First time puppy owners

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Harris Specter

Harris Specter

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Aug 17, 2012
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Hi guys,

Looking to get my first puppy this Friday, and was wondering if you had any tips/advice that a guy could take on board. It's going into a family of 4, including me, large backyard and a pool, so space isn't a issue. Border Collie purebred, about 6 weeks old.

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Have verified that it's wormed, vet Checked, vaccinated and microchipped. Making a stop to PetBarn or an equivalent store to get some dog food, bed, toys, treats and clean up accessories. Now, it's even better because my family has no idea I'm doing this, it's part of a birthday surprise for my sister. So trying to keep it on the down low is hard when I'm really excited. ;)

Any tips for the first few weeks? Obviously I promise progress pictures :thumbsu:
 
take off a few days or a week or two to train the dog properly if you can. The puppy years go so fast.

Secondly, remember that dogs really learn by association. That is you have a stimulus (command/hand action), a desired response (sitting, dropping) and a reward for reinforcement. Don't be afraid to inflict some pain if there is real undesired response. They will associate the bad response (eg. biting shoes) with the reinforcement.

I know this makes me sound like an ass but my dogs are super obedient and i love them more than most people and never hurt them for fun or otherwise. was just a solid pinch on their ear when pups.


Good luck, cute dog!
 
Six weeks is a bit young for the pup to be removed from it's mother - I'd suggest at least 8 but preferably 10-12 weeks. Teach it who's boss right from the start and stick to that. Will the dog be kept inside? Will it have company throughout the day? BC's generally need company (a few hours alone each day is ok) but I wouldn't keep a dog unless it had company for most of the day which is why many people buy two. Border Collies also like a lot of exercise/stimulation, remember they're working dogs. Agility training or regular running and chasing a ball or Frisbee at the local dog park is recommended. Read up on the breed to find out more.
 

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I would recommend taking your pup to a puppy school
We got a daschund last year and found this was great for his training and development , especially associating with other people and other dogs

Just got to do hard yards early and be persistent
Totally agree with researching the breed , this comes in very handy when training your pup
 
Yeah we have a vet right across the road, and we enquired about puppy school and they do it. So definitely signing us both for it, looking forward t it. Done a bit of research, thanks everyone for your insight, looking forward to running around the oval with this boy.
 
thejockey said:
I would recommend taking your pup to a puppy school
We got a daschund last year and found this was great for his training and development , especially associating with other people and other dogs

Just got to do hard yards early and be persistent
Totally agree with researching the breed , this comes in very handy when training your pup
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This.
We took our Jack Russell to puppy school early on, associated him with other dogs and learnt some basic commands. He is now very comfortable around other dogs.
The worst part about it, he decided to hump one of the other owners legs and then took a s**t under the Christmas tree they had in their foyer area.
 
Love him. Love him unconditionally. Especially a Border Collie which are naughty/energetic puppies who'll chew anything, anytime.
They are high maintenance as far as puppies go, they always need stimulation and a walk every day. If you are lazy, don't get a Border Collie.
They can be very, very prone to escaping when there are fireworks or thunderstorms, make sure you have the ability to bring him in the house and keep him safe, even when you're not home so he always feels protected.
They are one of the smartest breeds you can get, the first 1-2 years will or can be tough, but if you're patient you'll never know what life was like before he came along.
Treasure every moment, they do grow up fast, and having my first son pass away at the age of 12 on ANZAC Day make sure you make his life is the best it can be.
He will improve your life exponentially.
 
Aussie Assault said:
Border collies can jump pretty damn high.
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Agreed. Ours is a border collie x with beagle, 16 weeks old. Not only does she jump high she can also climb. Nightmare. Have had to build a couple of 6 foot high fences just to keep her in. Forget about inflicting pain on the dog, buy a water pistol and squirt it each time it is naughty, works a treat. They do love to chew on shoes also.
 
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