Poodles of the PantheonPuppy 101
Puppy 101
Curated Resources for New Puppy Owners
The following resources provide valuable guidance on puppy care, training, and development. These materials from reputable organizations and experts complement the foundation your puppy receives through Puppy Culture and Avidog protocols.
Quick Start How to Use Puppy Basics Training & Behavior Health & Wellness Specialized Care
Quick Start: First Week Essentials
If your puppy just arrived home and you need immediate guidance, start here. These are the absolute essentials for the first week.
Day One: Let your puppy explore their new space gradually. Introduce the crate, show them the potty area, and establish a feeding schedule. Keep things calm and quiet. Your puppy is adjusting to a massive change.
First Three Days: Focus on routine. Feed at the same times. Take your puppy outside to potty immediately after waking, after eating, after playing, and before bed. Praise heavily for outdoor elimination. Begin crate training for naps and overnight sleep.
First Week: Start short training sessions—five minutes, two to three times per day. Focus on name recognition, coming when called, and sitting. Keep it fun and positive. Do not worry about perfection. You are building the foundation for a training relationship.
Most Important: Supervise constantly or confine safely. Puppies cannot be trusted alone. If you cannot watch your puppy, they should be in a crate or exercise pen. Prevention is easier than correction.
Once you have survived the first week, explore the rest of this resource library for detailed guidance on training, health care, socialization, and problem-solving.
How to Use This Resource Library
This library is organized into four main categories. Each category contains links to articles, guides, videos, and resources that address specific aspects of puppy care and development.
Puppy Basics covers the fundamentals—bringing your puppy home, establishing routines, introducing your puppy to your household, and managing the logistics of new puppy ownership.
Training & Behavior addresses housebreaking, crate training, socialization, bite inhibition, and other essential training topics that shape your puppy's behavior and manners.
Health & Wellness includes information on sleep, exercise, fear periods, grooming, and other health-related topics that support your puppy's physical and emotional development.
Specialized Care contains resources for specific situations and breed-related care needs that may not apply to every puppy but are important for those who need them.
Each resource includes a brief description to help you quickly identify which materials are most relevant to your current needs. You do not need to read everything at once—use this library as a reference guide and return to it as questions arise.
Puppy Basics
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Learn about comprehensive pet insurance coverage. Consider enrolling within the first few weeks to maximize coverage and avoid pre-existing condition exclusions.
Safety tips and preparation strategies for transporting your new puppy home by car, including crate setup and what to bring for the journey.
Airlines regulations, required documentation, and best practices for air travel with your puppy if you are flying to pick them up.
97 Ways to Create Great Puppies (Pages 17-22)
Essential reading for new puppy owners. Pages 17-22 focus specifically on the first days and weeks with your new puppy.
8 Tips to Help Your New Puppy Adjust to a New Home
Practical strategies for making the transition smooth and reducing stress during the first week in your home.
How to Introduce a New Dog to Your Current Dog
Step-by-step guidance for introducing your puppy to resident dogs safely and setting up positive relationships from day one.
Also see our guides on Crate Training and Socialization for Pantheon-specific recommendations.
Setting Schedules and Developing a Routine for Your New Puppy
Why routines matter for puppies and how to create a daily schedule that supports housebreaking, sleep, and emotional security.
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Training & Behavior
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How to Potty Train Puppies: A Comprehensive Guide for Success
Complete housebreaking guide covering schedules, supervision, accident management, and troubleshooting common potty training problems.
Step-by-step instructions for introducing the crate, building positive associations, and using crate training to support housebreaking and independence.
See also: Why We Crate Train at Pantheon
The Importance of Teaching Your Puppy How to Be Alone
Prevent separation anxiety by teaching your puppy that alone time is normal and safe. Includes exercises for building independence gradually.
How to Stop Puppy Biting and Train Bite Inhibition
Understanding why puppies bite, teaching soft mouth skills, and redirecting mouthing behavior appropriately during the teething phase.
Puppy Socialization: Why, When, and How to Do It Right
Critical information about the socialization window, safe exposure strategies before full vaccination, and building confidence with new experiences.
Continue with our Socialization Guide for ongoing socialization strategies.
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Health & Wellness
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How to Make Sure Your Puppy Gets Enough Sleep
Puppies need 18-20 hours of sleep per day. Learn how to recognize overtiredness, create sleep-friendly routines, and enforce nap times.
Puppy Fear Periods: Why is My Puppy Suddenly Afraid? (8-11 Weeks, 6-14 Months)
Understanding normal developmental fear periods, how to support your puppy through them, and avoiding inadvertently reinforcing fearful behavior.
Avidog Puppy Exercise Guidelines
Age-appropriate exercise recommendations to build fitness safely without risking injury to developing joints and growth plates.
Puppy Culture Puppy Fitness Guide
Structured exercises and activities designed to develop coordination, strength, and body awareness in growing puppies.
Poodles have hair in their ear canals that requires regular maintenance. Learn proper cleaning techniques and when to pluck ear hair.
Introduction to brushing, bathing, nail trimming, and maintaining your poodle's coat between professional grooming appointments.
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Specialized Care
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Ball Therapy for Base Narrow Canines
If your puppy's canine teeth erupt in a base narrow position (pointing inward), ball therapy can help guide them into correct alignment during the growth window.
Dewclaws: What Are They and Why Dogs Have Them
Understanding dewclaw anatomy and function. Dewclaws are not vestigial—they serve important purposes in movement and stability, particularly in athletic dogs.
The Case for Dewclaws: Why Removal is Unnecessary
Evidence-based explanation of why routine dewclaw removal is an outdated practice that removes functional anatomy and can cause long-term complications.
Caring for Dewclaws: Trimming and Maintenance
Practical guide to keeping dewclaw nails properly trimmed and monitoring for injury. Dewclaws require regular nail maintenance just like other toes.
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Questions? Need More Support?
This resource library provides guidance on the most common puppy care topics, but every puppy is unique. If you have questions or concerns not addressed here, please reach out. I am here to support you throughout your puppy's life.
Pantheon puppy owners have lifetime access to breeder support for training questions, health concerns, and any challenges that arise.