Our recommendations

Von Royal Pomeranians

Dedicated to a Healthy Legacy of AKC Pomeranian Puppies

New arrival, diet, health, grooming

Picking up your new puppy

Whether picking up the puppy at the airport, a breeder’s home, or somewhere in between, it is an exciting and happy occasion for both new owners and the puppy. The puppy gets to be center of attention and quickly learn that it is going to be well cared for. I have come up with a number of things that have worked for the puppies and dogs that I have purchased or adopted. I’m sure there are many other things, but this is a good start.

There are a number of things that can be done in preparation for receiving the new puppy. I start by puppy proofing my home. I put plugs in all electrical outlets, move cords out of harm’s way, and pick up any small items that a puppy could get in its mouth and choke. Close doors to rooms where I don’t want the puppy going into. They love to tear up paper (I don’t always find this a bad thing. After a feed bag is used up, I allow my puppies to tear it up a bit. I pick up the torn pieces and throw them away as I walk past).

The puppy has probably been exposed to a number of sites, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures, humans, other dogs etc., but it is a good idea to be mindful that certain of these things can frighten the puppy. Be careful when running appliances that make a loud noise, such as a Vita Mix, Vacuum Cleaner, loud music, and thunder, etc. Also, keep in mind that the puppy will want to chew regularly. Keep as many things picked up as possible, shoes, clothes, bags, boxes, or anything that isn’t intended for the puppy/dog.

I have food, pee pads, toys, and chewies, food, soft puppy beds, and soft baby blankets ready for the puppy. The toys need to be small and soft. They can’t have pieces on them that can be chewed off and swallowed. The only things I let my puppies chew on are the large Bully Sticks. These are made of real meat and will digest. WARNING: Once they are about three inches long, they need to be removed from the puppy/dog, so they can’t get swallowed and choke a puppy/dog. There are Bully guards available that prevent this from happening. The other chewy that I feel is safe is Himalayan Chews. These are made if Yack milk. They are a bit softer, so they don’t last as long as Bully Sticks.

I have pee pads that I put down close to my outside doors. If I miss an opportunity to show the puppy where to use the toilet outdoors, they can use the indoor pee pad.

I have a wire crate with soft bedding and water. This is where my puppy/dog will learn to sleep. Until the puppy/dog is settled in, I will keep it in the crate in my bedroom. It may fuss, so it is a good idea to flip your “switch” to ignore. For the first couple nights, it may be where your puppy/dog will need extra reassurance, so plan some time off work to devote time to the puppy/dog.

I have a play pen for times when I need to contain my puppy/dog. I have a soft bed or rug down inside the play pen. I also carry the playpen when I travel, so I can quickly fold it out when the puppy/dog needs to relieve itself. I like to use the ceramic water bowls for water outside the pen or crate and I like stainless steel bowls to hang on the wire pens.

Health

For the most part, Pomeranians are a healthy breed. I screen my breeding stock for both physical characteristics as well as congenital health conditions, such as collapsing tracheas, congestive heart failure, luxating patella, and seizures. As I shared in my introduction, I have gone through many of these with my first hopeful breeding stud (Checkers). Any one of these conditions can cause few complications or can become major health conditions. As it turned out with Checkers, he had most of these inherited conditions, but the one that I was unaware of, seizures, was what prematurely ended his life at 6 years young. All of this brings the question of carrying a good health insurance of any new puppy that is brought into the home. Because I didn’t have health insurance, every medical bill came out of pocket. Since I didn’t have insurance coverage, even if I wanted it, there would have been a rider placed on all known health conditions. I learned the hard way the importance of Health Insurance. I also have my puppies checked and rechecked until the age of two.

After that, I evaluate if I need to continue to carry health insurance on that particular dog. If there is no sign of collapsed trachea, which can’t really be corrected, luxating patellas, which usually isn’t a major problem because the dog is so tiny that there isn’t much weight placed on the patellas, but in some instances, it will need to be surgically corrected. Bottom line: By the time your new puppy is two years old, you should have a really good idea of any health conditions that would cause you to want to continue your health insurance, if for no other reason than to get quality dental care.

Hypoglycemia

Having a little Pomeranian puppy means that it has a possibility of becoming hypoglycemic if not carefully monitored. Hypoglycemia is another term for “low blood sugar.” Simply put, a tiny toy breed puppy doesn’t have any fat reserves to maintain blood sugar levels, and this can be compounded if conditions are unknowingly unmanaged. Based on my experience and going from the advice from my Veterinarian, it is recommended that a puppy be fed every 4 hours. I generally start my day at 6:00 A.M. That is when my puppies go out for a couple minutes to do their business, come back inside to eat in preparation for play time. I watch each puppy eat. I never put food down and walk away. If a puppy isn’t eating, there may be several reasons.

It may need to go toilet a bit more, may need a bit of exercise, etc. I don’t get too worried. After about an hour of morning play time, the puppies come back inside and another offer of food is made. If the puppy still shows no interest in food, I get concerned. I check the bum area. If they have gotten a bit of buildup on the bum, they don’t eat. If they are distressed in any way, again, they don’t eat. I correct any issues and offer more food. Close to 99% of the time, the puppy will want to eat, but if not, it is time to bring out the Nutri Cal and start planning a visit to the vet. Thankfully, I have never gotten to the point of a vet visit since Checkers.

The Nutri Cal had always gotten things back under control after the first dose. I follow the weight/dosage recommendations and apply it under the nose or just above the top lip. Go slow and gentle. Rushing a sticky substance into your puppy’s mouth area will only stress out your puppy. Go slow and stay calm. It’s not the end of the world. Relax. Breath. Be a confident PARENT to your fur baby. It will be OK.

Puppy's first year

The first years of a puppy’s life are its developmental years. A good diet is absolutely crucial. I have my own opinions of dry dog food, raw, and everything in between, but at the end of the day, the diet is the most important aspect of determining whether the dog will survive vs thrive. I prefer to make sure my dogs thrive. I don’t pretend to be a dog food expert. I don’t think large dog food companies are either, so it is up to the dog owner to do his/her own research. I find the Netflix video, PETFOOLED very interesting.

As far as dry puppy food, I have had the best luck with Royal Canin Puppy Chiot, X Small Breed. I like this formula for several reasons: 1. It is very small 2. It seems to be a bit softer thus easier to chew for our tiny breeds 2. It has a rectangular shape rather than round, which aids in preventing choking.

Side Note: I feed my dogs a raw diet. This is a very comprehensive, well researched, well balanced, but time-consuming way of feeding. It is NOT just a matter of feeding raw meat. It involves an exact amount of Raw Muscle Meat, Bone, Secreting Organs, and Non-Secreting Organs. I weigh each portion based on each of my dog’s weight, age, and activity levels.

Grooming & Bathing

Grooming a puppy can be a really enjoyable experience. I always groom my puppy/dog after he/she is tired from play time. I get all my supplies lined out by the sink. I lay down a rubber mat, so my puppy won’t slip or feel uncomfortable. I turn on the water to a comfortable puppy temperature, slightly warm. I hold my puppy very close to my body. I am as close to the puppy as possible when I start to spray water on the puppy. Be very careful not to get water on the puppy’s face or in its ears. DON’T SPRAY water on the head area; use a washcloth instead to clean the head, eyes, and mouth.,

I bathe the dogs every three weeks at a minimum. I comb the puppy at least once a week and also trim nails weekly, squeeze the paws and handle the ears to make sure the puppy is comfortable with being handled.

For the puppy with an extremely course and thick coat, I melt coconut oil. Once the oil is at a comfortable liquid temperature, I put it on the puppy or dog and work through the coat down to the skin. I put the dog in a small pen on a towel for an hour or so to let the oil soak into the skin and coat. Afterward, I bathe the dog and when just damp, comb through. This makes combing and removing tangles and mats so easy to control.

I use shampoo and condition plus leave-in detangler, nail clippers that ARE NOT the guillotine type. I use a metal detangling comb and a brush. I also have a set of grooming scissors and electric shavers for hygiene cuts. Last but not least, I have soft training treats on hand. I train my puppy/dog to go into its pen or crate, to come in from the outdoors, to go outdoors, sit, stay, etc. by providing a treat. I keep things very positive and simple.

Above all else...

Enjoy the time with your new best fur-friend!

Happy tails...

Von Royal Pomeranians

928-925-4809