Puppy coming home

[GRCP]

Hello, we are collecting our puppy in just under 3 weeks. Please hit me with your tips and advice!

Thanks!

Get a crate.

Don't do it?!

Brace yourself.

Crate.
Chew toys.
Plenty of sleep beforehand.

There is a thread in doghouse @GRCP called Puppy Survival Thread for New and Old Pups - here comes winter 2024 (sorry have no idea how to link to a thread despite neon here for years!) where you can get useful advice

1. Register with your local vet - my local vets are turning down anyone with a new pet who isn't already registered with them
2. Puppy-proof your home - remove loose wiring, extension cables, toxic plants. Basically anything a puppy will chew
3. Have a designated 'safe' space where the puppy can go and be left alone for a few moments at a time. This does not need to be a crate - and ideally isn't - but can be somewhere the puppy cannot get to children or other pets.
4. Decide, amongst your family, who is pulling what night shift with the puppy. It's very rare to have a puppy that sleeps straight through the night. I do 'sleep training' as part of my work with the puppies before they go when I breed. But, most pups will be up 2/3 times a night and/or cry a lot their first few nights - and you cannot just leave them to cry it out and you cannot constantly give them attention either. You need to find a happy middle.
5. Get your puppy in the car from day 1 - pre-second vaccination, take the puppy out in your arms to see the world. Do not let it greet other dogs. Do not put it on the ground. But socialise it with the world as much as possible - too many people do not do this and their puppy suffers as a result.
6. Take your puppy straight to it's toilet spot the moment you can home, and reward it instantly with food as soon as it wees or poos. Do not rely on puppy pads - be proactive in house training. Many dogs can, and do, pick up toilet training in a few weeks or less.
7. If you have children, get them to understand now that dogs are not toys. The last thing you want is your children harassing, being rough with, or bothering a puppy on it's first day home.

Basically, start as you mean to go on and accept that for the first few months that your life will revolve around the puppy - and if it doesn't, then you're setting yourself up for failure 😄

You're going to need a crate placed away from drafts with a nice, warm comfy bed and a Kong cuddly toy (virtually indestructible) to snuggle up to. Also, puppy training pads galore, puppy food, dishes, other Kong toys for play, chewing and distraction. Finally, an abundance of love, a daily routine, bags of patience and a sense of humour. Oh, and anything you don't want nibbled (glasses, shoes etc) put well out of the way for at least 18 months. Enjoy!

Thanks all and thanks for that thread - will join!

Also if it's a DDog that needs grooming arrange the appointment this week. Lots of the Groomers around here are booked up for a while and think about what classes you want to do for example puppy socialisation, obedience or agility or even Good Citizen Dog Training.

Go to bed now and sleep until you have to go and get him/her

Enjoy the feeling of a clean and tidy house

Stock up on these clothes -

On a serious note ... find out immediately what brand of vaccination breeders vey will use and call every local vet to ensure that's compatible with what they use.

Unfortunately for us ours wasn't compatible meaning we have had to restart his jabs. By the time we are able o go out on a few weeks after his second jab we have had to keep him in for an additional 4 weeks. I'm not exaggerating in saying it's been hellish at times, our furry landshark is bouncing off the walls and we're struggling to keep him entertained and run his energy off. It's fair to say we're losing the will a little

That's really good advice. I've seen a few threads on here about similar problems with vaccinations.

@tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz absolutely the same thing happened to us. Our vet said there's wouldn't be compatible and passed us to another vet who said yes, we can vaccinate your dog. Took him back to our vet as he had a stomach bug for the vet nurse to point out the jabs were definitely not compatible and we had to start again.
It's left us with a dog with a few socialisation issues.

my biggest one is from easy peasy puppy squeezy and it’s basically any time they go to mouth, hand a toy or teddy. Always have one with you and have them easy access in the house. Within weeks our dog would grab for it instead of a hand! Get EVERYONE in the house involved in training and looking after. Remember they’re exhausting but they’re just little babies who want to love and explore. Go to training classes as soon as possible

I remember picking our puppy up 15 years ago - had a crate with blankets amid toys , a water and food bowl , took two weeks off work to get her used to the cats ( or vice versa ) , was already registered with a vet ….. happy days but then I’m not housepriud - puppy liked chewing wires ! I remember popping down to PC world on more than one occasion with the chewed wire saying ‘ do you have one of these ‘ - made the staff smile though

Lots of super advice already.

We have a now 7 month Cockapoo, and she's a joy. Sleeps through, she has done from about 10 weeks, think we've been very lucky with her, but I also got a heartbeat to mimic the sound of her Mum to soothe her.

I'm attaching the one we have, and honestly, it's was wonderful the first few weeks. She'd rest her head on it and snooze. Now she tries to destroy it as a 'toy', but I really think it helped.

Her first night, she cried, so she slept in my arms on the sofa. From her second night, we settled her in her crate, heartbeat going, and a blackout cover over over the crate. We took her out for her wees during the night, and she's settled very well.

Enjoy your new addition. It all goes so fast! ❤️

Pictures attached.

And ditto the car rides and carrying your pup around in your arms. It really does help.

remember she/he has never been away from mum and siblings.
and it's a big scary world out there

you are all s/he has

and as others have said a good bitey toy for these little sharp puppy teeth

insurance !

register with vet if you aren't already

inform any children that puppy IS NOT a toy !

do not punish for toilet accidents in the house - that is your fault for not recognising the signs / going out in the garden with him/her often enough

make sure the garden is escape proof
make sure the garden is safe !

She's beautiful @Amuseaboosh 😍

Puppies nip and bite - it’s a natural and frustrating stage when your cute little pup turns into a mobster. Be prepared to get holes in some of your clothes. If they try and bite your feet, stand still and try and take the game out of the activity.

Puppies need supervising alot, at least for two weeks. They’re can get over tired, so you may have to do force naps (crate helps on this). We used to have a few hours ‘on’, ie, awake, and then a few hours ‘off’ ie. Asleep.

Remove anything in biting/chewing distance. You can’t blame a pup for chewing your socks/remote/charging leads/etc , if you have the socks on the floor.

Research training lessons and sign up now. Popular ones get booked up in advanced.

Not sure if you have kids, but see if there’s a Young kennel club group in your area, or some trainers do children sessions as well.

And come back and post a picture!

What breed is your puppy?

I'm on my 4th dog, 3 different breeds, & I do think puppy strategy needs to be adjusted for breed/personality.

Big thing I took on board this time was realising that puppies can get over tired like kids and their behaviour deteriorates in similar ways.

I had 2 tiny dogs that slept through from the first night as they slept with us, this obviously isn't practical for large breeds 😁

He's a Cavapoo! Will absolutely post pictures .

Thanks to this helpful thread I have registered with the vet, booked his 2nd vaccinations for when he is 10 weeks, booked the whole family onto a 5 week puppy training course from when he is 11 weeks (vet advised on immunity), sorted insurance and pet plan for preventative healthcare, and booked his first groom for end of May. We're going to sit down as a family at the weekend to agree ground rules and command words and I'm listening to a puppy training podcast.

Absolutely gorgeous!!