When should I bathe my new puppy?
Upon purchase of one of our puppies we recommend you not give them their first "at home" bath for at least two weeks. In our experience we have noticed that puppies that are bathed soon after arriving to their new home can become stressed and become ill. Not only are you taking them to a new environment, but you're exposing them to new experiences all at one time. Within the first two weeks of being home with your new family member take it easy, and help them get accustomed to their new home before exposing them to any extra stress that can be avoided.  A good alternative to a bath is to take a dampened towel and wipe their coat. Canine colognes can also be purchased to keep pet's smelling cleaning between baths.
***NOTE: If you have a family member with an allergy or you prefer the puppy to be bathed before it's trip home express this to our staff, and we will clean/ bathe the puppy accordingly. We may ask for you to return later that day to allow the puppy to dry and calm down before it's ride home**
When is it safe to take my puppy out in public?
Most veterinarians recommend for puppies to be finished with their shots before you expose them to unfamiliar territory like the ground of your local pet store or pet park. Puppies get one routine puppy vaccine a month until they are five months old, and then they are considered well guarded against common illness.
  However, if you must take them to get their first collar or pet tag from a retailer just be cautious and carry your puppy and not let them face to face with other dogs or set foot on the ground.
If you live in an apartment where you have no choice but to take your new puppy outside be cautious and try to keep them away from other dog's feces, and if possible away from areas you know many dogs have been.

When should I take my puppy to the vet?
Upon purchase of one of our puppies you receive a complimentary veterinarian evaluation by the Flamingo Pet Clinic. The appointment must be made within four days of purchase, unless otherwise noted by the sales associate. During the exam the vet will express to you when the next time the puppy should be seen.
With young puppies it's important to keep their shots up to date which means one vaccination a month until your puppy reaches five months old.

**Every puppy purchased from 'Pets in the City' has been examined by the Flamingo Pet Clinic at least once prior to going home.**
Why doesn't my new puppy eat?
Why does my new puppy have runny stool?
Upon leaving an environment that a puppy feels safe and being exposed to something new many will stop eating and/ or develop runny stools.Examples of this kind of stress come from leaving the other puppies in the pen, familiar noises such as at the pet store, and even being boarded or taken on vacation with you in later life. What you can do for the puppy or your older dog is to keep him relaxed. When you bring him home for the first time let him have his own space to sniff out and explore his new surroundings without being hovered over. Take a seat in a comfy chair and watch your new family member from a distance.
When it comes to feeding time if your puppy still turns his nose up to his food try mixing a small portion of can dog food and some warm water into the normal dry. The mixture will sometimes entice him to eat. Others respond better if you take a handful of dry food and toss one morsel on the floor in front of them at a time so it becomes a game, and it's up to them to eat it. Don't worry they'll usually start back eating normal meals out of a bowl within 2-4 days.

***If you notice runny stools within the first few days of being home do not hesitate to call us. We can help you resolve the issue.*** 

Why keep your puppy/ dog current on vaccinations?
Your most important step as a new pet owner is to make a note of when your new family member is due for his next vaccines. If you do not know when the next vaccines are due simply ask the vet to make a vaccine schedule for you. They'll even send you a reminder in the mail if you're concerned about forgetting.  Not only does this keep the puppy safe from common ailments that are easily contracted between unvaccinated animals (example: Parvovirus & Canine Distemper), but will build immunity against these diseases in later life.

Why keep your puppy/ dog current on dewormings?
Upon leaving 'Pets in the City' all puppies are up to date on their vaccinations and dewormings. Why do you deworm a puppy? Simply, because all puppies have worms. If they're not born with them they are transmitted through their mother's milk during feeding. In order to keep puppies healthy they are dewormed as early as two weeks old. The most common worm found in puppies are roundworms. From their first dewormings at two weeks old most breeders will deworm every two weeks until the puppy is 12 weeks old. Once into adulthood females should be dewormed after each heat, and males should be dewormed once a year.

What is kennel cough, how's it contracted, and how do you treat it?
Kennel Cough can, most easily, be compared to as a cold in a human. It's contracted in much of the same manner. Whenever there's a large amount of dogs together such as in a pet store, dog show, or boarding facility the illness is much more likely to spread. The same is true in colds in people.
Common signs of Kennel Cough is cough that continues throughout much, if not all day long especially being triggered after play time or exercise. You may also notice a green/ yellow runny nose, just as you would in a person.
Kennel Cough is treating with a round of antibiotics prescribed by a vet. Cough suppressants can also be used to soothe the puppy.

****A vaccination called Bordetella can be and in most cases are required if you decide to board your dog in a boarding facility.

For more information about kennel cough visit  THE PET CENTER: THE INTERNET HOSPITAL
*VERY IMPORTANT*  What is hypoglycemia?

  Definition: an abnormally low level of glucose in the blood.

Small puppies (mostly 3 lbs and under) are at greatest risk for hypoglycemia because their organs are so tiny, and can not process and store sugar as quickly as larger breeds.  A small change in feeding schedule, food intake, and stress in their life can cause them to become hypoglycemic very quickly. 
The signs to look for with hypoglycemia are lethargy, shivering, low body temperature, disorientation, and seizures. To check your new puppies blood sugar you can touch their gums and look at the coloring of them. The gums should be a nice pink color. Watch out for cold, white or light colored gums. If you notice this in your puppy you need to seek medical attention for your puppy, but first you need to try and get some sugar into his system. If you have nutri-cal  or nutri-stat this would be the crucial time to use it.  If you do not have either nutri-cal or nutri-stat you can use regular maple syrup or dilute a very large amount of sugar in water and rub it on the roof of their mouth and on their gums with a Q-tip or your finger tip in a back and forth motion (as if brushing their teeth, but on the gums).  Usually once you do this the puppy will become more alert after a couple of minutes. You may call the number 'Pets in the City' provided you for any questions, problems, or concerns- 24 hours a day. Dora will be there to assist you in anything you may need.

What should I purchase for my new 'toy breed' puppy??

There's a few basics that all new owners of puppies under 3 lbs should have from the moment they arrive home with them.
  1. : A high calorie food supplement (Nutri-Stat or Nutri-Cal)  *see- hypoglycemia*
  2.   Baby Rice Cereal  (just in case your new puppy doesn't want to eat for the first couple days Rice Cereal is a great alternative to entice them to eat)
  3.   Baby Gerber Food ( Chicken & Gravy  or Turkey & Gravy)  another great way to make sure your new puppy eats within the first few days (or weeks if you'd like to spoil him)
  4. A syringe (provided by Pets in the City) the syringe is to suck up the baby food or rice cereal so you can squirt it right inside the puppy's mouth if they refuse to eat from a boil.