Aaarrrgghhhh! Imminent puppy arrival!

BBP

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I’m excited and freaking out at the same time! We weren’t meant to get one so soon!!

So far I have: a crate, a puppy pen (for the times I’m in the house but doing something else and can’t keep an eye on it every second), bowls, collar, harness, tag, vet-bed, toys, chews.

I’m making a doggy toilet area in back patio of a big tray of bark chips (as my lawn garden is accessed across a parking area and puppy may not be able to hold it that long).

I’m modifying a stair gate so the cats can jump through a gap in it and never feel trapped.

I’m working on latches for my low down cupboards.

But it’s impossible to puppy proof everything! And I have so many questions on what the right thing to do is.

Usually when I get up in morning I feed the cats and go straight up to do ponies at 5:30am. Puppy won’t be able to come to field straight away but I’m guessing it won’t be happy for me to wake up, let it have a pee and then pop it back in its crate. So how much playtime should i allow (ie how much earlier do I get up?!!) before it is likely to settle back in its crate for an hour or so?

Should I pop it’s crate by my bed overnight, or sleep downstairs near the crate for a few nights before moving myself upstairs?

Should I move feeding my cats to a ‘safe space’ upstairs where puppy can’t be tempted?

How long do you give puppy to settle in before getting friends/family round to socialise? And other well behaved, fully vaccinated dogs?

How long do you give him to settle in before you take puppy on car journeys (I understand about the vaccine situation, but journeys to my parents house etc to get him used to new places)?

How long do you give puppy in before taking up to yard to get used to horses (no other dogs up there).

If you have to go food shopping or to see the horse before puppy is fully crate trained and comfortable do you just get on with it and accept puppy has to fit in with your life to a certain degree?

Sorry if these sound stupid questions, I’m reading and researching as much as I can but I have less time than planned so experienced from existing dog owners welcome on any or all of these.

So much to think about and learn! Desperate not to mess up!
 

BBP

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And because I know I’ll get told off without...
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28168641_10159892365850431_3799937681948712241_n.jpg
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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Aw, cute pics :) Hope arrival goes well :)

To pick a few bits, I'd be trying to get a 2nd hand large crate (biggest you can get) to keep at the yard, or another playpen (but crate better for the long run). Then can take pup too & pop in there whilst doing chores, taking pup from the word go (ok, some won't but thats always worked for me).

If pup is arriving by car, then short trips immediately would be fine as long as you are careful where pup is allowed out (you say yard ok as no dogs, is parents too?).

I moved cat food onto landing, easier all round - means my old fella also gets some stretching exercise doing the stairs & takes away any temptation :)

How old is pup? It should be fine in crate to be left for a short while, whilst shopping, its good training. Leave radio on in house, or keep pup in car whilst shopping. Mine have always come from yard to food shop on way home as will sleep off the exercise/fresh air. Its not a bad time of the year to start this as not hot. Obs I don't shop with dog in car on hot days!

Hope pup works out and dont you overthink things :)
 

Fanatical

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This book was my absolute bible with our puppy.
https://www.worldofbooks.com/the-ha...MIwcyY0t602QIVAUMZCh0I7A47EAQYASABEgJgvvD_BwE

My other half and I took the first 2 weeks off work between us to ensure he was never left during that period. I realise this isn't realistic for everyone but I wanted to do everything in my power to ensure we didn't 'mess up' as you put it. This gave us time to ensure the pup was gradually introduced to being left alone and thankfully seems to have worked as we have never had any issues (he's now just over 18 months).

We went cold turkey from the first night, as in he went in his crate downstairs and we went to bed upstairs. I did however set regular alarms to start with and it was like having a human baby for the first 6 weeks or so. I went to bed early and other half stayed up til 11.30pm ensuring he went in the garden to toilet last thing. I then started with alarms at 2am and 4am to get up and take him out. On these occasions, it was no lights, no fuss, no play or anything - just business, so they realise 'humans are not fun at night'. I'd pick him up out of his crate, carry him to the grass in the garden, wait for him to do his business and then carry him back to his crate and back to bed. I gradually moved the first visit back until it met the 4am one and then only did one a night. I am up at 6am anyway so eventually didn't need to get up.
It was flippin hard work and i was exhausted but he has never messed in his crate and has been happy in it from day 1.

We collected him as early as possible in the day to allow him time to settle and get to know us before dark. We regularly left pieces of his puppy food in his crate for him to find so it became a nice place to go. We also left an old t-shirt with the litter when we went to choose him so we could bring it home with him so he had something familiar to smell when he was first left at night.
Ours cried for the first couple of hours maybe the first night and a little the next, but after that didn't make a sound. It is torture listening to them but you have to stand firm. the moment you go down to them when they are crying, you are teaching them to cry to get attention. if you think they are crying because they need out and you want to let him out, wait for a brief pause before going to him if at all possible.

As soon as ours had his vaccs i had him with me at the yard - OFF lead asap! They want to stay close by instinct initially so this is a good time to get them off. It is scary but they won't go far as the world is a big scary place to them. The more you can get them off the lead while they are tiny the better they will be when they are older.

We carried ours everywhere before he had vaccs. So we took him down to the local shops and just stood and let him take the world in, let him see traffic etc.

All of the above is just my opinion and what has worked for us but hope some of it helps.
 
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BBP

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Thanks both. I know there ill be differences in views on what is best but it’s handy to see what other people have done.
 

Clodagh

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Usually when I get up in morning I feed the cats and go straight up to do ponies at 5:30am. Puppy won’t be able to come to field straight away but I’m guessing it won’t be happy for me to wake up, let it have a pee and then pop it back in its crate. So how much playtime should i allow (ie how much earlier do I get up?!!) before it is likely to settle back in its crate for an hour or so?
Ours gets 10 minutes out then back in for breakfast and a chew type toy for an hour while we walk the big dogs. If I was going to a yard I would take pup in a crate in my car.

Should I pop it’s crate by my bed overnight, or sleep downstairs near the crate for a few nights before moving myself upstairs?
Put it in it's crate, shut the door and walk away even if it is crying. If you pick it up as early in the morning as possible you can use the crate for naps and snacks during its first day, they soon pick up on their bed.

Should I move feeding my cats to a ‘safe space’ upstairs where puppy can’t be tempted?
Pup will eat cat food. Probably a good idea.

How long do you give puppy to settle in before getting friends/family round to socialise? And other well behaved, fully vaccinated dogs?
A few days

How long do you give him to settle in before you take puppy on car journeys (I understand about the vaccine situation, but journeys to my parents house etc to get him used to new places)?
Same day! Well, at the most a day or two.

How long do you give puppy in before taking up to yard to get used to horses (no other dogs up there).
Careful of lepto before jabs, although I confess that our pups are out in the garden from day one (not to live!) and after first jabs go to the farm yard.

If you have to go food shopping or to see the horse before puppy is fully crate trained and comfortable do you just get on with it and accept puppy has to fit in with your life to a certain degree?
Absolutely, crate training is worse if you faff with it. An adult dog may take more time but pup's cope with what hand they are dealt.

Don't panic! Honestly, dogs are pretty easy, just don't let it walk all over you and you will be fine.

Gorgeous pup, I love merles.
 

BBP

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Thank you, really helpful.

My yard is a 500m walk down the road and then another 100m across field (can’t drive that bit) so will maybe pop pup in car, drive down, carry to yard and pop in a big crate, then carry back. Will be a good way of getting it happy with short easy car trips to interesting places.

This crate business is getting expensive, 1 plus playpen for house, 1 for yard, 1 for car...just as well I saved up!
 

Pearlsasinger

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My advice is always 'start as you mean to go on', so pup sleeps downstairs in crate, you sleep upstairs, you let pup out when you get up and if you don't want to take him to the yard (I never think that dogs and horses should mix on a yard), put him back in the crate until you get back and can give him his breakfast. I have always kept catfood away from dogs, so that cats can go back to it during the day if they wish. I would certainly get him used to the car as soon as possible.
 

splashgirl45

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my pup went in his crate in the car from when i picked him up, i did things a little differently because i am in a terraced cottage and one of my neighbours has to get up at 5am. pup was yelling his head off on the first night so i put his crate next to my bed and he was fine. he seemed to have very good bladder control from day 1 and he went from midnight to 6.30 every night ,so i was very lucky., once he was used to being here i left him in the crate downstairs with my other dogand he has been fine... i took him to the yard every day and he was in his crate in the car and once i had done my jobs i carried him while i walked my other dog so he got used to everything straight away. once he was vaccinated i found a quiet spot and let him off lead straight away....in the beginning he stayed by me but once he got to his teenage years he decided other dogs were much more exiting than me, but is is now pretty good with recall ..your pup looks very sweet, good luck and enjoy!!!!
 

NinjaPony

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I can vouch for the Aldi dog beds-my tiny Papillon loves her, much prefers it to the more expensive dog beds, and even the cat has decided to pinch it when she isn't looking!
 

paddy555

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I have had my 11 week old GSD pup for 4 weeks now and he has been out in the car or landrover every day. I was determined he would learn to travel well. He loves it. However it is only the last couple of days that he has been in the car with the crate door shut. Before he got very distressed being shut in.

I worked on the basis he would be crated but it didn't work out. He hated the crate and I would have had to force him in and shut him in which would have achieved little. After 4 weeks he will go in the car crate but he won't be happy shut in the house crate.

As for the morning it takes a long time. I thought I could get up and put him out for a pee. Didn't work. He requires cuddle time before he will do anything. That takes around 15 minutes and only then will he go out and instantly pee. It was on the breeder's instructions that he had cuddle time before anything else in the morning and she was right. After cuddle time we have going out time and then feed time. It is very time consuming. Rushing him doesn't work in the morning, he has to have his routine and if it is disturbed he won't eat his breakfast. After his breakfast then he needs to go out to poo and that is difficult as it coincides with the horses who have stood in all night needing feeding.

Dont overthink it, whatever routine you come up with he will have his own plans and he will soon find the one thing you missed in puppy proofing the house!

Mine comes out to the hay shed/feed room but is not allowed anywhere near the horses feet. He looks at their heads over the doors. It will be a long time before I let him near the horses, too much risk of him getting hurt.

Oh and you can be sure he won't like any of the treats you have got. Mine didn't like any of them, my other dog has had an endless variety of eating up treats. Pup will only eat tripe sticks. Good luck and enjoy him.
 

Cinnamontoast

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Mine went absolutely everywhere with me, in his crate to the yard for cuddles, Pets at Home, pub! If he could go in his crate, he came. It’s made him very sociable. He started off upstairs in our room but when he went down to the kitchen, he was fine.
 

oldie48

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Stanley's crate was attached to his playpen, this was in the kitchen. He slept in there from day 1 and by day 3 was dry and clean at night. I can't stay up much after 10.00 so he went out then and I got up initially at about 04.00a.m. so he could pee, very quickly he was happily going through to 07.00. I took him in the car and in the lorry (in his crate) from day 1. I had two crates a smaller one for the car and a bigger one for the house. I had him off lead in the garden and the paddocks again from day 1 and because he's a terrier did lots of work on recall, which has really paid off. My stables are part of the house, across an enclosed courtyard. Stan is allowed out there but i discourage him from being around the horses as I've had a previous dog kicked by a horse that I thought was very reliable (removed 6 teeth). Stan's quite happy with horses and doesn't bark or be silly but he keeps his distance. I don't use the crate in the house anymore except when we have a visiting dog to stay or we go away, but it's really useful to have him crate trained.
Good luck with your pup i hope he brings you as much happiness as Stan has!
 

BBP

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Thanks!

Looks like I’ve picked a great couple week to be stood outside every hour waiting for puppy to do its business, it’s going to be freezing!!

I think at -5 it will be too cold for him to come up to the yard with me in the mornings so I will have to make time for a bit of play and then back into crate with a stuffed Kong or something to entertain him til I get back. I’ll apologise to neighbours in advance for any 6am crying.
 

Clodagh

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He's a collie, he'll be fine! Put a nice big blanket in or similar. (Does rather depend how long he is there I guess).
Our spaniel bolts for the house when it is raining, some gundog!
 

BBP

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Haha! Maybe I am being too wussy, just thought being so little the cold might be a bit of a shock if he is out for an hour.
 

paddy555

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Thanks!

Looks like I’ve picked a great couple week to be stood outside every hour waiting for puppy to do its business, it’s going to be freezing!!

You could have been like me and spent the last month having to go out in the pouring rain!! I am looking forward to freezing and dry!
 

BBP

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I was more thinking of a crate on the yard, away from the horses (as I would have to park my car on a busy road, which doesn’t feel very safe to leave him in and the car won’t have had time to warm up). The yard is just a rustic affair with my own horses so nothing fancy.
 

oldie48

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I'd definitely go for a crate on the yard tbh having had a dog kicked and knowing of other horse/dog related incidents I'm very risk adverse. If you think pup might be cold why not put a hot water bottle in. when Stan came home, even though it was summer, he had a hot water bottle in a lovely furry jacket so it wasn't too hot and then that was wrapped in the smelly top I'd left with his breeder. We didn't have a peep from him from day 1.
 

ChesnutsRoasting

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I’m excited and freaking out at the same time! We weren’t meant to get one so soon!!

So far I have: a crate, a puppy pen (for the times I’m in the house but doing something else and can’t keep an eye on it every second), bowls, collar, harness, tag, vet-bed, toys, chews.

I’m making a doggy toilet area in back patio of a big tray of bark chips (as my lawn garden is accessed across a parking area and puppy may not be able to hold it that long).

I’m modifying a stair gate so the cats can jump through a gap in it and never feel trapped.

I’m working on latches for my low down cupboards.

But it’s impossible to puppy proof everything! And I have so many questions on what the right thing to do is.

Usually when I get up in morning I feed the cats and go straight up to do ponies at 5:30am. Puppy won’t be able to come to field straight away but I’m guessing it won’t be happy for me to wake up, let it have a pee and then pop it back in its crate. So how much playtime should i allow (ie how much earlier do I get up?!!) before it is likely to settle back in its crate for an hour or so?

Should I pop it’s crate by my bed overnight, or sleep downstairs near the crate for a few nights before moving myself upstairs?

Should I move feeding my cats to a ‘safe space’ upstairs where puppy can’t be tempted?

How long do you give puppy to settle in before getting friends/family round to socialise? And other well behaved, fully vaccinated dogs?

How long do you give him to settle in before you take puppy on car journeys (I understand about the vaccine situation, but journeys to my parents house etc to get him used to new places)?

How long do you give puppy in before taking up to yard to get used to horses (no other dogs up there).

If you have to go food shopping or to see the horse before puppy is fully crate trained and comfortable do you just get on with it and accept puppy has to fit in with your life to a certain degree?

Sorry if these sound stupid questions, I’m reading and researching as much as I can but I have less time than planned so experienced from existing dog owners welcome on any or all of these.

So much to think about and learn! Desperate not to mess up!


And breathe.....�� you sound like a responsible person, everything is set up, you will mess up but you will learn from it. It’s a bit like having your first baby, you’ve read all the books but it’s still a curve ball. Enjoy your puppy more than getting it right every time. The time will fly by & you’ll look back & question why you were stressed!
 
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