Home


  Main Index MAIN
INDEX
FAQ FAQ & HELP FAQ PHOTO GALLERY Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN

Home: Dog and Puppies Talk: Before Getting a Dog:
Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed







pamdemonium
Novice

Jun 9, 2008, 2:44 AM

Post #1 of 9 (3816 views)
Shortcut
Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed Can't Post

Hi, I'm new to the forums. I need help!

My neighbourhood is prone to burglary attempts. My stepdad made a SUDDEN decision to get a dog. He has accepted (sight unseen!) a dog from his friend's vet.

I only know that it is 4 months old. No idea what breed (probably mixed, but mixed with what??). No idea about the gender either!

I am the only one in the house freaking out because of this. Haha! My family have never had a dog before. I'm a dog lover but I only know how to play with dogs! Not care for them!

Because we don't know what type of dog it is, I don't know what to get beforehand. Obviously, things like food and collar will have to wait until we see what type of dog it is and it's size...

I'm making sure that any gaps in our fence is covered as well as the drain. But I'm very nervous still. I don't know what I should be preparing for.

I'm getting a food dish and water dish tomorrow. Thinking about getting a chain (leash?) to tie the dog up when we open the gate, so it doesn't run away.

Are there any other things that I should get beforehand when I don't know what dog it is?

Also, I'm wondering if 4-months old is very young. What will its needs be? Should we keep it in the house when it's a little puppy so that it doesn't get scared and get used to the family?

Our neighbour caged a new lab pup and it used to bark/cry for weeks. Poor thing. I don't want to traumatise my new dog so early.

I'm feeling very overwhelmed. There are so many dog-advice websites and I don't know which is good. Can you recommend some good sites? Even better if it's dealing with local issues that I may not be aware of...

We're collecting the dog on Tuesday. I'm so nervous... I hope the dog is happy with us. :(

~ Pam ~


cavellyong
New User


Jun 14, 2008, 6:39 AM

Post #2 of 9 (3695 views)
Shortcut
Re: [pamdemonium] Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed [In reply to] Can't Post

Hi Pam!

I think the first thing you can do is to bring the pup to a vet when you've got it. This is to ensure that it gets the proper attention that it needs from young. From there, you can also ask the vet the breed of the pup and seek advice on taking care of it.

Depending on the size of the dog that it will grow to later on, you can choose to leave it outdoor, just make sure you have a cage for the pup so it is caged at night and not wander away through the gate holes.

If it's a small breed dog, you can also choose to leave it indoor. Prepare the pup a designated place for it to sleep, be it in a cage or a small room (with good ventilation). Just remember not to leave anything that you do not want the pup can bite/chew on (like shoes, newspapers, wire cables <-- this can be dangerous for the pup!). Oh, don't forget the pup needs to pee and poo too, so if it's not potty trained yet, it will be the right time to do so :)

Be it indoor or outdoor, don't forget to leave a bowl of water easily accessible for the pup.

As for the food, ask the previous owner what food has the pup been eating. A vet once told me that you should not change the dog's food drastically for fear that it may not eat them. You can always change it to a different brand later on but do it slowly.

Well, I hope I didn't scare you away. It may not be as easy as it looks, but one thing's for sure, you'll enjoy every moment of it ;) You'll get the hang of things soon enough :)

The forum here provides plenty of information, just browse around. Or do a google search on taking care of puppies. There's a lot of information out there. When in doubt, just visit the vet or any pet stores. Most of them will be willing to help you out :)

Lastly, be prepared to be loved unconditionally by your new furkid! :D

Cheers!


pamdemonium
Novice

Jun 14, 2008, 4:33 PM

Post #3 of 9 (3677 views)
Shortcut
Re: [cavellyong] Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed [In reply to] Can't Post

:) thankie.

We got her a few days ago. She came from the vet, so she was already checked and everything.

She's currently chowing down on science plan, so it's all good. :)

I've been waking up early every morning to walk with her her so that she'll poo and pee. She appears housebroken already. So I'm pleased about that. One less worry! :D


cavellyong
New User


Jun 20, 2008, 11:29 PM

Post #4 of 9 (3473 views)
Shortcut
Re: [pamdemonium] Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed [In reply to] Can't Post

Great to hear that! So, what breed is she? I hope you're having an enjoyable time with her Wink


pamdemonium
Novice

Jun 21, 2008, 4:18 AM

Post #5 of 9 (3458 views)
Shortcut
Re: [cavellyong] Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed [In reply to] Can't Post

her pics are here:

www.flickr.com/photos/pambunny/tags/juno/

:)


cavellyong
New User


Jun 23, 2008, 5:35 PM

Post #6 of 9 (3375 views)
Shortcut
Re: [pamdemonium] Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed [In reply to] Can't Post

hehe.. Juno's really cute! How many months is she again?


pamdemonium
Novice

Jun 23, 2008, 6:44 PM

Post #7 of 9 (3372 views)
Shortcut
Re: [cavellyong] Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed [In reply to] Can't Post

We're not 100% sure as Juno was a found pup. Vet thinks she's around 3-4 months old.

She's getting fatter now. i think we overfed her because she barfed up her food twice now. So we're feeding her less.

She's likes sleeping in our living room a lot. Haha. I haven't done much training with her yet. It takes sooooooooooooo much patience to get her to pay attention.


cavellyong
New User


Aug 25, 2008, 4:35 PM

Post #8 of 9 (2836 views)
Shortcut
Re: [pamdemonium] Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed [In reply to] Can't Post

Hey there Pam! Haven't logged in for so long now.. anyway, how's Juno doing? Is she still eating a lot?? Hope you can now estimate how much she eats without worrying bout overfeeding Tongue

My bro brought in another new addition to our family a month ago. A shih tzu, same breed as my current one. They are both very playful and run around the house like no one's business hehee... the small one (Honey) is really naughty. Compare to when Princess was young, Honey is way naughtier LOL.. wanna faint already..


pamdemonium
Novice

Aug 26, 2008, 4:55 AM

Post #9 of 9 (2805 views)
Shortcut
Re: [cavellyong] Pre-Puppy Preparation Help Needed [In reply to] Can't Post

Heya!! Juno's doing great!

She has become inconsistent with her eating habits. Some days she is not hungry for her morning meal. But I figure as long as she eats her dinner, should be fine. My parents worry, so they feed her snacks. She's become very bossy and tells us when she wants us to feed her. Haha. She likes to eat with us.

<a href=" www.flickr.com/photos/pambunny/2717070166/" title="Whatcha Lookin' At? by PamelaSu, on Flickr"><img src=" farm4.static.flickr.com/3258/2717070166_f4cd7ff02f_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Whatcha Lookin' At?" /></a>

Shih Tzu!! So cuuute. They're adorable. :) Congrats on your new addition. I always thought they were quiet dogs though. I didn't know they were naughty. Haha.

 
 




Copyright 2001~ 2002 Hileytech Sdn Bhd , All Rights Reserved.  Disclaimer  Privacy Statement
For comments and Suggestion, Please contact the Webmaster at puppy@puppy.com.my