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MrsH
LIF Adolescent
Member since 3/07 766 total posts
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getting a puppy
I am getting my puppy on Thursday and I am getting nervous! We have off all summer (teachers) so we have about 10 weeks to train him but I am just so nervous and i am afraid that he wont be ready to be left alone in September! any advice, and things we must have for when he gets home? we have his crate, another bed, food, food bowls, chew toys, leash and collar. what else do we need? I heard you cant take a dog out for walks until he has all his shots, is it hard to paper train and then make the move to walks outside? any help would be appreciated!
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Posted 6/26/07 11:07 AM  |
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Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource |
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Re: getting a puppy
DH and I just got a puppy 2 weeks ago and we are both teachers. Every day gets easier and I really think he will be good to go by September.
It sounds like you are all set with supplies!
We are crate training him and he does his business outside. (We don't want to paper train him at all.)
Good luck! FM me if you have any questions! I'm in the same place you are!
Enjoy your new little pup! 
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| Posted 6/26/07 11:15 AM |
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MrsH
LIF Adolescent
Member since 3/07 766 total posts
Name:
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Re: getting a puppy
thanks that does make me feel better-I read somewhere that the puppy wont be able to stay in the crate for more than 4 hours by the time we will have to leave him to go back to work, so i dont know what i will do at that point, i guess we can block off the kitchen and keep him in there, but i dont want his training to go backwards and have him start going to the bathroom in the house. i am so nervous-it is really like waiting for a baby to come home! thanks for the advice!
any other help anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated, i am so nervous i dreamt about the dog last night!
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| Posted 6/26/07 11:19 AM |
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Re: getting a puppy
We were so nervous too at first. Our puppy is 10 weeks old today. We leave him in the crate for about 3 hours at a time if we can't fully supervise him and we'll take him outside at least once during the night.
We made a vet appointment for the day after we got our puppy and he was able to answer a lot of our questions too.
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| Posted 6/26/07 11:43 AM |
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MrsH
LIF Adolescent
Member since 3/07 766 total posts
Name:
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Re: getting a puppy
well that is good to know, we do have an appt. with a vet on friday (we are getting the puppy on Thursday) so that will be helpful! i appreciate your responses. thanks!
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| Posted 6/26/07 11:54 AM |
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MsMBV
:P
Member since 5/05 28602 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: getting a puppy
10 weeks is more than enough time to make sure your pup is ready to go solo.
As far as walking outside without shots, it really depends on where you live. We live in the woods, literally, so I do not let my dogs go out until they have their shots & I actually have one dog (a chihuahua) that does not go outside at all since he is too small to get the lepto shot.
It is quite easy to transition from paper training to outdoor, and since you have so much time you should be fine. I will recommend though that at about the 5th week to start leaving the house regularly so that the pup will not be "blindsided" once no one is home with him/her. Take small trips (like to the store, etc.) and that way the pup will get used to the routine & will learn that you will come back home.
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| Posted 6/26/07 11:58 AM |
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Goobster
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Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
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Re: getting a puppy
Posted by MrsH
wont be able to stay in the crate for more than 4 hours by the time we will have to leave him to go back to work, so i dont know what
Ok...you are right about this. I would never leave a dog in a crate for more than 4 hours (on a daily basis, an emergency is another story). During the night, we would keep the pups in the crate but hte first 2 or 3 weeks plan on a 3am or so pee pee break outside. Seriously.
I just trained my two dogs in the last 2 years.
I would only use the crate when I would leave the house for a few hours. But when I was home, I tethered the dogs to me. Plus, they like to follow their masters anyway.
I say try to spend LOTS of time with the pup, so you can learn his/her habits of when they show signs that they have to go.
Take the pup out very frequently in the yard (yes, they cannot be walked untilt hey have most shots). Come back in if she just plays.
I personally would only use the crate when I could not watch the dog.
If when sept comes and pup is still not trained, and you will be gone all day, then gate pup in the kitchen with the crate open (bed). This way pup can escape her own poop/pee if she must. Hopefully she will be trained by then.
If you were only going to be gone about 4 hours, then I would say, yes, crate. But it is really not recommended, dogs need to walk and stretch and move. Pups have a lot of energy...you could leave her with some safe toys, water, and hopefully she will be trained by sept, but dont count on it.
Also a good feeding schedule helps. Pups usually poop after eating, about 20 mins so ALWAYS take out after feeding. Feed 3 times a day, then 2 times a day should be ok when you go back to work.
ask me some more speciific questions, I will be glad to help since its fresh in my mind. They were our first dogs so we read a lot of books to learn what to do, what not to do, but sometimes you just have to learn as you go.
Congrats!
Message edited 6/26/2007 1:39:23 PM.
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| Posted 6/26/07 1:35 PM |
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MrsH
LIF Adolescent
Member since 3/07 766 total posts
Name:
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Re: getting a puppy
thanks for your reply, i am a little concerned b/c we live in an apartment right now and we dont have access to the backyard. so do you think if we take him outside on the font lawn to go to the bathroom that will be safe? and not walk him through the neighborhood until he has all his shots? right now we have his crate in the livingroom, can we keep it in there until sept, and then move it to the kitchen if need be if he is not fully trained or will that confuse him? also, if we have to confine him to the kitchen when we go out, should we put the wee wee pads down? i think this is worse than when you bring a baby home! at least with a baby you know someone is always going to be with them! thanks for your help and suggestions!
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| Posted 6/27/07 11:58 AM |
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aliwnec10
mom of 3 boys
Member since 4/06 11426 total posts
Name:
Ali
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Re: getting a puppy
Posted by MrsH
thanks for your reply, i am a little concerned b/c we live in an apartment right now and we dont have access to the backyard. so do you think if we take him outside on the font lawn to go to the bathroom that will be safe? and not walk him through the neighborhood until he has all his shots? right now we have his crate in the livingroom, can we keep it in there until sept, and then move it to the kitchen if need be if he is not fully trained or will that confuse him? also, if we have to confine him to the kitchen when we go out, should we put the wee wee pads down? i think this is worse than when you bring a baby home! at least with a baby you know someone is always going to be with them! thanks for your help and suggestions!
You should be okay with taking out to the front lawn, although we walked our puppy around the neighborhood before he had all of his shots. As long as he doesn't interact too much with other strange dogs... he should be fine.
Wee wee pads... (it can be different for everyone) but our trainer told us one or the other. If you use both the wee wee pads and want him to go outside, it will confuse the dog and can be harder to train them to go outside. So we opted not to use the wee wee pads. If the dog does have an accident inside, don't yell or tell him no. Just simply run over, pick him up and put him directly outside. If he is in the middle of peeing or pooping, if you clap your hands really loudly... this will make him stop. Then carry him outside to finish.
Definitely leave him in his crate when you're not around to watch him. When you are around, watch him closely.
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| Posted 6/27/07 1:30 PM |
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aliwnec10
mom of 3 boys
Member since 4/06 11426 total posts
Name:
Ali
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Re: getting a puppy
Posted by Goobster
Posted by MrsH
Also a good feeding schedule helps. Pups usually poop after eating, about 20 mins so ALWAYS take out after feeding. Feed 3 times a day, then 2 times a day should be ok when you go back to work.
Congrats!
Yes feed the puppy 3 times a day. depending on the dog & size, i believe it is 1/3 of a cup for each feeding. But the label on the dog food should point you in a more accurate amount.
Buy Bitter Apple spray!!! If the puppy starts biting anything (furniture, leash, you, etc) spray the bitter apple all over and most dogs hate that taste. 
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| Posted 6/27/07 1:33 PM |
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