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Answers to some of your questions about Puppy Care... Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian. I am simply a Toy Poodle breeder who has learned
a number of effective things on prevention of disease and maintainance of poodle health. To that end, please understand that
I am not prescribing or diagnosing your poodle's health issues.
New puppy parents are usually full of questions about how to best care for their new baby. On this page, I will try to cover some of the most frequent, basic questions on feeding, training & general care.
Feeding
Some pups get very involved in their eating program!
Providing a high-quality food is one of the most important parts of puppy care. There are many different
brands on the market today...how do you pick a good one? Because of all the recent problems we've seen with processing, we
have decided to feed our poodles a scientifically based diet, prepared here at the farm.
Preparing the daily meals for our poodles guarantees that they have the best, freshest food available with
no additives, preservatives or hormones.
If you really do not feel that you can take the time to prepare your poodle's meals, you could consider
a commercial diet. Look for a food that does not use corn, or include animal by-products, chemical preservatives or dyes.
We usually recommend Healthy Pet Net's "Life's Abundance" as a good basic food, and it is available on line. If you can't
or prefer not to order online, there are sometimes also other high quality foods available in grocery stores and similar places.
How much and how often to feed? We feed our pups twice a day here. For toy poodle pups, we recommend
1/3 c. of food twice a day. If your pup seems hungry after he eats, offer a tablespoon or so more. As long as your pup maintains
a good weight, adjust the amount you offer to suit him. Supplement your pup's diet with raw beef bones, chewies and other
items that will help him with teething and also keep his teeth clean and free of debris. As your pup grows, you can leave
dry food out for him all the time, a feeding style called "free choice".
 What do I mean my "maintaining a good weight"? In my experience as a breeder, very young pups rarely get
too fat or too thin. They pretty much eat what they need and no more. However, as they grow, other factors come into play.
Young males may tend to be thinner than you would like if they are exposed to other females, or are just allowed to be generally
excitable. To tell if your poodle is in good weight, place her on a table, facing away from you. Now, put your hands around
her at the rib cage. Can you clearly feel ribs, as though you could count them? Now run your hand along her spine. Can you
clearly feel or count her vertabrae? If so, you poodle is too thin. Try supplementing her with canned food or try the recipe
for "Satin Balls". Our poodles LOVE Satin Balls. They are not especially cheap to make, but they are excellent for treats,
training and adding weight.
Here is one recipe for Satin Balls...
10 pounds hamburger meat [the cheapest kind] 1 lg. box of Total cereal [or comparable natural brand] 1 lg. box oatmeal 1 jar of wheat germ 1 1/4 cup veg oil 1 1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses 10 raw eggs 10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin pinch of salt Mix all ingredients together, much like you would a meatball. Divide into 10 quart freezer bags and freeze. Thaw as needed Note from Kristen: I make these into meatball size servings - about 1" in diameter. I freeze them in bags of 12. If I have a poodle who needs to put on weight, I give her 2-3 of these a day, plus her regular food. These work really well as snacks and training treats. You would not believe how fast you can teach a poodle to "sit" using these as rewards! When I use them as treats for dogs without weight problems, I divide a ball into quarters, since we are going for taste, not nutrition. In addition to good food, be sure your pup has clean fresh water to drink. I do limit water during the house-training
phase, but once the pup is house-trained, I offer unlimited access to water.
Vaccinations There is currently a great deal of controversy regarding canine vaccinations, with widely varying opinions
on which vaccination (if any) should be given and how often. Added to that is the argument against life-long vaccination schedules,
versus one adult shot per ten years or so. Here at Stoney Hollow, we tend to take the middle road. While I do feel that dogs
in general tend to be over-vaccinated, I also think there is a real need for ongoing vaccinations throughout the puppy's
life. We don't want to over do, but we do want to ensure that we give each puppy the best possible oportunity for a healthy
life. If you would like to read a little more about vaccinations, click the link below:
Parasites Ugh. Fleas, ticks, worms - can we talk about someting a little less disgusting? Unsettling as it may be.
parasites are a fact of life with dogs - toy poodles included. If you don't understand the problem or don't take the necessary
precautions, your poodle WILL have parasites of all kinds. In this section, I'm going to address several different kinds of
very common parasites, list preventative measures and offer inexpensive resources for obtaining the supplies you need. Yes,
you can get everything I recommend at the vet. However, you will pay a GREAT DEAT MORE for it. I am going to tell you what
we do here at Stoney Hollow and show you how to do something similar to give your poodle optimal preventative health care
and a nominal cost. Ready? Let's Go!
Fleas & Ticks Fleas and ticks are the most obvious parasites. You really can't miss them. First, your poodle will start scratching like crazy, maybe biting and licking around the base of her tail and her ears. If you look on these areas, and also on her belly, you may actually see fleas running around. Look deep into her coat right on her skin and you may see brown flecks that looks like dirt - that's flea dirt. There are several things you can do to prevent and/or eliminate fleas. Many people use flea baths, flea soaps, sprays, etc. We don't. We have found, living here in the mountains where fleas are in great abundance, that all of that is a waste of money and effort. For us, we have found that the single-most effective treatment available is Frontline. This product is available in drops, which most everyone is familiar with, and a very handy spray that comes in two sizes. You can order spray on Frontline from Lambriar Animal Products, and I will give you a link for that in a moment. You can also order the drops very inexpensively from the Pets Megastore. This outlet is in Australia, but I have found that converting the Aussie dollar to American is a great advantage for us, as it makes the Frontline and Advantage flea products about half of what you would pay here in the states. It takes about the same amount of time to ship here as most mail-order companies(4-5 business days), and the shipping is not significantly more. I ordered from the PetsMegastore when we were still using Frontline drops and highly recommend them.  Ticks are not as common on toy poodles. This is probably due to the fact that most toy poodles don't do
a lot of running around in tall grass, which is where ticks love to hide. They kind of jump off the grass onto your poodle,
then crawl around until they find a good spot (usually behind the ears). Once they find a spot they like, they bite into your
poodle's skin and begin to suck blood. Ticks are not very big when they first attach - perhaps as small as 1/8" in diameter.
But when they start to fill with blood, they get huge, disgorged with blood and disgusting. You can remove a tick by placing
an alcohol filled cotton ball over it, squeezing some alcohol onto it. Then take a tissue and gently pull the tick off. You
want to be sure to kill it with alcohol first, as it will remove it's head from your poodle's skin as it dies. If you just
tear it off the poodle's skin, you may tear the head off, leaving it in the skin and possibly causing an infection. To me,
an infection is better than a tick, but if you can prevent a problem, you should do it.
Internal Parasites (Worms) Roundworms: Also known as "puppy worms", These are probably the most common worms in dogs. Nearly every dog has them and will keep getting them. Roundworms are contracted through the mothers milk and contaminated soil. They show up the your poodle's stool or vomit (if they have a really bad case) and look like thin, curly spaghetti. Other signs of roundworm are rough coats, bloated belly, diarherra and vomiting but most infestations are not that obvious. Hookworms: These appeas as small white or reddish-brown segments less than an inch long. These worms "hook" onto your poodle's intestinal lining and feed on their blood. They release eggs into the intestine, which is then passed on through the feces. Hookworms cause blood loss, which can lead to anemia - potentially fatal to puppies. Tapeworms: Usually seen in freshly passed stool, tapeworm segments are white or pinkish white and resemble grains of rice, Normally, they are harmless but annoying. There are two types most common here in the U.S. the flea tapeworm is the most common. That is one reason why flea control is so vital. The other type of tapeworm involves the poodle biting into a host animal such as a mouse or rabbit. Heartworm: This worm also looks spaghetti like, but you won't ever see it. It gets into the heart of your poodle, where it grows and eventually fills the heart enough so that it can no longer function. Heartworm is very easy to prevent and extremely difficult to cure. Here is another case where prevention is very important. Prevention & Treatment Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian. I am simply a Toy Poodle breeder who has learned a number of effective things on prevention of disease and maintainance of poodle health. To that end, please understand that I am not prescribing or diagnosing your poodle's health issues. If you have questions, please see your vet. We use three main products here at Stoney Hollow in prevention of the parasites mentioned above. Panacur/Safe-Guard(fenbendazole): This is available through your vet as Panacur, but is also available generically as "Safe-Guard". It is extremely effective against roundworms, whipworms and hookworms, but not against tapeworms - although the label does claim tapeworm. As Safe-guard, it is considered a livestock wormer. The dosage for liquid or paste is 1 cc per 10 lbs., once a day for 3 consecutive days. Other breeders use other dosages, but this is what my vet recommended for toys poodles. We have found fenbendazole to be very effective at this dosage. We buy it in 1000 mg. bottles from Lambriar, which costs us approximately 11¢ per dose, or 33¢ per treatment. You can also get it at your local feed-stores and sometimes even Wal-Mart in paste form. The large bottles are expensive, but the liquid is easier to use than the paste. The paste works out to something like 35¢ a dose/$1.05 per treatment. Praziquantel: Tapeworms are more difficult to handle. There is really only one effective drug to resolve tapeworms. Previously available only through prescription, Praziquantel (also known as Droncit) is 100% effective in all field trials. You only need one tablet per 6-10 lbs - which is the size of most toy poodles. It is available through most animal veterinary supply catalogs now, but Lambriar has the best prices. Ivermectin: Also known as Ivomec, this is a cattle/sheep/swine dewormer that is especially effective against heartworm, In a multi-dog situation, it is the only way to go. You can also buy heartworm medications through the Pets Megastore. Unless your poodle has already started a heartworm prevention program, , please have your toy poodle tested for heartworm before you begin preventative treatment. If she already has heart worm, the wormer will kill the worm in her heart and possibly cause congestive heart failure. You MUST have her tested before you start unless she is already on a heartworm medication. Our puppies have already been started on heartworm medication in the form of Ivomec before they leave here. For more information on intestinal parasites, treatments and resources, visit "Beagles Unlimited", listed below.
Grooming
To me, there is nothing more beautiful than a freshly groomed toy poodle. It doesn't matter to me which clip she's in - fancy or everyday - as long as she's clean and beautiful. Personally, I prefer a modified kennel clip, and that is what you see on nearly all of my poodles. I use this clip because it is attractive, "poodle-y" and easy to maintain. I like to have their faces clipped because I love to be able to see their little faces. I keep their feet clipped because then they aren't dragging in leaves, grass, mud, etc. Some folks prefer that their poodle stays shaggy, with a fuzzy face and fuzzy feet. That's fine, as long as you are willing to maintain them. This means they needs to be brushed out DAILY, and that can be a lot of work. Grooming for your toy poodle is about more than just appearance. They need to have a clean, parasite-free coat. Toy poodles tend to develop flea allergies very easily, so it is best to be sure that she has no fleas. This will also help to prevent a tapeworm infestation. Unkept poodles also develop more tear staining, because the hair gets in their eyes and makes them run. Also, tears, dirt and normal eye mucous can accumulate in the inner corners of their eyes and cause sores and infections. You may choose to take your poodle to a professional groomer. Shop around and look at examples of their work. Be very clear with the groomer about what you want and what she is able to do, based on the type and condition of your poodle's coat. It is difficult, if not impossible, to get a very nice clip on a poodle who is badly matted. On those poodles, it is usually best to shave them close and let the hair re-grow, being careful to take better care of it as it grows out. Shaving their coat in this case is not only easier on the groomer, it is MUCH easier on your poodle. Her fur will grow out again - another chance for you to keep it brushed and combed so she can have a nice clip next time! If you do your own grooming, there are a number of tools and books you should purchase before you start. For a listing of great poodle grooming sites, including how-to's, click here:
Start teaching your puppy to tolerate grooming as soon as you get her home. She should be very used to being brushed and combed, having her feet touched and face clipped. If you do not do your own grooming, it is still very important that you at least teach her to stand quietly on a table and allow you to brush and comb her, and pick up her feet to examine them. This will make her experience with a professional groomer much more pleasant for both the pup and the groomer. If you do your own grooming, it will be so much faster and easier for you if you have a trained, quiet pup to work on. Wether you do your own grooming or not, I recommend you invest $20 or so in one of the small Wahl Pocket Clippers. They run on one "AA" battery and are about 4" long. The blade is a #30, which gives a very close cut. This little clipper is ideal for puppies faces and feet, as it is small emough to get into the hard to reach spaces (like between the toes), and very quiet so as not to frighten the pup. As the pup grows, you will find the Wahl clipper indispensible for keeping the face and feet clipped and neat on a weekly basis between her full grooming sessions. Most professional groomers would like to see your toy poodle come in every 4-6 weeks for a total grooming session. Believe me, your toy poodle can look pretty shaggy and rough in that amount of time if you don't keep her face and feet clipped and keep her coat brushed out. Even if you use a professional groomer, you will still have daily and weekly grooming requirements to keep your toy poodle happy, healthy and beautiful. You can find nearly every shampoo, conditioner, grooming equipment or book you will every need at this site, where we shop all the time. In fact, I send one of their catalogs home with every puppy.
House Training Your Puppy
Housetraining your pup is extremely important. More dogs are abandoned, returned and destroyed everyday because they made a mess in the living room (again) than any other "sin" they could commit. Toy poodles are extremely intelligent and eager to please, so housetraining is usually accomplished fairly quickly on the age of the pup. Our training CD, "Good Dog! House Training Your Dog with Love", offers simple, practical ways to house train your pup. Also included are patterns for belly bands and pup panties, just in case! Adapting to Other Pets We take great pride in the amount of effort we make to socialize our pups before they go to their new families.All Stoney Hollow Puppies have been handled, loved, and played with almost since birth. As a result, I feel that we have a vastly superior puppy, in terms of outgoing personalities, general happiness and ability to adapt to new situations. That being said, there are still certain circumstances where you pup may need some help adapting.
Your House - Puppy's New Home It is a wise new puppy parent who already has everything your pup will need BEFORE he gets there. A crate, toys, blankets, puppy training pads or newspapers, food and water dishes and food are all things your pup will need as soon as he walks in the door. Having these things ready will save you a lot of headache and make the transition to your home much easier for your pup. You may find that your pup is shy or quiet for the first couple of days, but this is very normal and he will learn to adapt to your home very quickly if you follow these guidelines. Children and Pets I recommend that you not allow small children to hold or handle your pup at any time without supervision. Though they mean well, lttle children just do not realize fragile how a pup can be. Don't let any one handle him roughly, ever. And for the first few days at least, try to avoid loud noises. By the same token, introduce your new puppy to your other family pets very gradually. Your older pets may show some jealousy, but they will over come this if you don't favor the pup over them (at least not in their presence). Never leave your pup unsupervised with a bigger, older dog. Play can easily turn into something far more dangerous, and your pup could be badly injured or killed. I know, you're thinking, who could think that your old family pet could ever do something like that. But it does happen and it is best to just not take any chances with your pup's healthy and safety. Thanks for visiting our website! If you have any other questions, please email me and I will try
to help!
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