We are getting a JRT puppy - advice needed!!

Fiona

Fiona

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Hi all.
Haven't had any reason to venture into dog board before, but as I am now working part time, and hubby from home a lot of the time, we have decided that over the summer is the right time to get a dog, as a friend's JRT has just had a litter of pups and they will be ready just after our holiday at the start of July.

ALthough we always had a dog at home when I lived with my parents, I was about 11 the last time they had a pup, so I really can't remember the ins and outs of the house training/settling in at all.

Just to set the scene...we live in the country (though not up a lane, we are beside a fairly minor road), and we already have two v spoilt cats (who sleep in the kitchen and have a catflap) at home.

If we need to, there is space outside for a kennel and a run but there is nothing like that there at the moment, and I suppose if I was honest I would like the new dog to be an "inside" dog rather than an outside one so really need to get the house training and "no-chew" training right.

I would love any tips or hints that will help us to settle a puppy into our family.

(I don't even know what to buy, apart from a collar, lead, food bowls and a bed!!)

Any help would be very gratefully appreciated.

Also - we were thinking of getting a bitch, but would be open to advice about that as well - if the majority of opinion was that a dog is easier to train, then we could still change our mind on that one.

Fiona
 
I have 3 JRTs and find the bitches aren't as hard work as my little Jimmy-monster - though he too is absolutely gorgeous and is now better behaved, in my experience dogs take longer to grow up! LOL

I'd consider getting a crate for him/her to sleep in or spend small amounts of time in when you're not there; saves house chewing and helps with toilet training too. As well as providing their own space, our crates are left open during the day and all of our dogs will go in by choice for a kip.

I know terriers are hardy little beggers but mine would hate being outside dogs - but that's likely to be because they're spoilt to death and enjoy their home comforts
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See if your friend will let you put a blanket in with pup's mum and siblings to get the smell then when your pup goes to bed with that blanket it will be comforted by the smells it is familiar with. You could wrap up a hot water bottle for pup as well for the first couple of nights. What ever you do though if pup makes a fuss over night ignore it!!! If you don't you'll make things worse because pup will think he/she rules the roost. Though I'm sure you knew that any way.

It's just basic things like make sure you know what they're weaned on and if you want to change it do it gradually to avoid upsetting tummies.

Hope that helps a little but I should imagine you know most of that. Your friend should help a lot too being a breeder.

Hannah
 
Should the pup's bed be inside the crate then, with the door shut at night, and open during the day to run in and out.
I really want her to be a nice house "pet", but not like my parents dogs who both sleep on their bed with them. That's the mistake they made, the dogs whined/barked at first and they were too soft. They made a rod for their own back really.
I had heard about the blanket smell thing, and will find out what puppy food they are getting. Can you think of anything else especially in ralation to the cats!!
Fiona
 
Definately put the pups bed in the crate, the only problem is.......you may be stuck with the crate for live!!! My JR loves his crate and althought he doesn't need to be shut in it now (he's 5), he still like to go in for some peace a quiet (it's his little bolt hole)
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Pups learn very quickly that cats have sharp claws, so will quickly learn not to chase it.
 
Yup pups bed in the crate.

Our smallest crate is 36" (we have bigger dogs too!) So when I got Millie she had a small basket one end and newspaper the other end, this helped with toilet training. You don't need something that big though and a piece of vet bed with his/her smelly blanket will do just as well - it's only because Millie was my first dog and I wanted EVERYTHING for her LOL that she had a basket as well as her crate.

It's at this point after reading your message that I hang my head in shame as once mine are toilet trained they sleep in my bed!! LOL
 
you would need wormer syrup, rawhide chews (these were a life saver when we got our JRT pup) , i would maybe get 1 or 2 cheap dog beds for your pup as ours chewed his to start with not to mention accidents through the night, and we got a couple of puppy toys as well, our pup is in a crate at night and if i go out but he loves his crate so he doesn`t mind going in.
 
Crate is a god send... my JRT is 8 months old now and loves his hidey hole!.. he was so easy to train! he learnt sit, wait at 10 weeks! learnt to go out to toilet when he was 3 months and had been accident free for good 4 months! he haven't destroyed anything in my house.

He had Crate (closed at night and open during the day)
Loads and LOads of chewy toys especially Kong with bits of food in it. Raw hide (supervised as once they get small they tend to get stuck in their throats).

If you give her loads of stimulation/fun/training she'll be a perfect pet.

Loads of people says how well sociable my dog is with other dogs so start your dog with some doggy friends once she had her puppy vaccs, she'll become more friendly towards other dogs as JRT/terriers can be bit aggressive/protective towards other dogs. Classes is good (my dog gets too excited so i stopped going but he doesn't have problem outside classes)

If you love your garden i would advise some fencing round prized plants. mine digs for england!

My pup has no problem with my cat....

All the best....

Boris6months008.jpg
 
I think (socialisation aside) that the best thing to train a terrier is recall!!! I know so many people who can't let theirs off lead because it wont come back.

Forgot that in my original post
 
I think we should now all supply tempting photos to ensure she has a JRT
Jimmy-monster-Russell:
Jimmy44.jpg

as a babby:
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Mouse my agility star:
mousemillie014.jpg


Millie the original, and the reason I have 3 terrier-ists!
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millieinbed.jpg


And I'll cheat and use a puppy pic, this is the boy pup in my current litter:
100_3027.jpg
 
I love you all - such good advice, and such lovely pics.
I am taking hubby to see the pups this week (I was on my own the last time, so will def take some pics of the little ones).

Consensus definitely seems to be a crate (as big as poss) for sleeping in. Collar, lead, bowls, lots of toys. She will have been wormed and possibly had her first jab by the time we get her.

I guess the cats will be much bigger than her at the start so hopefully they will just ignore the pup. Our house is quite small though.

Hubby is not on for the idea of pup sleeping on the bed. He does go away with work sometimes though. Maybe I will save this as a treat for when he is away!!!

Have a friend up the road with 2 JRTs, so socializing her shouldn't be a prob as long as they will be friendly towards her.

ANy other suggestions very gratefully received..

FIona
 
Basically apart from the above, ensure she meets everything that she will have regular contact with from as young an age as possible to get her used to it and how to behave around it. Like the horses. Jimmy went up to see Nelson from about 7 weeks (in my arms) and was therefore socialised with the horses, YOs dogs & cat and the people there - who kept kidnapping him for cuddles in their fleeces and coats
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at bout 11/12wks he was bringing Nels up the field for me - big game of tug-o-war!! LMAO
 
I have three terrierists - I found my ladies easier to train as they were eager to please - Although they were quite simple to learn to house train, we used a small run inside (but that was because i had 2 babies at the same time) very quick to litter train.Good luck and make sure we get lots and lots of pictures



x
 
That is a very good photo - did you move their legs into position?? or did they really all lie down like that.

I have a couple of photos already just off my phone, but the mummy has got her leg over the pup that we are having so can't see her v well. I will hopefully think of some excuse to go up and see them again this week, and get some more.

Fiona
 
Oooh! I've also just been reading this topic with interest as we are getting a working cocker pup in a few weeks!
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Slightly different to JRT's I know, but I'm guessing the same pricipals apply
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I believe you have quite a few cats Nuala. How did you introduce them to your puppies?? I have two big v spoilt cats, one is OK with my Mum's lab, the other one just runs for the hills when she comes to visit, but obviously when the pup comes they will all have to get on together.
We will not be geting her for another 6 weeks, so you will have lots of experience or what to do/not to do by then to pass on to me!!!

Fiona
 
I have six cats - one of whom is ten weeks old. The kitten is getting on fine with the puppies. The other five are very cautious around them. They come and have a look and then go away but they are not freaking out as much as I thought they would.

Mind you the house has four bedrooms and three big rooms downstairs so there are plenty of places for the cats to go and we are keeping the dogs with us wherever we are.

I think they are going to be ok - but it is one of the reasons that I went for small dogs. In the past I have had retreivers and my cats then went beserk - never got used to it over three years.
 
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