STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

jj · Kate Spade

Bringing new puppy home soon - what do I need??

Elle · Hermes

My favorite book was How To Raise a Puppy You Can Live With - very informative and great to refer back to when they're driving you crazy . What kind of pup are you getting?

Some thing we were glad to have around ...

- Huge supply of paper towels
- Soft toys to play with - we had some big bone-type things, but nothing small-ish and soft. They don't really tear things up as easily when they're tiny, so they'll probably last at least a little while.
- Fleece blankets - I went and got a few lengths of fleece (2-3 yards each) in prints I liked for our pups baby blankets. They wash and dry quickly and don't unravel when chewed. In fact we still have all of the ones I bought originally, 1 year later.
- A kennel - we crate trained right away and it was the best thing we ever did, even though it was hard at first. She took naps in there throughout the day, and still loves it now even though she's only there when we're gone.
- Small, soft treats - very helpful for bonding and helping them learn their name.

jj · Kate Spade

I love the fleece blanket idea! That is brilliant! And we are going to crate train too, so I may PM you for tips if that's ok. My DH works from home so that will help a ton. Plus I come home for lunch everyday.

We are getting a Shih Tzu. Our friends' dog knocked up their other dog before they had a chance to get him fixed, so it was a funny oops! They are adorable and so are the pups.

Kelly · Hermes

This may be gross, but you may want to have a stash of junky T-shirts around for the first week or so. When I first brought Traci home, she wasn't potty trained and had only been weaned for like, a week (it was way too early to take her away from her mom, but if we didn't take her then she was headed to the pound that weekend!). I think that plus the stress just brought havoc upon her digestive system because she ruined quite a few clothes that first week or so when I would be holding her. I'm just saying...don't wear designer duds at first

Oh, and start stockpiling newspapers for potty training!

ETA: the fleece blanket idea is a good one. Even now, I go through lots of blankets because of muddy paws, etc. and I always wish I had more on hand for her. Especially when they're puppies and might make a mess on it, etc.

-- Edited by ttara123 at 17:35, 2008-03-07

Elle · Hermes

jj wrote:

I love the fleece blanket idea! That is brilliant! And we are going to crate train too, so I may PM you for tips if that's ok. My DH works from home so that will help a ton. Plus I come home for lunch everyday.

I was home with ours during the day too, and it really helps speed the potty training. We really minimized accidents in the house by preemptively taking her out every hour or so, with treats on hand when she did her business out there. I think we had less than 5 accidents in the house (though some in the crate and some due to excitement besides that ).

I'd be happy to offer the tips that worked for us with the crate training. You know where to find me!

I agree w/ttara on the junky clothes for awhile too - I had to cut all the strings off my hoodies, and all my pockets were filled with cookies (and crumbs!). As for the fleece they actually make some nice patterns that blend well with non-puppy decor - I usually wait until JoAnn's has a sale (basically any day you could technically call a 'holiday') and get them 50% off.

Have you guys looked into puppy training at all? Sometimes the classes fill up fast, but they're great for learning how to work with your dog. I believe we signed up before we even brought our puppy home, and got the last spot in the class.

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

Just know that begging for food is not a given. My dog was never given people food in any way shape or form and she does not be for food at all. I can leave a plate of food on the floor, a go into another room for as long as I want and she completely ignores it. The only people food she gets is what falls off the counter while I'm preparing.

My parents were shocked because our puppy growing up was a terrible begger. Every time we visit with our dog my dad comments on it. She's 9 now an he is still amazed.

Also, if you don't want you pup getting up on furniture, they make things that buzz or ring to deter that. I have found that having a soft sided pet bed in the family room and bedroom has kept my dog from getting on the furniture, because hse had a place to go that wasn't out of the way like her crate.

Besides that, find a great vet through recommendations from friends and family and find a small pet store and talk with the owner. We have learned so much by going to a locally owned one and talking with the owner instead of the 16 year olds working at Petco.