Tips for a new puppy?

[Niximus]

My wife and I hope to soon get our first puppy together. She grew up with dogs, but this will be my first.

I've installed gates and such so that the yard is puppy proof, but I'm not completely sure how to manage the first few weeks and want to be sure we're prepared before we get it.

So, we both work 5 days a week, but not the same 5 so there can be somebody home with the dog all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I'll aim for picking it up (not sure what it will be yet, but small) on a Friday evening then so it can settle in over the weekend.

What I'm wondering, is what to do come the Tuesday? Do I need to organise someone to watch it at first, or set it up in the laundry with bed/food/water, or would it likely be OK playing in the backyard alone?

 

[ash_1050]

Establish the ground rules with your SO. Does puppy get to come inside? Does he get to jump on the couch? Does he get to sleep in your bed? Without knowing the breed it's generally a good idea to make sure they get enough exercise. The bigger the dog the more exercise required. If it doesn't get enough exercise then it's liable to start making a mess of things, chewing on everything and generally being unsociable.

 

[Niximus]

Establish the ground rules with your SO. Does puppy get to come inside? Does he get to jump on the couch? Does he get to sleep in your bed? Without knowing the breed it's generally a good idea to make sure they get enough exercise. The bigger the dog the more exercise required. If it doesn't get enough exercise then it's liable to start making a mess of things, chewing on everything and generally being unsociable.

Cheers.

That stuff we're fairly set with (we've been discussing this for the better part of the last decade), How to introduce it to being home alone while we work is the part that I'm really not sure of.

 

[MadDocker]

- Socialise the dog as much as possible. With other dogs and other people. It is really, really important.
- Obedience training and puppy preschool is well worth it.
- Spend as much time as possible with your dog.

Don't stress too much about leaving the dog at home if that is going to be how it lives forever. Puppies generally eat, poo, sleep and a little bit of play. The dog should be fine at home shut into the hallway or laundry or whatever you have. Be careful not to make leaving or arriving home a massive deal to try and minimise separation anxiety in the puppy.

What you are doing is pretty much the norm. Not many people can be with their dogs 24/7 and many households need to work. You will need to spend extra time with your dog exercising/training/playing when you get home and probably need to rotate toys and treats for the dog as it grows while you're at work to keep it entertained and stop it from wrecking too much of your stuff. A puppy is going to destroy some of your stuff when left alone for 8+ hours so be prepared for a few nasty surprises...

 

[kfc1]

6 minutes each side on high, then season to taste

 

[MisterMarcus]

One piece of advice I read was to stuff all the dog's daily food in "Kong" Chewtoys. This means the dog needs to work to get its food, and keeps it busy and occupied during the day. Less chance for boredom-destruction that way.

At first, you might think about setting up a confined area (a room, an area sealed off with small gates, etc) to make sure any accidents or problems only occur in one area. As they become better house-trained, you gradually expand the area of the house the dog gets left alone in.

 

[rocker_oz33]

What breed of doggy are you guys getting?

Socialise is very important with other dogs & puppy school and you can do extra training after that aswell.
Setting rules early can be important dogs learn alot in the first few months.
Puppies like the jump up Ive found sitting at their level they dont seem to jump as much.
Its a very fun time getting a puppy take heaps of photos & vids etc puppies grow fast.
You dont need heaps and heaps of toys but if swap them around every now and again they wont get bored with them.

 

[Niximus]

What breed of doggy are you guys getting?

Socialise is very important with other dogs & puppy school and you can do extra training after that aswell.
Setting rules early can be important dogs learn alot in the first few months.
Puppies like the jump up Ive found sitting at their level they dont seem to jump as much.
Its a very fun time getting a puppy take heaps of photos & vids etc puppies grow fast.
You dont need heaps and heaps of toys but if swap them around every now and again they wont get bored with them.

The thread's a couple of years old now. We got the dog, she's a bit of a mix. German Shepherd dad, and the mother was a mix too, we think some corgie, maybe dachshund.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Oh I didn't even look at the date of the last post .

 

[MatthewB]

The thread's a couple of years old now. We got the dog, she's a bit of a mix. German Shepherd dad, and the mother was a mix too, we think some corgie, maybe dachshund.

cute doggie

 

[Shell]

Very cute.

Doesnt look that impressed to be an Adelaide fan tho

 

[Niximus]

Very cute.

Doesnt look that impressed to be an Adelaide fan tho

She thinks she should support the Dogs.

 

[HairyO]

As long as she hates Cats thats okay.

 

[Shell]

Oh ha ha.

 

[Shell]

She thinks she should support the Dogs.

She looks like a sweetie. I love German Shepherds probably my favorite dog.

 

[IKE TURNER]

how do you train your pup to go crap in garden instead of on verandah?

 

[Niximus]

how do you train your pup to go crap in garden instead of on verandah?

We just praised ours and sometimes gave a treat whenever we saw her going where we wanted her to.

It worked so well, we've never needed to use the poop bags as she never craps in public, always waits to get home.

 

[HairyO]

she never craps in public

Im the same.

 

[Niximus]

Im the same.

What are your thoughts on Stifler's mum?

 

[HairyO]

What are your thoughts on Stifler's mum?

Would bang.

 

[Shell]

Lmao

 

[rocker_oz33]

What are your thoughts on Stifler's mum?

She gave good massages in Seinfeld.