Hello,

I'd like to thank you for thinking of offering a forever home for one of our "special babies".  Here at Mystemas Poms, your new arrival will have been cared for in a certain way, and, this little booklet is intended to help you and your new Pommie make a smooth and happy adjustment.  Please read this completely  before you get your puppy so you have a chance to give consideration to everything contained in it. 

Please, read everything and follow the recommendations.  If you trusted us enough to adopt this "baby" from us,  also trust  that we have very sound reasons for our recommendations.  Any opinions stated here are of course, our own, from years of breeding and raising puppies.

            Feed your new baby a 1/2 inch of Nutri-cal off the end of your finger and make sure your baby has a drink (use bottled water ). Travelling is very stressful for puppies.

            Follow my enclosed feeding recommendations and schedule.  Do not deviate or you will chance severe bowel upset.  This causes dehydration and death in tiny puppies before you can blink.  We recommend you DO NOT change the dog food brand unless discussed with us first. 

            Use bottled water for the first month "Dasani" or something similar and gradually add your tap water after that at 10% per day.  Tap water is full of chemicals your puppy has never had so unless your tap water if filtered and chemical free consider keeping your puppy on Nimbus or something similar. Never use soft water.  Changes in water sometimes put puppies off of drinking, cause severe diahrea and stomach upset, if your puppy doesn't have water he will dehydrate and die very quickly.  We use porcelian and stainless heavy bottom dishes as poms loves to flip the water dish. (we use Nimbus water here) Some of our poms are so tiny they could accidentally fall in a dish of water and not be able to scramble out the slippery sides... use caution when choosing a water dish... ice cream pails are bad... Wash your dishes daily.

            Your new baby needs a schedule just like a human baby.  Poms play so hard they forget to rest and can actually forget to stop and eat, drink or sleep... after a few minutes of play, settle your puppy down, and put him or her away in their sleeping place for a snooze... you may have to hold them till they fall asleep and then move them to an area for sleeping.  If your puppy gets overtired you risk a hypoglycemic attack.  Read the hypoglycemia page I have enclosed so you can identify the signs of an attack and know what to do.

Feeding your Pom Baby

            Anytime you switch foods, even within the same maker, blend the new food with the old 10% per day until converted.  Avoid fast changes, it causes severe upset in your baby and can lead to life threatening health situations.

            Raw hide bones are okay when supervised.  When they get it down to a little piece you must take it away and toss it out.  Toys, toys and more toys... but, none with beans, rice or styrofoam beads.  Inspect and toss any toys that are coming apart.

            Never feed pig ears, or sauced bones, they cause digestive upset. 

A word about SCRAPS - most breeders get very adamant about not feeding their/your dogs scraps... perhaps this is because their dogs live in kennels and not in their homes as members of their family.  It is easy not to feed treats if they don't live as part of your family.  No way around it, in our home, our dogs get treats... I am unable to say no to those adoring begging Pommies.  That said, we are very careful what we give them, and how much... Example:  little puppies get a bit of wet dog food (Science Diet canned Puppy Food)... a piece half the size of dime - that's it! really, nothing else!

Adults might get a couple pieces of niblets corn,  or a tiny bit of cheese off our plates when we are done... do our dogs beg? you bet they do! does it annoy me? sometimes.... if you don't want your dog to beg resist and don't feed them from your plate!  If your like us and don't really mind, be sure you feed a tiny amount as their stomachs only hold a heaping tablespoon as adults! Just like humans, they will eat too much and bloat if it's good!  Remember how you feel at Thanksgiving?  If you do feed treats, some of our Poms favorites are a tiny bit of watermelon or cantalope, any meat product invented, corn, peas, cheese, a tiny bit of toast, .... just remember it is supposed to be tiny - little, they aren't to get full on it, and always wait until you are done eating, or they suck another piece out of you then... you must not let your Pom get fat, or give them too much or they will not eat their dog food and then you have trouble on your hands! 

Appropriate Toys

If it's good enough for a kitten or a baby, it's likely good enough for your Pom... just remember, no beans or beads of any kind in the stuffing... our kids love my husbands old socks, with a knot tied in the middle, and sometimes we put a little rubber ball in the toe end before we tie the knot.  We buy toys from the kitten section sometimes, as well as leashes and tiny collars. I also buy toys from the Buck Stores and make sure I inspect them for damage... wash toys weekly and let them air dry.

Nothing beats an ice cube for fun on the floor...

Rawhide bones, the white ones, without sauces are great but watch when they start to get smaller as puppies can swallow a big piece and choke or get a blockage easily.

Restraint

Your new baby is way too small for any dog collar you might find... go to the kitten section and pick a light little adjustable collar and use it only when you have too, as it can cause hair loss and matting...  same with the leash, use a tiny little string out of the kitten section.

Crates:  We use crates in combination with exercise pens.  Sometimes you have to put your animals away for their safety or because a guest is allegic or afraid.  Teach your puppy that a crate is his or her safe zone and a good place not a punishment.  I crate train all my dogs the same way, and it works really well so I will give you a point by point description:

·           Pups are in the nursery inside a playpen, with a crate (door removed) with their mother.  They can go in and out of the crate at will and learn to deficate on the washable reuseable piddle pads outside the crate.

·           When I wean the pups stay in the same nursery pen, and moms leave to the rest of the house.  Moms go back in for brief snacks.  Eventually no snacks allowed.

·           An individual pup, can be in your bedroom, even on the bed in a crate, and when they cry, you may have to potty them or just stick your fingers through the door for reassurance. Some babies stress and won't quit crying... those babies may have to fall asleep in your arms and then you sneak them into the crate once they have fallen fast asleep.  Some people let them cry themselves to sleep like they did their children. I am not one of those people and I hope you aren't either. 

·           If you choose not to crate train your puppy, make sure you have a safe environment for the baby when you cannot be watching it like an exercise pen. Go to someplace like Petcetera and get a 24 or 30 inch high exercise pen... they are collapsible, portable and infinitely handy things!

·           You can crate train at any age. 

·           If you wish to crate train an older dog, without excessive trauma, I will be happy to help you at that time with instructions.

·           Never yell, scold, or chastise your pup and toss them in a crate.  The crate is associated with being in trouble and you will never have a content Pom that way.

Grooming

Practice good grooming. A Pom is easy to groom and only needs brushing every few days, our babies get brushed everyday to keep them clean and teach them patience.  Use a small slicker brush and a small fine toothed comb. At first I hold the puppy in one hand and brush with the other, as the puppy gets older I encourage him or her to lay on their side in front of me on the grooming table... a foot stools works excellent!  Brush in sections, against the grain (from tail to head) so that the coat will not lay flat.  I always brush the tail last. All my dogs know they are almost done when I get to the tail!  To avoid matts, brush all the way to the skin carefully removing all loose undercoat. Clip nails regularly. Clip carefully to avoid cutting the quick. Bath with a good quality shampoo once a month or as needed. CAUTION: Brush your Pom thoroughly BEFORE bathing. If your dog is blowing undercoat, and you do not brush it out before bathing, the water and shampoo will cause your dog to mat severely just like a felt pad.  Blow dry your dog completely so he will not chill. In the begining this can be a two man job as they are not naturally fond of noisey blow dryers! After bathing, carefully clip the hair between the toe pads for sanitary reasons and tidiness. Clip up to the first joint of the leg and around the edges of the feet so that they look like tidy "cat's feet." Clip the unruly hair from the top of the ears by protecting the ear leather with two fingers and cutting straight across the top of the ear with the other hand. Use caution until you are experienced with this or you may cut the ear leather. Also for sanitary reasons, clip a small circle around the anus regularly. Check the anus regularly for fecal matter that may have become hardened, and prevent your puppy from defecating.  Around 10-12 weeks old, most Poms begin a stage called "puppy uglies." As the baby coat begins to transition over to adult coat, your puppy will look rather scruffy and gangly. Depending on the puppy, he will begin to coat up and his features soften again at 6-9 months. During this stage it is important to keep your puppy well groomed, particularly exercising care to brush out all loose undercoat to avoid matting. 

It is extremely important to keep your dog's teeth clean. Dirty and decaying teeth cause a number of health concerns such as heart and kidney problems, bacterial toxicities, and extremely bad breath. However, with toy dogs like Poms, this is often easier said than done. Toys have a propensity for bad teeth, and extreme care must be taken to prevent serious decay.

Following are some suggestions to help:

1) Give puppies toys early. If they get in the habit of chewing on toys, they will keep their teeth much cleaner. Make sure any toys given do not have small pieces that could be chewed off and choked on.

2) Feed a premium dry food as much as possible. Canned food, low quality foods that contain sugar, and many commercially prepared "doggie treats" promote tooth decay. If you want to give treats, you can broil chicken, or use a dehydrator, cut it into small pieces and keep it in a zip lock baggie in the freezer. Your chicken will last several months in a freezer baggie. You can also give small bits of cheese as treats. Cherrios work great as treats too, just not too many!

3) You can also offer things like chew toys, chew hooves, & rawhide chews.

4) If your Poms' teeth are very dirty, the only way get them completely clean is to have them professionally cleaned at your veterinarian. After a professional cleaning, you can scale them yourself every month or so to keep them clean.  Some people like to use a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste to clean their dog's teeth each day. Other alternatives to a toothbrush are gauze or a "finger brush." Dental instruments for scaling, and dog toothbrushes/toothpaste are available from most pet supply catalogues. If you start as a puppy with the doggy toothbrush idea, you can cut down on professional cleanings.

Housebreaking

When we have an accident the most important thing is an immediate response... if you don't catch them in the act just clean it up as they have 7 second memory span and after that your just wasting your time and confusing them... we use a shaking finger and "bad".  I won't delve deeper into housebreaking, as there are so many sites on the internet that it's redundant.  Make sure you look for toy breed specific information, as toys are more difficult to housetrain than large breeds.   As always, I am available for specific questions, or would be happy to send you links if you have trouble finding sites.

Veterinarian

Your puppy comes with current shots, dewormings and his own health certificate indicating received treatments and recommended treatments.  In order for your guarantee to be valid, you must take the puppy to the vet within 48 hours of receiving it.

Find a good vet, get your baby checked, and make sure you vaccinate and deworm according to what is best for your pet. 

Vaccination protocols are changing.  The University of Guelph recently released updated vaccination recommendations.  These include all the vaccinations/boosters until one year of age, and then every three years after that.  Naturally, they want you to come in each year for a different shot, otherwise how would they still get that outrageous exam fee!

·           Look it up on the net and make informed decisions.

When to call the VET

 It takes very little time for such a tiny animal to become seriously and dangerously ill.  Dehydration occurs very quickly.  Digestive upset, failure to eat, overheating, over cooling, stress can all affect your puppy and require immediate intervention.

The following are emergency situations, don't wait, call the vet now, or if you are still unsure call me,  I'd much rather you wake me up in the middle of the night, than you call me in the morning in tears...

·           your puppy is vomitting repeatedly (more than twice in an hour) and seems weak and listless

·           your puppy has diahrea more than twice in a short period of time, and seems weak

·           your puppy does not drink and sleeps excessively, or cries constantly

·           your puppy has a combination of the above

·           your puppy is unco-ordinated and appears to stagger drunkenly, or struggles to get up

·           your puppy shows no interest in what is happening around him/her

·           your puppy seems injured or limps, your puppy cries when it walks

Hypoglycemia - What is hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is a common problem with all toy breed puppies. Veterinarians unfamiliar with toys often mis-diagnose the condition as viral hepatitis or encephalitis. As a toy breeder or pet owner, it is important to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia and know how to treat it. Hypoglycemia is easily treatable in the early stages, but fatal if allowed to progress. Many puppies are lost needlessly to hypoglycemia because of ignorance on the part of their owner or veterinarian.

The first sign of hypoglycemia is the puppy slowing down and then acting listless. The puppy will then begin to tremble or shiver. This is a reaction caused as the brain is starved for glucose. The trembling is followed by a blank stare and the puppy lying on his side. He may also experience convulsions. After a time, the puppy will become comatose. His body will be limp, lifeless, and the tongue and gums will be a grayish/blue color. The body temperature will be subnormal. The puppy may even appear to be dead. This is the stage most people see because they miss the first more subtle signs. Remember to pay attention to your puppy.

If caught in the early stages, treatment is simple. Rub Nutri-Cal (Caro syrup will do if you have no Nutri-Cal) on the puppy's gums, under the tongue, and on the roof of the mouth. (Caution: do not use honey.) Get a heating pad or heating blanket and slowly warm the puppy to proper body temperature. If the puppy responds, all is well. Feed a quality canned food right away (you may want to mix it with egg yolk) and then monitor the puppy to be sure that the condition does not recur. Be sure to eliminate the stress that caused the episode if at all possible.

If caught in the more advanced stages, treatment is more complicated. Always assume that the puppy is alive. Rub Nutri-Cal or Caro in the mouth, and carefully insert a small amount in the rectum. Slowly warm the puppy to normal body temperature (101-102 degrees F) and keep him warm continuously with light heat. If the puppy still does not respond, carefully eye dropper dextrose solution or Caro water into the mouth, a little at a time. Hopefully you are already on your way to the vet, if not Call your veterinarian and inform him that you have a hypoglycemic puppy.(and you are on the way!) He will prepare a warmed dextrose solution to inject subcutaneously and may put your puppy on an IV drip.  Always, head for the vet immediately.

It is important to understand that just because a puppy has an episode of hypoglycemia, it does not mean that the puppy is truly "hypoglycemic." True hypoglycemia is a chronic condition caused by overproduction of insulin by the pancreas. Even though the pancreas may normally function properly, toy puppies can still have an isolated hypoglycemic incident in reaction to stress. Hypoglycemic incidents are almost always preceded by a stress of some kind. Some examples of common stresses include: weaning, teething, vaccinations, a change in environment, shipping, over-handling, cold temperatures, intestinal parasites, infections, anorexia, etc. Many puppies simply play too hard and stress their system or forget to eat. I have heard of young males experiencing hypoglycemia when a female in heat is around. They become so worked up over the female that they do not eat and their blood sugar drops.

Tiny dogs often do not have the fat reserves to supply adequate glucose in times of stress or when they do not eat regularly. Hypoglycemia most often occurs when the puppy has not eaten for several hours. This is not always the case, however. A puppy can have eaten recently and still show sings of hypoglycemia if his system is stressed and the food has not been digested and assimilated. It is important to "free feed" toy puppies a high quality food. Toy puppies simply have too high of an energy level to be restricted to scheduled feedings. Most do fine if switched to scheduled feedings when they reach adulthood, but they must have access to food and water at all times when they are puppies. If you like to give your puppy canned food, you can schedule the feeding of the canned, but allow access to kibble at all times.

A summary of important reminders is as follows:

1) Always keep Nutri-Cal or Caro (Corn Syrup) on hand. This is the quickest way to revive a hypoglycemic puppy.

2) If you ever see your puppy becoming listless, or laying on his side and acting unresponsive IMMEDIATELY rub Nutri-Cal or Caro on his gums, under his tongue, and on the roof of the mouth. Slowly warm him to normal body temperature with a heating pad. Feed him as soon as he responds. Call your veterinarian if the puppy does not quickly respond.

3) Keep your puppy from chilling, free of parasites, and minimize stress.

4) See that your puppy eats often and maintains a proper body weight.

5) Do not over-handle your puppy. Be sure to allow him rest time and alone time. Like all babies, puppies need to have a regular schedule of rest, meals, play and potty.

Coccidiosis is spread when an animal ingests infective cysts that are passed in the stools. Cysts may be passed by animals with an active infection as well as carriers that show no clinical signs but continue to harbor infection. There is a common misconception that coccidiosis is only a problem in filthy and crowded kennels. This is simply not the case. Puppies and Dogs carry coccidiosis.  It is best treated with the drug Nova Trimel or another sulfa combination drug prescribed by your veterinarian or your breeder.  If you suspect your puppy has coccidiosis take a fresh stool sample into the vet, and ask for it to be tested.  Be aware that a stool sample can easily test negative for coccidiosis even when the puppy has the parasite.  Consult your breeder... ask the vet about negative test results even when the puppy is infected and treat anyway... You should not have to take the dog unless he is very ill, and the vet should be able to diagnose  and prescribe from the stool sample.  (use a clean pill bottle or ziploc back for the sample.) Never let your puppy smell around in the "used grass" where people walk their dogs. Due to the very nature of Coccidiosis we cannot warranty a puppy we place won't get this ... it's a hazard of owning a puppy.