basic obedience. If lead-training isn’t taught properly in puppyhood you could have a problem on your hands later. Before you get your puppy to accept being taken around on a lead you should ensure they will accept a collar around their necks or a harness around their bodies. We talk about the benefits of harnesses here. Both these items are new to your puppy and anything new should be introduced carefully to avoid negative experiences. Most puppies won’t bat an eyelid but some will dislike the sensation of a collar around their neck. Mikki was given a very simple nylon collar with a clasp as his first one which he wore at home to get used to it. It was loose fitting (as it should be) and he barely noticed it. Mikki did not have the collar left on him unsupervised because when he became bored he would somehow get hold of it and begin to chew it to pieces. Something you want to think about. You should be watching your puppy at all times like a hawk if they are not crated (see below) and you can remove the collar when they are crated. Using basic training techniques you can allow your puppy to sniff the collar or harness before putting them on him while rewarding him with treats and lots of praise. If he’s calm attach a lead to your puppy’s collar and allow him practice walking around inside. Reward and praise again. You can call his name to get him to come to you. Reward and praise again. It’s a good idea to get your puppy used to gently being led around while he’s on the lead and whenever he takes steps to follow you reward and praise. You can begin using a training lead after your puppy has been fully vaccinated and is ready to begin training outside. A training lead is long, typically several metres and will assist you in basic training. It will also give your puppy the ability to explore while still having full control of where he can go. We’ll say again do not use a retractable or flexi lead on your puppy until he is fully lead-trained. Aside from making lead-training more difficult a flexi lead his can lead to disaster if your puppy runs into the road as these leads have been known to have their mechanisms jam just at the wrong time. However retractable leads are otherwise great to give you fully trained Min Pin freedom in parks without letting him run free. Harnesses have the advantage over collars because there is no chance of an excitable puppy slipping out of a collar while you are training him to walk as well as you also having more control over his body. Another thing is that harnesses are safer for a toy breed puppy who have extremely sensitive windpipes which can be easily damaged by any tension caused by a collar. Once your puppy knows how to walk politely on a loose lead you can switch to a collar if you want. Always be patient with your puppy during lead-training. Understand that the outside world is a scary place for your tiny puppy and he’ll have moments where he’ll freeze up in fear during his lead-training outside. When this happens the best course of action is to not make a fuss or soothe him. This may be hard for you. Dogs learn by association (whether it’s positive or negative) and by soothing him you are communicating to your puppy that it’s okay to be scared of things they must get accustomed to. Whenever they become scared they will whine and freeze waiting for your soothing hand. The objective of exposure to new environments and stimuli is for your puppy to acclimatise quickly and most importantly for him to understand that these ‘scary’ things are normal. So when your puppy shows fear try not showing any reaction until the perceived threat passes. The moment he’s calm you can reward and praise him. Keep doing this until he’s calm and confident enough to resume lead training. When we were training Mikki to walk in the street he was very stubborn and refused most of the time to walk. So we initially ended up walking ahead of him and encouraging him to follow. This isn’t the best course of action but it’s possible that some puppies being anxious about a new environment can feel worse by the pulling feeling of a collar and harness. If your puppy is having trouble walking then don’t force him. Wait for him to take steps forward by himself. One thing that you must never do during this sensitive learning period is carry your puppy everywhere because he is making slow progress with lead-training. It’s okay initially before he’s had all his vaccines but once he has begin the lead-training in more places beyond your street. The result of owners constantly carrying their dogs around as puppies are adult dogs that refuse to walk on a lead because they are about walking at ground level and expect to be carried. This is common in toy breeds as some owners will carry around their puppy well into puberty as they’re small. Your puppy may walk gingerly and intermittently at first but they will happily bob along with you quite quickly as their confidence grows. Once your puppy is confident and walking you can begin training them how to walk on a lead politely without pulling. Mikki was never lead-trained properly resulting in years of difficulty on walks. Min Pins are notorious lead pullers if not trained see here for more.

Keeping Your Puppy Safe Inside The House🐾

Puppies are known for (notorious for perhaps?) touching and exploring things around the house that can harm them e.g. a socket. This is why you should be keeping an eye on him constantly within the first month of their arrival at his new home. When you first bring your puppy home a good idea to ensure you stay on top of keeping him away from risks when you need to do other things is to either keep him inside a play pen to let him play and exercise or attach a lead to his collar or harness. This way you can simply grab or step on the lead if your puppy has already gotten into something it shouldn’t while your back is turned. But never leave the lead on unsupervised! It can become a choking or strangling hazard or your puppy will probably chew it. So your attention is still needed. You should only be turning your back for a few minutes and no more than the time it can take for your puppy to land itself in trouble. Another idea is if you have a large house with many rooms and you do not want to confine your puppy to only part of it is to tether them to you by attaching the lead to your waist or clothing. If this is too much and you prefer your puppy to have free reign when you need to do some chores and can’t fully focus on him, you can train your puppy to focus on you. Focus is part of basic obedience and doing this successfully means he’ll be happy to follow you around. Getting your puppy to focus on you should begin immediately in fact as this gets them off to a good start. Another thing to remember is to puppy-proof your home and this just involves lessening the risks in your puppy’s environment so things such as toxic houseplants or ensuring your cupboards containing cleaning chemicals are secure. You can use a baby or pet gate recommended the basic essentials list to keep him away from certain areas of the house. General advice will tell you that you should confine your puppy to one area of the home usually where his crate will be. This isn’t necessary though because you want to be watching your puppy constantly which may require you to move his crate around.

Housebreaking🐾

For all new puppy owners housebreaking is a primary piece of training that they will be starting the moment their puppy comes home. It goes hand in hand with crate training which we’ll discuss below. As a new owner you must be prepared for the fact that puppies relieve themselves a lot. As a puppy Mikki went for a wee sometimes 15 minutes apart while he was busy playing. Play is something that stimulates their system as it’s exercise (and he was playing ALL the time). He’d poo inside too and unfortunately this became a habit because we relied on puppy pads and did not housebreak or crate train him as well as we could have i.e. not knowing that a puppy needs to be taken out several times a day at regular intervals (see below). Puppy pads encourage your puppy to toilet inside the house which is why they should not be used. Being unprepared for puppy rearing can cause all sorts of problems. But don’t fear because we’re here to tell you how to pass this stage with flying colours!

As mentioned above you will need to take your puppy out several times a day but especially following certain activities. Puppies and young dogs tend to relieve themselves when they wake up from a sleep, after a meal or a drink and during play. Immediately after these activities you must take your puppy outside. It’s a given you need to be keeping an eye on your puppy constantly during play for signs of needing relief. Its a sign that if you see a puppy sniffing around on the floor and pacing up and down (its easy to miss if you’re not paying attention to your puppy) he’s just about to relieve himself. At this point you must immediately pick him up and put him outside as quickly as possible. The odd accident may happen and when it does an important tip is to clean up any messes with a non-ammonia detergent e.g. do not use bleach. An ammonia-based cleaner makes your puppy want to wee in that same place as urine contains ammonia too. We recommend using something like Flash floor cleaner. Sometimes as what happened with Mikki there was no signs of needing the toilet and he’d just squat. Because puppies don’t have proper control over their bowels and bladder, when they feel they need to go they’ll go. This is why we recommend that during a particularly fast-paced, hard play session, you stop and take your puppy outside in case he needs to go. After repeated attempts your puppy associates going out with relieving himself and will not want to do so in the house. This is hard work but you must be on top of it. Sometimes you won’t act quickly enough or you’ll be caught off-guard and your puppy will have an accident. That’s okay. You should clean it up with minimal fuss and never scold your puppy for it. When you have a puppy you need to be awake when he’s awake so you can successfully housebreak him at least during the first few weeks. Whenever your puppy wakes up from sleep, no matter what time of the day, you need to be up too as you’ll read below.

Crate Training🐾

We 100% recommend crate training with any puppy until they’re fully trained in how to live properly at home. They are an invaluable tool for proper housebreaking and for when you need to keep your Min Pin puppy safe and secure when you’re not at home. You should have the crate already there for when your puppy comes home as part of the basic essentials list. The very first thing you should do is to create a positive association with the crate. Let your puppy explore the crate while giving him lots of praise and affection. You should play with him while he’s exploring the crate and get it involved in games. This is to ensure that he is relaxed around the crate. Your puppy’s crate will be the place where he sleeps as he learns to do so throughout the night and if he has any accidents he’ll have them in his crate instead of anywhere in your home when you may be sleeping. You will likely only have to buy one crate during puppyhood as by the time your puppy is adult size (around 7 months) he will no longer need the crate. The crate is only for sleeping in initially and your puppy should never be fed or given water in there.

Your Puppy’s First Night

Its an excellent idea to ensure your puppy is prepared for the bedtime you set for yourself. You should begin a strict schedule for the first two weeks where bedtime is the same time every night including feeding schedules (see below for feeding your puppy). This will help your puppy settle much quicker and facilitate housebreaking. A few hours before your bedtime ensure that you have spent time keeping your puppy active and awake and as he could have eaten at any point before you collected him, he may need taking outside for toileting. The purpose is to tire your puppy out before bedtime because if a puppy has spent hours sleeping up until your set bedtime, getting them to settle will be impossible and will make what will already be a tough night even tougher. Expend his energy by playing with him (don’t overdo it) or engage his attention with some focus training before bedtime (see above). Use the crate in play so your puppy forms positive associations with it. Take your puppy outside again right before bedtime to give him one last chance to toilet before he sleeps. Don’t worry if he doesn’t do anything-this is just so he’s had the chance.

Puppies need to learn first and foremost to feel comfortable with being alone and that’s what crate training teaches them. But before they do they are likely to yelp, whinge and scream all night because they want to be out of the crate and be with you. Think about the fact that your puppy has just been taken out of an environment with everything he knows his mum, litter mates and human family (breeder) and put into a completely unfamiliar one. That’s why all aspects of initial training especially housebreaking must be approached with patience and understanding. Firstly, the positioning of the crate in your home is important, probably more than you realise. When your puppy is in his crate it should be placed in a room or area of the house that you spend a lot of time in or most of your time in. The puppy should be able see you almost all of the time when he’s in his crate for when he wants to sleep. Puppies sleep at regular intervals throughout the day just like they play and toilet. So there will be times out of your bedtime during the day when he’ll be crated because he’ll be sleeping. Keeping him crated like this when your awake can get him used to it quicker. Many people may put their crates in a spare room or a non communal area. This amplifies the puppy’s anxiety of being alone because he won’t see or smell you much and can result in the process of acclimatising your puppy to the crate taking longer. Puppies don’t want to be alone much less if they are in an unfamiliar room with no smells of their new family. He’ll also be happier to be crated in a room where he gets played with and cuddles. If you have to move the crate around to synchronise with your movements around the home then do so.

Going back to the first night. Line the crate with newspaper only and a few washable blankets. Do not put any fancy beds (they will be chewed up) or toys in there because your puppy should not be playing. New owners fail with crate training for the reason that their puppies will show a lot of stress and so end up either giving them affection and reassurance every time they whine or scream or removing them from the crate completely. This is a huge mistake. It’s very hard to keep a distressed puppy in the crate and not cave in but if you persist it’ll get better and you will soon have a fully crate trained puppy. Do not respond to your puppy’s whines when you’ve put him to bed. Given what has already been said you should ideally be sleeping in the same room as your new Min Pin puppy. If you don’t want the crate in your bedroom you should consider sleeping in another room with the crate. It is best to gently wake your puppy up and take him outside every 4 hours or so. Even he’s awake and whining after being crated for 4 hours, take him out and when you return, put him straight back into the crate until whatever time you wake up. During this time you probably won’t be sleeping much! But it’s important to stick to this schedule for at least a few months although after a few weeks your puppy will understand the routine. Once fully crate trained and a little older they should be able to sleep through the night wherever they fall alseep. Their bladders and bowels will have developed more and they will have better control over them. Eventually you can transition your puppy to spending more and more time outside the crate and allow him to sleep in a dog bed without being crated at night. This should only happen when your confident that he is fully housebroken and does not have accidents inside and will not going to be touching anything he shouldn’t. Between the ages of 5 and 8 months old puppies can be quite destructive due to them being in the adolescent phase. This differs from dog to dog but usually they are fully passed the adolescent phase at around 12 months old which means they can be fully trusted in the house when their owners are not there. Until then keep your puppy crated when you’re out. When your at home its important to leave the crate open and accessible to your Min Pin puppy whenever they’re out playing. They will see their crate as a place they can chill out in, sleep and if you have a busy, noisy household they can use it as a ‘safe space’ for some time out.

Introducing your new Min Pin puppy to a collar and lead should be done in the week you bring him home. After he’s settled in initially let him wear a collar and harness in the house or garden if you have one and practice walking him with a lead attached. Then you can begin introducing him to practicing outside once he’s had all his vaccinations. Rememember to always reward and praise whenever your puppy responds positively

Several things could have been done better during Mikki’s crate training. Mikki’s first crate was for a large breed dog when really it should have been for a small breed. A small crate will help discourage a puppy to have accidents because generally they don’t like to toilet where they sleep. The reasoning for a large crate was so he could eat, drink and play in there when he wasn’t outside with us

Caring for and raising your new puppy 10

Again remember that puppies need their new routine to begin immediately and with consistency. This will make life a lot easier for everyone concerned as well as your puppy. Regarding crate sizing you may hear that a crate size suitable for the puppy to turn around in is the correct size and one too large will entice the puppy to soil in the space that’s not being occupied (Mikki was one of these puppies). This can happen with some puppies so buy the correct size for your Min Pin puppy which you can find here.

Feeding Your Puppy🐾

Your new puppy should be on a consistent feeding schedule. The breeder or shelter should be able to tell you about the schedule they were on as well as the food they ate. If you want to switch to a brand of food that you’ve decided on or a completely new diet such as the raw diet, it’s best to introduce new food over a few weeks, gradually introducing more and more of the new food while less of the previous one. This is so they don’t get an upset stomach, potentially leading to lots of diarrhoea and adding to your puppy’s stress during this time. See Feeding Your Miniature Pinscher where we cover everything you need to know about pet foods and go into detail about different diets. It’s best to switch your puppy to one diet and brand of food and stick to it as to not upset his stomach. Puppies eat a lot because they are growing. If you are feeding commercial foods such as dry (kibble) don’t rely on the feeding guidelines on the back of the bag, as they are often inaccurate. Instead you should feed your Min Pin puppy 7-8% of their current/growing weight-see here for how to find these values. Split this amount up into 3-4meals a day; early morning, noon, afternoon and evening. Exact times will vary depending on your schedule but these are general guidelines. Once your puppy is around 10 months to a year old, you can switch to feeding them adult portions. This is typically 2-3% of your Min Pin’s current weight (providing he isn’t overweight) which varies according to how active he is and whether he is neutered. You can either choose to feed your Min Pin once or twice a day. Mikki began to eat a lot less once he reached late adolescence and it’s often the case that older puppies will adjust their food amounts by themselves. We recommend that you only feed your puppy treats when your training him because you’ll be doing this on a daily basis throughout puppyhood. You can give your puppy long-lasting chews or bones from the age of 5 months old. Please supervise your young puppy when giving a bone because Min Pin puppies can be aggressive chewers.

Avoiding Fussiness Or Picky Eating🐾

This is the one behaviour in pet dogs that is 100% created by the owner. It often starts in puppyhood where the puppy has decided he is not particularly hungry one day and doesn’t want to eat his food. This does happen in adult dogs too. Just like how we’re not hungry sometimes and don’t feel like eating, dogs regulate their appetites too (and do it a lot better than we do). The fact that people often overfeed their dogs rather than according to their body weight is part of the problem. Animals naturally do not eat unnecessarily if they are in good health and their metabolic systems are functioning normally. So what the owner tends to do when their puppy won’t eat is panic and start offering him a variety of different foods that puppy may try simply because it’s different. The puppy will probably eat the food at a completely different time of day because he’s now hungry. However the owner has now arrived at a totally different conclusion that as their puppy has now settled on his new food, they discard the old one. Over a short period of time your puppy or dog will learn to become picky or fussy. You teach him that if he turns his nose up at a food you will change it and give him something more desirable especially if that food is fresh food or has higher palatability than the current food he’s rejecting. You now have an ingrained behaviour. It is fixable however. What you need to do is simply break the cycle. When you decide on a food you want to feed your puppy, you keep offering it until he eats it. Simple. A dog will not starve himself but he has the capacity to be very stubborn to try and get what he wants. A 6 month old puppy may not eat for several days if he’s really stubborn and you as owner on your last nerve must persist. It’s far better to stub out the behaviour when your Min Pin is young than let it continue until puppyhood.

Puppy Maintenance🐾

Aside from keeping a consistent feeding, bedtime and toilet schedule you should also be keeping a teeth-brushing and grooming schedule. You must get your puppy used to this routine maintenance which you’ll have to continue for his lifespan. If you start them later when he matures it can be a lot more difficult for him to accept them. Firstly you must build positive associations and experiences with new regimes and associated tools. Whenever you introduce any regimes and tools e.g. toothbrush, groomer, nail clippers, do it over a period of a week and always use food rewards and praise. An example would be letting him touch and sniff the nail clippers (without using them on him) and rewarding and praising him each time. Teeth should be brushed once a day and grooming with a brush can be used to bond with your puppy. Just softly stroke him with it even if he doesn’t need a brush. Once a week get your puppy used to bathing. You do not have to use a shampoo unless his fur is soiled-just plain water to get your puppy used to being in a bath. If you use a shower head ensure that the pressure is very low as to not frighten your puppy. While in the bath and you are giving your puppy lots of affection and encouragement bring the clippers out and gently begin trimming his nails. You need only trim a millimetre off the nail and stay well clear of the nerve. This is vital because negative associations made with nail trimming during this time can cause problems for life. As your puppy’s nails will be tiny and there won’t really be much to trim you must be extra careful. The objective is to get him used to the procedure and having his paws handled. Finally teach your puppy to accept being picked up. Learn to correctly pick up your puppy and hold him several times a day so he becomes comfortable with human touch. If your puppy isn’t used to being lifted from a young age he can become very uncomfortable if lifted as an adult and try and struggle free. To pick up your puppy, put your hand underneath his chest behind his front legs and as you slowly lift him use your other hand to support his back legs and rear end. Hold his close to your body once you’ve fully lifted him up. Slowly put him down and reward and praise him.

Teething🐾

Between the ages of 2 months up until 6 months old your puppy’s baby teeth will be falling out making way for their adult teeth. You may see little teeth on your puppy’s bedding or around his bowl but do not be alarmed as it’s a normal process. The process of his adult teeth erupting will be irritating and painful at worst. Your puppy will want to chew everything in sight to relieve the discomfort (just like we did as toddlers). You don’t want your puppy chewing on your belongings so it’s important to provide some toys specifically designed for teething.

Developing Your Puppy’s Confidence And Independence🐾

Remember that when you bring your puppy home he is taken away from everything he knows, his mother and littermates and his human breeder and whatever he or she had exposed him to and the home his environment. He then has his world turned upside down because he has to learn a completely new routine in a completely different world with you and your family which is confusing and scary. Don’t forget he has only been living for 8 short weeks. So he spends every day together with you and your family. But then you have to go back to work and that’s when the problems start if no other person is around during the day to be with him. So his world is again turned upside down because now he has to learn yet another routine which includes him being alone. The time you spent with you and his human family has created a dependence where the puppy thinks that’s his new reality and understandably will be confused and upset if he he’s suddenly left alone. So perhaps the single most important thing you can do for your puppy is to teach him to learn to cope when you’re not around and this should be done from the moment he is brought home. You should not be spending the entire two weeks sitting around and having cuddles (although that’s good!) but you should be leaving your puppy alone for periods of time in the crate while you leave the house to desensitise him. Although you Crate training done correctly will help to prevent separation anxiety because you will be able to leave your puppy at home by himself. See here for how to fix separation anxiety through training. Using this method with your new puppy can help him learn quickly how to be comfortable in being alone. However getting him accustomed to being left with different people without you present can build up his confidence for when you can’t be with him e.g. when you need to leave him with a dog sitter. If your puppy or young dog is really attached to you it can cause separation anxiety and not purposely giving your puppy time away from you can can lead to very a insecure and problematic dog later on. Many puppy owners unwittingly create a dependency and an unhealthy attachment in their puppy. During your puppy’s sensitive socialisation period of up to 16 weeks and throughout his puppyhood it pays to have him spend lots of time with other members of the family individually and in different settings without you or whomever is the primary care-giver. You should allow relatives and friends to do the same. Have your puppy do some fun activities without you around or drop them at a friends place and make sure these experiences are very positive.

Introducing Your Puppy To Existing Dogs🐾

This is a delicate process potentially taking a while for your puppy and existing dogs to mix safely. How smoothly introductions go depends on your existing dog’s nature, how well-socialised they are and their level of training. You should keep your puppy and dog separate in the house until they are properly introduced. What many owners do which is incorrect is allow their new puppy into their existing dog’s space immediately which is wrong. Being that puppy’s come with the best intentions and want to jump on them and begin boisterously playing with them straight away. Think of how unfair this can be on your existing dog. Dogs are territorial animals and suddenly having a strange dog in their space can cause a lot of confusion and stress even if they do not show it by being aggressive. The best way to introduce your puppy to your existing dog is to do it on mutual grounds. That means not inside your house or garden so your existing dog won’t feel uncomfortable with a strange dog in his territory. You can do this anywhere off your private premises. Ensure your puppy and dog is on a lead all the time during the introduction phase for security; your Min Pin puppy is like a tiny furry dot and when introducing him to your existing dogs who are much heavier you want to be careful not to cause your puppy injuries of any sort. Have someone else hold one lead and you the other and simply walk them together a few meters apart allowing them to get used to one another’s presence. If you see that your dog is calm and friendly give him lots of reward and praise. You can slowly let your dog get a little bit closer to your puppy until they are walking very close to one another and providing your dog continues to show he’s calm, you can let them meet and sniff one another. This procedure may take a while especially if you have more than one dog. You can then return to the house and let your existing dog relax and have your puppy confined to another part of the house. This will be easy if your dog is crate trained or able to relax in a room by himself because it allows you and your puppy to have time alone together in the house preferably in a communal space usually frequented by your dog. You can also get your existing dog accustomed to your puppy’s scent after they have been introduced by giving him one of your puppy’s blankets. You can then slowly let them interact inside the home under supervision. Never leave them unsupervised in the initial few days. You can also help introductions by ensuring your existing dog has been exercised thoroughly before the introductions so he doesn’t have any pent up energy and is generally calmer.

It is 100% worth it to take the time to introduce your puppy and existing dog properly. Never force anything and keep an eye on your dog’s body language towards your puppy. Dogs are highly sociable animals and if you help facilitate smooth introductions they should be the best of buddies in no time

Socialisation With Other People, Dogs And Novel Stimuli And Environments🐾

Along with training honouring the puppy’s sensitive learning period is the most important thing in his life that you’ll be responsible for doing right. This sensitive period is also known as the critical period where a puppy is extremely impressionable to new experiences or is likely to quickly learn anything he is trained in. Anything that happens to your puppy positive or negative within this period will impress upon him for the rest of his life. Generally a puppy who has been too sheltered and deprived of novelty in all forms during this period will grow into a poorly adjusted dog possibly with one or more behavioural issues. Many dogs displaying fearful behaviour as well as fear-based dog and people aggression likely hadn’t enough exposure to new stimuli and experiences and socialisation with other dogs and people. At 16 weeks old experts say a puppy’s personality is fully formed and any apparent changes to it are caused by it’s learning and experiences. During your Min Pin puppy’s sensitive learning period typically between 6 to 16 weeks he should be exposed to as many sights, sounds, people, other dogs and animals and environments as possible. It is a time where your puppy will show fear and anxiety of novel stimuli and although your puppy’s breeder will be responsible for his experiences before 8 weeks old, it’s up to you to continue to navigate him though it carefully. Although this period will happen alongside your puppy’s basic training, you should start at home. Expose your puppy to loud noises. Don’t shelter your puppy by whispering and tiptoeing around him because he needs to become accustomed to things like the vacuum cleaner, loud knocks, objects falling, shouting, laughing and a loud television. People knocking at the door and strangers coming in as much as possible are very beneficial to your puppy’s learning and building of his confidence. When you’re outdoors a very important part of this is exposing them to new people of all varieties; men, women, children, different races and of all shapes and sizes. Your puppy should have experiences of new things in both the day and night time. Every new experience allows for a new opportunity to create a positive association. You can agree to letting (friendly) strangers stroke or even hold your puppy (providing it’s safe). Lee of Heathside says that around 100 different people had interacted with Benzo when he was a puppy before the age of 16 weeks. Mikki also had a lot of people and dog socialisation all throughout puppyhood. When it comes to any novel environments which will come complete with their own sounds, sights and smells which may initially startle your puppy, always behave calmly and neutrally. You do not want your puppy to think it’s okay to behave between fearfully. Always give your puppy a moment to calm down and you should ignore the stimulus causing fear or discomfort to your puppy. If there is one stimulus that keeps causing a bad reaction in your puppy you can progressively expose him to it by standing at a distance from it. Ensure your puppy can still engage it with all of his senses and build his confidence by getting closer to it each time. This desensitisation will have the same effect but can be less traumatic on your puppy. Remember that it’s as much about ensuring that experiences are as positive as possible

As well as taking your puppy out as much as you can to as many places as you can exposure to other dogs of all shapes and sizes is also incredibly important. The reasons for this are many. This intense socialisation must continue until the dog is mature until a year old. Puppies need exposure to other puppies and adult dogs to teach them vital skills about canine communication. Through initial meetings and play they learn how to interact properly with different dogs and discover what one dog finds acceptable and what another might not through body language and reactions. These critical lessons will set the puppy up for life, for example, in situations where they encounter strange dogs and will need to ascertain whether or not it’s safe to play and interact with them. Puppies will learn when another puppy or dog doesn’t want to interact through socialisation during this period. Behavioural problems such as dog on dog aggression will arise if a puppy passes this stage without the requisite socialisation. Without an understanding of basic canine etiquette and how to execute the many different rituals and signals that pass between dogs when they meet, the puppy can grow into a reactive dog around other dogs. This is because he could be attacked as he doesn’t know how to behave around them and ignores vital signals. An accumulation of bad experiences will cause fear and aggression in your puppy towards other dogs as he grows older in a cause and effect loop. If your puppy cannot read canine body language properly he can land himself in trouble which will shape his emotions towards other dogs for life. A young dog that’s been burned through interactions that have gone wrong will cause him to display aggression at any dog first. This fear-based aggression seems to be evident in small and toy breeds especially-think for a second how many reactive ones you see around? We see our fair share on a daily basis. Presumably because owners become overprotective and wrongly think that they need to shelter their tiny toy breed puppies from the outside world. While caution should be exercised during a puppy’s sensitive period you should never do this! The Min Pin has a reputation for being an aggressive dictator around other dogs and this is surely down to incorrect puppy socialisation. A Min Pin should take the lead in play and be boisterous but never aggressive. No dog breed was ever created to be out of the box aggressive. Training and rearing will shape a dog’s temperament. Your Min Pin puppy is a tiny ball of fur so use common sense; some big, overzealous dogs can unwittingly hurt your puppy during greetings. It’s possible that not all dogs are safe to interact with so always keep your puppy on a lead and close to you when greeting other dogs so you can scoop him up if needs be. Puppy classes are a great setting to meet other puppies and people while they undergo their basic training with you. Doggy day care is a secure environment where your puppy can mix with other dogs. Typically these dogs do not have socialisation issues and can safely be trusted around your puppy. Taking your puppy here once a week can really maximise his socialisation. Between 5 to 9 months old your Min Pin puppy may go through a second sensitive period where he’ll display the same fearful reactions to now familiar stimuli in his environment as he did months back (see about adolescence).

Basic Obedience And Puppy Classes🐾

First thing you can do to start training off is to teach your puppy his name. Simplest way is to say his name in a high pitched voice wait until he looks up at you and when he does feed him his food reward and give him lots of praise. Timing is very important here so continue saying his name and immediately reward and praise. When your puppy knows his name and your confident with that you can then begin basic obedience. You should start the basics at home before you enrol your puppy in classes. If you work at it at home your puppy will come to the classes knowing how to follow basic commands and it’ll be easier to control his interactions with the other puppies there as none of them (probably) will be able to do the same. There are many ways you can help yourself with puppy training such as using a clicker, which is a very popular reward-based form of training getting your puppy to associate the click with the reward. Puppies do have a horribly short attention span and Min Pin pups may just be one of the worst as they like to challenge you! So prepare yourself for lots of trial and error and understand that you need patience. Again see our training page on how to begin with basic obedience. As your puppy grows, it’s important to teach him all the rules you want in place for him before he becomes an adult. Everything you can think of literally such as whether or not you want him to be allowed on the sofa or what rooms will he not be allowed in. Known for being stubborn, Min pins sometimes need a firm hand and guidance because they will try and take advantage and assume control if you are wishy washy with their training and inconsistent. Min Pins can definitely challenge your weak points and will keep you on your toes. Puppy classes are a great environment to socialise your Min Pin puppy in a safe and secure way. Consider how much of an unknown quantity a park is. Do you know what the level of socialisation that dog coming towards your puppy has? Is he dog-aggressive? If yes, the owner clearly hasn’t a clue how to deal with him because his dog is off-lead (trust us, we see it all on a daily basis). Puppy classes have the added benefit of a qualified trainer present to critique what you’re doing right or wrong when you are giving your puppy commands. This feedback can be incredibly valuable if you are struggling with a particularly stubborn puppy. As well as all this you will have the chance to practice in an environment full of distractions with other puppies present. If you haven’t began any training outdoors where there are distractions then puppy classes are an excellent place to start.

Bonding time is an extremely important and rewarding aspect of raising your new puppy and can be reflected in more activities than just play sessions such as handling, grooming and training. We recommend taking as many photos of your puppy (as we all have done at Heathside) as you can because you’ll want to look back on these precious moments later!

(below) Mikki as a 5 month old puppy vying for our attention. Min Pins are known to stare, dance in circles and even bark to get you to pet or play with them!

Play And Bonding🐾

Although it’s probably the most fun aspect of having a puppy, it’s also an important one. Your puppy learns about their environment and other living things such as their littermates and you, through play. Your puppy will probably want to play with you the moment you get him home, at any opportunity he gets. Lots of play between you and your puppy is the easiest way to facilitate and strengthen bonding. Try some interactive games with toys such as tug toys where you take one end and your puppy takes the other or games of fetch with balls. Don’t be too rough and play at your puppy’s pace. As Min Pins are a particularly playful breed they appreciate a variety of toys and there are hundreds of thousands on the market. Hard plastic or rubber toys with squeakers in them are most suitable to leave your puppy with. These hard toys are great for teething when your puppy will need relief from the discomfort with some hard ones being squidgy with textured surfaces. Then there’s the soft stuffed animal toys which will likely be your puppy’s favourites. However they are not durable so be prepared for your puppy to tear into them and leave the stuffing they’ve ripped out all over your floor. The stuffing can be very dangerous if swallowed as it can cause intestinal blockages which may require surgery so you must clear it up immediately. We suggest you always supervise your puppy with stuffed toys-see here for more about toys. Allowing a limited amount of play with stuffed toys will also prolong their life as they tend to be the most expensive to replace. Having said that there are brands out there that make soft toys and they are far more durable-see here for more. Always rotate your puppy’s toys. The reason for this is that they get bored easily with some puppies deciding that it’s more fun to chew on your shoes or other inappropriate items. By rotating them you can keep them fresh and new for your puppy. Puppy’s have a large requirement for sleep which is between 18-20 hours a day and often will take frequent naps between play and other activities. You should let your puppy take his naps (sometimes in the middle of a hard play session) because his growing body needs it to recharge. A tired puppy will become visibly irritated and snappy or start biting which is not what you want if you have young children.

Puppy Biting, Mouthiness And Food Aggression🐾

All breeds of puppy go through a stage where they are exploring the world with their mouths. Added to this they are teething at the same time (see above) and so your puppy biting every object he sees including your hands can feel very relieving for him. You should be providing lots of toys for his teething stage but aside from that, your Min Pin puppy is likely biting because he’s communicating that he wants to play or he’s trying to get your attention. If it’s during play then consider when he used to play with his siblings nipping was a normal and fun part of the interaction. Your puppy doesn’t know that he’s not meant to communicate this way. Food aggression (also known as resource guarding) is a natural behaviour for many dogs and puppies where they are overprotective of their meals or objects such as their toys which can at worst result in owners being bitten. This undesirable behaviour should be trained out immediately before your puppy gets older. The good news is it’s relatively simple to do so. Try these powerful tips.

The simplest way to get your puppy to understand that mouthiness is wrong is to immediately get up silently and walk away from your puppy. Your puppy will make associations that play and fun is over when he does this. Never shout at your puppy because that will stimulate him even more.
When your puppy plays with their siblings they partially learn bite inhibition. This means that when he bites his siblings they will yelp loudly which communicates to him that it hurts. When your puppy bites you let out a loud “ow” or something to that effect and either get up and walk away or turn away from him. There is no need to talk to your puppy or shout at him.
Sometimes you may need to send a stronger message to your puppy. When your puppy has your hand in his mouth, press down on the middle of his tongue (not too harshly) with your finger or thumb and slide it towards the back of his throat. This will cause a reflex that results in an uncomfortable feeling. Usually puppies will stop biting after several times of this technique being used on them.
If your puppy has a food/resource guarding issue try this powerful tip. You should hand feed your puppy some of his meals daily. For food aggression your puppy will make positive associations with your hands and doing so also teaches your puppy to control his desire to bite your hands. Take a small amount of your puppy’s meal in your hand and if you feel your puppy’s teeth closing on you, close your fist. The moment he uses his tongue or you don’t feel the teeth then open your hand a little and allow him to have some of the food.

You must repeat these techniques for biting and resource/food guarding many times with all members of the household getting involved. Consistency is key.

Your Puppy’s First Vet Visit, Microchipping And Vaccinations🐾

You should take your new Min Pin puppy to a vet for a full health check-up within the first week you bring him home. Sometimes breeders will make an immediate vet check-up a condition of the puppy’s health guarantee and if anything serious is wrong, the breeder can in some cases replace the puppy. The vet will give your puppy a thorough physical examination especially checking your puppy’s eyes, ears, mouth, coat, temperature, weight, listening to his chest (heart and breathing) and feeling his abdomen. You can also get your puppy wormed at this time and microchipped (if he’s not already). If obtained from a breeder your puppy should be no less than 8 weeks old and so will have received his first core vaccination. A second core vaccination will be your responsibility and will need to be administered between 10 and 12 weeks. Timings between vaccines can vary from vet to vet. Core puppy vaccinations are very important and shouldn’t be missed as your puppy’s immune system is a lot weaker and susceptible to diseases than an adult dog’s. They will provide your puppy with the necessary protection as he grows. Between 6 months old and 1 year old your vet will ask that you bring your puppy back for booster vaccines. It used to be routine that dogs would be taken in for boosters every year for the rest of their life however it is now the opinion of many of into holistic dog health and nutrition and a growing number of dog owners alike that they are not a necessity. The reason is that in recent years there’s been concern with the possibility that dogs are being over-vaccinated which can cause autoimmune diseases such as allergies. It’s not all hot air because there is some scientific evidence that has proven the core vaccines actually provide almost lifetime protection when given to puppies just once.

Just like other aspects of dog health care the decision to give yearly boosters to your Min Pin is one where you have to balance the risks and the benefits. And for some of us at Heathside who support giving your Min Pin as natural a life as possible, it tends to be something we approach quite logically. You may ask yourself these questions; does my dog have much contact with other dogs? do I live in an area where there are regular outbreaks of these canine diseases? You’ll find some vets who do take this stance suggesting that lifestyle of your dog should be taken into account when deciding if boosters are necessary. Unfortunately most do not and will simply follow the traditions of the past 50 years. Even if you just want to do right by your dog and are concerned about over-vaccination there are options such as titre testing available which is essentially an antibody test. This will check what your dog’s antibody levels are for the diseases in the core vaccines and whether he truly needs a booster. If your Min Pin needs a particular vaccine but not others you would then need to find a vet who offers singular vaccines to one disease. This is because many vet practices offer a combination of them in one single shot (hence the reason for possible over-vaccination). The best thing to do is speak to your vet about your concerns and options and never be afraid to shop around for vets if you feel strongly about this. We are very careful with Mikki’s health and we choose to only vaccinate him when we know we need to board him for when we’re going away. Your Min Pin will need to have up to date vaccinations as he won’t be accepted into any kennels, dog boarding or day care otherwise. The exception is that you pay for a pet sitter or someone to come and attend to your Min Pin while you’re away (more below).

Canine adolescence can begin when your small breed puppy is still rather small and cute but internally his system is beginning to rage with hormones. This can make him temperamental, defiant and hyperactive and turn a deaf ear to all the training he has already succeeded at. Your puppy may also play more roughly with you. Just like with human teenagers the best way forward is to have patience and understanding to see your puppy through this confusing time and continue to reinforce training

(below) Mikki as a boisterous 6 month old adolescent puppy. Racing around like a maniac was the norm for him much to our dispair sometimes!

Adolescence Phase, Second Fear Period And Re-training🐾

As with all breeds of dog when your Min Pin puppy reaches his ‘teen’ phase around 5-10 months of age his behaviour can become more challenging. It is a transitionary phase however and it doesn’t last. Because of the behaviours and the sexual maturity that happens along with the teen phase owners tend to neuter their puppy as an answer and put a stop their puppy’s development. This is not an appropriate or necessary response however as your puppy isn’t mature. Neutering at this age will lessen the hormonal behaviours but will not address the fearfulness. In order to get through it successfully your puppy needs his hormones to complete this stage. Canine puberty is an important learning period where he further navigates important dog on dog socialisation that he must undergo. A puppy can turn into a literal brat often leaving bewildered owners wondering why their puppy has ‘forgotten’ all the training they excelled at in their previous months of life. And why has their puppy suddenly become reactive and fearful of stimuli that didn’t bother them previously. And why is their puppy being generally destructive and seemingly having fun in the process. As an owner you are left pulling your hair out at your puppy’s new found desire to want to test you. You may see behaviours such as not listening to commands or snapping at you as well as general overexcitement that’s outside the norm for your puppy. You will also see your puppy transform from being wholly focused on you to being fixated on behaving like a typical dog wanting to check out other dog’s messes outdoors as well as the desperation to meet and greet other dog’s bottoms with gusto. We found that Mikki became distracted easily during training, pulled even worse on the lead, jumped up and was unmanageable when we allowed him freedom off-lead. You’ll see that your male puppy will start showing male-typical behaviours see is cocking a leg and marking. He will mark every tree or lamp post or just about every object he sees on a walk. Your female puppy will do this too and during these months she could come into season. Unfortunately this marking behaviour could extend to your home even if your puppy is properly housebroken and so it’s very important to be observant. Your Min Pin puppy will become braver with other dogs if he was cautious before. He may try and square up to and snap at other dogs much bigger than himself but this is often testosterone-fuelled, male posturing, not necessarily leading to dog fights. So an obnoxious attitude will be blatant as well as your puppy becoming rougher in his play with you and with other dogs he meets. This is harmless roughhousing that you need to understand your puppy has to go through and that it’s unlikely to lead to fights. Your puppy’s socialisation with other dogs is VITAL during this time and it must learn to adapt as a young adult in its interaction with other dogs. So many dogs (small breeds especially) are snappy, dog-aggressive adults because their socialisation dried up as they transitioned from puppyhood. Allow your puppy to interact with other dogs at this time more than ever on the lead if needs be.

Another thing to expect is the second fear period where your puppy could become reactive and frightened by things that he was fine with before. Traffic noises, situational fear or just about anything could initiate a fear response. How you should deal with this is the same as when training him the first time. Act as if the feared stimuli are the most normal thing in the world, don’t react to them and give your puppy time to adjust. You should practice desensitization if you need. It’s important to have extra patience during this final stage of your puppy’s development and be prepared to reaffirm and reinforce his training. If you intend to neuter we suggest you wait until your Min Pin puppy is fully mature at 1 year of age.

Pet Sitting, Dog Boarding Or Day Care For When You’re Away🐾

At some point during your puppy’s life you may need to go away for work, emergency or take holidays leaving you needing to make provisions for your new pooch. Although there are a growing number of dog-friendly hotels around the UK for those taking staycations, in the event this isn’t a suitable option and friends and family are off table you need to find the best place you can leave your puppy. Your puppy is still growing and trying to navigate a world that’s relatively new to him and it will probably be the first time he’ll need to stay in an environment without any familiar people. So it can be stressful for your puppy. However with so many more options than traditional kennels now available there is plenty of choice. Day care offers short-term dog boarding and is good for daily stays or even if you need to leave your puppy for a few hours. It is becoming more popular here in the UK with day care establishments available up and down the country. Your puppy will be able to interact with staff who will give your puppy attention, entertainment, exercise and he’ll be mixing with other dogs. There are also companies offering dog boarding which is like day care but for nightly stays. These establishments typically have the word ‘hotel’ in their name and staff that stay overnight with them. The dog’s aren’t crated or caged at any time with plenty of space to run around. These newer facilities are rather different than kennel establishments which are declining in popularity. Many owners do not like the idea of their beloved pooch being left alone and confined to a cold, hard cage in an unfamiliar and often noisy environment for almost the entire day. Some dogs won’t be so affected by being caged for hours on end and may just sleep while some dogs may have full-on meltdowns and howl for hours. Think about the fact that dogs have just been separated from their owners, family and home environment. Many puppy and dog owners are opting to give their business to these establishments which provide the dogs with a more true to life living environment with caring human interaction and which caters for their daily needs. Then there is home from home boarding where you can leave your puppy to stay at the dog boarder’s home or they will allocate your puppy to others who offer to board dogs in their homes. These services can differ slightly depending on the company e.g. some home boarders will have other dogs staying with them at the time. Home boarding is great for your puppy mentally and emotionally because it offers the home environment that he is used to with all the home comforts. Mikki went to stay at a home boarder’s home twice and it was reported that he loved it and he bonded with her very well and also loved living with the other dogs. Lastly pet sitting is a very popular option because your puppy gets to stay in his own home with someone coming to your home as many times as you need to attend to your puppy’s needs. Providing your puppy is fully housebroken staying in his own home is probably the most beneficial for your puppy added to this having a dog sitter giving him attention and affection and being able to follow your puppy’s schedule while your gone can really help soothe any separation anxiety he may have. If he is an anxious puppy then being taken out of his own home for dog boarding can make him feel worse. The costs for these different services can vary a great deal and there are directory sites where you can find pet boarding and sitting services in your area. Pet services have become very popular recently and many people are offering their own services on advertising and listing sites. It’s our recommendation that you always go for pet sitters who have the most experience and if you want piece of mind some pet sitting companies offer fully vetted sitters only. All licensed dog boarding facilities including day care and kennels will require that your puppy is vaccinated and you’ll be asked for proof.