Caring For Your New

Maltese Puppy

YOUR MALTESE PUPPY

Congratulations on your new Maltese baby.
There is nothing quite like the honor of being owned by a Maltese.
Their devotion and loyalty are second to none. They are also
one of the most intelligent and most trainable of the toy breeds.

The following is a quick list of things you will need
to make your new baby's transition go as smoothly as possible.

1. Nutri-Stat, Nutri-Cal, Honey or Kayro Syrup!

Make sure your puppy gets 1/2 inch of a gel
such as Nutri-Stat, purchased at most pet shops,
every 3 hours. It is especially crucial first thing
in the morning and the last thing before you go to bed.
The above are good substitutes if you find yourself without
a gel product.
IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE ON THIS LIST,
YOU SIMPLY MUST DO THIS!
Toy puppies who don't get Nutri-stat, often end up at the Vet's
for dextrose and often die. This is completely the caretaker's
responsibility. We do not refund or replace for hypoglycemia
incidents as they are simply brought on by neglecting to keep
the puppy's blood sugar up with the regular dosing of the Nutri-Stat
and making sure the puppy is in the pen with his food.


2. Play Pen (Human baby play pen or puppy pen)

The puppy must stay confined in a playpen where you keep his
food, water, litter box and soft bedding. Heavy 8 oz. ceramic crocks
are best to avoid spilling and wet bedding. Playpens may be purchased
at Wal-Mart. Pens made especially for puppies may be ordered from
CentralMetalproducts.com. These are 2 feet X 3 feet in size. You will need
to order the pen that includes a hygienic floor, a pan and top. You will
put all of the items above on top of the hygienic floor.


3. ON YOUR LAP OR IN THE CRIB

This is a rule that must be enforced for the health and safety of
the new baby. Just like human babies, they can't play on the floor
because it's simply too cold and stressful, any time of year.
Once the baby is 5 months old he will be big enough to not have a
reaction to the diet change that eating things off the floor and
outside the playpen may induce. If you decide to do this, don't forget
to put the litter box out where he can see it. If he's using a water bottle
you may consider purchasing a water bottle stand. Otherwise, you can
continue using the crock, which we recommend.


4. FOOD

Feeding your puppy properly is literally a matter of life or death.
Again, using the crock, keep available at all times, as much dry food
as your puppy wants. It is impossible to overfeed a Maltese puppy.
They need all of the body weight they can put on. We recommend feeding
half Royal Canin Puppy 33 Mini mixed with Eukanuba Puppy Small Breed.
This is mixed 1/2 and 1/2 and fed dry.
DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT CHANGING BABIES DIET FOR 4 WEEKS.
If you do change the diet (ugh!) be sure to do it gradually.
Mix 1/4 of the new food into the previous diet for a week.
The following week mix 1/2 and 1/2 and finally the third week
you can feed the new food solely. If the stools are too soft,
add more of the old diet. It is our most sincere hope you do not change foods.


5. BOTTOM CHECK

Check your baby's bottom every day for stool stickings.
This is best remedied with a warm bath. Remember to thoroughly dry
puppy with a blow dryer. It is also a good idea to give Nutri- Stat
after any stressful endeavor or procedure. A heating pad set on medium,
tucked under his bed will prevent any chilling. Be sure to take it away
in a couple of hours. Puppy may have as many baths as you like
if you take care to keep him warm. We recommend a bath to be given
once a week.


6. FUN STUFF

Maltese are the most accessorized stars in the dog world.
You can find gorgeous bows and other glam items at
Lainee Limited.
Petedge is our favorite haunt
for all kinds of dog bags, grooming items, beds and toys.
The most fun for Maltese is just being with you.
They fully expect to go everywhere you go. So, doll baby up and
be ready for ooh's and aah's and lots of Maltese kisses.


7. Staining & Future Coat Care

Likely one of the most common questions we are asked
is "how do I get rid of tear staining so my baby's face stays
pretty and white like the rest of his coat"?
First, tear staining is caused by a number of factors,
but the best way to keep your Maltese' face white is by not
allowing it to deeply stain in the first place.
We have found that using a quality product like
"Spa Lavish Your Pet Facial Scrub" will help
keep the face clean so it does not deeply stain
to begin with. A big reason we like this product is because
it does not sting the eyes, but it is still not a good idea
to get it in the eyes. It also soothes, balances, exfoliates
and hydrates your pup's coat to help protect it from the tearing.
Keep in mind, tear stains are really tough to remove
so it will take a number of applications to help correct
the problem. Do not expect an immediate fix. The photos
above are from the product website where you can also read
the testimonials that go with the photos.
Click here to go to the Spa Lavish Your Pet website.

Possible causes of excess staining should be considered as well
such as common allergies just like people have, dust, dirt, wind,
bacteria, allergies to preservatives in some foods, allergies to
something in your tap water (try using bottled water for a while)
and the most common cause is the hair from the muzzle or the top
of the head hanging into and irritating the eyes. Try trimming the
coat from the corners of the eyes if needed and try keeping the hair
on top of the head kept up in a bow or barret. Just remember,
the bow or barret must be removed and the coat brushed regularly
or it will matt, break and damage the coat.

Email questions to

castlemar3@hotmail.com