Ok, so I have a 10 week old Lakeland Terrier now...!!

[mum2seb]

We picked him up yesterday, and he's fab!! Asleep at the moment, on my lap (I said I wouldn't let him BEFORE I got him, but seeing as he weed all over his bed at 5am this morning, I reckon he deserves a break!!). I took him to the vet this morning for his first jab, and he said he looked underweight, and seeing as the breeder gave me 2 tins of cheapy dog food and some biscuit, I would have to agree with him - one of the reasons I took him to the vet today, rather than waiting!!
So both the vet AND the veterinary nurse told me not to bother weaning him over from his old food to the new puppy food, because he really needs the good stuff in this new dry food (I've been soaking it in warm water before I give it to him). So I'm waiting for the diarrohea, now!!
Does anyone have any advice, or opinions of what the vet has recommended, please? I'm feeling like a rather bad person for even GETTING this puppy at the moment after the vets reaction!!

That said, I DO think he's fab - gentle, bouncy and great fun!!

Congratulations! It sounds like good advice from the vet, two tins is not enough to wean him over properly in any case so I would carry on if I were you. I assume the vet had a good look to make sure there are no underlying reasons for him being underweight? Do you add water and then feed it all or pour the water off? If you pur the water off hten you will be throwing out some of the nutrients as they are easily soluble in puppy food.

As per all the baby threads, you are making a rod for your own back by letting him on your knee yadayada but whatever you are happy with! (My dogs are always too big for this - althought that doesn't stop them trying!)

WHen you say the vets reaction, do you mean just because he is underweight? or do you think there is more to it? TBH it makes little difference insofar as someone would have taken him at some point so the breeder would have got their money inthe end. Were they KC registered etc? If they ar then you could let the KC know about your puppy although I am not sure they would do anything. How was he with other things, worm, fleas, cleanliness etc?

Don't see what is wrong with letting a dog sleep on your lap sometimes.

YOU haven't done anything wrong with getting the puppy. Sounds like the breeder wasn't great.

Baker, in our case it was because after a few months of growing it would have squashed your knee for you! In general it is because some people believe that the dog will get ideas above their station if you let them sleep on you or be on the same level as you, it is a dominance thing, pack theory related.

My best advice with a pup is to start as you mean to go on - if you don't plan to allow tugging games don't start them just because the puppy is cute, they will find it hard to unlearn later. If you want them to sit before food make them do it from day one so it becomes natural to them (obv don't expect them to do it themselves, just put them in the position and praise them). Same goes for putting the lead on, mouthing games, wrestling etc. If you look at the things you do and imagine if you still want to be doing them once the pup is full grown you should get a good idea!

Thanks for the advice. We hope to get a dog in the future so will store this.

Baker, it is worth doing some research as some people also think pack theory is outdated and can cause its own problems in the wrong hands. Personally I take a fairly organic approach (as with child rearing) and take a little bit of various theories to give a tailored approach that I can adjust to the dog in question IYSWIM.

Hopefully we won't be a doggy household for a while yet. No dog while we have our cat.

Thanks for your advice! No I haven't been pouring the water off, thought it'd still be a bit dry otherwise! And he's taken himself off to sleep in his cage at the moment - knows the children won't bother him there!!

The vet said other than the weight, he was a very healthy puppy, so phew!! I think his skin/coat's a bit flaky, though, and I'm hoping the better food will sort that!

Life is certainly very different!!

mum2seb - I've been considering a Lakeland Terrier for a long time. Would love to hear a bit more from you about how you chose that breed, where you found the breeder, how you chose whether to have a male or female, which puppy from the litter etc.

Any details much appreciated!

Hi Earlybird - sorry I didn't get back to you sooner - I've been cleaning up a LOT of doggy wee/ poo!!
We read LOADS of breed specs on the Kennel Club website, and did some of the breed quiz things that have been recommended on here (I can't remember where, but if you have a search through, I'm sure you'll find them). I emailed the Lakeland Terrier Club Secretary and asked her if she had any litters on her records, and she gave me the details of the breeder I got ours from. We also read up on the LTC website.
I have to say, I did kind of fall for the pictures of the dogs - both pups and adults, and quite like the fact that they're non-molting. Oddly, I'm looking forward to the grooming bit (I'm hoping someone is going to teach me how to 'strip' him - the breeder gave me a crash course with his Dad (!), but I think I need longer than 5 minutes!!). We went there with the intention of getting a dog rather than a bitch - don't ask me why, I must be insane (I live with 3 males already!!) because I KNOW the males might be harder work temperament-wise, but we are considering getting him neutered. After all, we're not breeding from him (even though my sil has completely fallen for him and is begging me to breed him with another one and give her a puppy!!!).
Unfortunately he was the only survivor out of his litter, but he was with his slightly older cousins! He was completely manic, but very gentle as well, which is what attracted me. He'd been kept in the house with his Mum, because, I think, the breeder had a soft spot for him (even though they didn't give him the right food!!). He looked quite upset when we left (when we MANAGED to get away, that is!!)
Well, he's only been here 2 days, but I'm enjoying it - even the soaking wet dog bed on Monday morning, and the covered in poo bed this morning hasn't spoilt it for me (well maybe a bit - particularly the poo!!).
If you have any more questions, just ask - although after reading this, you may not want to!!

All I would say is, they are an at risk breed, so you might have to search quite a bit - the Club was a big help!