Lets Get Educated

Real Talk.

This course is not about fluff. This isn’t a Pinterest puppy checklist or cute Instagram tricks. It’s the essential foundation that shapes your dog’s entire future. The work you do right now – between 8 and 20 weeks will either set you up for success or create problems you’ll chase for years.

Every puppy is different. Not every method works for every dog. But if you don’t try, don’t adjust, don’t commit – then yes, you’ll end up with a bratty, anxious, or out-of-control dog and blame the dog for your lack of follow-through.

This program exists to prevent that.

Each week gives you a core goal. Follow it. Adjust it. Master it. And if my methods don’t click? That’s fine – find another that does. Just do the work. Puppies are like kids – some are easy, some challenge everything. But all of them need structure, patience, and consistency.

You’re not just raising a puppy. You’re raising your future companion.

Let’s do it right.

 

Reminder Before You Start

You get out what you put in.
Every ignored behavior becomes a habit.
Every repeated habit becomes a lifestyle.
And every lifestyle becomes a story you’ll either be proud of… or frustrated by.

Let’s write a good one.

 

Food, Water & Foundational Structure

This week is all about what goes in, what comes out, and how it shapes your puppy’s health and behavior. Before you can raise a respectful, well-mannered pup, you need to understand what’s happening in their body – because digestion affects everything from mood to focus to crate success.

We’re covering it all: food, water, poop, gut health, stool types, probiotics, feeding frequency, what to watch for, and how to manage intake/output like a pro.

🥣 FOOD: What to Feed and Why

Your puppy’s food sets the tone for their entire development – joints, brain, coat, and temperament.

We recommend Iams Large Breed Puppy:

• ✅ Designed for large breed growth: supports joints and steady weight gain
• ✅ Grain-inclusive: reduces allergy risk long term
• ✅ Affordable, not overhyped – without sacrificing quality

Don’t get guilted into boutique brands. Premium doesn’t mean perfect. A well-fed pup isn’t about the price tag – it’s about the nutrients and consistency.

Stick with what they’re used to unless there’s a real medical reason to change. Sudden food changes = GI upset.

Transition gradually:

• Days 1–2: 75% old, 25% new
• Days 3–4: 50/50
• Days 5–6: 25% old, 75% new
• Day 7: 100% new food

⏰ FEEDING FREQUENCY

• 3x per day is ideal: morning, midday, early evening
• If your schedule only allows 2x/day, that’s okay too – just space meals evenly

Portion suggestions:

• 1/3–1/2 cup per meal, depending on weight and body condition

Underfeeding signs:

• Increased chewing
• Hunger-driven anxiety
• Scavenging or excessive licking

Use the food bag as a rough guideline – adjust based on body feel (you should be able to feel ribs without seeing them) and energy levels.

💧 WATER: Hydration with Boundaries

Water is essential, but unlimited access can sabotage potty training.

Puppies love water not just from thirst – but because it’s a sensation. Think: toddler in a splash pad.

Here’s your water rhythm:

• Bowl down during meals and supervised periods
• Offer water frequently but with intention
• Pick up water 1 to 1.5 hours before crate time and bedtime

Signs of imbalance:

• Light yellow pee = good
• Dark = not enough water
• Clear + constant = overdrinking or anxiety

Use stainless or ceramic bowls – no plastic. Keep it clean and fresh.

Optional comfort trick: Frozen water bottle in the crate or a small ice cube for teething.

💩 INTAKE = OUTPUT: Poop Patterns & What to Watch For

If it goes in… it’s coming out. Monitoring output gives you the best insight into your puppy’s internal health.

Stool Basics:

• Soft serve ice cream = still too soft
• Formed but soft = improving
• Firm log = healthy gut

Red flags:

• Mucus or blood = inflammation
• Liquid diarrhea = GI upset
• Greasy or gray = potential malabsorption

Puppy poop often changes during transitions – new environment, new food, new routine. Don’t panic unless there’s blood, lethargy, or it lasts 72+ hours.

🤢 COMMON CAUSES OF GI ISSUES

• Overfeeding or too many treats
• Stress from new home
• Environmental exploration (eating mulch, grass, dirt)
• Parasites (Coccidia, Giardia)

Our position on Giardia:

It’s common. It’s often overdiagnosed. If your puppy is acting normal (eating, playing, no lethargy) and has one weird stool? Don’t panic.

We treat preventatively with Fenbendazole at 7 weeks. If your vet flags it on a routine fecal, ask:

• Are symptoms present?
• Has it been 24–48 hours since a stressful change?
• Is this a false positive?

You’re not a bad puppy parent if the test says Giardia. You’re doing fine. Monitor, support gut health, and follow vet advice based on symptoms, not just a paper result.

🧬 GUT HEALTH MATTERS

Behavioral issues often start in the gut – really.

A stressed, bloated, inflamed puppy is not going to focus or behave. They’re uncomfortable.

Supportive strategies:

• Add Nuvet Supplements daily
• Use a slow feeder to prevent gulping (If needed)
• Avoid:  rawhide, human food, any treats

Your puppy is exploring everything with their mouth. This isn’t always “bad behavior” – it’s biology. But it does lead to digestive consequences.

🕒 DAILY RHYTHM = BIOLOGICAL CLOCK

This week, your job is to create and follow a routine:

1. Wake up → out to potty
2. Feed → potty again 5–10 min later
3. Play → crate/nap
4. Repeat 3–4x/day

Log meal times, potty events, stool quality, and energy levels.

Success doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from consistency.

📋 FINAL NIGHTTIME ROUTINE CHECKLIST

Want to avoid midnight chaos? Follow this:

1. Pick up water 1–1.5 hours before bed
2. Make sure puppy pees + poops before crate
3. Crate should be in a quiet, dark, low-stimulation space
4. Use a sound machine (outside the crate)
5. First few nights? Expect whining. Do not respond unless it’s been 2 hours
6. If you take them out: no talking, no playing, no water – just potty and back
7. Wake up 5–6 AM for first outing

Three nights of this routine = crate success. Cave now, and you’ll train a screamer.

🧰 TOOLS FOR SUCCESS THIS WEEK:

• Iams Large Breed Puppy food
• Stainless or ceramic bowls- Coolest (Amazon)
• Slow feeder bowl- (Optional)
• Nuvet supplement

Now you’re not just “feeding a puppy.” You’re managing biology, setting up the nervous system, and laying the ground for everything that comes next.