I'm getting a puppy! What else do I need?

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

I’m getting a Rhodesiand Ridgeback puppy later this summer. They were born on Sunday night/Monday morning. 3 girls, 2 boys. No pics yet. I already (arguably) have too many pets - a 12 year old Norwegian Elkhound named Gizmo, and two (almost) 16 year-old orange littermate alley cats named Pooka and Goblin ( UncleBeer calls 'em Puke-a and Vomit). So what’s one more?

Tentative names for the new pup - Otis if a boy, Bertha if a girl (though I’m still thinking about alternate girl-dog names). I’d prefer a male, but I’m going to get whichever pup the breeder thinks is the best match for me, i.e. an easy-going non-alpha lazy-ish pup.

Puppy will come home on July 8th. I’m taking 1 week of vacation, and planning on working from home for one week, and working a flexible schedule for a few weeks after that - a couple of hours from home at the end of the day, starting at 3 or so. I’ll have my dog-walker continue to come once a day as well (though a lot earlier in the day than she does now). Thank Og my manager is dog-person.

I’m ready: I’ve picked out a crate. I’ve already got a box full of toys that the current dog wasn’t too enthusiastic about. I need to get a collar or two, new ID tags. I think I have my old puppy-leash around here somewhere. Lessee… Bitter Apple, a couple gallons of Simple Solution…and a case of paper towels. Treats. A clicker. I know where I’m going for puppy class, but still need to sign up.

What am I forgetting?

I’m reading the new edition of “How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend.” Next, “The Art of Raising a Puppy.” Then “How to Survie Your Dog’s Adolescense.” I’ve got about 2 feet of dog books to read again. Plus a couple of clicker-training books on my Amazon list I need to get.

My dog Gizmo loooooooves doing obedience exercises, though we never got more than a CGC (Canine Good Citizen). I probably could have easily gotten a CD (Companion Dog) title on him, but we never took the time to go to trials. We did some agility classes, but it wasn’t his thing; he doesn’t particularly like to jump up on things, so the cat-walk was a disaster. Not too bad on the A-Frame or the table, but anything narrrow or that moved - no way. I’m probably going to try agility with the new pup. May he’ll be a little more interested.

#2

Looks like you are already pretty prepared… but…

LOTS of old towels. A kiddie pool for the hot days. A Buster Cube. Puppy shampoo. Frontline/Heartgard, all the good stuff. Several leashes and at least one good long line. “Good Owners, Great Dogs” by Kilcommins and Wilson. The breeders cell phone number. Your vet’s cell phone number.

-Fetch, who has had two puppies in the last three years and teaches this stuff!

#3

Fetch, thanks for the suggestions, especially on the book - that’s one I’ve been meaning to get that I don’t have yet. Just added it to my Amazon list.

I’ve got a 40-foot long line somewhere around here. Buster Cube - got it! I’m in a second floor condo, so no yard of my own for a pool, just a common yard. Poor, deprived dog. :wink:

#4

Don’t forget the pics!

#5

Hey, now you’ll never have to worry about being attacked by lions! Sweet!!

Take him/her to puppy agility classes (no jumps, they just kind of step over bars). That way the pup will be used to all the stuff. We taught our Sasha to go down slides when she was about 12 weeks old. She would climb ladders and go down any slide she saw. She never met an agility obstacle (or any other kind of obstacle, for that matter) that fazed her.

Have fun and post pics! Love that puppy breath.

#6

Great suggestion. I never even knew there was such a thing.

I’m going to visit sometime next week (after they’re 10 days old) and will be taking lots of pics then. PUPPIES!

#7

A “safe” place for the older dog? Somewhere Gizmo can go to get away from the puppy, that the puppy will be trained, perhaps, to stay away? I think an older dog like that might lke the puppy for a while, but won’t be able to keep up with it’s antics. Same thing for the cats, I suppose! Do you feed the cats somewhere away from the dog you already have? The puppy might not understand the difference between “dog bowl” and “cat bowl”.

Not that I know all that much about training dogs. I had one, or rather, my sister did (does - we just don’t live together any more!), and she did all the work!

#8

Fucking boards keep fucking eating my replies. Grrrrr.

Anyway, good point on Gizmo and the kitties having somewhere to go away from the puppy. He has his own crate that he goes to when he’s stressed or just wants some alone time. I never close the door anymore, but maybe he’ll want me to start. Also, the pup will be crated to start when I’m not there, but Gizmo has the run of the place, so he’lll have plenty of time when the pup won’t bother him. Also, I generally follow the rule with young puppies that if I’m not actively watching them, into the crate. Don’t get me wrong - the pup will get plenty of play time, walks, socialization, puppy kindergarten class, and trips to the dog park once he’s fully innoculated. But at home when he’s a tiny one, if I’m not watching him or I don’t have him on-leash to keep him close (aka umbilical cord training), he’s in the crate.

The kitties eat in the part of the kitchen that Gizmo doesn’t go in - I just put the garbage can in the entry and he stays out. I doubt the new dog will be as pliable, however. I’ll probably gate off the back bedroom and move their food there.

While I’m on the subject, can anyone recommend a place on-line where I can get a good braided leather 6-food leash (no sewn parts). My standard pet supply places (Jeffers and Doctors Foster and Smith) don’t seem to have them anymore. All anyone seems to have are nylon leashes, which I don’t like because of the friction burn potential, and those ubiquitous abominations called Flexi-Leads. Yeah, I’ve got one I use occasionally (like for “flexi-pees” to give Gizmo a quick chance to pee when we don’t go for a real walk) but I think they’re they’re horrible for training in general (except for teaching some long distance recall work in unfenced areas, but I prefer a long line for that) and general dog-walking. Most people I see with them don’t have the first clue on how to control their dog, either. I’ll never forget the time that someone was going towards an open elevator with the dog 15 feet in front of them, and the dog got on the elevator without the owner, and the elevator door started closing. Luckily, someone was in the elevator to stop the door from closing. But that’s another thread, I guess.

#9

Try J & J Dog Supplies: Leather Training Leashes. I’ve used them and been happy with the products and service. They also have lots of other good trainings aids. NAYY.

#10

We did not foresee how many chew toys/treats would be required in the midst of teething. And we now have four little doggy beds (one for home, one for each vehicle, and one for the husband’s workplace, where she spends the day). My husband got those doggy-doo-bag-dispensers for her two main leashes. A brush.

#11

Thanks, Archergal. That’s exactly what I’m looking for.

#12

I’d say one large and one puppy Kong and a good rope toy should be all the toys needed.

#13

For teething puppies, I buy a bunch of cheap white washclothes. Roll 'em up, soak 'em in water, and freeze 'em. Gizmo loved these when he was a little one. Obviously you wouldn’t give leave one with the pup unsupervised.

#14

Don’t be too alarmed if the first meeting doesn’t go well. My ten-year-old Norweigian Elkhound mix was extremely hostile to the new puppy. It was about four months before she would permit the puppy being within five feet of her without snapping and growling. Today, she’s grumpy and grudging, but she plays with the younger dogs on occasion and has learned to accept them.

Chances are even if Gizmo hates the new puppy, he won’t* hurt *it. He may snap and bite the puppy, but adult dogs won’t usually bite a puppy hard enough to cause real damage. (Puppies have a smell which triggers an instinct in adult dogs.)

Let Gizmo have his own “territory” where the puppy is not allowed. Make sure you give him plenty of love. His fear will be that the puppy will get all of your attention-- prove him wrong by giving him extra treats, extra playtime and extra affection, so he gets to thinking of the puppy as a Good Thing.

The best way to prevent accidents is never to let them happen. With all three of my dogs, I housetrained them by taking them out every hour the first few weeks during the day. At night, I kept them in a crate, and if they cried, I took them out, but put them back in immediately afterwards. (Yeah, it’s a pain in the ass at first, but so is scrubbing pee out of the rug.)

After the first couple of weeks, I started extending the time between outs-- first an hour and a half, and then two hours. Over the next few months, I kept gradually extending it. Now, my dogs go out four times a day-- once in the morning, once when I come home at five, and at eight and eleven o’clock.

I prefer to keep a new puppy’s crate in my bedroom. The puppy will be afraid the first few nights in its new home, and hearing you snore will be comforting because he knows he’s not alone.

Watch a new puppy like a hawk so you can break bad behaviors before they get set in. A squirt gun filled with plain tapwater is a good tool. If the puppy gets into mischief, shoot him with a sudden stream of water that seems to come from nowhere. Dogs have a poor grasp of cause-and-effect if the results are not immediate, so always make sure you correct him instantly when he does something wrong. The squirt gun is great for this because the puppy gets an unpleasant result whenever it does something bad, and better yet, doesn’t necessarily associate the punishment with you. He thinks, “Whenever I try to chew on this table leg, I get hit in the face with cold water.”

Scent training is a great to teach puppies what belongs to them. Put a drop of lemon juice or vanilla on all of his toys. In time, he’ll learn to chew on only things that have that smell.

Take the puppy with you when you leave the house whenever you can. Let him meet as many new people and other dogs as possible, always giving him a treat to make it a positive experience. Expose him to varied loud noises.

Good luck to you. Raising a puppy is almost as consuming as a new baby, but it ends quicker. Try to remember during the trying times that the puppy really does want to please you, but just doesn’t understand yet what you want of him.

#15

No advice to offer, except: take pictures. Take lots of pictures.

#16

go down to petsmart and get a gentleleader. much easier on the dog than a regular collar.

and take the dog training class, if your not a trainer. in 6 weeks the “un-guided missile monster dog from hell” (she is 3/4 lab and 1/4 border collie) became the best trained dog in the neighborhood. everybody told me she was untrainable. now, she goes everywhere with me and is a real lady.

#17

Me, too. Gizmo’s is in my bedroom, and I need to rearrange a bit to fit the second one. Maybe doggie-crate nightstands. :smiley:

Thanks for all the other ideas, too.

#18

Hee, doggie bunk-beds!

#19

I personally reinforce the obediance and socialization strongly.

Rhodesians are big, powerful, willfull dogs. I have known several who grow up and decide that they are the alpha, and will do what they damn well please. And if the owner isn’t showing they are in control they are more than willing to challenge. And even if they see you as boss they might decide to see where your friends stand.

Great dogs, but not pushovers.

#20

OK…quick puppy lesson.

First day…pet and play…then put it in another room for about an hour. Then pet and play and leave it alone for two hours. Continue.

Barking dogs are mostly looking for the attention they received as puppies. By taking regular time outs, your dog will still love you, but not bark ceaselessly whenever you leave the house as it has learned you will come back.

Teach this from day one and you, and your neighbors, will be happy forever.