How exciting, the day has finally come!

Please wait until you get home to put the puppy down outside. Until your puppy has finished up their vaccinations, please don't put them down in public areas like airports, gas stations, parking lots, sidewalks or parks.  Use the puppy pads we provide you and make an area in your vehicle to lay them down.  Offer your puppy food and water immediately. They need to be drinking and eating a little within a few hours after arrival.

Your puppy has been in a warm, clean environment among its litter mates since they were born. It is important to keep your puppy warm and comfortable. It takes them a few days to adjust to their new surroundings. Provide your puppy with the blanket, toy, and chewies we sent with them. We also suggest placing a large (around 12" high) stuffed animal in the puppy's pen, so they have something to cuddle up with for naps and bedtime.

A puppy needs to be confined when you're not with them, so they need a puppy area large enough to be comfortable, where he can sleep, eat and play. An ex-pen works great for this. A 24" high on should be sufficient. You will need a bed, food and water, toys and chewies and either a litter box or puppy pads. Plan on keeping this pen set up for as much as 4-5 months until they are fully house trained. You will find it will make life much easier to use this set up! Your puppy will be in this area for about 3 hours for every one hour of awake time (8-week-old) this will change as your puppy gets older. They are just babies and need lots of sleep. The idea is to have them use their potty area when they are in their pen, but during their time out with you they are going to their permanent potty area (outside, on the balcony, wherever it will be). Also, anytime you cannot devote your full attention, this is where your puppy needs to be. An un-supervised puppy will learn bad habits, accidents in the house being one of them. Even if you can devote all your time to them, your puppy still needs to learn to entertain themselves to prevent separation anxiety. 

The best scenario for the first few nights would be to have the puppy beside your bed, elevated to be the same height so you can see them. Other alternatives would be to have them in a crate by your bed on the floor or sleep on a couch right by their puppy area. Whatever you decide, make sure they have their stuffed animal and blanket. Make sure they are going to bed tired and calm. If your puppy is in their crate, wait to close the door until they are completely calm. If they whine during the night, you can put your fingers in to comfort them. 

It is very important to make sure your puppy is eating, especially during the transition into their new environment. These are small puppies and they need a constant source of food. Leave dry food and water out for your puppy during the day in their puppy area. They like to eat a bite here and there and most adult Cotons still do this. You will receive a small sandwich baggie of dry food with your puppy. Please do not change the puppy's food or eating schedule for the first month. This includes no store-bought treats besides the ones we have given them. 

If you do decide to change their food, please just make sure it is a high-quality food and mix the food we are feeding 3/4 and 1/4 of the new food. Increase the amount each time until only feeding the new. You can usually tell if your puppy has had enough to eat. Their belly will be full but not hard and they will have normal bowel movements. If you ever observe your puppy straining to go potty, check their bottom to make sure he doesn't have poop stuck to his bottom plugging him up...this can happen.  Keeping the hair clipped around their bottom will help. 

When puppies are teething, they like to chew on natural items not plastic toys.... which is why they like to chew on leather shoes, wood chair legs and your fingers. We recommend many natural chews, they enjoy them and they help their teeth to come in faster. Puppies cut teeth up until they are 9 months old.

Your puppy was checked by our veterinarian no more than 10 days before they left our home. We suggest you visit your vet within a few days after arrival. Cotons are very sensitive to vaccines so please do not over vaccinate! We suggest that after the initial puppy vaccines that you vaccinate every 3 years. Cotons are fully matured at 7 months old and at this time we recommend spaying or neuter. Please have your vet check for any retained puppy teeth that can be removed at the same time.

A Coton puppies growth plates are completely closed by around 12 months old. Until then they are soft and vulnerable to injury. Self-directed play (free play) should be the majority of their exercise until then. Repetition is your enemy, that means no long hikes or walks until 1 year old. There are many things you can do with your puppy until then 

-Sniff n Stroll

-Kibble Trail

-Stroller 

-Walks with a well-matched playmate

Jumping off furniture and daily stairs are also a culprit.

The main thing to remember with a puppy is to be consistent. Always take your puppy to the same location, use the same command such as "potty" or "outside" or whatever you decide. Say it in a calm voice and have the puppy on a leash if you do not have a fenced in yard or area. If you are training to a puppy pad, keep it a sufficient distance away from their crate or sleeping area and food. When your puppy goes where they are supposed to, praise them (calmly). They will need to potty approximately 5-45 minutes after eating. It is not uncommon for a young puppy to go pee again just after peeing. When training your puppy to go outside, at first take them out every hour or so (Or anytime they are sniffing!) Stay no more than 5 or 6 minutes. When they go, praise them lavishly then take them back indoors. Always take them out after sleeping and eating, and after play periods and anytime they indicate, they are looking to go potty...most commonly, by sniffing. The puppy area really makes this process easier and less stressful, and you will find your puppy will be heading to their puppy area to go potty during their time out with you because they use it when they are in there. It is important to try to intercept them (without being dramatic or scaring them) and take them to their permanent potty area. So if you see them heading that direction, that's a good time to take them to the permanent area.