Congratulations!
You're the proud owner of a Vom Eisenwacht Rottweiler puppy.
May you be blessed with many years of good health, protection, performance and companionship!
Puppies are a lot of fun, and there is a lot that you, as a new "parent," need to do to maintain your, and your new pet's well-being for now, and to lay the foundations for a happy future. Your Rottweiler puppy is very smart, but he/she wasn't born knowing how to live by the rules and standards set by us humans - after all he's a dog. Fortunately, he wants to please you, and as long as you show him lovingly and clearly what is expected of him, he will do his best to live up to those expectations. Rottweilers are very loyal and bond closely with their family, often choosing one person in particular and becoming that person’s shadow. They need to be a part of the family and don't do well, or reach their full potential, if they're isolated or ignored. These are very smart dogs, and if you don't give guidelines and appropriate supervision, they'll be inclined to make up their own rules - not what you want!
Taking care of a puppy involves lots of time, attention, love, patience, money, and then some more patience!, but you'll be rewarded for your trouble with a healthy, happy, well behaved, and much-loved member of the family.
Following are a few tips and guidelines you can implement to help towards a healthy relationship with your Rottweiler puppy.
Ideally you should perform a safety check of your house/entire premises before your puppy arrives at home. However, if you have not done a safety check then do one now. Write down potential problem areas as you check each room to see what dangers there are, and what other possible problem areas lie in wait for your new Rottweiler puppy. For example, things to watch for are electric cords that may tempt your puppy to chew or grab, cleaning rags, sponges or any other object left in puppy's reach, hanging cords on draperies and window blinds, small objects that puppy might swallow, a bowl of candy on the coffee table, etcetera. Get rid of these ‘problems’ and don’t forget about the garage, keep puppy out of the garage - even a teaspoon of spilled anti-freeze can be deadly!
Make sure you can confine your puppy when you cannot watch him. Use a crate or baby gates to keep him safe when you are busy.
Check List
- You are in possession of the completed and signed ‘Veterinary Vaccination Certificate’ for your puppy with his/her microchip number clearly displayed.
- You are in possession of your puppy’s KUSA Certificate. If you did not get it at the time you have collected your puppy it should be on its way by now. However, please notify us if you have not received your puppy’s KUSA registration certificate within one month after collecting the puppy.
- You have verified that your puppy’s implanted microchip number corresponds to all the documentation, (KUSA Certificate and Veterinary Vaccination Certificate.) at the time you collected your puppy from our kennels.
You need to do the following now:-
- Take your puppy to your Veterinarian within forty eight (48) hours from the time you have collected the puppy from our kennels for a general health check. **
- Check your puppy’s KUSA registration on the web.
You need to do the following within the next week:-
- Transfer puppy’s microchip onto your name. As you know, your puppy has a microchip implanted between his/her shoulder blades. Your puppy’s microchip is recorded with Get Me Known and is registered on their website, also with KUSA under Vom Eisenwacht Rottweilers.
Log on to their website, and create your own profile, then click “Request Ownership” and type in your puppy’s microchip number, I will then accept the transfer.
Keep your registration information up-to-date. If you moved or if any of your information (especially your phone number) has changed, make sure you update your microchip registration as soon as possible.
Read F.A.Q., and answers by Lushan, GetMeKnown.
- Transfer your puppy’s KUSA certificate onto your name, at no cost, by completing Section C on the back of the KUSA certificate and mail it to:-
The Kennel Union of South Africa
PO Box 2659
Cape Town
8000
Tel.: 021-4239024
You need to do the following within the next month-
- Ensure that your puppy get his/her vaccination one month after the last vaccination. About one month from the time when you’ve collected your puppy - for accuracy, check the date entered onto his/her ‘Veterinary Vaccination Certificate’.
- Ensure that your puppy gets his/her rabies vaccination at three months old.
You need to do the following on an ongoing basis:-
- Follow the guidelines to prevent Parvo Virus
- Feed your puppy a good quality food
- Do weekly home health inspections of your puppy from head-to-tail and face-to-feet so you'll immediately know when something changes on his/her body, or if an area becomes sensitive.
- Regularly check your puppy’s faeces for any abnormalities.
Nutrition
- Use stainless steel dishes for both water and food, and wash them every day to prevent bacterial growth.
- Puppies need to be fed at least 2 meals a day.
- Do not supplement with vitamins as a quality dog food will have every nutrient your growing puppy needs.
- Provide fresh water at least twice a day.
Parasite Control
Fleas and ticks cause irritation to the dog's skin and can lead to secondary infections. Ticks carry many diseases, such as the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. It is much easier to prevent these parasites than to treat them.
Fleas and ticks - We recommend that you purchase a 'Seresto Collar', an outstanding product manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, for you puppy. It is incredibly effective, long lasting and troubled-free.
Intestinal Worms - Treat on a regular basis, and discuss the various options available, with your Vet.
Training Your Puppy
We strongly recommend enrolling your pup in a puppy class – even if you have other dogs at home, or if you’ve attended a puppy class before with another dog. These classes teach dogs’ basic manners in a distracting yet controlled environment. Most of these classes allow some time for the puppies to socialize - it is wonderful for them to learn how to interact appropriately with other dogs their age. Read this article in our Blog on how knowing about threshold levels can make your training more effective.
Gauteng
Meridian Rottweiler League
The Ultimate Guide to Dog Training
Praetor Rottweiler Club
KZN
Natal Rottweiler Association
Western Cape
Cape Rottweiler Club
House Training
House training is also key to developing a good relationship with your pet. Here are a few tips:
- A good rule of thumb is that a puppy should only be expected to hold its urine/stool for one hour longer than its age in months. When about 5 months of age, he/she should be able to control itself for 7-8 hours.
- Puppies have a strong urge to eliminate after sleeping, playing, feeding, and drinking. Prepare to take your puppy to its selected elimination area within 15 minutes of each of these activities. After elimination is completed, praise and pet your puppy. A few tasty treats can also be given the first few times (immediately upon completion), then intermittently thereafter. You may want to teach him/her a word to cue elimination.
- Always supervise your puppy indoors for pre-elimination signs. That way you can immediately take him/her to the dedicated elimination spot. If your puppy begins to eliminate indoors, use a verbal reprimand or shaker can, never physical punishment.
- If your puppy has an accident indoors, it is never appropriate to reprimand after the fact. Only if the puppy is in the act of elimination will it understand the consequences. In this situation, it is not the puppy that has erred; it is the owner that has erred for not properly supervising.
- Crate training is an ideal way to prevent house soiling when your puppy is unsupervised. The crate should only be large enough to allow the puppy to stand up and turn around. There should not be enough room to allow him/her to eliminate in one part and sleep in another. It is also important that your pet sees this as a “safe place” and never as punishment.
30 Free Things You Can Do To Improve The Quality Of Your Rottweiler’s Life
This page is a work In progress, so please let us know if you have any suggestions to improve your learning experience.
Check our Blog, and on Facebook for articles and important information concerning the health and development of your new Rottweiler puppy.
Disclaimer
We make no guarantee or warranty that our information is accurate, legal, reliable, or safe. The information found on Rottweilerza.co.za, and Rottweilerdogs.co.za is what WE do, or would do with our own dogs. This information should not be used as your sole source for making a decision, how to raise or train your dog, how to handle any behavioural or health problem, and so on. Always consult other professionals before following our advice. We are not responsible for your use of information contained in this site. Thus, we do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or safety of any information, nor do we accept liability for the consequences of any actions taken (or not taken) on the basis of this information. You use this site and any of our advice at your own risk
