My first puppy eek help!

[heflou]

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Hello,

I'm new and clueless to being a dog owner. My husband has had dogs so I know he's going to be pretty good but I want to get a better understanding of what to do when our little pup arrives (first week of April)

We'll be getting a crate for him and he'll be living down stairs as we have a young child. Hes a staffy crossed with a border collie so I know hes going to be pretty energetic. What id like help with is any training advice or books people would recommend? and once hes had his injections, any good tips for keeping him from getting bored both on walks and in the house. I know i can throw a ball but is there anything else more stimulating i could do.

While hes still not allowed out, are there any toys you could recommend?

We'll be going to puppy classes to get him more socialised. Any advice would be hugely appreciated. I know I've asked a lot of questions

Heather

 

[Parly]

Best thing you can do is read, read and then read some more about the type of dog you're getting and puppy survival guides. I wont lie though; you've picked a real dynamic dog combo there especially for a first timer with a young child! :sweating:

There are loads of different books about caring for and training puppies and also separate ones specific to dog breeds.

Search Google for Collie Staff x and whatnot then trawl through the endless info to arm yourself with knowledge.

 

[heflou]

Thank you. the family whove had the pups are socialising them alot with thier childreN. So hopefully he should be okay with our son

thanks for the advice. Ill get reading

 

[goldenbear2013]

Collies are energetic beyond any other breed in my opinion and staffies are wonderful companions for families and love to chew! Rubber toys are good for when they are puppies as they are almost indestructible and you haven't got to worry about them breaking the toy and swallowing chunks of it and going into a panic! Especially if your pup has the jaw of a staffie you are going to need something durable.

Staffies do suffer with separation anxiety so you will need to build up the time you leave him on his own over quite a long period of time. They are very much people pleasers as are collies so they will want to be with you constantly.

In terms of a good book I recommend 'The Perfect Puppy' by Gwen Bailey. Amazon is good place to get it ordered. She has excellent tips on crate training, socialization play and discipline; the lot!

I must say I read this book cover to cover and followed it to the letter and most of my advice I give on here comes from what I learnt from that book as well as the trainer my dog goes to and even if I do say so myself I have such a wonderful, well balanced, happy dog that will happily be left on his own in his crate, or just relax with us on the sofa, to bombing around in a field playing fetch with his ball or swimming in the lake.

Don't get me wrong he can be a little devil when he wants to be but he also responds to discipline. (just to cover myself I don't hit my dog, its verbal discipline)

If you're going to get any book get that one and follow it to the letter!

Good luck with your new little monster!!!

Sophie x

 

[heflou]

Thanks for taking the time to give so much info Sophie. The book has been ordered! x

 

[Raven oaktree]

Owww, a new pup, how exciting !! i have an (almost)8 month german shepx collie and OMG what a live wire she is !!! actually she really sailed through her puppy months, she is very clever , so easily trained and wants to please so using positive training was a pleasure..we have just hit the teenage years..most days you will find me rocking in the corner with a bottle of Jack Daniels hahahahahahaha..actually she is very good but i cant take my eyes off her for a second..she is a big dog so can reach anything and everything she wants..she is soooooo full of energy. I would read read read..talk to people who have raised well behaved , well adjusted dogs from young, possibly enroll in a puppy class so your new baby gets he basics and gets to play and socialise with other dogs. The other thing i would say is get the best quality food you can afford..its not always the cheapest per killo...alot of very good quality food looks expensive but actually you feed alot less so it works out cheaper than you think..good food gives proper nutrition and stops he pup growing too fast...great for protecting joints in later years, i can also stop things like hyperactivity and behavioural problems caused by additives...an it can stop things like allergies..so have a good look and do your research on food..the other thing i would say is star as you mean to go on..dont let he pup get away with things because its a baby...obviously dont be harsh with the pup, but its not fair to allow the pup to get away with something you wouldnt wan a fully grown dog to do...so for example if you only want the dog to get on the sofa when invited...star that from young!..ive got a friend who lets her dog jump all over he furniture then screams when the dog is wet or muddy..the dog dosent know its got muddy paws and has no idea what its done wrong .im sure things will be fine..but you can never do too much research..being prepared is half of the battle x

 

[gypsysmum]

I agree with all the above.

Choose your puppy classes with care. The ones run by vet nurses are not always the best in terms of socialisation. Try to find one run my a member of the APDT. Their motto is "Kind, Fair and Effective". The absolute best thing you could do is book a visit from an APDT instructor to come to your house and talk you through your hopes and desires for your puppy. They will give you good advice on all the things you need to know on socialisation, habituation, house training, play biting, stealing, chewing, sleeping, jumping up etc etc. It would still be necessary to attend classes as they are needed for socialisation purposes. Well run classes usually result in people making doggy friends for life.

While you are waiting for your puppy maybe you could ask your breeder to make sure the pups have had a short ride in the car, have heard lots of different household noises (you can buy a CD called "Sounds Scary" with lots of different sounds on it), have seen various kinds of people etc etc. Puppies are like sponges during the first 12 weeks of life. After that they go through various fear periods. The more they are gently exposed to lots of different stimuli during the critical socialisation period the better.

Ask you breeder to let you have a bit of blanket to bring home with puppy. Adaptil plug in diffusers are useful for settling puppies in new homes. Make sure the crate is cosy and warm and near the Adaptil diffuser. Do not be tempted to buy training pads. The aim is to get the puppy to toilet outside, not inside on a piece of expensive paper!

Once home, although we are told that pups cannot "go out" until after their vaccinations are complete, this is not strictly so. Yes they can go out but they should not go where any unvaccinated dogs may have been. By contrast this means that they CAN go anywhere that vaccinated dogs live. Pup can be carried anywhere, ride in a car anywhere and visit friends and family who own vaccinated dogs. This is not to say that you should hawk your pup around everywhere in the first week but you can, if you are sensible, do some careful socialisation and habituation. I used a puppy sling to carry my pup around the local area.

 

[Raven oaktree]

A puppy sling ??? ohhh i wish id have known about these when Willow was tiny ;(