We have made a decision!!

[OldEnglishSheepDog]

Thanks to all your excellent advice, we have come to a decision that (a) we are getting a puppy and (b) we have found a breeder.

As things stand, our new little baby substitute puppy is not even a twinkle in his/her daddy's eye yet but we expect to have one some time in the spring. So... what do we do now?

So far I have: bought and read a book on pre-vaccinated puppies. Identified a local vet and a couple of possible puppy training classes. Met some people who own these sort of dogs and got some advice on feeding, etc. What else should I be doing/buying? Should I be registering for classes (and vets) in advance?

I keep reading threads about people who want to get rid of their dogs and I am determined that I'm not going to be that person so all advice for preparing myself and the rest of the family would be very gratefully received (again).

Oh my goodness you lot are brilliant - thank you. Especially @minister2012. I am going to read and take notes in the morning.

I adore dogs, I could go on for days.

Do u know what will be the hardest thing, as others have said, training other ppl in your house to train the same way as u!! I’m currently Re-Training my DH not to say “Oi insert expletive!” When there’s an 8 week old puppy hanging literally off his trouser leg again tonight as soon as he walks through the door is as tough as training the pup!

-wear rubbish clothes for 6months, they grab anything, pull threads, scarves, toggles, PLUS you have to pick up to take outside to wee then pick them back up so muddy paws & u have to kneel down 2 encourage recall & act like a loon when they come & get muddy paws all over you!!!

• decide if they are allowed on furniture /upstairs etc, stick to it until at least 2 years old or that’s its!
• from day one groom, spread paws, clip nails every week (nail night weekly we have) to stop most dogs growing up with a fear of nail clipping & it encourages the Kwik to grow less, inspect ears, give treats whilst doing so, sometimes do it standing up on a table to mimic a vets
• meet as many ppl as possible
• get them to give up their toys to you /antlers by both swapping them for treats & by holding the other end occasionally & simultaneously stroking the pup - give them back to them most of the time (this is important if u need to take something off them for their safety or yours that they don’t become protective of toys or precious food or anything), I had a dog bite me on it’s trial when I tried to ‘take away’ a crisp packet it had picked up for it’s own safety
• ‘range’ a dog when off the lead, when it goes to a distance away you are happy with, recall (whistle or whatever) hold collar lightly, treat, then send on way again. It means dog knows on recall it’s not always going back on lead so fun not over (but can put on lead when necessary) & they usually then tend to stay within that range u set by consistent calling back (unless u have a sighthound, or pointer or terrier maybe but they still can be recall trained well!) most dogs then tend to pootle along within that range
• and anything breed specific start early or what you want from your dogs start early, leaving them, retrieving, tricks, pointing etc
• playing & training only for the first 3 months is necessary
• 5 mins walking per month of life twice a day max after 3 months unless a large breed, if large breed once a day & no jumping
• a mentally tired dog is a non destructive dog

Ok i’ll Stop now!! 😁have fun!

That's great advice
YY to deciding boundaries. Mine can't go upstairs or climb on the sofa. But she can sit on it for a cuddle. (She's BIG!)
She has to let me go through the door first. Not a weird dominance/pack theory bollocks. Just I don't want to be dragged through and risk breaking something.
YY to ear check and grooming and handling paws.
We pop to the vets for a weigh in very frequently. It's one of her happy places!
Use a key work when pup wees. You can then turn that into a command later. So my girl will do a wee when asked. Before bed, before getting in the car or going into a shop!!

Yes weeing on command brilliant, again ones that OH & ppl who look after will say. Ours is “hurry up”

& don’t let them follow u everywhere after first couple of days, to toilet etc, that’s the 1st step in stopping separation anxiety. So many people continue to let pups follow them everywhere, which is nice to start with but means you have no peace, can do no jobs & pups/dogs don’t learn to settle & that “the world doesn’t end when that door close & she disappears for a bit!”

But an empty spray bottle for filling with water to stop then doing things u don’t want. That’s another ok thing u can do whilst following positive reinforcement to stop negative behaviour like DPuppy trying to eat every leaf off our small beech trees a squirt of water to face, or barking in later times

Door first brilliant, I need to do this with DPuppy, as she will be big & I can’t have a puller. We only have 2 ways in house so can’t be that difficult right??!! How did you do it @wolfiefan please?

I'm on my 11th puppy this year (I foster them for a rescue), and from the pups that have been handed in as their owners can't cope I'd say that a good thing right now will be to go out for a walk twice a day, everyday. Whether its wet/cold/windy/you're hungover/you want a lie in - you still have to go.

Everytime you leave the house, think 'what would we do with the dog now'. If you've been used to going shopping, spot of lunch, spur of the moment cinema trip, then that's far too long to leave the puppy.

God I did not expect so much brilliant advice. You are all fabulous, thank you. I will start doing the twice daily walk as someone suggested and I'll look into the leads, etc.

@Ermm We're going to get a Tibetan Terrier. They are ridiculously cute but will need daily grooming.

@Minster2012 I think I'm going to print your post out and stick it on the fridge. Thank you.

Ooh they are lovely, playful too! My cockerpoo loves playing with one near us, so you’ll have to find a good groomer too as that’s costly (my cockerpoo goes every 8 weeks to a v good but competitively priced one it’s £25, my old one also amazing was £40 every 8 weeks)

For dogs like that & poodles or poodle crosses or any dog that doesn’t moult loads Invest in an easidri towel. They are like champ leathers that roll up damp & Brilliant for after walks for drying & removing top layer of mud off a dog enough so my poo cross could walk on cream carpet & then not leave paw prints (wood floors great but still Tibetans are creams aren’t they? Not after walks!!🐶🐶🙈) cos you can’t bath a dog after every walk. Again get used to lifting paws & having feet wiped at door as soon as walking. I have mediums. U then rinse it, roll it up damp out back in tube for wet walk 2!

Don’t buy a posh bed for pup straight away. They will destroy it, pull it around. Get some vet bed, easily washable doesn’t pull apart easily, u can cut big pieces to put around house, it’s snuggly for pup. Get them a nice bed when out of destruct mode!

Glad to help, dogs are a delight & Tibetans are lovely!

Level 3 city & guilds qualified is a good level for groomers btw that’s what I look for, and I started to bathe & hairdryer mine from 9 weeks & he’s apparently a dream to groom now (I also brush him with a £34 brush I got from the groomers to stop matts but he does run round fields & goes beating during shooting season) but he does look like he’s going to Phone the RSPCA!!

I was told to Always brush & groom on a raised table like they do at a groomers It makes them think “she means business”!

I don't want to sound like the negative voice here but also, prepare yourself for the fact there will come a point at least once in the first few weeks where you are convinced you've made a massive mistake and want to hand the puppy back immediately. It doesn't matter how much you love it, how much research you've done, how long you've waited - there will come a point where that puppy brings you to your knees! Have some strategies in place for what you can do to overcome that, and also just have that in the back of your mind so it doesn't come as a massive shock when it happens! It's a very brief phase that happens to pretty much all of us! I've had dogs all my life and had a baby earlier this year. I can now attest that you get the same feeling with a human baby too!

Oh yes. The puppy regret. I remember sitting on the floor sobbing and telling my girl if I didn't bloody love her so much she would be going back!
@Minster2012
I don't mind mine dashing out the back so much if she needs a wee. Although intend to block her with my body so I can check garden isn't full of visiting cats or wildlife then release!
Front door. Have lead on. Sit. Open door. Sit and wait. Step out. Say come. If she doesn't stay sitting I go back a step. Close door or move back towards her. She's a big girl and I can't have her charging out the front door. We also have a big step. If I fall or there's a delivery arriving as we burst out then it could be a disaster!

Totally agree Fenella.

Thanks @wolfiefan, I will do that, I have the same with step in new house but also a shared driveway so if dog runs out it could get flattened. Other dog does not do this, never has, sits & waits to have lead put on for walk, doesn’t pull & is smaller but will walk out of door first but not pulling & would never run away, fab recall. New one will be very big & is showing to be real determined. So us going first out of door is brilliant & very good manners so a great one for her. Thank you!

I’m not trying to say you’re a messy mare but try getting into the habit of putting things away and out if reach immediately. Everyone in house can do it but ESP young dc, hopefully by time puppy c9mes it’ll be second nature to put toys, remote controls, newspapers, mobiles, laptops etc out of reach straightaway.

My 12 year old dd has been great at this, dh and myself have forgot a few times and as a result over the last four months I’ve had earphones chewed, a book chewed, and my vacuum cleaner cord chewed after I didn’t put it away. Dh has had his slippers chewed and the remote control is fucked! You’ll be suprised how much damage can be done in a few seconds.

Also, my puppy has jumped at my tv once and also it knocked it on top of her, I’d secure yours if it’s not already.

If you have friends and family who just walk in when visiting I’d change that and ask them to knock. Has the benefit of your dog learning how to behave when postman or delivery driver etc knocks and also stops puppy making an escape if someone comes walking in.