The Size These Puppies Will Be
Here is a basic checklist of what you will need:
- A fenced yard or fenced in area where they can potty and play.
- Animals that are accepting of new pets around the house.
- Time to train, play with and love on your new little one each day.
- The ability to pay for standard vet bills and their basic necessities.
- Animals that are accepting of new pets around the house.
- As with any medium length coat dog, they do shed, though it's quite minimal if you keep them brushed.
- They can and will dig if left unattended for log periods of time, though this is not a common occurance.
- They are watch dogs and will bark to alert, though they are not typically 'barky'.
- They are not known to be agressive, insecure, or unfriendly.
- They do well with children and families, as well as with strangers.
- They are quite adaptable and mine all enjoy traveling.
- They are loyal, faithful and make excellent companions.
- They can and will dig if left unattended for log periods of time, though this is not a common occurance.
PRODUCTS & TECHNIQUES WE USE/RECCOMEND
Holistic Allergen-Free Formulas for Dogs by Breeders Choice
Reaching New Heights in Pet Nutrition! Visit the http://www.breeders-choice.com/ website. For three generations, since 1947, family operated Breeder’s Choice has been catering to pet owners who cater to their pets. For those who favor a holistic approach to good pet health, we offer our AvoDerm line of products.
Healthy Skin and Coat on the Outside Healthy Dog on the Inside
As dog lovers and experienced dog owners ourselves, we know that the condition of a dog’s skin and coat is frequently a reflection of overall health. Poor skin health can sometimes be traced to dietary insufficiencies or imbalances. Problems with the skin and coat are never just cosmetic. Symptoms such as hair loss, thinning coat, dullness, dry flaky skin, excessive scratching, thickened skin, infections, and odors can often be traced back to either a shortage or an excess of a specific nutrient. In fact, there is no more visible indicator of problems with your dog’s overall health than problems with the skin and coat. The right nutrients in the right proportions are indispensable to keeping your dog healthy.
Why Avocados?
Many of the nutrients your dog needs for a healthy skin and coat can be found in the remarkable fruit known as the avocado. Nutrient rich avocados contain vitamins A, E and C in abundance. They’re also an excellent source of balanced nutritional essentials for your dog’s skin and coat health—and good health in general. Avocados are high in folate, potassium, niacin, essential fatty acids, and many other nutrients. They have no cholesterol, very little sodium, and are high in monosaturated fats. Ounce for ounce, the avocado is simply one of the most nutritious fruits there is. We created AvoDerm Natural formulas with California avocados so your dog could have a healthy skin and coat on the outside—and to keep them healthy on the inside. Our AvoDerm Natural formulas put your dog on the right nutritional track, and keep them there. Since 1947, we’ve invested our best resources developing the finest in wholesome and natural pet foods. Put our quality, innovation, and dedication to work for you and your loyal companion—put your trust in AvoDerm Natural!
Proven Formulas with Quality Ingredients
AvoDerm Natural provides quality protein sources that are ideal for adult dogs with sensitivities to other protein sources. We use only quality ingredients in all our formulas to provide healthy, balanced levels of protein, fat, and nutrients for adult dogs—we never use by-products. High quality ingredients eliminate the need for unnecessary preservatives and additives—things your dog’s diet definitely doesn’t need. We use only vitamins E & C to ensure freshness and palatability in our foods. Feed AvoDerm Natural regularly to sustain the highest level of nutrition for your dog from the inside out.
The Importance of Skin and Coat Conditioners
Your dog’s skin and coat perform many tasks vital to your dog’s survival—like providing warmth, maintaining body temperature, and protecting against parasites. Your dog's skin and coat are subject to constant attack and have some exceptional nutritional needs in order to protect and maintain your dog's health. You want your dog to feel good and look good, so we use the finest coat conditioners—like avocado oil, flax seed, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and essential fatty acids—to ensure your dog’s skin and coat are healthy, glowing, and beautiful. In fact, most dogs that are fed a healthy diet of AvoDerm Natural show improvement in just 4–6 weeks...we guarantee it!
Lower Stool Volume Benefits Everyone
Let’s face it; cleaning up your dog’s waste doesn’t exactly qualify as quality time. We know you’d rather spend time having more fun with your dog. AvoDerm Natural provides your dog with high digestibility, using enzymes to help facilitate the digestive process. Enzymes in the food also help your dog’s system absorb more vitamins and minerals. The results are lower stool volume and better nutrition for your dog—and less clean up for you! Daily Feeding Instructions AvoDerm Natural is pressure cooked to ensure your dog receives optimum nutrition from the highest quality ingredients. AvoDerm Natural is naturally formulated to be complete and balanced with added vitamins, minerals, and other essential ingredients for all stages of your dog’s life.
Yes, we use litter boxes to potty train our puppys and it works!
We find it's incredibly effective in potty training puppy's this size and we can help guide you through the process. We have included a few pictures of what dog litter (we use wood pellet animal bedding) & a dog litter box look like.
Below are basic instructions on litter box training your puppy!
For more information you can also visit: www.doglitter.com , this is a site by Purina and has an excellent tutorial online as well as coupons and offers for thier litter box system.
1. Choose an area in your home with solid flooring such as tile or linolium to set your puppys "room" up in. This can be a laundry room, bathroom or kitchen. Use an expandable baby gate to limit where puppy can roam.
2. Use puppy's crate (door taken off) or a covered box with a nice bed in it for puppy's "bedroom". The bed can be fancy or plain, just make sure it is comfortable and washable. Puppy will need this private area for naps, sleeping at night or just plain relaxing and getting away from stimulus.
3. Always make sure there is fresh water and dry puppy food for puppy available AT ALL TIMES.
4. Spread weewee pads or newspapers in a 3x3 area and set litter box in the center. This for two reasons- first, it will give asurface for puppy to discard any litter that has carried out on his feet, second, if puppy is not 100% successfull at first and has a near miss, it will not be on your floor.
5. Litter box should be only 1/2 full of litter, and not too tall for puppy to jump in and out of. A small cat size pan will work fine, as puppy grows you may need to graduate to a larger pan, also you will want a larger pan if you have more than one pup using it. Scoop and / or replace litter as often as needed.
6. Puppy should stay confined to this area at all times in the begining UNLESS you are directly supervising and can take puppy to it when you see behaviour that indicates puppy needs to potty. Gradually enlarge the area puppy can roam in by using the baby gates(s) until puppy has run of the whole house!
7. REMEMBER TO PRAISE, PRAISE PRAISE!!!
TIPS: 
Recycled wood products or paper products seem to work much better in the pelleted litter than do plant derived litter pellets. Also the size of the pellet seems to make a difference with how successfully the pups take to it. Purina makes a cat pellet litter called "good mews" , it is a smaller pellet.
Cost is not a factor in using this system! We purchase a recycled wood pelleted animal bedding product from our local feed store that is only $5.00 for a 35 pound bag. We us "Barn Dry Animal Bedding" though you can use any type your feed supplier carrier. A small cat pan will run around $2-$3 or you can get disposable litter boxes from PetSmart & cut the side down for easy access. A litter scoop is under a buck!
Just remember- it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, it just has to be clean and consistant!
ULTIMATELY the success of any potty training system is the responsibilty of the human moms and dads involved. Remember you are in charge of setting your puppy up for success in ALL things and sometimes you need to look at things from thier point of view to do this!
Good luck and should you need encouragement or help with any litter box or Toy/Mini Aussie questions, please do not hesitate to call us anytime at 360-326-3630!
Crate Training Your Puppy
You'll be glad you did it and so will your puppy!
"A crate is a portable 'kennel' that is just large enough to contain the dog it is intended for, made of either metal or plastic. 'Crating' is the practice of using this kennel for training purposes, usually in housetraining and house proofing a dog." (Moore) Many people feel that it is cruel to crate a puppy. Dogs have a natural denning instinct (Moore). That is why you will see many dogs sleeping under a table or a piece of furniture. The dogs need a safe area to call their own. Puppies learn from their mother that they should not soil their sleeping area. (Bohnenkamp)
The Puppy's Arrival
The puppy must have positive associations regarding the crate. The crate needs to be comfortable for the dog. When the puppy first arrives, have the crate ready with a blanket creating a warm, inviting environment. Don’t ever force the puppy into the crate. This is new to the puppy. He needs to explore this new place. Be sure to leave the crate door open so the dog can come in and out as it pleases. I find that it works well to use a small treat to lure the dog into the crate. When the dog first arrives do this several times so he begins to understand. Also when he is going in the crate I use the command "kennel up". Many other variations are acceptable. It is basically whatever you are comfortable with, but remember to be consistent.
The Puppy's First Night
The next big step is the first night. I play with the puppy until he's tired, make sure he has pottied outside and place the comfortable crate (with pad and towels etc.) on a chair or table right next to my bed where I can reach it while I'm still lying down. I place the puppy into the crate (possibly with a safe toy), go to bed and turn out the lights as usual. If the puppy whines, I place my fingers in the grate of the crate and talk softly to the puppy until he falls asleep. I may lose a little sleep that night and possibly the next but I will NOT open the door for the puppy for at least four hours. (I repeat: the puppy has successfully pottied just before this!). I do not get angry with the puppy or yell at him but I do not give in and let him out either. Usually he will fall asleep within an hour, less if he is tired. At eight weeks of age you cannot expect the puppy to go more than four hours without pottying (about-dogs). So, as soon as the puppy whines after waking up, have your sweats, shoes and shirt ready to take the puppy outside. Dress yourself quickly before you open the crate, carry the puppy to the potty area immediately, praise softly and gently for a job well done, bring him back in and without getting into a play session with him, return the puppy to his crate, turn the lights out and go back to sleep. If the puppy fusses for awhile, talk softly and put your fingers in the grate of the crate. Don't blame or scold the puppy if he has an accident. It is your responsibility to get the puppy out BEFORE he has had a chance soil his den. Later on, after the puppy is used to his routine and after he no longer needs to go out every four hours, you can put the crate on the floor of your bedroom or somewhere else in the house.
The Puppy's First Time Alone
At some point you have to go to work or go out somewhere and can't take the puppy. He's made it through his first day and night at his new home. He is familiar with his crate. Make sure the pup has been exercised and has pottied. It is helpful if he has played a bit and is tired. Lure him into the crate with a treat and your command ("kennel up") or physically place the puppy into the crate gently. Close the door and leave the house. No talking to him etc. He may whine a little. Don't stay away too long. An hour or two is best. If you have to go to work and have no other choice, then arrange to come home at lunch to feed, exercise and potty the puppy during your break or have someone else come in and do this for you. A puppy cannot be expected to go longer than four hours without a potty break and it is very hard to retrain a puppy that is used to soiling his crate. (about-dogs).
Conclusion
With time the puppy will begin to enjoy his crate. This is his home. Once he gets adapted to the routine he will think nothing of going into the crate. He will stop whining at night and start pottying on a regulated schedule. When the puppy is tired or just wants to get away he will go to his crate. You have taught him that his crate is a comfortable environment
LINKS & RESOURCES
Standard Australian Shepherds
Pet Travel Information: http://www.pettravel.com/
A LITTLE ABOUT TOY & MINI AUSSIES
Mini Height: 14 to 18 in.Toy Weight: 8 to 24 lb.
Mini Weight: 15 to 35 lb.
