www.roanoke.com

Paws & Claws

Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas. She lives in Blacksburg now, and answers local pet owners' questions every week in The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.

Recent columns

• Bacteria can cause ear infections in cats
• Chiari is a malformation of the back for some spaniels
• Your plant smells like a great spot to ...
• Sting salve: meat tenderizer

Q: I'm new to the area and just found your column, and I'm hoping you can help me. I'm about to become a mom to a male fox red Labrador puppy born this week. I haven't had a dog since childhood and I need to figure out how to care for a puppy and how to train a Lab. I was looking at a few different videos and training series, but do you have any recommendations?

A: Puppies are usually ready to move to their new home at 8 weeks old; socializing with people should have begun by at least 6 weeks.

If you have a long journey from the breeder to your home, ask that the puppy miss its last meal to help with any carsickness issues. Be prepared with a blanket, newspapers, towels and a damp cloth. Carry the puppy by supporting it under the chest, back legs and rump and have it on someone's knees in the car. Do not leave it alone on the back seat.

The breeder should give you a copy of the pedigree, registration papers, a diet sheet with times and quantities of feeding, and, if possible, a bag of the food it is accustomed to eating. The breeder also should provide documentation of when it was wormed, any vaccinations and other veterinary treatment.

Decide where the puppy will sleep; I am in favor of crate-training because it gives the puppy a small place to call its own and it definitely helps with house training because puppies will avoid soiling their nest. Failing the use of a crate, the kitchen, downstairs bathroom or utility room are good options. Initially a cardboard box free of staples and lined with newspaper and a blanket makes a good bed. Spread plenty of newspapers on the floor around the box for any accidents. Later on, when the chewing stage is past, a proper dog bed can be provided.

The best feeding and drinking bowls are untippable stainless steel. Plastic bowls are easy to chew, and ceramic bowls break too easily. In order to confine the puppy to the kitchen, children's stair gates may be fitted to the entrances.

Initially a loudly ticking clock or the radio, along with a soft toy, will help the puppy settle. Remember, this is his first time away from his siblings and mother, and he is bound to be lonely. Don't have him in your bedroom unless you are prepared to always have him there and be awakened several times a night.

House training is not hard, but it does require patience and consistency. At 8 weeks old, your puppy needs to be taken out to relieve himself every two hours during the day. Always take him to the same spot in the yard and praise him when he performs. Stay outside with him until he does eliminate. Do not punish him for the inevitable accidents in the house, but take him to the yard immediately. Always take him outside immediately upon waking and within 20 minutes of eating. The last trip outside is preferably about midnight and again at 6 a.m. If the yard is not fenced he should be on a leash, and no games until he has relieved himself so he realizes that this is not playtime.

At 8 weeks your puppy will weigh between 12 and 16 pounds and should be fed four times daily. By the time he is 12 to 16 weeks old and weighs 20 to 24 pounds, the meals can be reduced to three daily, until approximately 6 months old. I always feed my Labradors twice daily to reduce the risk of gastric torsion.

Until your puppy has had all his vaccinations, he should not be allowed to mix with other dogs or be taken to areas where many dogs frequent, such as dog parks. Do not risk his coming in contact with the diseases against which he is being vaccinated.