Instructions
Provide a high-quality puppy diet. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a good brand of dog food, but judge your puppy's adaptability to it by her coat and stools.
Begin training from day one. An eight-week-old pup is old enough to learn to sit and wait for his food. Show him his potty spot as soon as you bring him home. Stay outside with him for the first several weeks to make sure that he doesn't become distracted.
Bring your new pup, along with all of the records from the breeder and a fresh stool sample, to the veterinarian as soon as you can. The vet will examine her, check the stool, deworm her and give her shots. Be sure to keep all of her subsequent puppy-series vaccination appointments.
Give your puppy plenty to chew on. All dogs need to chew, and if you don't provide satisfying bones or toys, your puppy will turn on your coffee table before long. Tug toys are OK as long as your puppy doesn't begin to act aggressive. End the game if he starts growling or becomes possessive of the toy.
Brush out your puppy's undercoat once a week with a special comb called a rake to keep it from matting and to minimize shedding. Rakes are available at pet-supply stores. Brush the top coat with a wire brush.
Clean your puppy's ears once every week with wound-up tissues and an otic cleanser from your vet. Bathe your puppy only every two to three months because American Eskimo dogs have a tendency to get dry skin. Use a moisturizing dog shampoo.
Learn to trim the American Eskimo puppy's nails yourself, and get her used to the clippers touching her nails early. Keep the nails short so that the quick doesn't grow out, and you won't need to cut the nails so frequently in the future.
How to Care for an American Eskimo Puppy
American Eskimo dogs (or "Eskies") are nothing if not true family members. Originally called the "German Spitz," these pups adapt just as well to apartments as they do to homes with big backyards. If you adopt one of these friendly fellows, you should take special care to reduce shedding of their fluffy fur and to keep their teeth healthy. Read on to learn how to care for an American Eskimo puppy.