Skip to content

Congratulations on your new RnR puppy

Thank you for choosing Regals and Royals!

We would like to congratulate you on getting your new puppy. Dog ownership can be an extremely rewarding experience, but it also carries quite a bit of responsibility. 
 
We hope this “puppy book” will give you the basic information needed to make the best decisions regarding your new Stafford puppy. When you bring the puppy into your home, you should expect a period of adjustment. 
The goal is to help the puppy to quickly bond to its new family, and to minimize his stress associated with leaving its mother, litter-mates and his former home. If there are other dogs in his new home, the transition may be a little easier.
 
This guide is just our personal opinion and approach, and should not be considered a substitute for a licensed dog trainer, or a veterinarian’s advice. It does, however, have a lot of hints, checklists and interactive elements for you to complete. We certainly hope you will find it valuable.

What does a puppy need?

Your puppy is young, vulnerable and craves your attention. What your puppy needs the most is stability, safety and routine. It is understandable if you want to show off your new family member, but please try to refrain for now.
Take it easy for the first few days and let your puppy properly accommodate and settle in first. Get to know each other – your puppy must bond with you and feel safe and comfortable before meeting new people and having many new experiences.
Enjoy your new family member and these wonderful puppy days.

Always remember:
Puppies grow up way too fast. Enjoy them!

With love,

loki

Table of Contest

Reminder > You should make your home “Puppy-proof”

Having a puppy is very similar to having a 3yr old baby. They both like to investigate and explore, they both learn through discovering new things with their mouths. They both also have no concept of danger -that’s why it is important to make all the areas safe for the new puppy.

Checklist

> Hide all small toys, and items that a pup might swallow and choke on them 
> Unplug accessible electrical cables 
> Remove shoes, slippers, etc.
> Block off any areas of the house you don’t want the pup to have access 
> Use baby gates to block doors, stairs…
> Check if the pups can easily slip through     cracks in the garden fence 
> Check garden for dangerous plants 
> Check the house for poisonous indoor plants 

The first days

welcoming your puppy home

After all the wait, your pup is here!
 
Once your puppy arrives home, ensure you allow him the time needed to investigate his new home. Show him where he is going to sleep, where his water bowl is, which toys are his. 
There’s no better way to start a friendship than to offer a small meal – after all the exploration, the pup will probably be very hungry. 
At Regals and Royals, your pup was fed a species-appropriate raw diet consisting of fresh meat, fish, etc. It was, however, also introduced to some quality kibble and your puppy pack should have enough food to get you started. If you choose not to feed raw and decide to introduce a new brand of food, please do it gradually over some time. 

Remember, your puppy will be away from his “family” for the first time and everything will be new for him.   

The first night
 
After the trip and introductory exploration of his new home, the puppy will need a good rest. Remember this is his first time away from his mum and littermates, so he might become restless during the night. 
To help both you and the puppy, here at RnR it was introduced to crating. It’s for you to decide if you want to continue this routine or not. 
We recommend you to place his bed or crate next to yours at night, at least for the very beginning. You can reallocate him to his permanent sleeping spot later, at the location you choose (if you wish to keep him away from your bedroom). 

Crates. Yay or nay?

Crate training your dog may take some effort but, in our experience, it has proven to be useful in many situations. First and the obvious part – it will keep the puppy (or a dog) safe when you don’t have visual contact with him. There are a lot of unwanted, even potentially dangerous situations a dog can get himself into when alone, so a crate or a playpen can be used to limit his access to the house until he learns all of the house rules. 
 
The crate is also important if you wish to travel with your dog; not only during the car ride but also for hotel stays. 
 
You can read more about this topic click here.

Puppy List - Equipment checklist

Basic Supplies
 
> Food dish 
> Water dish 
> Dog bed 
> Collar 
> Dog lead 
> Food 
> Toys (chew toys, environmental enrichment toys, etc.) 
> Dog shampoo 
> Rubber brush, nail clipper 
> Crate / Play pen 

House Training

a few basic rules

Here at Regals and Royals, your pup has already begun his house and toilet training. He was brought up in the house, learning to separate his sleeping and toilet areas from an early age. All this started back when he was just 3 weeks old, and continued until the day he left for his new home.
This does not mean the puppy is fully trained, or that he can be trusted to wander throughout the home without any supervision.
The puppy should learn where to pee and poo in the new house as soon as possible. At RnR, a few weeks old pups use fake grass / pads / pellets as a toilet, and it’s an integral part of their room. As they grow the playpen gets bigger, toys and play area also grow and the toilet part gets smaller. By the age of 9 weeks, most pups use the toilet 80% of the time – but at this stage, we also start to take them to do their business outside (usually after a good meal).

Quick tips
Puppies usually need to eliminate after sleeping, feeding, and playing. Be ready to take the pup to its selected elimination area within minutes of each of these activities. Some pups can hold through the entire night, while others will need to go.

When you take it to the toilet, a puppy should be given a word or two of verbal encouragement and as soon as elimination is completed, the pup should be praised and rewarded. Giving treats can also help: this ensures the puppy remembers this is the right place to eliminate, as the location is associated with rewards.

Most puppies learn to “go” when they hear certain words, and it can become quite useful later (i.e., when you’re in a hurry and the dog wants to sniff around some more).

Inside the house, the puppy must be supervised at all times. This is the only way you can notice if he needs to relieve and immediately take him outdoors. 
If the puppy begins to eliminate indoors, pick it up and take him to the designated area.   

What if I find puppy peeing indoor?

There is no point whatsoever in punishing him. Only if he’s doing it at that very moment, he might or might not understand the consequences (“if I pee here, I will be taken out”).
It’s not his mistake at all: the owners are completely responsible to supervise pups and correcting unwanted behavior.

How do I supervise the puppy?

We recommend you to let the puppy wander around the house only when you have your eyes on him all the time. When you are busy and unable to pay attention to him, we recommend placing the pup in a playpen or a similar safe area. Pups are already used to the playpens and baby gates in our house, so this should not pose any additional stress to them.

Puppy’s Health

read carefully

When the puppy settles in at your house, with its surroundings and you, we suggest you make an appointment with your vet of choice for a check-up. Use this initial vet appointment to discuss any concerns you might have, to check your puppy’s weight, overall health and its vaccination records. 
 
At Regals and Royals, we will give instructions upon the puppy’s departure as to when your pup is due for his next vaccination and worming. Please do consult us if you are unsure when the next vaccine should be administered, or what vaccine brand to use. 
 
When you visit the vet for the first time, please carry the puppy at all times and avoid all contact with other dogs until his immunization process is over.
 
This also means the pup can have no playdates or walks in any areas other than his yard until he is fully vaccinated.

Vaccination schedule

Puppies receive vaccinations between 6-9 weeks of age, and a second dose at 9-12 weeks. These two vaccines are Puppy boosters. If the pup will stay within the country, the new owner can pick up his pup at about 9-10 weeks of age. The third vaccine should be administered at about 14-16 weeks. 
 
If the pup is to be exported and the import rules prescribe so, the pup will be administered a rabies vaccine at 12 weeks of age. He will be able to leave for his new home 21 days after. All vaccinations are recorded in the pet passport.  

Internal and External Parasit

Regals and Royals pups live in a flea-free house. We do not use aggressive chemicals unless it’s absolutely necessary. All the dogs they socialize with are flea-free.

We deal with intestinal parasites according to our vet’s instructions; the medicine of choice is usually Drontal Puppy. Administrations are recorded in the pet passport.

Once the puppy gets to his new home, you should consult your veterinarian about the flea and tick control that works best in your area, as the parasites can develop immunity to certain drugs.

Sleeping arrangements

of an RnR puppy

Pups have really high levels of energy, but they often get tired. It is not uncommon to find your puppy curled up in his bed, sleeping peacefully, at any time of the day. In fact, you might be surprised by the unusually long and often sleeps. How much sleep is good for your puppy and is there such thing as “too much sleep”?
 
Puppies need sleep. To give your puppy the best chance for healthy development and to raise him to become a calm and relaxed dog, your puppy should sleep nearly 18 hours per day, and sometimes even more. So, the answer is no -there is no such thing as too much sleep. 

Daytime sleeping habits
Puppies sleep a lot during the day, just like babies do. They are likely to have a power nap after a period of activity and then wake up refreshed, ready to play again. These naps can last anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours. Puppies will often fall asleep at the same place where they are playing. Try not to move them. 😉 
At Regals and Royals, we have a habit to play with them and once we start noticing they are tired, we simply place them in a pen where they can rest. 

Nighttime sleeping habits
Puppies are like babies and face the same challenge of understanding the world around them. As babies, when unsettled, they are unlikely to sleep through the night. Some may even need to get up for a toilet break. You can expect your puppy to sleep for about six to ten hours a night, but not right away, in their new house. By 16 weeks of age, they should have begun sleeping through the night. Here at Regals and Royals, puppies spend the night in the puppy room and they crate themselves for the night. So, if you choose for your puppy to sleep in a crate, it’s not going to be a stressful situation for him. 
  • Let’s first have a quick reminder on a few terms we often use:
Socialization is a process where the puppy develops relationships with other living beings in its environment.
Habituation is the process whereby dogs get used to repeated stimuli (sounds, smells, sights and events), and stop reacting to them provided that there are no untoward consequences.
Localization is the process by which the puppy develops attachments in particular places
 
Puppies that are properly socialized have a better chance of becoming well-mannered adult dogs. Exposing the puppy to various stimuli like other dogs and to children should be part of the socialization process. (Once fully vaccunated!)
The third week in the puppies’ lives marks a big shift. The next nine weeks will have a very powerful influence on the puppies, so here at RnR we choose to make the best out of this period. We try to teach puppies to be enrichment seekers, and to trust that the world holds good things for them. In this process, we follow the Puppy Culture program and we highly recommend you look into it too. 
 
Puppy Culture
 
Animals raised in enriched environments have been shown to have the following physiological changes over animals raised under standard laboratory conditions: 
  • Larger brain
  • More new brain cells and neural connections
  • Better brain cell survival

The result of these physical changes in brain structure result in the following intellectual and emotional benefits:

  • Improved ability to learn and remember
  • More emotional stability

More can be seen here. 

First Aid

emergency tips

Seizures 
The most important thing to do is protect your pet from self-injury. 
  • DO NOT place your fingers or any object in your pet’s mouth.
  • Clear the area around your pet to help prevent injury during the seizure.
  • Do NOT attempt to restrain your pet, however you can place a hand on their body.
  • When the seizure has stopped, contact your veterinarian for further instructions.
  • If the seizure does not stop within 3 to 5 minutes, or if your pet comes out of the seizure and goes into another one within an hour, transport the dog immediately to the vet.
Wound Care
  • Place pressure with gauze or a clean cloth to stop bleeding.
  • If there is debris, flush the wound with saline or clean water.
  • For deep wounds or severe bleeding, keep pressure on the wound until you can get your pet to a vet.
Poison
  •  If you suspect poisoning, seek care immediately.
Choking
  1. If choking, hold the upper jaw open with one hand, and look for a foreign object.
  2. Unless you can clearly see and grasp the obstruction, do not put your fingers into your dog’s mouth or throat.
  3. If possible lift dog’s legs into the air so gravity can help dislodge the  obstruction.
  4. If you can’t remove the foreign object, using the heel of your hand, deliver 4-5 sharp blows on the dog between the shoulder blades.

Bathing
Bathing your puppy too often can cause your puppy’s skin to dry out. It can start looking dull and your pup might show
signs of dandruff. Try to wash your puppy only when it is dirty or has rolled in mud, and use only pet shampoos.
Brushing your puppy regularly is recommended. Brushing helps with blood circulation and can reduce shedding.

Ears
Check your puppy’s ears regularly – we recommend weekly. If your puppy is shaking his head a lot and trying to scratch his ears with his paws, this couldbe a sign of an ear infection. Get him checked out by your vet if you have any concerns.

Teeth
Puppy teeth will start falling out from about four months of age. Start checking your puppy’s teeth around this time to ensure that all milk teeth fall out and the new canines start coming through.

Nails
Once your puppy starts getting his daily walks, his nails will be trimmed naturally by walking on the hard surface.
If they need further trimming, we suggest you take your puppy to your vet or groomer. Their nails were done weekly at our kennel.

Anal Glands
Dogs have two small anal glands next to their anus which normally get emptied when your dog poops. If your puppy has a period of soft stools, they might not get expressed and it can get uncomfortable for them. Your pup might start rubbing his bum on the floor in an attempt to empty them, or he may develop a “fishlike” scent: if this happens, it’s time to visit the vet. (Adding fibers like psyllium husk to their food works as good prevention of this issue)

Rules of 7

This is another puppy socialization technique we like to practice. The routine is adapted from Dr. Carmen Battaglia’s guide for increasing puppy’s exposure:
Dr. Battaglia created the Rule of 7’s as a guide to increase a puppy’s exposure. You do not have to follow it to the letter, also make sure your puppy is current on all shots before taking him out into a strange area. By the time a puppy is 3 months, make sure he has:

Been on 7 different types of surfaces:  
Δ  carpet Δ  tile
Δ  linoleum Δ  concrete
Δ  wood Δ  vinyl
Δ  grass Δ  dirt
Δ  gravel Δ  wood chips

Played with 7 different types of objects:  
Δ rope toys, Δ plush toys
Δ big balls Δ small balls
Δ soft fabric toys Δ  squeaky toys
Δ paper Δ  sticks
Δ cardboard items

Been in 7 different locations:  
Δ  yard Δ  basement
Δ  kitchen Δ  car
Δ  garage Δ  laundry room
Δ  bathroom Δ  kids room
Δ  living room Δ  hallway
Δ  Vet’s office, Δ  groomers.

Met and played with 7 new people:  
Δ   children Δ  older adults
Δ  someone walking with a cane
Δ  someone in a wheelchair 
Δ  someone in a hat
Δ  someone tall

Been exposed to 7 challenges:  
Δ  climb on a box
Δ  go through a tunnel
Δ  climb steps, go down steps
Δ  climb over obstacles
Δ  play hide and seek,
Δ  run around a fence 
Δ  go in and out of a doorway with a      step up or down
 
Eaten from 7 different containers:  
Δ  metal  Δ  plastic
Δ  cardboard  Δ  paper
Δ  human hands  Δ  pie plate
Δ  tin pan  Δ  frying pan
Δ  frisbee  Δ  elevated bowl
 
Eaten in 7 different locations:  
Δ  crate  Δ   yard
Δ  exercise pen  
Δ  laundry room  Δ  living room
Δ  bathroom  Δ  back yard 
 
Each new, positive experience will help your puppy flourish into a confident companion.  Allow your puppy to learn passively by letting them explore on their own, but make sure he is 100% supervised and that it is a controlled environment.  Do not use any harsh training methods with a puppy, because you will break the bond of trust. Training should be fair and fun. 
 
We think all puppies should go through the puppy socialization called the “Rule of 7.” This technique has proved itself in raising our puppies, and it helps to introduce them to new environments and get them used to many different things they may encounter in their lives. These small and controlled stresses will help boost confidence, social behavior, and their train-ability. 

Following the recommendation of our fellow breeders we start at 4 weeks of age so by the time you pick up your Regals and Royals  puppy it have been introduced to a few dozen different or new things or changes.  

How to feed your puppy

  • Puppies are growing rapidly, building bone and muscle, and developing organs. Adult dogs are maintaining their bodies. Your puppy needs extra nutrients to fuel its growth.
Here at Regals and Royals puppies get solid food starting at about three or four weeks, when they’re not able to get all the calories they need from their mother’s milk. Most puppies are weaned by six weeks. We start them on raw meat mush. 
 
By the time they leave they have tasted various animal proteins:
Δ  chicken Δ  turkey
Δ  beef Δ  fish
 
Besides meat, pups have also eaten:
Δ  yogurt  Δ   cottage cheese
Δ  fresh fruit  Δ   fresh veggies
Δ  eggs  Δ  oils (fish, etc)
 
As research show the dogs will like to eat the food they ate as young animals, we also offer:
Δ  rice  Δ  barley
Δ  millet  Δ  oats
 
Since we are aware some of the new owners will choose to feed kibble, pups are also offered kibble on occasions, usually sometimes during the last 2 weeks before leaving for their new homes. 
 
 
When choosing kibble please try to stay away from:
  • Bone meal
  • Soy
  • Meat by-productsa
  • Sugar
  • Unfined Animal fat
  • Wheat flour
  • Cellulose
  • Brewer’s rice
  • Colouring
  • Peas
  • Legumes (beans, chickpeas…)
 
Choose food with a meat or meat meal as the first ingredient. 

How often should I feed?

 Puppies under 6 months of age should be fed small quantities three times a day. After 6 months you can move to two feeds a day. If you work, three feeds a day isn’t always feasible. Don’t stress if you can only feed your puppy two meals a day.
 
All our adult dogs are also fed twice a day, as we find this schedule works best for them. 
 
How much should I feed?
 
How much to feed depends on the brand of food you are feeding and your puppy’s weight. You will need to adjust the quantity of food you are feeding over time as your puppy grows. 

Dangerous foods

  • Alcoholic beverages
  •  Apple seeds
  • Apricot pits
  • Avocados
  • Candy (particularly chocolate)
  • Coffee (grounds, beans, and chocolate-covered espresso beans)
  • Cooked bones
  • Garlic
  • Grapes
  • Gum
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Moldy foods
  • Mushroom plants
  • Mustard seeds
  • Onions and onion powder
  • Peach pits
  • Potato leaves and stems (green parts)
  • Raisins
  • Rhubarb leaves
  • Salt
  • Tea (because it contains caffeine)
  • Tomato leaves and stems (green parts)
  • Walnuts
  • Xylitol (artificial sweetener)
  • Yeast dough

What should I do if my dog ate some of theese?
If consumed, even small amounts of these items can be fatal so always act immediately and take your dog to the vets.

Good foods

  • Apples (without the seeds)
  • Cooked chicken meat (great as training treat)
  • Salmon (good source of omega 3 fatty acids)
  • Peanut butter (natural, unsweetened)
  • Banana)
  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Raw egg (great protein)
  • Yoghurt (natural or Greek yoghurt)
  • Carrots

Stafford Health

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are, in general, healthy dogs with a long lifespan (15 years, more or less), but compared to some other terriers (Jack Russells for example), they can be described as a slightly more sensitive breed.

Health issues can be divided into:

GENETIC DISORDERS
L2Hga
is an inherited neurometabolic disorder caused by deficiencies in the breakdown of L-2-hydroxyglutaric acid, elevated levels of which are found in urine, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disorder.
Regals and Royals dogs are tested and genetically clear of this disorder.

HC
HEREDITARY CATARACT (HC) is a clouding of the lens of the eye caused by the breakdown of tissue in the eyes. This condition generally results in the inability of the dog to see clearly and can cause complete blindness.

Regals and Royals dogs are tested and genetically clear of this disorder.

Locomotor Disorders
Hip, elbow dysplasia, or luxating patella. THESE DISORDERS ARE NOT BREED-SPECIFIC, BUT POSSIBLE.

To avoid early problems, Regals and Royals pups are born in a whelping pen with good traction and raised in a room with rubber floor coating. This way we try to get them the best possible start.
As food is considered one of the possible issues, RnR pups are fed sa species-appropriate diet that includes lots of meat, cartilage, natural supplements, etc…

To prevent problems, do not let your pups have too long walks, rough play with adult and oversized puppies, walk on stairs until developed, etc… Also be sure to add necesary vitamins (glucosamine, chondroitin, vitaamin C…)

Other “Issues”
SENSITIVE SKIN
Staffordshire Bull Terriers have fairly sensitive skin, which can mean you’ll have to watch out for their food, shampoo and grooming products IF you notice excessive shedding or similar symptoms.

You can read more about SBT health on our web page, under the “BREED HEALTH” tab.

Kids and Dogs, getting it right

“Every child should have two things: a dog, and a mother willing to let him have one.”

Kids and dogs belong together, and will often develop extremely close and loving bonds for life. By getting a Stafford puppy, you are giving your children a wonderful gift – not just a playmate, but an opportunity to learn about developing responsibility and having respect towards animals.

Staffords are often called “Nanny Dogs”, but let us not get ahead of ourselves… The breed is indeed known to be gentle with kids, but no child should be unattended with any dog. Please always keep this in mind! A dog’s friendliness isn’t determined solely by the breed, but also by the environment where the puppy grows up and how well it is socialized with children.

7 things not to do

  • Disturb the puppy when he is eating or sleeping.
  • Pat your puppy on his head, he prefers a chest or ear scratch.
  • Pull the pups ears or tail, or poke his eyes or nose.
  • Pick up puppy, it might be hurt by squeezing too tight, and react with a growl.
  • Approach your puppy from the back, he could easily get a fright and growl or snap.
  • Corner the puppy or block his flight path.
  • Scream loudly and start running away – your puppy will see this as an invitation to chase and start nipping.

Game Ideas

Play fetch 
Teach your puppy to retrieve the ball and bring it back.

Hide and sniff
The canine nose is its superpower. Have your child put a treat into an open box on the floor while you hold the dog.

Find the Toy
This game can be taught to most dogs, but it requires a lot of patience and discipline.

Bubble party
Dogs and cats love to chase bubbles, and kids love to blow them. 

Tug of war
A fun game forboth puppy and childto release excessenergy. (after permanent teeth set in!)

 

 

 

Safety

is of the utmost importance

Quick Safety Recap;
 
Weather
• Don’t leave your puppy in the car at more than 22°C. Cars heat up quickly, and the dog might suffer from heatstroke or even die.
• Don’t walk your puppy on the hot ground. Place your hand on the ground, if you can’t keep it for longer than 5 sec, then your dog shouldn’t walk on it.
• Staffords have high heat sensitivity. On hot days take your puppy out in the
morning and evening. During the day keep the dog inside, in the shade. 

• Staffords have a thin coat. Do not leave your dog outside if it is cold. Depending on the puppy’s fur and the climate you live in, you may like to put a coat on your puppy if it’s cold outside.

Walks
• Keep in mind that your puppy has no idea about the world. In the first days (months even!) never let it off-leash, especially not in the city. He may pick up and eat something that could be dangerous. A bigger dog could scare him. He may run onto the street. Accidents happen, do your best to avoid them. 
• Make sure your puppy’s collar sits tight
enough so that he can’t slip away and runoff. 
• Use a collar, not a harness until the dog’s skeleton and muscles are developed.
• Keep a pet tag on his collar.

Exposure

• Always look at the puppy’s body language. If your puppy tucks his ears back, crunches up his body, moves away from people or animals, hides behind you, or turns his head away – it is a clear signal that he is not happy and doesn’t want to interact. 
DO NOT FORCE HIM. 

The Puppy Book

more detailed flip book

error: Content is protected !!