Dog safety

Do you plan on traveling with your Shih Tzu puppy often?

Traveling with your new puppy doesn’t have to be an anxiety-provoking experience. If you properly plan and have a travel plan in place things are bound to go more smoothly. The first thing you will need to consider is what supplies you will need to gather to help your puppy have a comfortable trip. 

I suggest the following supplies when traveling by car with a young puppy:

• A soft-sided well-ventilated travel carrier or a car seat for dogs. Make sure the carrier is big enough for your pet to move around and get comfortable.
• A harness that can be attached to a leash or car seat.
• A short leash for bathroom breaks.
• A food bowl for feeding your puppy.
• Puppy food for meal time if it is a lengthy trip. Pack extra food just in case there are any delays.
• Treats to establish a positive rapport.
• A couple of chew toys to keep the puppy engaged.
• A stuffed Kong to prevent low blood sugar.
• A soft blanket to keep the puppy cozy during travel. I send all my Shih Tzu puppy parents home with a blanket that smells like Mom and littermates.
• A travel water bottle or a bowl for water breaks. 
• A first aid kit for emergencies. Click here to read more about what I recommend putting in your pet’s first aid kit.
• Puppy wipes in case your puppy has an accident.
• Bags for cleaning up.
• Potty pads for potty breaks.
• Puppy vaccine records from the breeder.
• A collar with identification tags. I microchip all of the puppies in my responsible breeding program as well.

Once you have your supplies ready it is time to come up with a plan of action to get your new puppy safely home. The first thing you will need to brainstorm is where your puppy will be eliminated. Puppies don’t have very large bladders and may not be able to hold it the entire trip. The biggest concern that you will want to avoid is Parvovirus and other pathogens that your puppy could be exposed to during the trip home. 

Puppies receive vaccines every 3-4 weeks until they’re approximately 16-18 weeks old. Nobody knows for certain when the puppy will receive full immunity against serious viruses such as Parvovirus. This is why puppies receive more than one shot in the first place. It only takes one vaccine to protect against diseases such as Parvovirus. But, mom’s antibodies from nursing sometimes interfere with the process and prevent the vaccine from being effective. This is why puppies receive a series of shots spaced apart. 

Most puppies go to their forever homes before they reach 16-18 weeks. This means proper precautions must be in place to keep the puppy free of disease. I recommend taking your puppy potty every two hours on the trip home. This may seem like a lot but it will hopefully keep the puppy from having an accident.

Furthermore, holding it for too long can lead to urinary tract infections. I suggest seeking out a place where it is unlikely that other dogs that may not be fully vaccinated have stepped foot. Then attach the leash to your puppy’s harness. Place down a few potty pads for your puppy to potty. Make sure to cover enough area with pads so that your puppy’s paws won’t have contact with the ground underneath. The leash will help you keep the puppy on the pads rather than sniffing around where other dogs have been. When your puppy finishes going potty simply wrap up the pads and throw them away. 

Now that you have a plan for potty breaks out of the way consider how you will keep your puppy busy. I always suggest that more than one human comes to pick up the puppy. This allows the human who isn’t driving to comfort the puppy if the puppy becomes nervous. I also suggest bringing some chew toys for the road. A stuffed Kong can be a lifesaver on a road trip. 

Be sure to pack kibble, treats, water, and the necessary bowls to feed and water your puppy. I always recommend sticking with the kibble your breeder was feeding the puppy until you get home. It isn’t a good idea to change food on a road trip. I always send the puppies in my Shih Tzu breeding program home with a couple of days’ supply of kibble and some of their favorite treats. Also, make sure to ask your breeder how often you should feed the puppy. Below is the feeding schedule I recommend for my Shih Tzu Breeding Program.

Puppy Feeding Schedule

If you’re super concerned that your puppy will be anxious on the trip you can always talk to your veterinarian about calming supplements. But, I would only use them as a last resort. If the puppy is too calm he or she may be too groggy to eat or drink which could lead to a low blood sugar spike. Low blood sugar also known as hypoglycemia is much more dangerous in a young puppy than a bit of anxiety.

I would opt for chew toys and interactive toys first. Also, a blanket or a toy that smells like Mom and littermates is a great comforting tool. I send all my puppy parents home with a blanket and toy that smells like mom and littermates. You can also invest in a snuggle puppy for the road trip. The heartbeat is often very comforting to young puppies.

Make sure your puppy is properly restrained in the vehicle while moving. A travel crate is a must for traveling. If you’re not going to use a travel crate then at least have your puppy secure in a dog car seat. Would you leave one of your young children in a moving car without a buckle? I hope not. If you’re in a crash your puppy could be flung from the vehicle and seriously hurt from the forceful impact. Furthermore, your puppy is more likely to run away after a car crash as a survival mechanism. The good old flight response may kick in. 

Finally, have fun! How exciting! You’re bringing your new puppy home. Puppies feed off of our emotions. If you’re calm and happy during the car trip hopefully your puppy is less likely to be anxious. 

Are you wondering how to introduce your senior dog to your new puppy? Bringing home a new puppy is a very exciting time for puppy owners. But, if you already have a senior dog residing in the home there are precautions you can take to help the process go more smoothly.

Below I will go over some tips that will hopefully lead to a lifelong friendship for both dogs. Remember to be patient and give the two dogs time to form a relationship. For additional tips for success make sure to check out my post, “How to Safely Introduce two dogs to each other.”

Tips for Success:

• Until both dogs have had a chance to develop a well-defined relationship owners must give attention to the older dog before focusing on the younger dog when greeting. 

• Always supervise the puppy when he or she is in the presence of the older dog until you’re certain the two dogs have developed a good relationship.

• Use a leash until both dogs have warmed up to each other. Puppies are jumpy. The leash will help prevent your puppy from jumping on your senior dog. If both dogs are off-leash make sure the senior dog has an escape route if he or she has had enough.

• Give your senior dog breaks from the puppy. One-on-one attention away from each other is a healthy way to spend quality time with each dog.

• Try and find some exciting games to see if you can get both dogs to interact with each other positively.

• Allow both dogs to slowly establish their relationship safely.

• Purchase some separate toys and chews for each dog. Allow the dogs to have some alone time with their toys.

• Feed both dogs separately until they have had a chance to develop a relationship.

• Praise both dogs for being calm around one another. 

• Teach your puppy basic commands right away to control behavior.

• Hire a professional dog trainer if issues arise. 

Are you thinking of bringing home a new Shih Tzu puppy?

It is a good idea to safety-proof the inside and outside of your home before your new Shih Tzu puppy arrives! Puppies like to get into everything. The puppy may damage belongings or even worse, your puppy may accidentally eat something toxic. As a Shih Tzu breeder, I send all my new puppy owners a puppy-proofing checklist before they bring their new Shih Tzu puppy home.

Feel free to read through the list below to help you prepare for the big day!

• Secure all doors and windows that you don’t want the puppy to have access to. (Baby gates, playpens, and crates are useful when you’re not able to supervise.)
• Lock up all cleaning supplies or move them out of reach. 
• Unplug electrical cords or keep them out of your puppy’s reach.
• Make sure to keep floors clear of food.
• Install the PupTox app or a similar app to educate yourself on food items that are toxic to dogs such as xylitol and chocolate and grapes.
• Keep floors free of small items that could become a choking hazard.
• Store away all valuables, sharp objects, and small objects that may become a choking hazard.
• Make sure all toxic plants both indoors and outdoors are out of reach or better yet, removed from the premises.
• Secure all unsteady furniture.
• Move shoes out of reach.
• Make sure fireplaces are properly screened.
• Designate a safe place outdoors for your puppy to potty and play. 
• Come up with a plan to keep your puppy away from the pool if you have one.
• Avoid letting your puppy have contact with fertilizers or insecticides.
• Safely store all medications out of reach.
• Come up with a fire safety action plan for pets.
• Check the yard for scorpions, snakes, spiders, etc. It is a good idea to always check the yard before letting the puppy go outdoors.
• Secure yard fencing and patch up any low areas that the puppy could squeeze under or through and escape.
• Invest in a puppy first aid kit. Some common items to keep in the kit should include hydrogen peroxide, activated charcoal, Benadryl, Nutrical, Puppylyte, antibacterial ointment, styptic powder, gauze, and a medicine syringe.
• Clean floors and vacuum to pick up any leftover debris.
• Consider not wearing shoes in the home until puppy shots are complete. Parvovirus is very resistant and can be brought into the home on the bottom of your shoes. 
• Place books and magazines out of reach.