Pumpkin Puppies - Our Guidelines for Healthy Puppies

Our program centers around the health of each dog and pup. As a result, we take great pride in early care for all the lives in our home - in nutrition, grooming, and even laundry!

Puppies have extremely sensitive systems. Their sense of smell is between 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than a human's; their skin, being more alkaline than acidic, is at least 3 times thinner than human skin; and their high metabolisms but small stomachs demand twice the amount of calories than adult dogs spread out across several meals.

With this in mind, we work with a simple but effective blueprint for the early care of our little ones. Nutrition, first, is key. As breeders, the job of feeding is easy for the first three weeks - Mom takes full care of that. But once the dam decides to wean the pups, we step in, slowly supplementing with our balanced puppy mush: high-quality puppy kibble soaked in puppy milk replacer, warm water, and 100% pure pumpkin puree, blended until smooth. This fortified formula preserves essential fats, antibodies and fibers while introducing stronger proteins and vitamins through an easily digestible meal. As the pups grow and their nutritional needs change, we slowly modify the recipe week by week until the pups are fully weaned onto dry kibble, ready for their new homes at eight weeks.

But - alas, alack, mush is messy! To counter the diabolical disaster all over the pen and pups, we have a special system specifically for our sensitive pups. Laundry is done with a gentle detergent free of fragrance allergens and dyes, balanced with a small amount of vinegar instead of softener. Floors and walls are cleaned with a vinegar-water solution. When Mom doesn't do a good enough job, warm water is the main answer for pumpkin messes on the puppies themselves. For big oopsies, a spot bath with a gentle, clear cleanser is in order. Before they go to their new homes, the pups also will have had their first full baths, desensitizing them to the sounds and sensations of grooming.

Finally, we must solve the problem of puppy poop. Starting at three weeks, we begin to potty train. We fill a tray with alfalfa hay and cover with pee pads, teaching them to go at the smell of grass.  When we introduce them to the outdoors, they know exactly where to go!