DAY FARM & KENNEL
CHIHUAHUAS & TOY POODLES
PET CARE
Below are some tips to keep in mind when you purchase a new puppy
Going to a new home can be stressful on a small puppy. He may be a little scared after the trip there & being in his new surroundings. It is during this time that it is crucial to keep an eye on him & make sure he is adapting well.
1. Make sure he is eating---don't think that if he gets hungry enough he will eat. Small breed puppies need to eat several times a day to keep their blood sugar level.  If it drops too low, he will become sick very quickly & if proper care is not taken immediately he will likely go into a coma & possibly die. Nutrical is a good supplement to give a puppy who refuses to eat. It will help keep the puppy stable till you can get him to eat on his own or get him to a vet for help. You should feed him the puppy food supplied to you but if you decide to change foods--do it gradually by mixing the old in with the new for a few days.  This will help him to adjust to the new food & should lessen the chance of an upset stomach.

2. Let your puppy sleep.  The move to a new home can be very exciting & he may want to be held or played with continually but he also needs plenty of rest time & sleep. Puppies usually take several short naps daily & sleep through the night.  Not getting enough sleep can be harmful to a pup,--if he is tired all the time, he may not have the energy to eat his food which he needs to grow & stay healthy.  Some people prefer to crate train their puppy, this works well especially in the beginning where he can go in his house & get uninterrupted sleep & you don't have to worry about where he is or what he's doing.

3. Keep him at home for at least the first few days.  This will help him to know that this is where he lives now & will make him feel more secure & safe about his surroundings.  Also exposing a small puppy to strange animals & places can be dangerous since you must always be aware of diseases & things that could harm your pup.

4. Housebreaking can take time & patience.  He will need to go potty as soon as he wakes up, after every meal, right before he goes to bed & a few times in between.  The best advice I have for housebreaking is to be consistent & praise him for a job well done. Try to understand that these are babies & if you treat them as such, you both will have an easier time of it.

5. Have dog toys for your puppy to chew on.  Puppies like to chew & will be teething so if you provide them with toys appropriate for them, they will be less likely to chew on something else.

6. Get regular veterinarian check-ups & keep all vaccinations & wormings up to date.

7. Last but certainly not least---give your new baby lots of love & attention. This is the time his personality will really start to form.  However you treat him is likely how he will treat you. Pets can give us an unconditional kind of love that is like no other, so let them, that is what they want to do. Remember, he will be depending on you for his every need so take good care of him.

SPAYING & NEUTERING
Spaying & neutering increases your pet's chances for a longer healthier life
*  Spaying your pet before her first estrous cycle ( that is, before she reaches sexual maturity) greatly reduces her chances of developing breast cancer & completely eliminates the threat of uterine & ovarian cancer & uterine infection, which are common occurrences in unaltered females.

*  Neutering your male dog prevents testicular tumors & may prevent prostate problems.  Neutering also decreases the possibility of perianal tumors & hernias, which are commonly observed in older, unaltered dogs.  Because neutered pets are less likely to roam, the threat of abscesses caused by bites & diseases transmitted by fighting are greatly reduced.
An altered dog is a better pet for your family
*  Males neutered early in life are less aggressive toward other males & are not distracted by females in heat. Therefore, a  neutered male will be less tempted to leave your property & cross that dangerous highway searching for a mate.  Neutered males also are less likely to mark everyone of your expensive shrubs with his urine as well as inside the house.

*  Spaying your female pet eliminates the problem of stray males camping in your yard & decreases her desire to roam & breed.
No family wants to cope with an unwanted pregnancy
*  Spaying prevents your pet from giving birth to unwanted puppies.
Spaying results in a cleaner female dog & home
*  Because female dogs pass bloody fluid for about 10 days, twice a year, as a part of their estrous cycle, constant care must be taken to avoid carpet stains in homes with such animals.  Spaying your dog eliminates this problem.
You are helping to alleviate the dog overpopulation problem
*  Each year, millions of unwanted dogs are euthanized (killed) at shelters across the country.  Although pet behavioral problems are the main reasons animals are given to shelters, many orphans are the result of accidental breeding by free-roaming, unaltered pets.  The more pets spayed & neutered, the fewer dogs will have to be destroyed.  Leave the breeding to the professionals.
some of the above information came from "should you spay/neuter your pet" by Alpo
These puppies are already spayed & neutered before they leave me. New studies show that having this done at an early age helps prevent alot of certain cancers from developing in both sexes & getting the male neutered before his hormones develop will lessen the chance of him "lifting his leg" & marking his territory.  Young puppies recover from this surgery much faster than ones that are already 6 months of age.  It is very important for the health of your new baby to have this done before the hormones start kicking in, not to mention for your added peace of mind.   My husband & I were both raised on farms & we have seen alot of different animals desexed at an early age & watched alot of them grow into their "olden years" & they were very happy & very healthy animals & we don't believe having a pup spayed or neutered at an early age is any different.
                                                                         WEIGHT CHART

Birth  2 1/2 oz2 3/4 oz     3 oz3 1/2 oz      4 oz4 1/4 oz     4 1/2 oz     5 oz5 1/2 oz    6 oz      6 1/2

1 week 3 3/4     4 5   5 1/2 6 1/2    7       8      9   9 1/210 1/4     11
2 weeks           5              5 1/2       6 1/2          7              9              10             11            12 1/2       13 1/2     14 1/2      16
3 weeks           6                7              8              9              11             13             14               16        17 1/2       18 1/2     20
4 weeks           7                8            9 1/2         11              13             15             17              19            21            23        24
5 weeks           8                9             11              13             15             17          19 1/2          22            24           26        29          6 weeks           9              11            12 1/2         15           17 1/2         20             22            26            27           30        32     
7 weeks          10             12            14 1/2         17           19 1/2         22          24 1/2        27             30           33        35
8 weeks          11              13              16             19          21 1/2         24             27            29             33           36        39
9 weeks          12              15           17 1/2         20             23            26            29             32             35           39        42
10 weeks         13              16             19             22             25           28             31             34             38           41         45
11 weeks         14               17             21            24             27            31              34            37            40            45        49
12 weeks        15               19             22             26            30           33               37           41             45            40        53
13 weeks        16               20             24            28            32           36              40             44            49           53        57 
14 weeks        17               22             26            30            34           39               43            47            52           56        60 
15 weeks        19               23            28             32            37           41               46            51             56           61         65 
16 weeks        20               25            30           34              39           44              49            54             59           65        70
17 weeks        21                26           31             36             41           46               51            57             62           67        72
18 weeks        22               28            33             37            43           48               54           60             65           71         76
19 weeks        23              29             34             39            44            50              56            62           67            72        77
20 weeks       24               30            35             41             46            52              58           64            70            76        81
21 weeks       24               31             36             42            48            54             60             66            72           78        84
22 weeks       25               32           37               43           49            56              62           68             74            80       86    
23 weeks       26               33            38             44            50            57              64           70              76           82       88    
24 weeks       26              33              39            45             51           58               65           71             78            84       90
25 weeks       27              34             40             46             52           59               66           72            79            86       93
26 weeks       27              34             40             47             53           60              67            73            80            87       94
18 months    2 lbs         2 1/2 lbs     3 lbs       3 1/2 lbs      4 lbs     4 1/2 lbs      5 lbs       5 1/2 lbs    6 lbs       6 1/2 lbs 7 lbs