So, your little fluff-ball is reserved, and almost ready to go home! Are YOU ready to bring him home?
Here’s a few tips:
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1. Veterinarian – Have your puppy’s first official Veterinary appointment set up! I recommend visiting your vet within 72 hours of taking your puppy home. Our puppies will be ready for their 2nd round of shots the week they go home.
More Vet Info:
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2. Puppy Proof your house
Puppies get into EVERYTHING. A pup from our Litter-A had to go to the vet when he decided to EAT some dirty laundry. We had a puppy that would try to sneak dryer sheets. Puppies are like crawling babies. If they can fit it in their mouth, they will try to eat it!
More Puppy-Proofing help:
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3. Have a crate.
We work on the basics of crate-training while your puppy is here. They have access to the crate, 
and are comfortable in the crate. Most of them choose to sleep in the security of the crate. Our grown dogs also love their crates. Karma’s crate is her den, her little haven away from the hustle and bustle of a house of kids. She feels safe and relaxed in there. Some nights, we will look around for her, and find her curled in her crate, snoring happily, with the door wide open.
The crate training process can be long and tricky, but your puppies are coming home with a basic positive experience with crates. We use treat-incentives to crate train. Toss a treat in the crate, and praise them when they check it out. After they are comfortable going in and out, close the door for a minute. Give them treats and praise! The whole idea is to make the crate a safe, happy place for your puppy. Then when they need to be in the crate, it is a relaxing retreat for them! We’ve used the same training with adult dogs who have never been crate trained, and it has worked well for us.
Every dog is different in what makes their crate a sanctuary for them. Koda likes some bedding. Karma hates having bedding in there! Karma will rip up bedding, making it unsafe for her. A great accessory to the crate is a large blanket to throw over the crate to help it be dim inside and feel like a true “den” for the dog.
“Introduction to Crate Training”
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{PART 2} Coming soon!
Happy Berners 