Preparing for your new Shecara Basset Hound Puppy!
Here are our recommendations on what to have prepared before bringing home your new Basset Hound Puppy!
Puppy Food
At the time our Basset Hound puppies leave to their new homes, they have been eating dry kibble for a few weeks. Our puppies are started on raw beef, and then weaned onto Kirkland Nature’s Domain brand puppy food, Chicken formula. We recommend that you keep the puppy on this same food for the first few weeks at least. (Kirkland Signature brand food is available at Costco) The change to a new home is one of the most stressful periods in a dogs life, and we don’t want to overburden the puppy’s system with a change of food at the same time. If you are unable to obtain this food, another chicken based puppy food is the next best thing; by keeping the protein source the same, you reduce the chance of stomach upset. If you plan to feed raw, great, your puppy already knows what this is all about!
We recommend feeding the puppy three times per day until the age of six months. The best guide as to the amount to feed is to offer the food bowl for 10 minutes at each meal. Most puppies will self-regulate and eat the proper amount with this guide. If they eat a little less at one meal, they’ll eat a little more at the next. Puppies should always be kept lean throughout the growing period. You should be able to barely see, and easily feel, the ribs. Use this guide to adjust the amounts that you offer in the daily meals.
At about 4 months of age we recommend to switch to a large breed puppy formula. Please see our “Feeding” article.
Collar
One of the most frequently asked questions is what type of collar to purchase for the new Basset Hound puppy. Our preference is for a ‘martingale’ style collar, pictured to the left. The chain portion of this collar allows the collar to open slightly and sit loosely and comfortably around the neck and accomodate all of the loose skin and wrinkles, yet when attatched to the leash, will tighten slightly, enough to prevent your Basset Hound from slipping his head free of the collar. Most of these collars are adjustible, and for a Basset Hound puppy just leaving our care, you’ll need to find one with about a 9″ circumference. We do not recommend harnesses for our Basset Hound Puppies. While some claim that they can prevent pulling, we beleive that training, rather than the tool, is what will prevent pulling. Every puppy should be trained to walk nicely on a leash. A puppy that pulls with a collar will also pull in harness – the harness will just make it easier for him to throw his body weight into pulling you around!
Leash
A Nylon leash is the best bet for puppy’s first leash, as it’s most resistant to chewing, although some people prefer the feel of leather. While retractable leads or ‘flexi leads’ have their place, we do not recommend them to start out with your new puppy. The purpose of the lead is to keep the puppy from harm’s way as well as training. A regular 6′ leash will accomplish this task. Flexi-leads on the other hand, encourage your puppy to pull on the leash, because pulling extends the lead. It also allows the puppy to be quite a ways away from you, where he could dart into traffic, come into contact with an agressive dog, etc. For your young puppy heading to his/her new home, please start off with a regular 6′ leash to begin training!
Doggie Bags
This one is pretty self explanatory. Suffice it to say that part of responsible pet ownership means picking up after your dog!
Potty bells- we highly recommend having a set of potty bells on hand to help with potty training – please read more about our reccomendations for setting up the potty bells here: Housetraining Part 2
Baby gate / Barrier / X-pen
As we do not recommend giving puppy the run of the house until potty training is complete, we recommend a baby gate or barrier or our favorite option; a puppy Exercise pen to confine the puppy to an area or room of the home whenever he/she isn’t being directly supervised or entertained. Most exercise pens are made up of eight 2 foot wide panels that can be arranged in a circle to create a small puppy area, or opened up and used as a barrier for a distance of up to 16 feet.
Read more about our setup suggestions: Housetraining Part 2
Food/water dishes, treats, toys, dog beds
These are the fun items! So many different options, and most of them can be tailored to your tastes and budget!