Puppy La Vie New Puppy Success Guide

Everything You Need to Know for a Safe, Healthy & Happy Transition Home

Congratulations on your new Puppy La Vie puppy!

We are honored that you chose Puppy La Vie to help you find your newest family member. Our puppies placed are more than pets to us. PLV pups are cherished little lives that deserve the very best start possible.

At Puppy La Vie, we work closely with our trusted breeders and spend time getting to know each puppy as an individual. We focus on proper socialization, observation, temperament, and helping each puppy prepare for a smooth transition into their forever home. Our goal is not simply to place puppies, but to help create successful, lifelong matches between puppies and families.

Our commitment to your puppy does not end when they leave our care.

We genuinely care about every puppy we place and every family we serve. We are always happy to answer questions, provide guidance, and help support you during your puppy’s transition home.

Please take a few minutes to carefully review this guide. The first few days are incredibly important.

IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION

🚨 If your puppy appears ill, weak, lethargic, shaky, is refusing food, refusing water, vomiting, experiencing diarrhea, or acting abnormally, please contact Puppy La Vie immediately.

📞 Call/Text: 571-833-2641

📧 Email: team@puppylavie.co

If your puppy appears critically ill, seek veterinary care immediately. Do not delay emergency treatment while waiting for a response.

SAVE THESE NUMBERS NOW: Please save the following contacts before bringing your puppy home:

Puppy La Vie
📞 571-833-2641
📧 team@puppylavie.co

🏥 Your Primary Veterinarian:

🚑 Closest Emergency Veterinary Hospital:

📞 Emergency Veterinary Phone Number:

THE FIRST 72 HOURS MATTER

The first 72 hours after bringing a puppy home are often the most important part of the transition process.

Your puppy is experiencing:

• A new home
• New people
• New smells
• New sounds
• New routines
• New sleeping arrangements
• New food and water locations
• Separation from familiar surroundings

Many puppies transition beautifully.

Others may need additional support.

For this reason, close supervision is essential.

***TOY & SMALL BREED PUPPIES REQUIRE EXTRA ATTENTION***

Most Puppy La Vie puppies are toy or small breed puppies.

These puppies are wonderful companions but they are not simply miniature versions of large breed dogs.

Because of their size, they can be more vulnerable to:

• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Dehydration
• Temperature extremes
• Stress-related appetite changes
• Injury from falls
• Overexertion

This is why monitoring your puppy closely during the first several days is so important.

UNDERSTANDING HYPOGLYCEMIA (LOW BLOOD SUGAR)

This is one of the most important sections of this guide. Many new puppy owners have never heard of hypoglycemia.

Toy and small breed puppies have very small energy reserves and can sometimes experience dangerously low blood sugar if they stop eating, become stressed, become dehydrated, experience illness, or burn more energy than they are taking in.

Hypoglycemia can become serious quickly and should never be ignored.

A puppy that is not eating should never simply be monitored indefinitely while waiting for improvement.

If your puppy is not eating, action should be taken immediately.

Potential signs of hypoglycemia include:

• Weakness
• Excessive sleepiness
• Reduced energy
• Shaking
• Tremors
• Wobbliness
• Difficulty standing
• Difficulty walking
• Confusion
• Staring into space
• Collapse
• Seizures
• Unresponsiveness

If you notice any of these symptoms:

Encourage your puppy to eat immediately.
Offer their regular puppy food.
Offer plain boiled chicken.
Offer veterinarian-approved calorie support such as Nutri-Cal.
Contact Puppy La Vie immediately.
Contact your veterinarian.
Seek emergency veterinary care if symptoms are significant.

Young puppies can deteriorate rapidly. Prompt intervention matters.

NUTRI-CAL & EMERGENCY ENERGY SUPPORT

We strongly recommend every toy or small breed puppy owner keep Nutri-Cal available.

Nutri-Cal provides a quick source of calories and energy and is commonly used by veterinarians and experienced toy breed owners.

Nutri-Cal is not a replacement for veterinary care.

It is simply one tool that may help support a puppy while veterinary guidance is being obtained.

If your puppy is weak, lethargic, shaky, refusing food, or acting abnormally, veterinary evaluation should still be pursued.

EATING IS NOT OPTIONAL

One of the most important responsibilities during the first several days is ensuring your puppy is eating.

Many owners mistakenly assume:

“He’ll eat when he’s hungry.”

Unfortunately, this can become dangerous for young puppies.

We recommend actively monitoring meals.

If your puppy is not eating normally:

• Offer food frequently
• Hand feed if necessary
• Offer plain boiled chicken
• Reduce distractions
• Keep the environment calm
• Monitor closely

Do not simply leave food down and assume it was eaten.

Observe your puppy.

A puppy that appears weak, unusually sleepy, wobbly, shaky, or uninterested in food should never simply be monitored without intervention.

SAMPLE PUPPY LA VIE FEEDING SCHEDULE

Every puppy is different, but consistency is important.

Example Schedule:

6:00 AM
Breakfast
Fresh water available

Morning
Potty breaks
Playtime
Rest

12:00 PM
Lunch
Fresh water available

Afternoon
Potty breaks
Playtime
Rest

6:00 PM
Dinner
Fresh water available

Evening
Family time
Potty breaks
Quiet settling time

Bedtime

Young puppies commonly sleep 18–20 hours daily.

This is normal.

WATER INTAKE IS IMPORTANT

Fresh water should be available at all times.

Monitor your puppy’s drinking habits.

Potential signs of dehydration include:

• Dry gums
• Weakness
• Reduced appetite
• Lethargy
• Sunken eyes

WHAT IS NORMAL DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS?

Many puppies experience normal adjustment behaviors after moving into a new home.

These may include:

• Sleeping more than expected
• Being quieter than normal
• Mild nervousness
• Whining during the first night
• Following family members closely
• Eating slightly smaller portions

These behaviors can be part of the adjustment process.

However, weakness, collapse, inability to stand, severe lethargy, refusal to eat, refusal to drink, or unresponsiveness are never considered normal.

SAFE TRAVEL GUIDELINES

Never leave your puppy unattended in a vehicle.

Before placing your puppy in a vehicle:

• Start the vehicle
• Turn on air conditioning or heat
• Ensure the temperature is comfortable
• Monitor your puppy during travel

Young puppies are more sensitive to temperature extremes than adult dogs.

Until your veterinarian advises otherwise, avoid:

• Dog parks
• Public dog events
• Pet store floors
• Shared dog water bowls
• Dog daycare facilities
• Areas heavily used by unknown dogs

Your puppy’s immune system is still developing.

Safe socialization should occur in controlled environments.

CHILDREN & PUPPY SAFETY

All interactions between children and puppies should be supervised.

Children should never:

• Walk while carrying a puppy
• Run while carrying a puppy
• Jump while carrying a puppy
• Play rough with a puppy

Toy breed puppies can be seriously injured from falls or accidental drops.

PREVENT FALLS

Avoid allowing your puppy to:

• Jump from beds
• Jump from couches
• Climb stairs unsupervised
• Access elevated furniture without supervision

Falls are one of the most common causes of preventable puppy injuries.

HOUSEHOLD SAFETY

Keep your puppy away from:

• Chocolate
• Grapes
• Raisins
• Xylitol
• Alcohol
• Medications
• Marijuana products
• Vape products
• Cleaning supplies
• Toxic plants
• Children’s toys
• Small choking hazards

Puppies explore with their mouths.

Puppy-proof your home carefully.

SAFE SLEEPING

Your puppy should sleep in a crate, playpen, or another safe puppy-approved environment.

Avoid:

• Unsupervised furniture access
• Elevated sleeping surfaces
• Situations where accidental injury may occur

VETERINARY EXAMINATION REQUIREMENT

All Puppy La Vie puppies must be examined by a licensed veterinarian within 72 hours of placement (excluding Sundays and holidays where applicable).

This wellness examination is required and allows:

• Establishment of veterinary care
• Verification of overall health
• Discussion of vaccines
• Discussion of parasite prevention
• Review of feeding recommendations

If your veterinarian identifies a significant concern, Puppy La Vie must be notified immediately and provided with veterinary findings and records.

COMMUNICATION MATTERS

One of the most important things you can do is communicate with us.

If something seems off, call.

If your puppy is not eating, call.

If you are worried, call.

If your puppy has been seen by a veterinarian, call.

We understand that bringing home a puppy can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for first-time puppy owners. Questions are normal. Concerns are normal.

We would much rather answer questions and provide support than have a family worry alone or wait until a situation becomes more serious.

• Refusal to eat
• Refusal to drink
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Weakness
• Shaking
• Tremors
• Difficulty standing
• Difficulty walking
• Collapse
• Seizures
• Difficulty breathing
• Any emergency veterinary visit

We would much rather receive a call that turns out to be nothing than learn about a serious issue after it becomes an emergency.

PUPPIES ARE LIVING ANIMALS

Despite excellent care, veterinary oversight, preventive health measures, and responsible breeding practices, puppies are living animals and may occasionally develop illnesses, congenital conditions, infections, injuries, or medical emergencies that may not be apparent at the time of placement. No breeder, veterinarian, or puppy provider can guarantee that a living animal will never develop a health condition.

Prompt monitoring, communication, and veterinary care play an important role in your puppy’s long-term health and success.

OUR COMMITMENT

Every Puppy La Vie puppy leaves our care with the goal of becoming a beloved family member.

While we cannot control feeding schedules, supervision, environmental conditions, travel conditions, interactions with children or other pets, accidents, injuries, household hazards, or veterinary decisions after placement, we remain committed to supporting our puppy families.

Communication matters. If something seems off, please call.

We genuinely care and are always happy to help. Thank you for choosing Puppy La Vie.

Welcome to the Puppy La Vie family. 🐾