I am sure at one time there was a pet section on this forum but of course I didn't pay much attention being pet-less...until now....our family finally decided to get a pup...:bliss:.I caved in....my oldest will be 15 this year , the middle guy is 9 and my daughter turns 6 next week...so I think my kids are now at an age to have some responsibility for a dog and at the same time enjoy having a pet.... We have allergies in our house ( ragweed, and spring pollen/grasses) so we had to consider this when researching. We found an adorable labradoodle who it 75% poodle. The breeder claims that the poodle hair doesn't shed making her a great pet for families with allergies.. Her name is Kaycee and we will bring her home next week when she turns 8 weeks old......I have been reading books, checking forums and watching DVD's hoping to be somewhat prepared. The breeder has crate trained her which should help with the house training and teaches all the pups to ring a bell when its time to go outside. ( she hangs the bell from the door)...Anyways I would love any comments or suggestions about how to handle the first week with our new pup........oh and those designer dogs jokes ...I never heard of that term until I mentioned getting a labradoodle.....I guess my pup and our family better have thick skin......I have been told already that I am being irresponsible buying from a breeder who is taking advantage of this popular breed.. and that I should have went to the human society for my pup....and although I did rescue a cat years ago from the SPCA I was single at the time........thanks again to all you pet owners for any imput!
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For those who will be having a new four legged friend join the family - enjoy this...
[url]http://50plus.com/Lifestyle/BrowseAllArticles/index.cfm?documentID=22202[/url]
Oh yes, before you bring the puppy home stop at a pet store and pick up a bottle of Nature's Miracle. Since you've got new carpet you will end up loving this stuff. It will take care of anything puppy does, from either end until it's really reliable. It's the best cleaner ever and easy to use. If you just use normal type cleaners puppy will still be able to pick up the scent of where it went and you don't want that.
How ironic is this. Last night we are watching AFHV and one of the finalists is a little scottish terrier who goes to the door and rings the bell.I have never seen or heard of that before so it was funny and cute.
Today I'm reading here that others have also trained their dogs to do this. Ours just heads for the door and paces. We learned quickly what that meant and we are now well trained.:D
thanks DBD all points well taken!
I am looking forward to picking up Kaycee on Saturday...:bliss: ...
You might want to speak with the breeder and think about how you want to the dog to live. Some people love the crates and use them because the dogs love them too. Some people have a crate and never use them (that would be me). I tried, but Eb really didn't like her crate much. She would go in and sleep but if the door ever closed, game over. Meanwhile I kind of like the idea of her just having her own bed and free roam (she was never a problem even as a pup while my last one had to be confined or I'd lose baseboards and all manner of things). So it really depends.
If the breeder has already been using crates, your pup may feel very comfortable and might find 2 a great idea but if not, buying 2 will be an expense you don't need. They also take up space so consider that too. While the pup is little you can easily move a crate around to where ever you need it. So no big rush really IMO.
If you do get any sort of crate, know you need to remove the pups collar whenever it goes in the crate. There are entirely too many pups get into trouble when their collars get caught in part of the crate and they choke so don't risk it.
For the car... there are special crates (soft ones because the wire ones can bend and impale the dog if in an accident). There are also restraints you can just hook to the seat belts. Again it depends on your car, the dog, etc. how you end up doing it all. What you need for a pup will be different than a full grown dog so take that into consideration because they aren't pups very long. I'm bad, Eb has no restraints because she is really good about just lieing down in the back of my car (it's a Matrix so back seats down and she had the whole back area open for her). Call me overly optimistic or foolish, but I'm taking my chances because she is spooked enough about the car that I couldn't put her in restraints or a crate. When she was really little I used to put her in a laundry basket just to keep in contained and that seemed to work for her because the top was open and she had a nice blanket to hunker down in.
My last dog loved the car and loved looking out the windows so she needed a bit of a belt on her to keep her from flying if I hit the brakes suddenly. Some get car sick if they can't see out. Others are like Eb and just flatten out and don't move around much. Whatever you do, do not allow the puppy to bug the driver or be in their lap as a pup because they will think that's okay as they grow and that can be dangerous.
you guys rock!!...thanks for the replies...DBD as usual you give sound advice!!...wish me luck with this new adventure...things are going to get interesting I am sure!!...
BTW I was talking to a dog owner last night who crates and she suggested I should actually own 2 crates....one for night-time to be kept in my bedroom and the other one downstairs in the main living area during the day for pup to go to if she wants some downtime but will still be near our family....and then what about the car....should I just use the second one?...oh gosh!!!:laugh:
Funny you should mention the grain-free diet. I just started Harriet, my seven-year-old diabetic Westie, on a grain-free kibble this weekend. It's called Orijen and it's made in Canada, with no animal by-products, grains or chemical additives. The reviews of it have been great and I'm hoping it will help her allergies so that she doesn't have to go on another drug. So far (after just four days), she seems much less itchy and her blood sugar levels are even lower than on the vet-prescribed Purina Overweight Management diet (which seemed to be mostly grains)!
Janet....i am here...just finished renovating my basement....added a bathroom, tv room, office and bedroom for my oldest.....i promise to post pictures soon..just waiting for the carpet.....then we start .our main bathroom reno in 2 weeks just when we are getting our pup!!...:eek: And yes i am still working at the school 3 times a week so life is hectic...not to mention my oldest now has a job so i am running him there too!!!.....hope everything is well with your crew.....:)
wow, you have been one busy girl...but thats the way to be...lol can hardly wait to see your finished rooms, i know with you they will be lovely.
Smiles
janet
Oh a puppy! Puppy breath is such heaven and that one is a cutie alright.
As for new puppy things that I think are really important:
1) don't leave new puppy alone in a crate especially the first while since it'll be frightened and lonely. Keep the crate near your bed so you can reach down and comfort it and so you can hear if it needs outside.
2) puppies can't hold their bladders very well. I think the rule is one hour more than how ever many months old they are. So 12 weeks ~ 3 mos, so 4 hours tops usually before needing to go. If you pay attention you start to see the schedule of your pup for needing to go.
3) when they go out at night, put it on a leash, no playing no goofing around, it gets out of it's crate, goes and does it's business and back in the crate. Otherwise it may start to wake you to play which is not a good thing when you are already not getting all the sleep you are used to.
4) You might want to take a mat or blanket or something to the breeder right now so they can get the scent of the mother on it and you can bring it home with you when you bring the pup. That may help keep the stress down for the puppy to have something like that where it sleeps too.
5) check out [url]http://www.sutree.com/videos/Pets_and_Animals/197[/url] (it doesn't seem to be working today, but try in a while) as there are hundreds of videos you can watch on line that cover everything from bringing puppy home to various training, you name it. There is lots of good puppy info there and the videos are short and sweet and by various people so you can see different approaches to things.
6) no grains is a really good choice.
7) lots of pictures. They grow so fast they are out of puppydom in no time.
8) Enjoy, enjoy even when you think you will lose your mind thinking puppy is never going to get it. They do and they lose the sharp little teeth and offer oodles of fun and love.
poorgirl...thanks for the heads up regarding food choice.....I will have to consider that...the breeder gives us a month's supply of food...and she did mention it is more expensive than most but she has had great results including no more grass burn from the females urine.....I will let you know what food it is...hopefully it is grain free.....as for jumping on the furniture...I am still toying with that idea...the breeder suggested that if you want the pup to sit on your lap...you must INVITE the pup otherwise you gently discourage them if they attempt to jump up on you or the furniture...but I wonder if the pup will get mixed messages....as for wandering the house...I have the crate...so I am thinking I can put her in the crate when I run out to shop or do an errand......man my life is going to change.....:laugh:
Congrats on your newest addition. We have a cockapoo that is a 1-1/2 now.
He rings the door bell everytime we wants out. We have not let him on the furniture or beds. Regardless how small and cute he was, the kids were not allowed to have him on the furniture.
We have gone to a Wellness Grain Free food which has eliminated all the tearing stains that poodles are known for . Grains and wheat are not a natural item for dogs to eat. He now has clean eyes. I know they carry a puppy brand .
We also gated him in the kitchen so he did not have free run of the house, he had to earn it.
Have fun and hide your shoes when you are not home.
adorable Pearl....I have a feeling I am going to fall in love with our pup....just went for my run this morning and started noticing how many people actually have dogs!!.....its going to open up a whole new world for our family and hopefully we will be a good pup family...
Janet....I am here...just finished renovating my basement....added a bathroom, tv room, office and bedroom for my oldest.....I promise to post pictures soon..just waiting for the carpet.....then we start .our main bathroom reno in 2 weeks just when we are getting our pup!!...:eek: and yes I am still working at the school 3 times a week so life is hectic...not to mention my oldest now has a job so I am running him there too!!!.....hope everything is well with your crew.....:)
That is one cute puppy! But then puppy and cute are pretty much synonymous, aren't they?
You're right, tryntodecorate, there used to be a dedicated Pets forum. I miss it. So many of us are pet lovers and now we don't talk about our pets as much.
hi tryntodecorate, its been so long since we have seen you, how are things going? are you still helping out at the school and are you still loving your new home? Oh my gosh, your new puppy is adorable, your children will be in bliss.
smiles
janetc
thanks Pearl...you definately know your stuff!!!.....and yes we are getting a backcross F1B....mother is a labradoodle...father is 100% poodle making our pup 75% poodle...and the least likely to shed......we also went with a mini labradoodle so our pup won't be as large as a standard lab......as for the bell ringing...the breeder said the pups have started this week.......so hopefully we can keep it up.....I understand it will be a lot of hard work and am ready for the challenge...and I remind myself I have been raising 3 kids who all went through the terrible twos and we all survived...so how bad could an adorable little pup be??.!!....:laugh:..wait...don't answer that!!