New Puppy Care
Bringing Home an About Time IG!

This page is written to help answer many of the questions that frequently come up about bringing a new puppy into your lives. It covers many things from feeding to collars, socialization to housebreaking, vaccinations, supplements, and more! If you are bringing a new "About Time" puppy into your lives, please take the time to read this whole page before your puppy arrives - there is a wealth of information here, you will be glad you did! If you are looking for additional information on a certain topic, please be sure to browse our IG Care and Information main page.

Feeding your new puppy:

   Our dogs are fed a combination of a natural raw diet, home cooked meals, and free choice dry kibble. After the recent issues and deaths caused by dog food recalls, we have transitioned our our dogs and pups to "Flint River Ranch", and "Innova's Evo" kibble. (Flint River Ranch kibble can be ordered direct from the distributor, and will be dropped at your door. Evo info and dealer locations provided on our links page). We feed primarily Flint River Ranch, mixing in Evo and supplements based on our preference for ideal dietary needs of each dog. Your new puppy will be eating 100% Flint River Ranch kibble about a week before they go home to you. Regardless of what you plan to feed long term, start with a small bag of this food, and then you will be able to change them gradually to your preferred brand of food if you choose to switch. Don't make sudden changes in your pup's diet - you can easily cause an upset stomach for days with sudden changes - the best way to change is gradually.

Changing your pup's food type:
   Start your pup on their accustomed food for the first day, then the second day mix 1/4 of the new food with 3/4 of the original food. The third day you will mix 1/2 new food with 1/2 original food, and the fourth day mix 3/4 new food with 1/4 old food. In this manner you can change the pups completely over to your preferred food type in just 5 days, without bothering their stomachs.

Protein Content & Quality:
   Regardless of the brand of food you prefer, Protein Content is key. IGs have a high metabolism, and burn a lot of energy! They will do best on a high protein diet. The protein level you feed can be reached thru a combination of kibble raw feeding, and supplements (Supplements are detailed below on this page).
   Quality is extremely important in your dog food decision - a cheap food that has lots of "fillers" (corn, etc) will not be digestible or nutritional, and can actually be detrimental to your puppy's health. Many commercial foods are full of cheap fillers, by-products, and artificial preservatives. Taking corn alone out of your dogs diet will keep your dog much happier and healthier in the long run, and likely increase his life span as well. Corn is completely indigestible to dogs, has no nutritional value whatsoever, many dogs are allergic to it, and a corn based diet has been linked to the cause of many canine health issues. As if that is not enough, the corn in our country is loaded with growth hormones to mass produce it for the demand and variety of corn based products - the quality has been sacrificed for the quantity. If your dog, cat, or even yourself, have a predisposition to cancer, those growth hormones will feed that gene, increasing the risk of the growth of cancer. Frightening when you think about it!
    Feed your dog Well - it isn't worth saving a couple bucks on the cheap brand of kibble when you consider the loss of years to your dogs life and health.
    Feed your dog Carefully - many of the premium labels and brands are not what they appear, and are not even manufactured by the company marketing the product.

Dog Food Quality Rating System
   If you are curious about the quality of the kibble you are feeding, or simply struggling to decipher which of the many brands available would be the best quality for your dog, use this Dog Food Rating System. This is a simple way to judge the quality of kibble brands - and compare how different dog foods measure up.

Pet Food Recalls & Choosing What You Feed:
   In light of yet another pet food recall, and the scale of brands, families, and pets affected. Many families were shocked by the unexpected loss of their beloved pets ... many families who thought they were feeding good quality food.

   Co-Packing: Most people are surprised, and appalled, to learn that all the Iams/Eukanuba canned foods are not made by the Iams Company at all. In fact, in 2003 Iams signed an exclusive 10-year contract for the production of 100% of its canned foods by Menu. This type of deal is called co-packing. One company makes the food, but puts another company’s label on it. Co-packing is a very common arrangement in the pet food industry. While not commonly known, it is often brought to light when a recall is issued, and surprisingly when dozens of "premium" private labels are involved. This practice of co-packing is used by many large and “reputable” labels such as Iams, Eukanuba, Hills, Purina, Nutro, Doanes, Diamond, and other high-end, so-called “premium” foods.
    The big question raised by the co-packing arrangement is whether or not there is any real difference between the expensive premium brands and the low quality generic brands. The recalled brands in the latest recall run from the cheap walmart Ol'Roy brand, up to the high-end premium labels. Whatever the differences are between cheap and high-end food, one thing is clear. The purchase price, brand, and label of commercial pet food does not always determine whether the food is good, bad, or even safe.

Here are Dog Food Recall Lists, from the Food and Drug Administration, and the American Veterinary Medical Association:
   FDA Dog Food Recall List
   AVMA Dog Food Recall List

Flint River Ranch Dog Food:
   We have fed and recommended the Diamond dog food line until recently. In light of the health issues and deaths caused by extensive recent dog food recalls, and Diamond's own recall two years ago that caused the sickness and deaths of many dogs on the east coast, we have transitioned into a new feeding program with Flint River Ranch. This is one of the best foods we have found to feed in our program. It is twice baked with all natural human-food grade quality premium ingredients, and no corn or fillers. As you read you'll understand why we spend so much time and investment on excellent food for our dogs, it's because we know that your dog's future health and quality of life will be shaped by your choice in food!

We feed and recommend Flint River Ranch dog food.

A high quality, all natural, oven baked dog food made with premium healthy ingredients and no corn and fillers.
Order FRR dog food easily and quickly online. Each order is filled directly from the manufacturer, and it will be promptly dropped at your door with no additional shipping charge!

   Flint River Ranch Super Premium foods contain only high-quality, all-natural, human food grade ingredients without fillers, by-products or chemical preservatives. To aid your sensitive pup's digestion, formulas also contain probiotic and digestive enzymes to aid in food digestion and nutrient absorption. A tasty nutritious diet for your dogs, FRR's protein source is high-quality chicken meal and lamb meal, neither of which contains by-products. All kibble is Twice Oven-Baked, making it highly palatable and easily digestible. Your dogs will LOVE the taste of this kibble, and because Flint River Ranch dog food products are high-density, you will find you need to feed 20-25% less than other foods. Each serving delivers the maximum nutrition without fillers, resulting in easier digestion and less stool volume and cleanup.

Cooking for your dogs:
   Two to three times per week we feed all our dogs a "home-cooked" meal. I will boil a whole chicken until tender, pull all the meat from the bones, and then drop some scrambled raw eggs into the boiling broth (with the chicken pieces) before finishing up with a kettle-full of rice. The end result is rice boiled in chicken broth, with wispy pieces of egg throughout, and shreds of chicken mixed in. A little oil can be added as it is cooking as well. Your dogs will love it!

   We supplement all our dogs diets with Satin Balls (recipe below) a healthy and tempting recipe you can mix together and freeze for easy daily use.

Feeding Raw:
   If you start researching raw diets, you'll hear a vast difference of opinions. Personally, I have found that a natural raw diet has been nothing but beneficial to my dogs. Raw bones and food are what dogs are naturally suited to eat. Commercially prepared cooked foods & kibble lack enzymes and other essential dietary components and contain some ingredients that promote allergies and are otherwise harmful for dogs. The conventional canned and kibble dog foods are convenient and practical to handle, that's why they are so popular. After a couple of years of feeding though, they can be harmful for your dog's liver - especially the super premium types.

If you decide to feed raw to your IG, your options range from packaged medallions of raw food, to simply picking up a couple ribs at the grocery store (and explaining to the family why the dog gets ribs while dinner is spaghetti!).
   * Raw bones are healthy for your dog. Raw bones are digestible, natural, softer, and nutritional, while cooked bones will become hard, brittle and lose much of their nutritional value.
   * NEVER feed cooked chicken bones to your dog. They will splinter into fatally sharp slivers and pieces and can KILL your dog. Raw chicken bones are fine.

Supplements ~ A couple little extra things I do:
   I use, and highly recommend, a wonderful natural supplement for all my dogs and puppies - "Pets Alive". I wouldn't be without it for my dogs - it works that well! This supplement will help to fill in the missing ingredients that most dog foods do not have, and will give your dog a wonderfully soft and glossy coat, healthy skin with minimal shedding, protection for their eyes, joints, bones, and immune systems!

You can find additional information by clicking the link above. As I am an affiliate with Gardens Alive, when you order their "Pets Alive" supplement (or any other products from their website) by clicking through from this link on my site, you will receive $20 off any $40 purchase! Try it for a couple weeks ... and see the difference for yourself!

   I use a bit of mayonnaise (often thinned 50% with oil) over my dog's food each day, and then sprinkle on the "Pets Alive" supplement powder and stir it all up. The mayonnaise or oil will conveniently make the powder stick to the kibble. Also, mayonnaise/oil will produce an amazingly healthy shiny coat as both provide extra protein/fat. Interestingly enough, mayonnaise makes their poop not smell as much too! I recommend either corn* oil or fish oil.
*While dogs can not digest corn, they can assimilate linoleic acid and linocleic from the corn oil.
   I often supplement with a raw egg a day also for individual dogs as well - again the added protein and fat will help if you need to add weight, and will also produce a wonderful shiny coat!

   All of these are high in protein and fat, and in addition to producing a shiny healthy coat, they will help prevent dry/flaky skin and hair problems as well. Do keep in mind though, an overweight fat puppy is not a healthy puppy. Most are so active that this is never really a problem, but if your pup starts to get chunky, slow down on the extras.

Satin Balls:
   Satin Balls are a total canine diet. They can be feed by by themselves or as a supplement, used to build up a show dog, or develop a healthy appetite for a picky eater. They will increase weight on thin dogs, build healthy soft skin and glossy coats, alleviate itching and chewing at dry coats/skin, and maintain a bright-eyed look and healthy energy level.

Collars / Harnesses:

   Choosing a collar for an Italian Greyhound is not as simple as for other non-sighthound breeds. Finding a cute collar is easy. Finding a collar that *will not slip off* your IG is a whole different story.
IGs are a very graceful breed, with their long thin necks, and their elegant typey heads... The problem with many collars is that a startled IG that sets back against the lead can slip most collars right over their tiny little heads and suddenly be free to bolt. Nylon collars are the worst for this. Many people will use wide flat martingale collars designed specifically for sighthounds. For the most part these work well, although I have had an IG slip even one of these before. Some people prefer to use harnesses. Do not be fooled into thinking that a harness is bombproof though. IGs can pull back and manage to contort themselves to the point where they get a leg half through the harness strap and end up getting hung up in it. Again, not a good situation.
   I use and recommend a simple rolled leather collar on all my dogs. When fit correctly, it *Will Not* slip over your dog's head in any situation. They are Safe, clean and classy looking, inexpensive, last forever, do not damage your IG's coat, and are available in a variety of colors (natural, red, brown, black, etc). Do be sure to get the rolled leather - not the flat leather though. I have provided a photo of one here for an example.

Beds / Blankets / Toys / Treats / Chews & More:

   There is nothing an IG loves more than soft beds and fluffy blankets! Leave a couple pet-beds in various rooms, or toss a fluffy blanket on the corner of the couch (bonus points if it is in a sunny spot!) and your IGs will think they've reached heaven. Snuggle beds with fleece lining and a hood over the top that your IG can snuggle under are especially big hits here!

   A variety of chew toys, and fun toys should always be available, especially for young energetic puppies. They provide hours of entertainment, help get through the teething process, (and are much cheaper to replace than your couch & shoes). "Fuzzy/Squeaky" toys are the biggest hit with our IGs here. They will spend hours chewing and shaking their new "victim" ... then bring it to me with a quizzical look when it stops squeaking. Hard chew toys/treats will help scrape their teeth, and will reduce plaque buildup. We offer our IGs a variety of chew treats, including Raw Bones, Bully Sticks, Braided Pizzle Sticks, Toobles, and Deer Antler Chews, rope bones, and more.

We Use & Recommend Flint River Ranch Treats

A Natural and Healthy Treat Selection for your IG!
All natural and 100% digestable, Bully Sticks, Braided Pizzle Sticks, Toobles, and Deer Antler Chews
Click here to order Flint River Ranch Treats

A couple notes on the subject of treats:
   "Greenies" have been linked to the deaths of a number of dogs due to the fact that they shatter in large chunks, get lodged in the digestive system, and do not soften/dissolve.
   Rawhide strips are fun treats, but should be limited and ingested in moderation. If your dog ingests a large amount of rawhide at a time, it will swell in their stomachs and can lead to bloat or blockages.

Vaccinations & Worming:

   All our puppies are current on their vaccinations & worming before leaving. You will receive a your puppy's immunization records when your puppy arrives home to you. We de-worm pups bi-weekly with Earliworm, and vaccinate with FortDodge Duramune vaccine. Pups receive their first vaccine at 6 weeks of age, and boosters at three-week intervals after that. If your pup goes home to you before vaccinations are complete, it is vitally important that you take him/her to your vet to receive the remaining boosters. Your puppy *will not* be protected (against parvo, distemper etc.) until he/she has received the full set of vaccinations and booster shots.

FULLY Vaccinate ~ BEFORE taking your pup out:
   I can't stress this one enough. Until your puppy is COMPLETLY vaccinated, do not take the chance of your new little one being exposed to Parvo/Distemper. This means, until fully vaccinated, your pup stays in your home, in a controlled environment. Trips to the vet are held/crated - not allowed to walk on the floor, sniff noses with other dogs, or be petted by strangers. Don't let your unprotected puppy run on the grass, stroll down the sidewalk, or play with the neighbors dog. Parvo lurks everywhere. At best, you will rack up a vet bill in the thousands in a matter of days trying to save your puppy ... At worst, your baby will suffer and die despite anything your vet can do.
Do Not Take That Chance.

Other Dogs, Cats, Pets, & Kids:

   Yes, IGs can get along with other dogs, large breed dogs, cats, and other pets. Our IGs co-exist peacefully with our birds, indoor housecats, and mastiffs. It all comes down to a matter of training ("it is not 'OK' to chase the cat") and raising them with the other dogs ("even though you're 'snack-size' the 150lb big dog won't eat you").

Introductions:
   Introducing your new IG to your other pets should be closely supervised. Often having your larger pet on a leash, or letting them get acquainted through the crate door is a good way to start. Introductions take time. Don't expect everything to be perfect instantly. Be sure to provide plenty of supervised interaction and bonding time between your new puppy and current pets. Once they have gotten to know each other you will usually find your IG curled up sleeping on your other dog, or napping in the sun with your cat.

A couple notes on the subject of Large Dogs:
   IGs can co-exist just fine with large dogs. Our IGs use our mastiffs for portable beds! There are a few of our large dogs that I trust unsupervised with the IGs, however, the rest have separate yards and are only allowed together while supervised. My large dogs are trained not to "chase" the IGs, will allow an IG to take food directly from under their nose, and would never hurt them intentionally. *BUT* always keep in mind the damage that a playful 150lb dog could accidentally do to a tiny IG. All it would take is one playful swipe of a huge paw to squish a pup like a bug! There is no cut and dried answer as to whether your large dog will be fine with an IG, it all depends on the dog's temperament, personality, and training.

IGs & Children:
   Many breeders feel strongly that IGs and children do not mix. I personally come from a family of 12 kids, and my younger siblings love the IGs! Like the notes about large dogs above, it all comes down to your child, is he/she well behaved and respectful of animals? Or will he/she grab the dog by a leg and drag it around? A child that raised well and taught to respect animals and show proper care for a small dog will enjoy hours of fun & love with their puppy. An irresponsible un-disciplined child with a small fragile dog is simply asking for a broken leg. Before considering an IG with children, carefully consider your child's respect for animals. Be sure that your child understands they can pet and touch the dog, but can not grab and carry it. Be sure your child will respect the dog. Again, there is no cut and dried answer that applies to everyone. A poorly behaved child can easily cost you thousands of dollars in vet bills to set your IGs broken leg... and it will happen in a split second. On the other hand, there is no sweeter picture than a respectful child curled up napping or playing with their IG.

Socializing your puppy:

A well-socialized Italian Greyhound is a Confident, Outgoing, and Fun Loving IG! He is accepting of new situations, people, and things - both in and out of your home, and is a pleasure to live with.

  NEW SECTION COMING!
This page is a work in progress - constantly growing! Please be patient with us while we write this section.

Housetraining:

   "About Time" puppies are started with housetraining basics already established, and the groundwork laid, to make housebreaking as simple as possible when your new pup arrives home. At 4 weeks of age when the pups start becoming mobile and eating, they are placed in a 5ft square exercise pen in our kitchen. They have a bed, food and water in the front, and paper down to cover the rest of the area. As dogs have a natural instinct to keep their sleeping and eating areas clean, they prefer to eliminate in a different area. At this young (and not totally mobile yet) age, anywhere the pup chooses to go outside of his bed is on paper. As they grow over the next week they will progress naturally to choosing the back corner of their area to eliminate - as far as possible from their food and bed area. Over the next couple weeks, the size of the exercise pen is increased, and the paper is decreased from covering the floor to just an area in the back corner.
   By using this method we use the pup's own natural instincts to not soil their bed/food areas to allow them to paper-train themselves naturally! By the time they are 8 weeks old, they have run of the kitchen, with a determined paper area in the corner, and we have only an occasional "oops" somewhere else.

   Your pup will arrive with the basic foundation for paper-training already established. From that point on, you just need to build on it. To start, when your pup first arrives home in a new and unfamiliar place, go back to the basics by limiting your pup to a restricted area when feeding and for 30 minutes after meals: food and bed on one side, paper or pee-pad in the back. The pup should pick up right away to go o the paper. Then, once he knows where it is, start increasing the area, but be sure to feed close to the paper so he won't have to go far after eating. Once he clearly knows where the paper is, he will easily begin returning to it on his own.

   Paper training is your foundation. Changing from paper to a litter box, or to going outside, is just a matter of steps. Remember, always make changes gradually, and build your new training on your original foundation.
   To change to a litter box from paper, first establish paper training where you will place the litter box, once the pup is accustomed to going on the paper there, put the litter box down, and put the paper inside it. Give it a couple days for him to become accustomed to going on the paper in the litter box, then sprinkle a couple handfuls of litter over the paper in the box. You can gradually add more litter until you remove the paper entirely, and you are litter box trained!
   To train to go outside, leave the paper down in the house for a backup option, and begin taking your pup out after meals and/or when you notice him starting to circle and sniff for a place to go. When he eliminates outside, praise him heavily, and take him back in. In this manner you can make him understand that you are pleased when he goes outside, and soon he should start looking to go out when he has to eliminate. By leaving paper down inside as well though, you provide a backup in the event that you do not get there fast enough to let him out. At least he can still go on the paper (good puppy) rather than messing on the floor (bad puppy).

   Positive reinforcement and consistency are your best tools in training your dog. If you forget to watch him, and find a mess on the floor, DO NOT punish your pup after the fact for your inattention. He will not know what you are angry for. Instead, clean it up, and watch more closely the next time. If you catch him "in the act", make a sharp noise of displeasure, and simply pick him up, carry him to the paper, and then praise him when he finishes there. Praise and treats every time he does right will go much further than yelling when he doesn't. Soon enough you'll end up with an IG that will come running to find you and show you he made a mess where he was suppost to, just because he wants his reward and treat!

   The best training tip I've ever heard when it comes to housebreaking...
Keep a rolled up newspaper handy, and when you find the little pile or puddle on your rug, take the rolled up paper and hit yourself over the head numerous times and repeat "I forgot to watch my dog, I forgot to watch my dog, I forgot to watch my dog". It may not correct the dog, but it will certainly get your attention!

Additional housetraining information is provided at this link: IG HouseTraining Info

Crate Training / Exercise Pens:

   We highly recommend Crate-Training your puppy. You don't want to keep your IG in a crate all day, and the use of a crate to try to housebreak is not very effective with small breed dogs. However, if you are in a situation where you need to crate your dog (while traveling, at a show, temporary confinement, etc), you want a well-mannered accepting dog. This will not happen on its own. The crate should be established from the start as a good place, a safe place, the pups "den". You can place a soft bed in the crate, and always make it pleasant with treats and chew toys as well. Don't leave your pup too long while starting training - reward them for short periods of behaving with a treat and a hug! Soon you will be able to leave the crate door open and your IG will retreat there when he/she is tired or just wants some quiet rest. When started right, crate confinement (if you ever need it) will never be a big issue.

Exercise Pens - Limiting Areas:
   New puppies are always easier to train when they are safely restricted to a limited area while not being directly supervised. A pup that is locked in a closed room will start to feel isolated and become bored/upset/destructive. A pup locked in a crate for long periods will be too confined, and develop bad habits. An exercise pen is one of the greatest inventions to have with new puppies! I use the wire type (pictured here) for a variety of reasons. The pen is light and easy for your pup to see thru - they don't feel isolated. Made of 8 hinged panels, they are extremely adaptable to almost any size, shape, space imaginable. You can even stretch them out across a room/entryway to simply restrict a pup to half the kitchen etc. While a 2ft tall one is tempting for a young pup, plan ahead and get a 4ft tall pen so your growing pup doesn't start flying over it! Some IGs are climbers. If your pup even starts to climb your excercise pen, get a cover right away.

Creating a Puppy Safe Area:

Creating a "Puppy-Safe" area for your new pup to hang out when it arrives home to you is very important. There will be times when you are not able to directly supervise the pup, or need to go out. During these times it is important that you have a safe area to leave your pup in where it can not hurt itself, and can not get into trouble.

We recommend using an exercise pen to create a "Puppy-Safe" area, as shown in the photo to the right. This area should contain a bed (an open crate with a bed inside makes a perfect 'den'), a potty pad or litterbox, some play toys and chew toys for entertainment, and water/food bowls. It should provide room for your pup to move around, play, sleep, drink, and relieve itself - all while preventing the pup from being able to get into any trouble while you are not there to correct and train it.

Also, remember, while you are housetraining and the pup is not directly supervised, the smaller area he has the better the housetraining will go. In other words if he has a 4-5 ft area with a bed, food/water, and a pee pad ... he pretty much HAS to go on the pee pad. If he has a larger room, he has more space and option to 'miss'.

If you opt to use a room (like a laundry-room etc) as your "puppy-safe" area, purchase a use puppy gate or see-thru barrier rather than closing the door. Oftentimes pups locked in a room with a closed door start to feel isolated and will learn to dig at the floor or scratch at the door to try to get out. When buying a pet gate, remember, IG's can climb. You will want a gate with vertical bars to prevent climbing. A very good recommendation for IGs is a Rover Pet Gate. Once your pet gate is in place, be sure to remove anything the pup could possibly get into from reach or the room. Do not assume that an IG can not jump up onto counters, pry its way under a closed toilet lid, or work open cabinet doors. Make sure all power cords, chemicals, and chewable objects are out of reach. Check twice to be sure your new pup will be safe while you are gone.

Successful Training with an IG is a matter working with three key points:
Consistency, Positive Enforcement, and Immediate Correction.
If your young pup is running loose in the house unsupervised, you are not there to do any of the above. A Puppy-Safe area will not only keep your pup from harm, but will be an invaluable asset to your pup's training.

Health Care:

With the rising cost of vet care, a good pet insurance plan is a simple and low cost way to give yourself the peace of mind knowing you will never have to make the call between getting your pet needed care ... and not being able to afford a big vet bill if something goes wrong.
We breed very carefully with every possible effort to produce a healthy pup, however sometimes even with the best of intentions things go wrong. As one of the families approved to take home one of our pups we are confident you are going to take wonderful care of them, but even with the best of care accidents do happen. We cover every one of our pups with a full guarantee, providing for a refund or replacement in the event that our pup turns out to not be the healthy happy dog we tried to provide you, however, our guarantee does not cover any vet expenses you may incur for your pup - this is where pet insurance comes in. In the event that something goes wrong, or an accident happens, make sure you won’t have to choose between your pet’s health and your finances.
See how simple it can be to have peace of mind for your Italian Greyhound:

• Click here to get a Free Instant Quote from Embrace Pet Insurance, a reliable company we recommend with reasonable rates, great coverage, and a low deductable.
• Click here to get a Free Instant Quote from Pet Assure, an innovative insurance alternative Discount Program that provides you with a 25% discount on all vet bills. No expensive premiums, no restrictions or limitations, no exclusions for pre-existing conditions, and all for under $10 per month.

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