Getting a puppy, need some advice...

[Rob W]

Well, we'll be picking up our new puppy, Milo, who's a Staff/Labrador cross on thursday and I'm after some advice please.

Our new pup will be 7 weeks when we pick him up, so I'd like to ask a few Q's on what may seem basic info.

The day we get him he's going in for his first shots and we've been told he has to stay indoors until his 2nd lot (4 weeks later) and then another week after that. Problem is we have a year old male cat who goes out and we're worrying about fleas etc (the cat gets frontlined every 6 weeks or so), are there any recommendations as to what we can treat such a young pup with?

Also, when would be the best time (age wise) to take him out for a walk, and for how long? Can I take him out in the garden for a few minutes or is it best to just keep him in 24/7?

Cheers,

(sorry for such stupid questions but this is my first dog and I really want everything to go well)
____________________
'90 TS50 > '04 Senda 125 > '91 ZXR400 > '90 CB-1 > '04 GSX-R1000 > '96 Bandit 600 > '89 ZXR750 H1 > '96 GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > '98 T595 Daytona > '03 Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > '16 GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[CarlosCBR]

First off, its going to be a big dog when it grows up. Thinking about training classes from an early age would be a great idea. A friend has a staff/lab cross and has been advised to keep it muzzled when amongst the general public.

You should be fine to walk the dog in the garden until its had its jabs, great for toilet training. Best to start them young with that.

I wouldnt worry too much about how far you walk it either. 20 mins at a gentle pace will be fine and you wont be far from home if you need to carry the dog home if it gets too tired too.

Take it to a really quiet piece of land out of the way when you feel ready to start letting it off the lead too just incase it sees someone else or another dog and decides to bolt. I used one of those extendable leads on my Staff for a while before i trusted it enough to let off. I remember it being so nerve racking letting him off for the first time but he was fine.

Also, think about getting the dog neutered/spayed when the time is right and that will curb some of its aggressiveness and ability to piss a million times around your living room every day!

Also, get some pics up!!
____________________
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OPv5mDPQ14

https://www.facebook.com/carl.simmonds.7

[Rob W]

Thanks for the reply mate, much appreciated.

We'll be getting him neutered asap really, I was told 6 months by the vet. I'm a little bit worried that you said your friend's one has to be on a muzzle. I have 2 kids (5 and 18 months) so I was hoping that if he grew up as a pup with kids he'd be good around pretty much anyone, or is that just a misconception?

Anyway, here's a pic (if it works).
____________________
'90 TS50 > '04 Senda 125 > '91 ZXR400 > '90 CB-1 > '04 GSX-R1000 > '96 Bandit 600 > '89 ZXR750 H1 > '96 GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > '98 T595 Daytona > '03 Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > '16 GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[Paivi]

[stinkwheel]

Socialisation is the key. In a young pup, you have a totally blank canvas, it will become what you make it.

This is the absolutely key stage, up to about 12wks old is referred to as the primary socialisation period where they accept everything they see as normal and fun. Over this age, they tend to be a bit more suspicious of new or strange things You need to get that pup seeing, hearing, smelling and doing as many different things as humanly possible.

In terms of the vaccination thing, they aren't fully covered until after the second jab so for disease prevention, I usually recommend avoiding where unvaccinated dogs have been until then.

Until then, show it as many different things as you can. Kids, cats, other dogs (got friends with vaccinated dogs? bring them round for a play in your garden), odd noises, people in hats, men, women, men with beards, people in uniforms (introduce it to the postman), vacuum cleaners, wheelie bins, cars, music. Anything you hear about dogs being neurotic about, get it to see them as young as possible.

Practice looking in eyes, ears, mouth, under tail, between toes so you can both keep an eye on things and avoid nightmares in the future if you have to treat any medical problems (I have to knock some dogs out just to clip their nails or clean out their ears).

Once it is allowed out, get it seeing and doing even more.

Start training now. You can teach a 7 week old pup sit and lie down in about 15 minutes. They are total learning machines at that age.

Bite inhibition. This is what young pups learn from their littermates through play. They rough and tumble but if they bite too hard the other pup yelps and stops the game. This is what you need to do. Too hard a nip and give a high pitched "Ow!" then immediately turn your back on the puppy and ignore it for the count of five before graciously accepting its appology. Teach the kids to do this too.

Rules for all dogs:
1) Dogs are not allowed on your bed.
2) Dogs are NOT ALLOWED on your bed!
3) People ALWAYS eat before the dog.
4) Any person can take something off the dog at any time, including their food. (practice when they are small and keep it up).
5) People go through doorways first.
6) On greeting people, dogs (especially big dogs) do not receive any attention (at all) unless all four feet are on the ground.
6) There are place in the house where dogs are simply not allowed to go. Bedrooms are good.
7) There is nowhere in the house people do not go (especially including dogs beds).

Now. Go and buy: "Before and after Getting Your Puppy" by Dr Ian Dunbar who will teach you to get inside your dogs head. Read the first bit BEFORE you get the pup so you set off on the right foot from day 1. Dunbar taught pups grow up into happy and people friendly family pets. I seriously can't recommend his techniques highly enough, he teaches you about what motivates the dogs behaviour so your training uses the dogs natural instincts to get it to behave in a sociable manner.

In terms of diseases, there aren't any common infectionus diseases your pup will catch off a cat.

You can use frontline spray on puppies from 2 days old.

In terms of exercise. With large breed dogs, I wouldn't go for actual long walks until it is about a year old and is skeletally mature. Exercise should be limited to going up the park and having a play. This gives time for their joints to form properly and really reduces the incidence and severity of arthritis when they are older.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[CarlosCBR]

I believe my mates dog has attacked a family member/stranger in the past and is known to bequite aggressive hence the muzzle.

I have a Staff and people act so intimidated by him its unreal, even so far as crossing the road if i am walking the opposite way to them. Stupid really as Calvin is the softest dog in the world, everyone who meets him says how different he is to how they thought he would be.

When i got my dog, i worked shifts so didnt let parents get him in a routine when i was working. Works out great now as i can feed him/walk him when I want to, not when he wants. This is totally up to you though.

Your dog looks gorgeous. Wait until his head splits at about 6 months and turns into a block of cast iron. Try not to get head butted when the dog grows up as it bloody hurts!
____________________
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OPv5mDPQ14

https://www.facebook.com/carl.simmonds.7

[YUN]

I 100% agree with Stinkwheel....and couldn't have said it better.

Playing in the garden everyday is a good learning curve for a young pup. Get him used to different textures (gravel, grass, concrete) etc...let him explore. Also, I can't express how important it is to start toilet training him ASAP. The garden is by far the best place to start training for this.

Socialisation is so important, especially as a pup.....take him to the park, out for a short walk or even standing outside your front door so he can get used to people and dogs walking past, different noises especially traffic. Having been and played in the garden - he should be used to the outdoors a bit more. If you take him out for the first time straight out to the park/pedestrian roads...he might get too intimidated and scared. You might see him backing away etc - which means he won't be ready to go.

Basically, you want to teach him that being friendly and sociable is a good thing - so everytime he sees a dog/person/cat....shove some food in his mouth as a reward for being good.

It's a lot of hard work and patience with a pup...but the effort you put in now will definately be rewarded in the future. Good luck and enjoy your little pup. Take loads of pics as they grow up TOO fast.
____________________
Meet the team that will win, Blade, Razor, Blazer and my personal assistant, Michelle and from Romanovia - Fran Stalinovskovichdavidovitchsky
~ * CBT - 13/01/08 --> Theory 24/05/08 --> Squished by lorries, brand new CBR125(2000miles) write-off 04/06/06 --> DAS booked 02-04/08/08 * --> DAS passed 05/08/08 * --> VFR400 (aka 'Mike') ~

[sweetleaf]

With regard to how much exercise a pup should get, I think a general rule is 5 minutes per every month of age.

Re toilet training:

[stinkwheel]

Regarding toilet training. A big mistake people often make is going back inside as soon as they've done the toilet.

You'll be able to predict when it'll need the toilet. Get outside with the pup and stand doing nothing until it does the toilet. As soon as it does, lots of praise, a small reward and have a play in the garden.

If you go in straight away, you'll teach the pup to cross its legs for as long as possible because it likes being outside and knows it has to go in once it does the toilet.

If you wait then have a game, the pup will learn that fun things happen once it's been to the toilet and will try to go as soon as it is let out.

^^ That's the sort of information you'll find in Ian Dunbars book by the way.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[dogbot]

Well, I was just gonna post some stuff, but Stinkwheel has basically covered it. Good work, fella.

[fiveus]

Cute little pup
what's his name then?

[Fawbish]

[dodsi]

seriosly take onboard exactly what stinkwheel says, i have done basically the same thing with 2 pups - a staffie and a Jack Russell and both grew into amazing friendly and well adjusted non agressive pets.

But just because it's a cute pup don't let it get away with anything!

[fiveus]

[Rob W]

Thanks so much for the replies, I've learnt more from reading this thread than I have in the last few days trawling the internet, seriously thanks a lot,

And I shall most definitely be picking up that book, thanks for the info and recommendation stink, top bloke!

Next door have a beagle cross (Jake, which is why we're calling him Milo ), and my GF's sister has a miniature pincher (sp?) which he can have a play with. It helps having a nice large garden, and a massive playing field that it backs on to so he has plenty of space for a good run when he's big enough.

Literally cannot wait until thursday afternoon when we pick him up.


____________________
'90 TS50 > '04 Senda 125 > '91 ZXR400 > '90 CB-1 > '04 GSX-R1000 > '96 Bandit 600 > '89 ZXR750 H1 > '96 GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > '98 T595 Daytona > '03 Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > '16 GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[Marmalade]

We've got a staff/lab cross.

Didn't get very big despite having huge paws when he was a pup

https://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo141/bramble43/rex1.jpg
____________________
Nobby the Bastard: How yo tell the difference between the actual japanese and her just screaming because she's had live fish stuck up her arse? [url=https://www.nicks-shop.co.uk/bcf-goodies-15-c.aspGet BCF stickers and things here[/url] Reflective helmet stickers - Legal requirement in france - Clicky

[MinhDinh]

[Rogerborg]