5 month old rescue pup coming in 10 days - any advice?

[PollyIndia]

Me and 6 year old DS are adopting a 5 month old rescue pup from Spain. She's coming week after next so I'm just trying to get my head around it all. We ended up going to this spanish charity as it was very hard to adopt even a puppy with a young child in the UK.
I grew up with guide dogs as my dad is blind, so obviously my experience is with dogs that have had the best training available so I'm a bit nervous! Any tips? I'm going to get a crate. She'll be coming to work with me - should I get her a crate for there? Or would a bed be ok? Any other tips? I'll sleep in the kitchen with her first few nights.
She's been with her mum and siblings the whole time since birth - her mum has a very sad story and will never be rehomed, but all the siblings are coming to the UK together.
All feels like the great unknown right now, though I'm hoping if I commit to training her properly, she'll be a happy and well adjusted dog and can be in the reception of my work without annoying customers... any advice on how to get there would be very gratefully received. Thank you!

[BiteyShark]

I would be thinking of doing all the socialisation e.g. getting used to the sights and sounds that are applicable to your household.

Might still be in the very bitey phase. Mine was much better at 5 months but given that yours is a rescue I guess you won't know until she is here.

Get insurance ASAP and the best you can afford. But be aware that most insurances have an initial period where any issues found won't be covered and then will be deemed to be pre existing.

Get a vet visit booked for check up and to discuss flea/worming treatments etc.

Personally I wouldn't bother with group training if I was doing the puppy thing again. Instead I would go straight to a good 1-1 trainer who can start you off on the right foot.

[PollyIndia]

I have a 1-1 trainer who is really well recommended. She is up to date on worming etc as she's coming from spain so has had jabs etc to get her passport but I will do that anyway re the vet. and good shout re insurance, I had forgotten about that!

[Redfox001]

positively.com/contributors/starting-out-with-your-new-puppy/

[adaline]

At five months they'll be well into the bitey jumpy phase - make sure you never leave DS and the pup unattended and warn him in advance that puppy bites bloody hurt!

[florentina1]

My advice would be to buy lots of strong chew toys. My Rescue was quite stressed when she first came and went through loads. She found it quite soothing to chew and chomp. I would definitely get a crate for work covered with blankets. I expect she will like having a safe dark place to nest and hide from the new experiences,

[PollyIndia]

THANK YOU! I'm so appreciative of any advice. I will get a dog bed and crate for the studio in that case. And yes re DS. I also pick up 4 year old nephew and 7 year old niece. Niece will be fine but I'll need to watch my nephew the whole time.
Thanks for the article. I'll read that now :)

[MissShapesMissStakes]

I have a six year old and got a puppy 7 months ago. The most vital thing I got was a pen. So it’s bigger than a crate and you can leave them some bedding area, but also a couple of safe toys and some water. Because pup was bitey and could easily chew on anything (we made as pup friendly as possible but still had wires, table legs etc) I didn’t feel I could safely leave him just to put dd to bed etc. He needed constant supervision.
Also if dd had a friend over, I could supervise closely and then pop him in his pen to get some space and to allow the kids to run around without being chewed on.
The crate was great to start with and made him feel safe, and I left the crate in his pen too. He’s grown out of his crate now he is 8 months old. But he still sleeps in his pen at night. And I still use it when dd has friends round and he gets a bit too excited.
If you don’t have room for a pen, baby gates work well too. We are all open plan so needed the pen. But you could also use a gate to create some safe space for pup/child away from each other.

[PollyIndia]

Great tip, thanks. I have a stair gate to block off the kitchen - i thought best to start in there with the crate as there are tiles, easy to wipe up pee. That way I can separate them too. I wouldn't have room for a pen - my table legs are metal, so assuming she won't chew those... could she chew kitchen cabinets?

[BiteyShark]

could she chew kitchen cabinets?

Mine didn't but some do and some even eat chunks out of the walls

[MissShapesMissStakes]

Mine wasn’t a massive chewer. But he did like to investigate things like wires with his teeth.

Sounds like the kitchen will work well. We just had nowhere I could leave kid and dog together while I went for a wee. So one of them had to come.
They are fine together now they’ve got to know each other better though.

[DogInATent]

Make sure you've got the contact details for their UK adopter support service handy.

Are the charity providing a titre test result for the rabies jab as part of the passport?

[puppy23]

Firstly well done on getting a rescue - she'll thank and love you for life! Ours didn't chew (except once through the internet cable!), our main problem was house training. Don't worry if she doesn't eat much for the first couple of days, ours didn't for the first day or so, she just needs to get comfortable. Mainly, be patient, this is going to be really overwhelming for her! Good luck to you both

[lorisparkle]

Best thing I was recommended on Mumsnet was the Facebook group 'dog training advice and support'. They have loads of files on puppies and rescue dogs and will answer specific questions as well. We have a 6 month puppy and he goes from being the best thing in the world to being a nightmare in 5 seconds flat. They take a huge amount of work but worth it!

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Read ‘Before and After Getting a Puppy’ by Ian Dunbar. Available as a free ebook (or used to be). It’s brilliant.

You’re getting a pup at probably the hardest age so be prepared for a difficult start. If you see it through, it’ll be worth it!