Think we've found our puppy!

[ImogenTubbs]

After sadly discovering last year that DD is allergic to cats, we eventually decided to get a puppy instead. We wanted a young dog because we wanted a rescue dog and wouldn't be confident taking an older animal without knowing its history, as we have a young child. It's taken ages, but we think we have finally found the one for us!

He's 6mo - we think Labrador/lurcher cross, incredibly friendly, great with DD (wasn't frightened but didn't jump up either). The people who found him abandoned can't keep him as they already have two adult dogs but have registered him with a local vet and animal rescue place so he's being checked, vaccinated, chipped etc. We're due to pick him up in just over a week!

So excited, just wanted to share with all you lovely dog lovers. Any advice/tips? We both grew up with dogs but haven't owned as adults. We're reading everything we can find!

The people who found him abandoned can't keep him as they already have two adult dogs but have registered him with a local vet and animal rescue place so he's being checked, vaccinated, chipped etc.

How was he being offered for rehoming / is this a friend of a friend type deal, or a Gumtree type deal?

Of course if you feel its genuine etc I don’t want to rain on your parade but there are SO many ways backyard breeders offload dogs now and it’s best to be slightly on the defensive. Are you paying anything?

Sorry - totally missed the “animal rescue place” bit. Hopefully that’s legit and reassuring.

Tips - training classes ASAP, for you as much as the dog . Prepping DC on dog-safe behaviour and reading body language. Decide now where the dog sleeps etc. and your boundaries and enforce them ;kindly) from Day 1. Have you got a system for days out/holidays/regular absences? I’ve found things like being the only parent if my DP is on a work trip challenging with bedtime & walks etc. Insurance?

Tips? Go to training classes, starting asap once DDog is home. I grew up with dogs but now have the first I've owned as an adult, and have learned a lot.

NoSquirrels - completely reasonable to bring that up! They are friends of our childminder. We are not paying anything. We've offered to pay all the vet bills but they've insisted it's ok - they're getting some of the treatments paid for by the rescue charity but will give us all the paperwork.

Your dog will need two walks a day, longer as he matures. He’ll need to run off the lead, so recall is very important. We taught ours to fetch a ball to keep her fit.

Start training as soon as you get him, be consistent with what you want. Make sure his bed is his sanctuary and that DD knows she can’t bother him when he’s in there.

Has he been neutered?

Enjoy!

He won't necessarily need to run off lead. There's a fare few dogs I know who have never had reliable recall. Prey drive is too high. - lurcher, greyhound, husky, beagle. It's not through poor training.

Their owners occasionally hire a secure field, or do Cani cross, bikejoring, long on-lead walks, use tracking lines and brain games.

Please don't fall into the trap like I did of feeling pressured to let your dog run free 'to tire him out' before he's ready.

But back to the op - enjoy him! Hook up with a local trainer (who uses positive reinforcement/force free training).

Google alpha dog, pack theory and Cesar Milan then ignore it all and never treat your dog in that way.

I feel really sorry for any dog who doesn’t have a run off the lead. It’s not right!

Thank you for the tips. We will definitely train him well before letting him off the lead. We have quite a big secure garden (solid 6ft wall the whole way round) so he should enjoy bombing round there in the meantime. I was reading the 5 minutes for every month rule - so two 15 min walks a day at this age and increasing.

Any tips for encouraging him to use one particular part of the garden as a toilet? Hopefully he'll go on walks and we'll still clean up the worst of it, but I'd rather not find surprise poos around the place with DD running about!

For me, the only way of dealing with garden poo is to watch your dog and then go and pick it up straight away. I have never succeeded in getting my dogs to use one bit of the garden, I admire anyone who has.

All guide dogs are trained to do this. The way to do it, is to always take them out on the lead to a particular spot. When they start to go use a phrase, like "hurry up" or whatever you feel comfortable with. Eventually, you can get them to go on command, in the place you want them to go.

We managed this with our last dog but not our current dog.

I feel really sorry for any dog who doesn’t have a run off the lead. It’s not right!

But necessary in some circumstances to ensure dog remains under control in public.

I agree that seeing zooming dogs larking and playing is wonderful.

But trawling round for hours pinning posters up searching for dogs - not so much.

But necessary in some circumstances to ensure dog remains under control in public.
Agreed but training is a wonderful thing.

I agree that seeing zooming dogs larking and playing is wonderful
I never said that. I prefer my dog not to zoom and lark.

But trawling round for hours pinning posters up searching for dogs - not so much

Agreed again but, training is a wonderful thing.

Kong toys to stop him chewing everything else. Our trainer advised us to put the food in Kong Bones rather than a bowl. We have just got our first dog too. She is an 8 year old terrier. I think that the best way to control poo is to be consistent with the food and feed at the same time each day.

Our dog is fed Lily’s Kitchen . She is an extremely nervy dog which reflects in her stomach and bowels. She is fed a small amount about 5times a day . She is walked three times a day and has a poo about 20 minutes into her walk. I cannot belief how many conversations DH and I have had about dog poo since we got her.