Puppy Info

Puppy Rearing

To best set puppies up for success, my goal is to maximize the amount of training and exposure I can do with them before they leave for their permanent homes. For the first two weeks, I do ENS daily. Puppies will be trained on litter boxes using paper pellets, which doesn’t cause issues with pottying on carpet, rugs, towels, blankets, etc. like potty pads can. This also can transfer easily to pottying outside. Puppies will be exposed to various dogs and cats, different kinds of strangers, all sorts of environmental enrichment, crates, and even horses and cattle when they are older. They will be groomed, handled, and examined regularly and have their nails done starting at a young age. Temperament testing will be performed at 7 weeks (Vollhard). They will be up to date on vaccines and microchipped with lifetime registration through AKC Reunite (performed by myself, a licensed veterinarian) by the time they are ready to go home. Unlike with larger breeds, chihuahua puppies can have issues regulating blood glucose even at 10+ weeks of age. As such, puppies will have their final evaluations around 12 weeks of age and can begin going home after that, provided that they are stable.