For those of you with concerns, yes, I did consider the rescue dog option. However, I have a bunny at home and must be very careful with introducing a dog. Getting a small puppy with a gauranteed temperment is the only way I can ensure that my bunny will not be eaten by my dog.
Trust me - Benny would be pissed.
Puppy’s name is going to be Voltaire.
I’m so excited I can hardly sit in my seat!
So - anyone have any new puppy tips to pass on? I’ve got a whelping box ready to go, and my puppy will be litter trained (as opposed to outdoor trained) so I’ve got that ready too. I’m not positive what sort of litter material I’m going to use - I’m going to inquire at the breeders, but suggestions would be welcome.
So - please, congratulate me on this new addtion to my family.
You’re going to need a slicker brush. (I, personally, like the Ever-Gentle ones. But until they start giving me money, I’m not going to actually endorse them.) Keep the hair all tangle and mat free.
Every time (EVERY time) you interact with your puppy, you reinforce the whole dominance/ submission thing. So don’t let little Voty get away with nuthin’! (No matter how cute it is.) (Unless you’re gonna let him get away with it when he’s big.)
A 6’ lead (or 2 meter, depending) or one of those “zip-leads” that extend from the handle are great when you’re teaching him all about collars and leashes. You can duck under them when he goes “Around the World”.
Chewy toys! Lots of chewy toys. (Rawhide and pigs’ ears will gum up his moustache something horrible.)
I had a poodle for seven years who was paper-trained (or was, at least, in theory). We constructed her a little box that had a wooden frame with linoleum stapled on the bottom. The very bottom layer was an adult diaper pad, and we layered newspaper on top of it. Every couple of weeks we changed the diaper pad, and every month or so we 409’d the linoleum bottom. It would’ve worked even better if we could get her to use the damn thing, rather than crap on the oriental carpets. Hopefully you’ll have better luck.
Are you sure it’s a he? If it’s a she and you don’t get her fixed, you get the joy of “doggie menstruation” whenever she’s in heat (but of course, if you get her fixed then you can’t breed, if that’s your thing). If you have a choice, get a little boy. I hear male puppies in general have better temperments, anyway.
I have more experience with male dogs (training them) and more positive experiences with male dogs (socially).
He’s gonna be a boy. (Well, actually he already is.)
I go to the breeders tomorrow afternoon, and stay until someone chooses me. I firmly believe in letting the pet pick you, rather than picking the pet based on looks or something.
If the dog feels an afinity for you right from the start they’re easier to train. This technique has never failed me either with my fomer dog, my bunnies, my hamster, etc.
Consistency is the key to puppies. Reward good behavior with happy things like tummy rubs and praise and treats. Don’t punish for anything when they are so little.
Just when you think he will never be trained, he will get it. Then just when you think he is reliable, he will have an accident or five. Puppies go through phases of learning and forgetting before the behavior is finally ingrained.
Hopefully he will sleep through the night (how old is he?) It’s hard (and heartbreaking!) when they cry all night.
We crate-trained our dog until she was fully housebroken and I recommend it. The crate still is useful on trips or as a place for her to get away for a while. She knows it is her place.
Get it into good habits right away. STRONGLY consider crate training, especially with a small breed. Get into a puppy class, socialise the puppy well! Be careful to get injections on time, and don’t take puppy out to too many strange places with too many strange dogs until she’s had all her boosters.
OH! And get the puppy checked out IMMEDIATELY when you bring it home. I mean by a vet, of course.
Guaranteed temperament is an outright lie - unless the puppy comes from a very reputable breeder with years and years of experience breeding purebred dogs with traceable lineage. Be careful anyway - puppies are nippy, and do become what you make them Take introductions slowly, and don’t let the pup invade the bunny’s space.
I have to admit that the dog trainer/handler/fancier in me is a bit concerned by the website you linked. Are these the folks you are getting your puppy from?
Make sure your pup gets used to you handling his paws and mouth. you should always be able to inspect his teeth and feet without resistance.
Don’t shout his name when you are angry with him. This will discourage him from coming when called. Hit the floor with a rolled up newspaper. Loud noises work best.
When you catch him misbehaving, try and throw something soft at him (i.e., a nerf ball). A bolt from the blue is ideal when it comes to startling them out of misconduct.
DO NOT feed your animal those small rawhide squares. They can block the digestive tract of smaller breeds and KILL THEM. Lamb’s ears and the twisted rawhide sticks are much better.
Be consistent in your discipline and always make sure your pup follows through on a command. DO NOT let him slide, you will be rewarding misconduct and it will be your fault.
Introduce your pup to the bunny through a mesh or folding kiddie door. Let them catch each others’ scent before making contact. Your rabbit has bigger claws and teeth, so I’d be more worried about the pup.
Alice, I tried litter-training my chihuahua when he was a baby, with that dog-litter stuff Purina makes, and all he did was eat it. Refused to so much as step in the box. Small dogs are very tactile; he didn’t like the way it felt on his paws.
I also tried the puppy-training pads. He thought they were great for shredding. Never used 'em once.
I had a much better success-rate with plain ol’ newspaper, laid out on the floor. He didn’t always end up on the newspaper, bless his little heart, but he tried. (Picture a tiny dog standing on the newspaper with his butt hanging off the edge, so that he never actually hits the newspaper. He always looked kind of surprised when he turned around.)
But if you can get Voltaire to use the litter, by all means go for it.
The only other advice I have for the new owner of a small-breed puppy is to never underestimate them b/c of their size. They’re just as destructive as their bigger cousins, and can get into just about anything. (After the fifth time he found and destroyed one of my beloved Victoria’s Secret bras, I finally figured this out. I used to joke that he had to sprout wings when I was gone. sigh)
Congrats on the new puppy A teething item I’m told works well is a cloth soaked in water, tied in a knot and then frozen. Gives the little pooper something to chew on and numbs his poor aching gums at the same time. When it thaws out just toss it back in the freezer and give him one that’s already frozen.
Yep - these particular breeders have been recommended to me by a number of people that have got their pets there.
Everyone is very pleased with them. Any problems that occured were dealt with swiftly and professionally, including taking back a dog, giving a full refund, and readopting the dog to a new family. Apperently the dog now winters in Florida.
Anyhow - I’ve done a lot of research (about 2 years worth) and I’ve spoke to a number of breeders in Alta, BC, and Saskatchewan. I felt the best talking to these people, and they’ve been the most highly recommended.
I’ll grant you that their web page is really, really bad. Oh well - I guess they spend all their time with the puppies.
Oh - and they do guarantee temperment - they’ve been breeding this type of dog for 20 years. They seem to have most of the bugs out.
I’m assuming when you folks are saying crate training, you’re meaning cage training? I haven’t decided about this. I’ve got his whelping box ready for when he’s still small, but I think when he gets bigger I may let him have the run of the kitchen (it’s not a huge space). I can keep his bed, doodie box, food and water there, and I can also put Benny’s condo nearby so they can visit.
He’s actually part yorkie as well as Bichon Shizu. He’s brown all over, with black tips on his fir and white patches on his paws and chest. He looks like a little teddy bear.
Currently, he has been put to bed in the kitchen. I’ve moved Benny right up to the kitchen (in his condo) so they can visit. Voltaire has food, water, bones, chew toys, a teddy bear and a ball. He also has a squishy new bed (which he’s so far ignored) and a nifty new doodie pan. The fan is blowing on the whole area (it’s really hot here) and he’s currently stretched out on the linolium. He’s quiet so far - perhaps he will remain so…
My SO doesn’t like dogs, so we’re probably never getting one:(. I like big dogs, though, and some little dogs. We were at my cousin’s once, and she has this tiny Toy Maltese - I was holding him, and for no reason whatsoever, I put him in my SO’s arms… He held him at arm’s length and gave me a look that basically said “Okay…what the hell do I do with it?”. So dogs are out in our future household:). I did tell him that I want another cat when we buy a house and he hesitated - so I mentioned it would either be a cat or a baby…we’re getting another cat:).
Congrats on the new baby, Alice! No real advice - you sound pretty well prepared! I’m sure you know all about not putting a puppy’s nose in pee if they have an accident - that’s one of the big mistakes I always see people with new puppies make - and it’s not a good way to train them.
Good luck - add me to the ‘want to see pics!’ group:).
He’s a mean Dark Lord sometimes…
