Shit, I have somehow acquired a puppy...

[Theoneandonlyitchymcitch]

Help!! She is a teeny tiny baby shitzu crossed with something equally obscure. She is slightly larger than my foot. I have zero experience with puppies. What do j need to do? I've made her up a bed with towels and puppy food in a dish near her. I got her a baby bottle to try and get her to drink milk (kitten milk!) from that. She is ignoring all my efforts and is snoring on my foot...

Ps she is a very contrary little creature, she fell over her own little legs earlier when I rolled a ball for her to play with, and when I laughed, she looked most put out, put her nose in the air and sulked!

You sound very caring OP, I am certain you are and will be doing everything you can to make sure Chiara is healthy and looked after to the highest standard. You seem pretty smitten with her already! Well done for sound a decent thing and taking her in!

Oh bless her. Can you say why you've ended up with her? Well done OP

Can we see a photo of her?

tea I don't really want to give too many details incase I out myself, but put it this way, if I had left her I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself. So best she is with me, and we learn together, right? Although my brain is bursting with puppy information and advice right now! Like I said, one of my best mates has a dog of the same breed so she has been more than helpful. Just rushing up to the shop to get her a collar, hope she doesn't wake up.

Some of you can be so unbelievably judgemental it's unreal.

OP, sorry, no advice whatsoever but looking forward to a photo!!

Sounds like you have everything she needs of course now you have let her in your bed once, thats her bed from now on Which is fine, because both my dogs sleep in our bed for the same reason that we caved on the first night! So long as it suits you it is perfectly fine.

Can't think of anything else just now - just enjoy her

I find the dog house on here bloody terrifying.

She sounds like she's fallen on her feet, that one. What a lovely name, too.

Good luck!

You are doing great OP.

Ignore the overly critical posts. It is clear that you adore this puppy and want to do the best for her. You have had some good advice too, which you seem to be taking on board.

11 years ago I was in your position, having just acquired an eight week old yellow Labrador puppy. I could have written your post word for word. It absolutely DID NOT mean that you hadn't researched at all or didn't want him. It was just me briefly feeling a little overwhelmed by the responsibility of having taken on another "child", not to put too fine a point on it.

I think most new puppy owners feel that way at some point, just as many first time parents do when a baby is born. It is normal, but keep persevering and it does get easier.

No milk. Give a good proprietary puppy food (JWB, Arden Grange, Skinners rather than Pedigree or Bakers) in small meals around 4 times a day at first. That should provide all the basic nutrition your pup needs.

Piccies please, and good luck.

This is her last night...

All curled up

I'll get a better one in a bit, went to get collar and lead, only to return laden with other bits and bobs, toys, treats, etc! Thoughts on puppy pads? I bought some but from my research there seems to be a divide on whether they are worth it or not?

You have done well to not rise to the nastiness on here OP and you have my admiration for that and for taking in a pup that needed a home. Can't wait to see the pic!

Oh! How adorable! she looks so soft! How'd she manage while you were out? Any signs of distress?

Oh my life, that is one adorable puppy!

Yep, I can see how you can 'acquire' one that cute.

Good luck with it all

she is a very contrary little creature

Get used to it! I have a shih tzu / papillion and the puppy years were fun, he took so long to toilet train. He can be very stubborn. He is the most chilled out, cute little lap dog now though so worth it.

Oh and the grooming never ends. I wish my hair grew as fast!

She is so cute!

Lovely pic.

I would rather use the garden than puppy pads because I would not want to introduce the idea that toiletting inside was OK. My lab had a crate as his indoor den. He slept there, and whenever he woke up I took him straight outside for wee-wees etc. When he was racing around I had to go with him and watch like a hawk to whisk him outside again if he looked like needing it, in addition to taking him out every half hour/hour or so and after food/games etc.

as a side note if you need to pop out for a few minutes pop the radio on it might help ease any distress of being "alone"

Oh she's beautiful . You are lucky.

You'll find your way OP, crate training definitely the way forward IMO, makes life with a puppy SO much easier.

MN is often ridiculous about dogs and getting them, if you went by the advice offered on here no one would ever get a dog ever.

Good luck with everything.

You won't get any criticism from me at her sleeping in your bed, both of ours sleep with me, and our new rescue BigDog is terrified of the dark, so I sleep in a sleep mask and a lamp stays on for her.

Mad? You bet

And she is adorable. What have you called her? Better be Stratters