A short read about puppy readiness by Castiron Kennels and Mountain View Kennel who own, hunt and breed Picardy Spaniels.
“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.”
Ben Franklin
Adding a puppy to your family is much like having a child in that both are long-term commitments that require a significant amount of time, care, attention and training. Fortunately, the amount and duration of time and effort required of “puppy parents” is more condensed with a puppy than with a child. But, even though your Picardy Spaniel starts to look like an adult dog much more quickly than a baby grows into an adult-sized frame, s/he’s still a puppy mentally and at heart until about 2 years of age. Something to keep in mind. And why we rarely agree to place a puppy with a family with young children or with expectant parents. People only have so much time in their busy schedules, and a baby will always get more of that time than a puppy. As they should. In addition to the time commitment, the parallels between bringing a puppy home and bringing a child home are also similar in that a puppy will test your patience and stress you out just as much, if not more than a child. And the best way to manage through this is by doing a good bit of preparation. Expecting parents tend to do a good bit of prep. They read books about child development, babyproof the house, purchase toys and all the gear needed for their new addition well before s/he arrives. You should be as just as well prepared your when puppy joins you in their forever home.
Ric: “A puppy is a long-term investment that pays huge dividends in terms of the joy, affection and companionship they bring to you and your family. Whether this is your first puppy or your 13th, be ready Day 1 so you can devote the time and effort needed to help shape your puppy into the dog you envision it to be for the rest of your lives together.”
Lori: “Remember that these puppies aren’t just small dogs. They are babies when you bring them home. You won’t spoil them forever by treating them as such. For example, crate training is a key, but you may make it less stressful for everyone if that crate is beside your bed for the first few weeks. If done right, extra love and understanding will build a stronger bond and not result in a spoiled pup.”
Prepping for P-Day
- Do your homework BEFORE you bring your puppy home. While there is a plethora of great books on training dogs we highly recommend Joan Bailey’s “How to Help Gundogs Train Themselves” and George DeCosta Jr.’s “Tips and Tales for Training Your Gundog.” Their training philosophies closely align with what we’ve learned about training this breed from our European friends and the nuances of training a Picardy Spaniel in general.
- “Puppy-proof” your house BEFORE you bring your puppy home. Baby gates and X-Pens can help keep your puppy safe and out of trouble. In addition to creating a mess if overturned, some houseplants are poisonous to dogs. Electrical cords can be deadly, so access should be blocked unless you want to be on playground supervisor duty at all times. Slippery floors and stairs in general can result in damage to hips, shoulders and elbows as a puppy’s joints are far from being able to withstand slides, scrambles, jumps and tumbles. Gates and carpet runners are an inexpensive and easy way to deal with these areas in the short-term.
- Find a reputable veterinarian and make an appointment BEFORE you bring your puppy home. Even the most reputable and ethical breeders produce puppies that can have health issues. Coccidia and entropion are great examples. A puppy’s gut is immature and the stress of leaving their dam, the people who have cared for them since birth and the only home and environment they’ve ever known can sometimes result in coccidia flourishing. Entropion is a condition where the eyelash grows inward, with the lashes pointing at your puppy’s eye. There is some debate as to whether this is genetic or environmental. Both maladies can result in more serious health problems if not treated early on, but both are easily identified and rectified by a good vet.
- Buy the proper food, gear and toys BEFORE you bring your puppy home. Collars, leashes, crates, indestructible beds, food and water bowls are easily procured ahead of time. As are home vet supplies such as hydrogen peroxide, toenail clippers, styptic powder, etc. Puppies love to chew, especially while teething, so safe chew toys are a must. No rawhides nor pig ears nor anything else that could result in a bowel obstruction. If you hunt, no toys that squeak if you can find them. If not an ice pick or hammer-and-nail will “kill” most squeakers.
- Have a long-term plan BEFORE you bring your puppy home. Will you allow your puppy into every room in the house when it is an adult? If not, don’t let it into those rooms as a puppy. Will you allow your puppy to sit near the table when you’re eating a meal? If not, your puppy shouldn’t be allowed to do it. Is there a certain area of your yard where you’d prefer to have your dog pee and poop? If so, take your puppy there every time you take him/her out to take care of their business.
Copyright © 2023 by Castiron Kennels. All rights reserved. This post may be reproduced with permission.
Castiron Kennels and Mountain View Kennel are the only families in America who each own, train, and hunt 4 Picardy Spaniels. There are only ~320 Picardy Spaniels in North America, and Ric and Mike are some of the first Americans to import Picardy’s from Europe. Castiron and Horizon both donate their time help other US Picardy Spaniel owners with training, virtually and in person. Mike also owns Bird Dog of the Day, and Ric and Ellen sponsor the Picardy.org website for the US Picardy Spaniel Alliance.
Ric, Ellen and their Picardy Pack live in New Glarus, WI just 25 minutes southwest of Madison. A lifelong hunter, Ric has trained and hunted Small Munsterlanders, Gordon Setters, and for the past 7 years Picardy Spaniels. Ellen has an extensive background in animal genetics and a PhD in Reproductive Physiology. She bred and trained Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs prior to Picardy Spaniels. Since 2019 Ric and Ellen have traveled to Europe annually to meet with international Picardy Spaniels breeders to learn more about training this unique breed as well as to identify bloodlines that will broaden and deepen the gene pool in North America. In 2023 they attended the French National Breed Show and met with President Serge Guilbert to discuss ways to better track Picardy Spaniel breeding efforts and individual dogs globally. They are also the only breeder that has sent a North American whelped Picardy Spaniel back to France.
Mike and Lori live in Southwest Florida, but Mike takes their four dogs to Montana each Fall to hunt Prairie Grouse and Hungarian Partridge. Mike’s dog Tilly was one of the first in North America when she arrived in February of 2017. Lori fell in love with Theo on the breeder’s website and she brought him over to the States in 2018. Gus and Flirt are brother and sister and joined the pack in 2019. They were supposed to be trained up by Mike and sold as started dogs. That plan didn’t last until the airport exit before they squirmed their way into his heart permanently. Mike does the training and hunting while Lori focuses on the cuddling.
US Picardy Spaniel Alliance 