Share your puppy tips-please!

[Spiral379]

His arrival is imminent. I feel like an expectant mum full of nerves and excitement. I’d appreciate any pearls of wisdom to get us through the early days. We’re prepped and as ready as we can be but we’ve never had a puppy before (only an older rescue dog who was an absolute dream).

Aww he's cute, miss sloppy puppy kisses

Plenty of toys to chew on
Take out for a wee every 20-30 minutes or after they've eaten
Plenty of kitchen towel to mop up accidents

Dont get angry, it does get easier. Definitely harder than a human baby be aware things will get eaten and bitten including you x

Thanks both!!

For a few weeks you will question your sanity. Your life will be turned upside down. Many things will get chewed including you. If you have children their dreams of a cute puppy to cuddle will be marred with sharp land sharks nips and destroyed homework. Then all of a sudden, in our case,18 weeks, you can’t imagine life without the thing.

Just enjoy it. I mean do stuff, get out, get muddy, go to weird training classes and become that competitive parent. Feel the internal rage when your puppy is not best in class, go home, cuddle them and go back again.

Talk to them. Praise them, be firm but fair.

Cuddle cuddle cuddle.

My puppy is five now and that little tiny dog saved my sanity. Almost broke it along the way but oh my, that love.

My ankles may never recover, my shoes won't ever recover and the rug didn't make it, but my heart was fixed.

There's something about the bond you form with a dog. It's so simple and uncomplicated. A cheesy saying but I find true....lock your dog and a loved one in the shed for an hour and see who is pleased to see you when you open the door.

Enjoy.

Have a look on 'Doghouse' board there is a puppy support group thread for other new parents of 'fur babies' (if I am allowed to say that word on MN!)

Dr Beckman carpet cleaner.
Rub a blanket on pup's mum when you pick up puppy then put it in dog bed for comfort.
Ticking clock in bed at night as fake heart beat. The nights can be tough for a puppy.
Enjoy the cuddles!

Use his food for training purposes. Our puppy is 4 month old. Only meal he gets in his bowl is the one first thing the others are used to teach sit, come, touch, wait, his name etc etc he loves it and its good for his mental wellbeing

I Reccomend the book easyeasypuppysqueasy easy to understand

Find out if there is any puppy meets near you

Find a dog walker soon if you intend to use one and have them show up at ti as just so pup gets used to them

Get a dog trainer I early on for a few sessions

Go to puppy training classes

Its wonderful and exhausting and oh so worth it

Thanks everyone. He’s here and we’ve had a good day so far. Only 1 wee inside and I left him for 20 mins to do the school run, he cried for 4mins then settled down (I filmed him). He has been to visit us 4 times before now so it’s not completely new to him.

I’ve been teaching him sit, couldn’t get it out of him with his puppy treats but he did it for a bit of cheese (I’ve found his weak spot!).