Remember that bringing home a new puppy is like bringing home a new baby.

Limit excitement and handling as much as possible. Puppies require about 16 hours of sleep a day. They will sleep for about three hours and then play/eat for about an hour. They will get sick if they don't get their sleep.

Toy breed puppies do not eat much at a time so they must have a good quality dry puppy feed available at all times. It should have chicken or beef listed as the first ingredient, not corn.

You can entice your puppy to eat with turkey, chicken, or beef baby food. You can mix it with dry food, mix it with rice baby cereal, or feed it alone. Dry food is much better for the teeth so limit this practice to periods of appetite loss.

Provide lots of chew toys and stuffed animals to play with.

Do not give your new puppy milk.

Your puppy might be a little "homesick" the first few days. He has just left the only family he has known. Familiar sights and sounds are replaced by new ones. The pup may be very quiet the first few days or may appear nervous. He will adjust and show you his personality in a few days. You need to see a veterinarian or contact us immediately if you see any signs of diarrhea. Diarrhea is a common symptom of stress in puppies and they can become dehydrated very easily.

Hypoglycemia occurs in small breeds. This is the medical name for low blood sugar. This can be fatal in small puppies! They can get this any time of day but the most frequent time is at night. Symptoms will include listlessness, inability to stand up, or seizures. If this happens, give the pup some honey or a product such as Nutri-cal (you can get this at most pet stores), wrap the pup in a warm towel and he should perk up rapidly. As soon as he is able, offer him some food. Make sure to feed your puppy right before placing him in the crate at night. Do not leave a tiny puppy in the crate for more than 6 hours at a time initially without food.

Do not allow your puppy contact with other dogs until vaccinations are complete. Even if another dog has had his vaccinations he can be a carrier and give your puppy a fatal illness. Puppies should be vaccinated at 5, 7, 12, and 16 weeks of age. The 12 and 16 week shots are the ones that stay with your pup and provide immunity into adulthood. The early shots work for a short time but due to antibodies in the mother's milk offer protection for a limited time only.