What do I need for our Puppy?

[ElseaLove]

Hello All,
I was wondering if anyone would be so kind to help me out as to what I would need for a new puppy.
I have no real experience with puppies but a little with dogs. I wasn't planning on having a dog but will be getting this puppy in January and I'm thrilled with how it's turned out. I want this home to be it's forever home and have some money set aside to buy the necessary equipment. I also have a 2 yr old DS and a 7yr old DD who both love animals and have been around dogs but I'd also like some tips on some dog only spaces in the house as well.
Any help would be appreciated.

[ThespianTendencies]

Stair gate is a good idea! That way the dog cannot go up unless you allow it to. Also, dog bed, possibly crate (though there are varying views on this so I would ask the breeder for advice), bowls, leads, collar, toys toys toys...! A kong, puppy pads (for accidents) vets appointment for jabs and microchip. Plenty of kitchen roll for accidents.

[ThespianTendencies]

You could do clicker training so you'd need a clicker and treats.

[ElseaLove]

We live in a downstairs flat but it's a fair size. We have baby gates from the living room and kitchen area. We have a back garden but it's a shared area and we live next to a massive field and go for regular walks through are local wooded area.
I did think about having a crete, bed, bowls, toys, food, toilet training pads, lead, collar, microchip, vaccinations and insurance but I'm really worried I'm going to be a crap dog mam.

[Eryri1981]

With young kids around your dog will need his own "safe" area where he can go and escape the kids, that might be a crate or a alcove somewhere in the flat, which the kids (and their friends) know is strictly off limits.

Also dependent on the size of your dog something to carry him in out and about whilst you are waiting (an eternity) for his 2nd vaccinations at approx. 12 weeks, my puppy was fairly small (just over 2kg at 9 weeks) so I used a Baba sling bought second hand off ebay. It worked amazingly well as he went everywhere with me experiencing loud road noises and lots of different situations/ locations and having him up high meant that he got noticed so lots of people wanted to say hello, which is an important part of socialisation.

[CornflakeHomunculus]

There's not really a huge amount of stuff you need for a new puppy. Food and water bowls, a basic collar and/or harness and lead plus legally compliant tag, appropriate grooming equipment (depends on breed/coat type exactly what you would need but you'll definitely need nail clippers), some puppy appropriate toys, a cheap basic bed (in case the destroy it, I like to use VetBed as it's comfy and easily washed but fairly tough), a crate if you want to use one, some proper cleaner (Simple Solution stuff is good) for the inevitable accidents and obviously plenty of poo bags.

Don't bother with puppy pads, they aren't particularly helpful and can actually complicate toilet training in the long run.

Is the puppy coming from a breeder? If so they should give you a supply of the food they've been weaned onto which it's wise to keep the puppy on for a while before switching if you want to.

The puppy should already be microchipped when you get them, it's a legal requirement now. Some breeders will get their first jabs but it's wise to check if your chosen vets use the same brand of vaccines. Different brands can have differing schedules which could mean restarting the whole course. You can always ask the breeder to hold off or see if your vet can get a different brand in if necessary.

Start looking into insurance before you get the puppy. Breeders should send pups home with a period (usually four or five weeks) of free insurance but you want to have ongoing arranged before that runs out.

Also start looking into puppy classes before you get the pup. The FB group Dog Training Advice and Support (run by highly respected professionals who promote the use of science based, force free training methods) has a list of puppy classes by area in the 'Files' section. You can also post in there and get recommendations. Go along and watch a class or two before committing to them, decent trainers should be more than happy for you to do this.

There's loads of links to really useful information on this thread, it's well worth having a look through and

[LolaTheDarkdestroyer]

Do you have direct access to the garden? As not gonna lie house training will be hard work in a flat.

[Eryri1981]

Also, can you start thinking of a list of friends with dogs, and then check with them that their dogs are up to date with vaccinations, you can then start scheduling in some puppy play dates for the crucial 8 to 12 week window.

[Wolfiefan]

A puppy and a two year old? You will have your work cut out!!
Toilet training could be an issue if the area is shared. Can dog go out there?
Don't use pads. They're confusing. Take pup out frequently. After eating, drinking, playing, napping and every 20 mins or so to start with. Watch like a hawk for pee signs! Much better if they don't get used to going in the house.
Find out what breeder is feeding the pup. It should be microchipped already and you transfer the details across. Find out what vaccinations have been done. Look up puppy training classes.
Get a torch and coat and poo bags too!!
By law you need a dog tag too.
What breed?

[Shambolical1]

Not just about bite prevention (though that would be good enough), but some very good information here for helping kids and dogs to get along:

stopthe77.com/

[ElseaLove]

Chihuahua jack russell mix. No one wanted it. My cousins next door neighbor wants it gone once it's ready to be away from it's mother. The way they said "gone" was quite clear if someone didn't pick it up they would get rid of it.

[ElseaLove]

I have access to the back garden and so does my neighbor. She's fine with me using the back garden (and the puppy and the kids)

[ElseaLove]

Thanks for the link Shambolical1

[littlemisscomper]

I would definitely get a crate. NOT as a place of punishment, but as his own personal space where he can retreat to at any time to escape small clutching hands. Make it a hard and fast rule that the children do not disturb him when he is in there, be very firm on that. You can shut him in the crate sometimes when everyone needs to calm down, preferably with a nice distraction like a stuffed kong. What breed is he?

[Ropsleybunny]

I definitely recommend crate training, especially as you have DC. You need something cosy to put into the crate for a bed. You need water and food bowls, some toys, a collar and lead, a dog tag and dog bags. Enjoy your puppy.

[Wolfiefan]

Poor pup!
Do see where it is up to with flea and work and vaccination stuff. Should be chipped.
Definitely keep on the same food to start with.
As it is a small breed it will be easier to carry out and about for socialisation until all jabs are done and it's safe to walk.
Is the garden secure? Any chance any unvaccinated dogs use it?

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Another vote for really comprehensive insurance.

[ElseaLove]

With a bit of fence and gate adjusting the garden will be a bit more secure (small dog could escape under the fence at the moment) no other animals use the garden except the magpies.

[Woolfrai]

There's a great book called Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson - worth getting, a long with a whistle, to start recall training early. .

A good harness too.

Are there any puppy classes locally that may be accessible? If so, I would recommend a trainer who uses focuses positive reinforcement and who avoids aversives.

Good luck.

[Wolfiefan]

I just thought of you as I was taking Wolfie pup out for a last wee!
Enzyme cleaner. For wee accidents. Nothing else gets rid of the smell and they can keep going back to the same spot.
Also come over to the puppy survival thread.

[ElseaLove]

Enzyme cleaner is a new one, I will check out the book too. Thanks

[heidiwine]

Read the happy puppy handbook (I think that’s what it’s called) by Pippa Mattison. That saved us from making so many mistakes - it’s an easy read and was a big help to us. Only bit I didn’t end up agreeing with was how she did crate training.
In terms of what you will need:
Happy puppy book
Bed or crate (I only know about crates which you should line with vet bed and cover with a blanket)
Food and water bowls
Collar with identity tag and a lead (practice lead walking before they’re allowed out)
Pet insurance
Register with a vet (for vaccines and flea/worm treatment)

We got all sorts of other crap but didn’t really need or use it. His favourite toy was a sock with a ball in it (he still loves that) we also tied some old thick socks to the crate which he liked to chew/pull on.

Good luck. I found the first couple of months hard but if you put the training and hours in at the start it’s definitely worth it! One other thing - everyone has an opinion and they all seem to be slightly different. Prepare for that and work out what/who you’re going to listen to and stick to it otherwise you’ll end up like us and do things inconsistently which is confusing for the puppy and they really need consistency!

[bunnygeek]

Is there a Dog School near you to sign up to?
www.dogstrustdogschool.org.uk/

[Elphame]

Sign up for puppy classes. Most will take them from as soon as the vaccinations kick in. Also look for puppy parties - our local pet superstore does them (free!) which is great.

Puppy pads get a bad rep here but I find them incredibly useful - not for training but for soaking up the inevitable puddles! Pop the pad absorbent side down over the puddle and tread on it. Repeat a couple of times and all the liquid gets sucked out of your carpet! Much easier than using reams of soggy kitchen paper and I find one pad is good for a couple of accidents.

[rightsaidfrederickII]

Both chihuahuas and JRTs can be a bit snappy if not socialised properly - you will need to make sure that the kids know to respect the dog's boundaries and how to recognise the sign of a dog that's getting annoyed. This will likely mean introducing rules such as the kids not being allowed to pick the dog up under any circumstances as if it's dropped it's going to be frightening for the dog, and no children allowed to go near the crate / bed. Socialise the puppy to within an inch of its life (puppy classes at the vet, proper training classes as soon as he's vaccinated etc. etc.; YouTube videos are excellent for learning how to teach commands)

PestDog is a JRT cross that wasn't properly socialised as a youngster. We're still having to work through his intermittent issues with other dogs and it would have been a lot easier if his first owners had done it properly from day one (actually, he probably wouldn't have been rehomed).

Best of luck!

[LolaTheDarkdestroyer]

Why are you calling her it?...and I have had this breed before and they don't mix well with kids, they are snappy, and very possessive.