Setup

All puppies that are under 3 months of age or who do not have at least 2 DHPP vaccines in their system MUST stay indoors. This is VITAL. A deadly disease called Parvo lives in dirt and grass. Until their immune system is strong, you must keep them indoors. 

Be sure to puppy-proof your home! Limit the space that they have access to, using play pens or crates. Provide them with fresh water, food, toys, and puppy pads (see image below!)

Feeding

Please refer to the reference guide below for feeding amounts. At Brother Wolf, we use Royal Canin puppy/adult dog food. If you are given a different bag, please refer to the feeding chart for that type of food. 

Timeline

Puppies are our second-most vulnerable population at Brother Wolf, and as such, we prefer to keep puppies in foster homes. This limits their exposure to diseases and gives them more opportunities to develop good social skills!

0-4 weeks of age: Puppies at this stage are neonatal and will need to be in a bottle baby foster home. For more info on becoming a bottle baby foster, please visit this page. They will need to be kept separate from resident dogs and kept indoors at all times.  

4-5 weeks of age: Puppies will receive their first round of vaccines. They will still need to be kept separate from resident dogs and kept indoors at all times. For a detailed breakdown of vaccines for all foster pets, please visit this page. 

• DHPP (canine distemper, infectious hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus)

• Bordetella (kennel cough)

6-7 weeks of age: Puppies will receive their second round of vaccines. After this vaccine, they can be around resident dogs and begin potty training!

8 weeks of age: Puppies will receive their third round of vaccines. Our staff will schedule them for their spay/neuter surgery, and a member of our team will reach out with details on their drop off and pick up dates. 

12 weeks of age: Puppies receive their first rabies vaccine at 12 weeks. 

Adoption Process and Puppies

When talking with adopters, friends, or family members about your foster puppies, please keep in mind that Brother Wolf does not adopt sibling puppies to the same household. 

Puppies and Kittens

Whenever possible, we like to accommodate your desire to adopt one of your foster puppies. Inform us of intent to adopt BEFORE dropping them off for their spay/neuter surgery! This applies to any friends or family members who have expressed interest in adopting your foster pup as well. After the surgeries are complete, puppies are automatically made available for adoption to the public, and we will not pass over one applicant in favor of another. 

If you know that you will NOT want to adopt one of your foster puppies before their surgery, please let us know so we can pursue other adopters as soon as possible!

Adoption Process

The day after your pet's spay/neuter surgery, they will often stay at the facility and will be made "Available for Adoption". If they are not adopted by the end of this day, they will need to return to foster care! If you continue fostering while they are available for adoption, the applicant will apply through our online application found at www.bwar.org/adopt. This application is sent to our Adoptions team for review.

If the applicant is approved, our adoptions team will schedule an adoption appointment at the facility and the foster team will inform you of when your foster pet must be dropped off for this appointment. If your foster pet does not have an appointment during the week, they will be requested to attend the next Adoption Hours.

Common Dog Behavior

Many of the issues we label as "problematic" - like barking, whining, digging, chewing, scavenging, hunting or chasing other animals - are just normal dog behavior. The best way to coexist with our canine companions is to provide appropriate outlets for these typical dog behaviors. 

If your foster dog exhibits these traits, ask yourself these questions:

• Is my foster dog getting enough exercise?

• Is the dog being left alone for too long?

• Does the foster dog have an interest in toys or other tools to keep their mind engaged and stimulated?

• Are they getting enough attention and playtime throughout the day?

• Does the dog have a safe, dog-proof space with appropriate chew toys? Have I made sure to remove my belongings from that space, so the dog will not destroy my things?

Before jumping to return your foster dog, reach out to our team and see if the issue is an easy fix! One of the amazing gifts a foster parent can give their foster dog is the tools to be a better house-pet, and sometimes they need help working through those behaviors! 

Please remember we need 72 hours or more notice if you wish to move your foster pet to a new foster home.

Basic Training Tips

Mouthing: 

• Puppies and young adult dogs naturally bite. One of the most important lessons they learn is how to control the strength of that bite. 

• Moms and other puppies will teach others "that's too painful" by making a yelping noise when puppy bites too hard. If mom isn't around, that's something you'll have to do too! 

• Any time a puppy bites with too much force, say "OW!". If puppy stops biting, give them praise! If the puppy continues, say "OW!" one more time. If that doesn't stop them, walk away from puppy and stop playing. 

• Never scold a puppy, tap them on the nose, or yell at a puppy who is biting. This is a VERY important life skill for all dogs. If they don't learn how to control that bite, it could lead to unsafe bites as an adult. Just yell "ouch"!

Housetraining:

Puppies and untrained adults need lots of breaks. Take them to the same spot outside every 30-60 minutes when active, after waking from a nap, after drinking or eating. A puppy can hold their bladder one hour for each month of age (1 month old: can only hold for 1 hour. 2 months old: can hold for 2 hours. etc) so be patient! Accidents happen. 

Remember these steps to successfully housetrain a puppy:

• • Prevent accidents

  • Reward going to the bathroom outside

  • Anticipate bathroom needs (after playtime, after lots of water, after meals)

  • Interrupt accidents (vocally, never physically) and avoid punishment

  • Clean up accidents with enzyme cleaner 

Use pee pads for puppies 5 weeks and under. Place pee pads under the puppy immediately after they wake up, after eating, and once an hour. Praise puppy when they use the pad. Clean the pad regularly, as puppies tend to chew on pee pads. 

Crate training:

• House training and crate training can be done synonymously. The crate should be large enough for puppy to walk into, turn around, and lay down. 

• Puppies should have a short-term confinement area (i.e. the crate) and a longer-term confinement area (i.e. a playpen or a separate playroom). 

• Associate the crate with good things! Feed puppy in the crate, give stuffies in the crate, or play crate-games (with ample treats!) so puppy learns that the crate is a good thing!

• Never use the crate as punishment for the dog. 

Toys:

• Toys are VERY important for a puppy's mental health. Provide a large assortment of toys for your puppy, to see what they like!

Socialization:

• Between 3 weeks and 3 months, puppies are learning the world around them. It's crucial to their wellbeing that they have lots of interactions during this time period.

• Use positive socialization during this period by introduing them to as many people as possible (note their vaccine status before introducing them to any dog-friendly animals):

  • Men and Women - Tall, facial hair, varying hairstyles, younger, older, hats, different clothing styles, etc

  • Children - make sure to monitor their interaction and teach children how to properly hold and interact with puppies

  • Items - Vaccuums, mops, brooms, bicycles, skate boards, etc

  • Surfaces - Concrete, stairs, tile, carpet, hardwood, etc

  • Grooming practices - touching ears, feet, tail, face