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First time owner in need of help regarding things needed when bringing a puppy home

Keira

New member
Hi all,

I am new to this site and wondered if some of you may be able to help me out with some advice.

I will shortly be getting my first ckcs and would like to know what accessories etc i should have ready for when I bring my puppy home. I will be getting a Blenheim boy at 12 weeks old and I will be crate training if that makes a difference for things I would need to consider.

Any help or advice you could give is greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
Keira
 
Hi Keira: Welcome! This is an exciting time for you. `TO start with i'd download Dr Ian Dunbar's free books, Before You Get Your Puppy and After You Get Your Puppy as he goes through all the basics and these will serve as endlessly useful guides for care and training and behaviour for the first year.

www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads.

I'd get a puppy xpen to go around the crate, soft toys, a couple of Kong puppy toys for chewing and to start training to use a Kong (Dunbar is great on this!), a crate mat but NO costly beds as at this age the pup will both chew and pee on good beds and ruin them. I like the wire Dog Residence crates which you can get a cover for or just drape with a darkish cloth to give the pup an enclosed space. SMALL food dish (cat food dishes are around the right size to avoid overfeeding NOT those large steel dog dishes) and a steel water dish (plastics can leach chemicals). A puppy lead and collar and harness. `Immediately get a dog tag with you name and number (legal requirement in most countries).

There's a huge spate of dog theft in ireland and the Uk (and elsewhere) right now -- so be careful never to let the puppy out alone, never leave unsupervised in the back garden (especially not alone for a workday). Always on the lead outside around any roads and never off lead in safe areas of a park til the pup is well trained to recall (this wont be til well over 6 months of age generally -- around a year). :) Sadly this breed has no fear at all of cars etc and will walk in front of one -- and also go with anybody, hence the need for constant supervision.
 
I also recommend both Dunar books. If you can manage the puppy set up in the book I highly believe it was the reason I was able to house train Fletcher so quickly. I know space may be in issue for this but remember you won't need to use it forever, time flies and pups grow so quickly.

I think you should skip the cute doggie beds as well, use a layer of old towels you will thank yourself later.

Take lots and lots of pictures. Then when you think "ok I have plenty of pictures of my sleeping cavalier" take more!!!!!!

Congrads on your new fur baby!!!!! Do you have a name picked out?
 
  • Kong for chewing (I give at bedtime also)
  • toys--good quality ones that puppy can't rip up right away.
  • Bowls as Karlin described--Cavalier ears get soiled easily when they dip into deep bowls
  • exercise pen and gates for doorways--figure out in advance where puppy will sleep (in crate in bedroom is best IMO) and where puppy will spend the day, and have them worked out
  • sign up for puppy kindergarten
  • choose a vet if you haven't yet
  • Find out what food the breeder is feeding now, and get some of it. It's best to stick with the same food for a month or two before switching. If you plan to switch, just do it slowly. But this is a good time to ask around and research good foods.
  • treats--not too rich. The best treat really is the a bit of the puppy's daily allotment of food.
  • look into health insurance. When purchased when puppy is very young, it costs less. Best to buy it early--anything your vet discovers--allergy, etc.--will become a pre-existing condition if found before the insurance starts.
  • A good camera! You're going to want to take LOTS of pictures, and I hope you'll post many here so we can admire your little one.
  • Puppy shampoo and conditioner
  • Grooming tools--brush, rake, slicker is what I'd recommend. Poke around in here and you'll find other recommendations.
 
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