Resources

You're so excited about bringing puppy home that you can't sleep! You think you have everything set up, right? But how is puppy going to know what you want it to do (potty outside, not eat your shoes)? Below is a list of must have's and intro to training video links to help you on your way to a positive first week at home.

What do I need?​

• A metal crate that you will use for the first year possibly for your dog's whole life. A metal crate with a divider and 2 doors is our favorite because they are the most sturdy, the easiest to clean, fold collapse when you do not need it or if you travel with your dog, and allow for crate placement in different locations with the second door option.  

• Dog bowls for water and wet food in ceramic or stainless steel to avoid bacteria and because your puppy won't chew them. 

• A 4-5 feet house line to keep control of puppy in the house while in training House Line

• Treat carry bag that clips to your waist or jacket

• Safe chew toys such as, no-hyde chew, Yak cheese chew, and Antler

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Video Resources

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Why Crate Train Puppy

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First Week With Puppy 

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First Few Commands for Puppy

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Puppy Training Progression by Age

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We all start with good intentions, but sometimes we make a mistake because we didn't see what was coming, or our convictions are not strong enough to keep us on the path to success. Here's a few of the things I learned over the years.

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#1 Not Crate Training! There are many misconceptions about crate training that make people tentative about it. I won't name them all, you probably have a few of your own.  The bottom line is that dogs have a strong natural denning instinct and a crate is a great way to replicate that. Your puppy will already have been using a crate while it is in my care, so it will not feel strange or scary! Crate training is the best way to potty train your puppy, give them a safe quiet space to relax away from the household hustle and bustle, and protect your sanity! Be aware that Cavaliers are a toy breed and their ability to wait to go weewee is much shorter than a Labrador retriever. Be realistic with how long your puppy can be crated. My rule of thumb for new lab puppy is 2 hours during the day and 5-6 hours at night. A 10 week old Cavalier puppy can last 2 hours during the day and 4 hours at night. Misconceptions About Crate Training

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#2 Giving Puppy Full House Access! Your puppy has no idea what a good or acceptable behavior is around your house. Would you let your toddler in a China shop unsupervised? Well, think of your puppy as a toddler and that should help you determine when and where to allow your puppy. My go to system is, if the puppy is out of its crate its with me and getting my full attention; training in the house, outside walking on leash or having free time around me in the yard. If I can't keep my eyes on the dog, but I want it near me while I'm cooking for example, I use a leash that I tie to my waist (so puppy can't go chew on the kitchen chairs) or use play pen type gates to enclose the area where puppy is playing safely. I increase the area as puppy is potty trained and will not go in the house (at 4-5 months).

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#3 Not Hand Feeding! Training doesn't have to be a big chore. Handfeeding is the best way to develop a relationship with your new puppy, motivate them to learn good behaviors, and have fun! Trying it is adopting it! I hand feed at least half of what I feed the puppies for up to 1 year .

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#4 Not Training Your Puppy From Day 1! Training is the best way to develop a relationship with your dog. Puppies are sponges and learn a tone between 6 weeks and 4 months. You don't want to miss that window of opportunity. You may think of training as a chore, but once you get started you will realize that it's so much fun! First, I would encourage you to sign up for a puppy class (not at a pet store but in a real training center). In a class settings you will benefit from getting live advice to help tweak your methods, and your puppy will learn to behave in social settings.  For Puppy class our local trainer is Clare at K9 College Dog Training  .

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#5 Projecting Your Emotions on Your Dog! Dogs live in the moment and are not naturally depressed or anxious, but they pick up our emotions. So if you feel bad about leaving your dog at home alone, or crating your dog, or crossing another dog on the sidewalk, your dog will feel it and pick up that emotion.  Stay happy, stay leveled and your dog will feel just fine about whatever it is experiencing (watch Cesar Milan's shows on YouTube to get the idea).

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#6 Rewarding Bad Behavior! How often have you seen someone telling their barking dog "it's ok buddy" while petting them. That is a prime example of accidentally rewarding a bad behavior. Anything positive you do to your dog (petting, picking up, giving treats) while or immediately after they are exhibiting a bad behavior will reinforce that bad behavior! If in doubt ignore the behavior and ask for advice.

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#7 Feeding traditional Kibble! Think of kibble as muffins. Wheter you buy your muffins at Walmart or Mom's organic market it remains a muffin. I have a whole section dedicated to dog nutrition below, but the short version is, we are what we eat and the same goes for our dogs. If you feed nutritious low processed foods (including raw) your dog will be more healthy all around (physical and mental health) and live longer.  

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#8 Getting Upset at Puppy! Have realistic expectations, accidents are bound to happen. Look at accidents as a learning opportunity for you to figure out what went wrong. Did you leave puppy unsupervised, did you forget to take puppy out after he drank from his water dish, or after a training/play session? In the end, it's not puppy's fault. Cavaliers are a sensitive breed that must be trained with positive reinforcement NOT punishment.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should accept any bad behavior, but punishing a puppy for having a potty accident in the house by shoving him/her in her crate or hitting their face in the pee puddle will not help resolve the issue. It is likely to make your puppy associate the crate with punishment and make your dog fearful or anxious. As dog owners we all have to develop our training skills to get our dogs to trust our leadership!

You can find a lot of information online about dog nutrition. Note that I am not a veterinarian or a nutritionist. I am giving this information based on my experience and the knowledge I have gathered over the years and how I choose to feed my own dogs. Video links on dog nutrition at the bottom.

Mel's 5 feeding Rules

(for all dogs)

1. RAW  - Feed some raw food every day (you can buy freeze dried or frozen).

2. ROTATION DIET - Feed a rotational diet by changing your dogs primary source of protein (chicken, lamb, beef, venison, fish, ect.) regularly. Your dog will thank you for the diversity!

3. SUPPLEMENT - Add natural wholefood supplements (Not synthetic vitamins) see my favorite supplements in the list below.

4. AVOID HIGH CARB TREATS - Choose treats that contain only 1 or 2 ingredients and are high in protein (minimum 40% meat protein) such as freeze dried beef liver, fish, giblets, chicken breast, etc. Stay away from cookies and treats that include flour, molasses, canola oil, and other seed oils or sugars. You can also use fresh fruits and veggies such as dried sweet potatoes, fresh banana, whole small carrots, frozen blueberries, etc.

5. AVOID CANS - Can's often contain thickeners, possible chemical leakage from the lining, and are generally overcooked so I don't use them on a daily basis.  If you want to use a wet food (as a toper for gently cooked kibble or as a full meal) you can use a frozen raw meal such as K9 Cravings (made here in Maryland) Primal, or Blue Ridge.

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NOTES: 

Just as humans, overweight dogs are at very high risks of developing heart disease, degeneration of joints, and diabetes to name only a few of the preventable diseases that afflicts our companions in increasing numbers. So watch your puppy as it grows and reevaluate how much you are feeding frequently. Puppy should not look bloated, nor should you see the spine or rib cage protruding see chart here.​

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If you own a Cavalier, feeding low process high protein food is essential to prevent heart issues.  It should not break the bank (they don't eat that much) and will prevent health problems down the road.

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Mel's Top Food Choices 

Build an awesome bowl!

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Frozen Raw

• Blue Ridge this company sells meat without the added veggies so its a great option if you plan to build your own bowl.

• K9 Kravings  this company is local to Maryland and the food has all the added veggies already added in.

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Freeze Dried Raw (shelf stable)

• OC Raw is a small company with a good variety of freeze dried raw sliders and meal toppers in bags that are shelve stable with no added synthetic vitamins.

Gently Cooked and Air Dried Kibble

Not all kibble is created equal. Traditional kibble is like a Walmart muffin full of synthetic additives, colorings and loaded with carbs (sugars). I stay away from traditional kibble which are overcooked, sprayed with flavorings, have added synthetic vitamins and are really not going to have health benefits for my dogs.  I also avoid large companies who own most of the widely commercialized dog foods (see who owns what brand here).  

• Primal Kibble in the Raw is great for Cavaliers if you use it with added meat protein. It includes air dried fruits and veggies and freeze dried meat in each piece (its the only kibble of this type on the market at the moment). It has the convenience of a kibble, but the nutrition of raw and air dried.  I top it with chicken, liver or other meats and broth.

• Carna4 this company makes a wholesome lightly cooked kibble with NO added synthetic vitamins! If you want to feed kibble this is a great choice. Since they do not add synthetic flavoring to their recipes, I add bone broth or goat milk to enhance the flavor.

• Farmina If you have other larger dogs and can't afford the suggested food listed above I would go with a Farmina kibble.  This company has a very high animal protein level in their recipes (55%). It is also made in Europe so the meat does not have antibiotics, hormones and other toxic chemicals.  So if your lifestyle doesn't allow you the time to prepare a bowl with fresher options, like raw or home made, this is a better traditional kibble option. 

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Supplements

• Nupro - This company is family owned. I have been giving this to my dogs and have seen a major improvement in shedding and coat quality. It also raises immunity and improves digestive health.

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Supplements Specific to Cavaliers

• Standard Process Cardiac Supplement This supplement is a must for cavaliers! It will keep your puppies heart in tip top shape and combined with fitness and nutrition prevent heart disease.

• Herbsmith Taurine Boost This supplement includes CoQ10 for heart health and is a must for Cavaliers.

• Lyfe Spyce This supplement is designed to enhance the immune system and lower inflammation, both of which are beneficial for heart disease prevention.  

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Video Links to learn the basics about Pet Food: 

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Worst Dog Food Brands

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Nutrition Video About Carcinogenic in Kibble

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