Puppy Care Instructions

The following documents will be provided by the breeder to the buyer:

• Health Records — Including the first round of puppy shots and microchips at 6 weeks.
• AKC (American Kennel Club) registration form — I will complete the AKC registration for your puppy as soon as you finalize your dog's name and provide proof of spay as per your vet's recommendation. You will receive the puppy's certificate, including the AKC number, in the mail.
• AKC Reunite Microchip ID card — Puppy has been microchipped, but you must complete and pay for registration in your name online.

• Feed 1/2 cup dry puppy dog food and cover food with water to make a thick soup consistency (3× per day) until pup is 12 weeks old, then switch to 1 cup dry food 2× a day.
• Work up to 3 cups of food by the age of 6 months.
• Around 9 months of age, transition from puppy food to adult dog food (research shows too much protein at an early age can lead to growing too quickly, which can lead to potential health issues).
• Provide fresh water to your dog each time the dog goes out. Have water available throughout the day.

• We strongly recommend crate training your puppy from the start. By crate training your puppy, you are protecting them from potentially deadly situations. With crate training, you are training your puppy in positive and safe ways. No harm is done to the puppy when it is in the crate for reasonable periods.
• The puppy should always be put in their crate when an adult cannot supervise it (while you are not at home or at night when you are sleeping).
• Leave the puppy in the crate through the night; like a baby, it will cry, but if you take it out, you are training your pup to cry. (Note: the first couple weeks, you may want to let your pup out in the middle of the night to pee.) Consistency is key here! Put the pup in the crate every night (in a dark room — some people use a white noise machine to help and a stuffed animal the size of its litter mates to help). Do not return even when the puppy cries. The puppy will learn to love his/her crate, and eventually, as the pup grows, you can leave the crate open so the dog can come and go as he/she pleases.
• A puppy will adapt to your schedule; though remember it takes time (months of proper nutrition and growth). Consistency is important for your puppy's bowels and bladder to develop enough to make it through long periods without an accident.
• As far as “potty training” — put their crate close to a door if possible so when they wake up in the morning you can bring them directly out to prevent an accident. Control their water bowl (the first month or so) by allowing them to drink as much as they would like, take it away, and bring them outside in 30–45 minutes. Repeat this until trained!
• There are a lot of crate training videos on YouTube if you still have questions.

• Exercise each day is vital to your pup's happiness, and although their instincts revolve around pointing birds, squirrels, butterflies, the neighbor's cat, etc., they just want to have the opportunity to run and play.
• There must be a level of training and obedience for the master and the dog to be happy. If you let your dog get their way, your relationship will not be as strong as it could be. RuthieRose's breeder recommended a book called "How to Speed Train Your Own Bird Dog" by Larry Mueller, which prepares your young puppy both for hunting and for being a good house pet and companion. For those wanting a podcast on gundogs, check out "The Hunting Dog Podcast."
• Do not be afraid to be stern when needed! Sometimes that means using a responsible amount of reprimanding, which helps establish the ground rules that you are the master. Once ground rules are set, your dog will just want to please, and then training can be fun for all.
• Griffons are smart and much easier to train than many more stubborn breeds. Having a well-trained dog is also much safer for those who want to take their dog on hikes, camping trips, runs, walks, and other activities.
• Teaching your pup to sit, heel, stay, whoa, and come are key to keeping your dog safe in public, especially when there's traffic to watch out for. Also, if you have the means, don't be afraid to hire a professional dog trainer!

• Be sure to stick with the booster regimen (provided by your vet) for your puppy's optimum health and protection.
• Stick with meat-based dog food; stay away from grocery store foods.
• Do not give puppy chew toys that can be pulled apart and ingested. Griffs are notorious for swallowing socks! This can end very badly!
• Do not leave your puppy unsupervised when tied up.
• Do not leave your dog unattended in a car or truck for any amount of time.
• Never leave your puppy alone unsupervised with children or a dog you do not know.

• Never allow your puppy to jump up on any person; this is a dangerous practice!
• Never let your puppy chew on people or their clothing; this can lead to aggressive behaviors later in the puppy's life.
• Never play tug-of-war with your dog, as this activity can encourage aggressive behavior.
• We have been using So Phresh by PetCo Litter Boxes (L) with Nature's Logic Pine Pellet Cat Litter. Most of the puppies are using the litter box well, and it may help to buy these items from Amazon for consistency.
• dogfoodadvisor.com is a wonderful resource for selecting food and learning what is best for your puppy's diet.
• To properly maintain a harsh, weather-resistant coat, you need specialized hand-stripping and raking tools rather than standard clippers, which can soften and ruin the wire texture. Essential equipment includes stripping knives, an undercoat rake, and metal combing tools. Visit YouTube for informative videos that show how to properly groom your Griff.