puppy vitamins - Page 1

I was just wondering what Vitamins everyone gives their working line GS puppies.  Main reason is because I have had a hard time potty training and may have to feed once a day til I get her regulated.

thanks,
mikecast1

First, feed at least twice/day.  Just take all food and water away from the pup early evening - that gives you time to walk her a couple more times before bedtime.  No food and water after - say 7 pm, then walk, last late walk, bed - early morning resume food/water until early evening again - don't feed/water just before you have to leave - get a good schedule going, consider she will need to pee/poo soon after eating/drinking each time.

as a supplement I like to give Vit C especially - good for overall health and growth, joints and ears coming up.

molly

Thank you very much Molly!  I can see I was wrong in giving her water every night right after a little walk.  Little like maybe 3 or 4 houses down and back.  As far as food, i was feeding her at around 9 am and then again at 4pm.  She would wake me every morning at 3-4 am to go #2.   As long as I heard her we were ok.  I don't mind loosing some sleep as long as she relieves herself.  I tried to do the afternoon feed at 5 thinking she should be able to hold it til 4-5 for the next day but, I was wrong.  She stil wants to go out at 3-4am. 

Then a few times she had diarrhea and rolled all over it and darn she really stunk up the house.  Bad thing is my wife has a home based business and some people actually left because of the smell.  i don't blain them....

I also have been talking to a working line trainer that actually took some time to come to our home to give me a free consultation and allot of ideas of what direction I need to go with her.  She was fine with him here. maybe she is too smart.

He also had me narrow her crate by about 3".  And that is where I had it but, my family said "she needs more room" .  Now I say, " more room to poop!"

while housebreaking, the crate should only be big enough for her to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably.  NO extra room (to poop and not lay in it) - this will help teach her to hold it, because normally dogs are clean animals and she will not want to poop or pee where she has to sit or lay down.  You can make her sleeping area smaller by putting (disposable) stuffed animals, pillows or just small boxes in there with her, taking up room.  Or if you can get a smaller crate or make the one you have smaller.

Feed her early am, and early pm as you have been - then make sure you get her out after she eats/drinks, then again as late as possible right before you go to bed.  If you don't, she'll need to get out in the middle of the night.  If you do, she should be able to last between the later walk and the morning one.

strict schedule of feeding/water, playtime, walks, yard time and sleeping/crate time is very important when you are housetraining.

molly

thanks again Molly

Molly is so right on all of that.All the pups I have raised I had on a schedule and would pull their food.I would feed them small portions 3 times a day and as they got a bit older 2 times then as an adult 1 time.All my pups were house broke in less then a week.Only cause I got my butt up and let them out though the night.Some i crate trained and my little girl was so good she would let me know she had to go out and I would feel her staring at me.SO I would get up she would run out and go potty and then come back in and go to bed.She was an angle!! Good luck and have fun!!
~L~