Feeding:
Please FREE FEED Your puppy dry kibble. This means having food available to your puppy at all times, even overnight until you are sure puppy is eating enough during the day to make it through the night. Wet food is suggested 2x to 3x a day or before you leave the puppy unsupervised for an extended amount of time.
Keep your puppy on the SAME FOOD that they eating while they adjust to your home. If you do choose to go with another kibble later on, do not switch food suddenly or frequently but do so gradually by adding in a bit more of the new food brand each day until the old food is phased out. The kibble your puppy is on now, they can stay with until a year old or longer.
Fresh water must be available 24/7 too; these little dogs drink a lot!
Playtime:
Your puppy should be limited to a max of 30 minutes of vigorous activity/play at one time for the first 3+ weeks. After play time, crate your puppy in a crate or pen and allow them to eat/drink in peace and to take a nap! These puppies do not carry a lot of body fat or "reserves" and they need breaks to rest up for the next round of play. Letting them sleep and Eat is good for a growing puppy.
Playpen:
Your puppy MUST NOT be left unsupervised roaming the house for the first 2-6 months or puppy is trained and is trustworthy in the house. You must puppy proof your home like you would with a baby (cords up high, etc.) and ensure that your little one doesn't hurt themselves, get lost, or cause any damage. It is not recommended that puppies sleep with you as some are fearless/impulsive and may jump off a bed, injuring themselves or worse.
Hypoglycemia:
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can be a life threatening condition. This happens when the puppy's blood glucose level drops below a safe range. All toy breeds are at risk for this happening to them, especially as young pups. The smaller the puppy, the higher the risk. It can generally happen when the Pom is tired, under stress, going through a food change, exhaustion from playing too much, not eating right or enough while traveling, vaccines, actually anything that stresses them. Being very aware of your puppy and their normal behavior and eating habits will help you immensely in figuring out if they are hypoglycemic. It is crucial that you act quickly as your pup's life could be in jeopardy.
Hypoglycemia is NOT contagious. It is not a disease, but rather an episode that occurs when their body runs out of the calories required to support its bodily functions. It is HIGHLY recommended having NUTRICAL, Dyne, Karo syrup or a similar product on hand, giving this to your puppy during a hypoglycemic episode. If a hypoglycemic episode occurs, seek medical attention ASAP and/or call me. I am happy to guide you through the treatment, most of which can be done at home if you catch it soon enough. I cannot guarantee against Hypoglycemia, as it is not an illness or defect.
Symptoms/Treatment of Hypoglycemia:
Signs and symptoms include: Being tired or lethargic, listlessness, weakness, depression, not eating. These symptoms can be followed by: muscle weakness, tremors, convulsions, walking difficulties (like pup is drunk) and coma.
If you see one or more of these symptoms, you must act immediately.
If the puppy is unconscious, contact your vet immediately.
If the puppy is conscious, give nutrical or karo syrup. This should help within roughly 15 minutes.
If they do not "bounce back" after giving the sugar supplement, contact your vet immediately.
If the puppy will not take the nutrical or Karo syrup, rub a small amount on his/her gums and tongue with your finger. You can continue doing this until you see the puppy exhibit more energy. If puppy does, then feed jarred baby food (meat varieties or sweet potato) to entice the puppy to eat something which will raise their blood sugar. Monitor the puppy closely and make sure that they are eating.
Broken Legs:
Broken legs are very common in small breeds. Pom puppies/adults alike are susceptible, especially if they are smaller than the average size; however breaks can occur even in average sized Poms. I recommend buying pet stairs and never having them on something high (couch, bed, chair, etc.) unless supervised. Broken legs are treatable, and if your Pomeranian does experience a leg break, this is a vet emergency. This is another reason why a crate or play yard is extremely important and a safer place for them to be when they are alone.