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Your
Pup's First Year
Having
a new puppy is a very exciting time for you, the family and your new puppy.
This page is designed to assist you with helpful information for what
you should do before your puppy comes home and as the puppy grows. Also
a vaccination schedule for puppy's first year.
If you have any Brittany questions that are not answered on this site and your Brittany is from us please feel free to send me an email with any questions that you have.
"Love and kindness that's how I feather my nest"
If you have any Brittany questions that are not answered on this site and your Brittany is from us please feel free to send me an email with any questions that you have.
"Love and kindness that's how I feather my nest"
Puppy proof your entire home, garage, yard.
Move all poisons and chemicals to higher area where puppy can't get into. eg. move chemicals out from under kitchen and bathroom sinks. Make sure all chemicals in the garage are stored where the puppy can't get them. eg. Anti-freeze, oil, pesticides can kill a dog. Make sure a puppy can't get into garbage pails. Rotten food can make a dog very ill. Discarded bones could get lodged in the puppies throat or puncture their intestines. Check electrical cords so that a puppy cannot chew them or become tangled. Check cords for blinds make sure they're not too long. A puppy could get tangled and be choked or have severe leg injury. Check stairs. An eight week old puppy usually cannot ascend or descend stairs yet. A fall could break the puppies neck, back or legs.
If you have children get them in the habit of picking up all their toys. A puppy will chew!
Check the perimeter of your backyard. Is there anywhere a puppy could escape or get trapped? Make sure your garden doesn't contain any plants that are poisonous to a puppy.
You can purchase your dog crate from me. I only recommend the plastic crates, never wire. A puppy does not feel as secure in the open drafty environment of a wire crate. Also, a puppy can get it's leg caught and broken between the wires. For a Brittany I recommend either the Vari - Intermediate or the PetMate intermediate crates, which is 32"L x 22"W x 23"H.
4 weeks
5 1/2 weeks
7 to 8 weeks
12 weeks
16 weeks
16 weeks
16 weeks
16 months old
De-wormed - oral medication Vaccinated against: Parvo
De-wormed - oral medication
1st shot - Vaccinating against: Distemper,
Hepatitis, Parainfluenza,
Parvovirus, Coronavirus. 1 needle
Vaccinating against: Distemper,
Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza,
Parvovirus, Coronavirus. 1 needle
Vaccinating against: Distemper,
Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza,
Parvovirus, Coronavirus, Rabies. 2 needles
Discuss with your Vet. Vaccines and
preventative medications against Bordetella ,
(kennel cough), Tick & Lyme Disease,
Heartworm, Giardia, and Fleas.
Discuss with your Vet. Spaying or Neutering
your puppy.
Vaccinating against: Distemper,
Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza,
Parvovirus, Coronavirus, Rabies. 2 needles
Brittanys being of the Sporting Breed of dogs are energetic but not high strung or hyper, like a Jack Russell Terrier is. They should have daily exercise. They don't need to be taken for huge runs in the fields everyday. And no breed of dog should be allowed to run off leash until he is reliably trained for the "come" command. As with any breed of dogs I recommend a fenced in backyard. Then your Brittany can have outside puddlies, play and exercise time unsupervised in the safety of your yard when he's old enough. This will reduce the amount of time that you need to take your Brittany out for a run. Brittanys are not mean or aggressive by nature. They are people dogs. They are great with children and other dogs and family pets. They are very intelligent, easily trained and eager to please. Brittanys are not a one owner dog. They will listen to all family members and bond very well with everyone in the family. They are sensitive dogs and do not require a heavy hand in training. A Brittany is contented being a family member and not being a hunting buddy if that is what the family would like. Unlike a Beagle that is always looking for an opportunity to escape and go off hunting. They don't have a 'doggy' smell like some other breeds do. They only need to be bathed when they actually get dirty. A Brittany doesn't require excessive grooming. Their fur is relatively short, except for the leg and chest featherings. Also, even though they have fur they are not big shedders. I recommend brushing a Brittany once a week for 5 or ten minutes with a Slicker brush. The average life span of a Brittany is 12 to 14 years. I know of many Brittanys that have lived to 16 years old. If you feed your Brittany a high quality dog food, I only recommend Purina Pro Plan, and keep the dog fit and do not let him get obese this will help to ensure your Brittany leads a full healthy long life. Brittanys are one of the healthier of the purebred breeds. Because of their structure, their bodies are as long as they are tall, they are not prone to hip and elbow dysplaysia. In my opinion all puppies should come with a written and signed guarantee. They are not genetically prone to any cancers, unlike the Retrievers now unfortunately are. A Brittany is not a common breed unlike the Labs, Retrievers and Beagles. That is part of the reason they are a healthier breed. Unfortunately as a breed becomes common the breed can deteriorate as backyard breeders and puppy mills think they can make easy money and quick sales on breeds of dogs that people want now. People need to spend the time researching which breed is best suited for their lifestyle and "never" buy a puppy from a pet store. As those dogs are never from reputable registered professional breeders. A Britt is generally an emotionally secure dog that does not have separation anxiety if he is left at home while you work. I do recommend crate training any breed of puppy until it's a least one year old at night and while you can't watch the dog. This makes housebreaking much easier. Also, it's much safer than the puppy being allowed full access to the house where he could get into trouble and chew electrical cords or get into chemicals. A Brittany doesn't chew more than the average breed of dog. It is important especially that a puppy always has his own chew toys. For example pressed rawhides, Kong toys, Nylabones to play with. There isn't a significant difference in male vs. female Brittanys. They are both between 30 and 40lbs as adults. Females usually being on the smaller side of that scale. Any intact male can smell a female dog in heat for a 2 mile radius. If you are not going to show, trial or test your dog I strongly recommend that your dog be spayed or neutered when it is 16 weeks old. This is better for the longevity of your dog. A dog cannot get testicular cancer or ovarian cancer if they don't have those parts. And, I do not advocate people breeding their dog just because they think "fifi" should have a litter. This is a myth and breeding dogs should be left up to the professionals that have the best interests of the breed at heart. And, that have the skills and resources to properly raise and place puppies. A Brittany is physically and emotionally mature by the time he reaches 1 1/2 years of age. Unlike, the Labs, Golden and Setters that aren't mature until they are about 3 years old. I hope that I have been helpful in answering your questions.
That depends on several factors. Personally I don't think any dog should be left outside unsupervised for that length of time. Any puppy can get themselves into a lot of trouble having free run of a yard for any great lengths of time. What type of fencing is around your yard, how high is it, can the dog slip under the fence anywhere? What if it barks while you're away? It will bother your neighbours. You can get a bark collar, but it's not recommended for dogs under 4 mths of age. If your dog has access from the yard to the garage you need to make sure he can't get into any trouble in the garage. Is there shelter from sun, wind, rain and snow? And, most importantly what if someone intentionally opens the gate or steals your dog. Brittanys are very friendly. They're everybody's buddy.
Do you think I should crate my puppy at night?
Yes, I believe puppies should be crated at night. If a puppy is allowed free access in your home, or even a room, at night he will get into trouble. The biggest problems are soiling in the house and chewing things he's not suppose to. A young dog needs a safe place that is for them alone. Most puppies will not soil in their crate. If a puppy has a large enough area they will wake up and pee somewhere and then go back to sleep somewhere else. A pup doesn't like to soil it's own sleeping area because it needs to sleep there. It is more difficult to house break a puppy that doesn't have a crate than a pup that does have a crate. Also, the pup would be a lot safer at night in a crate. Do you want your pup roaming around at night chewing electrical cords, falling down steps, getting into the garbage and chemicals kept under your kitchen sink.
Neutralize Skunk
Smell
1 Litre
of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon liquid dish detergent
Mix together just prior to applying. Apply to fur in affected areas. Avoid
eyes. Let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. Dogs with dark
coats may be slightly bleached.