29/01/2024
Preparing for a New Pup!
Picking and PreparingâŠ
Picking a Puppy
So with a new little sharp tooth soon to join our family, I thought it would be a fun time to discuss the HOWS and WHYS of picking a puppy and what we did to prepare for his arrival.
In the past, we have always been choosing based on their athletic/ performance dog prospectives. Weâve looked at the lines (parents, grandparents etc) attitudes, parents ability, confirmation etc and usually tried to choose something with high drive and lots of athleticism.
This is our first âpetâ dog and therefore we wanted something quite different. Athleticism is completely irrelevant but we needed to choose a confident dog that would really thrive In our household, we have a very tough kitty and Nic wanted a pup that would enjoy going flying with him in a little plane.
We started looking well over a year ago and fell in love with the looks and attitudes of a specific cross⊠Pomeranian x Husky, the so called âPomskyâ. Like mini huskies, we felt if we could find the right one it could be a good mix.
I did not want a puppy whilst my older dog Hoax was still around, I didnât feel it was fair to bring in a puppy when my girl was pottering around, she deserved a relaxed retirement. It was around six months after we had to say goodbye to her that I started to look for a Pomsky. I saw a LOT of very cute pups come up for sale but either didnât vibe with the pup once I saw video or didnât click with the breeder when I spoke to them. Or the puppy was too small (Coyotes and Birds of Prey can take tiny dogs here), or too shy (We really do need confident verging on cocky), or just didnât tug at my heart strings. Finally in Oklahoma a hit we think, he is very cute and when we FaceTime with the breeder I KNOW this is our puppy. Charting a little larger than we wanted we just didnât care, he is confident, adorable and loves people. A confident puppy that isnât people oriented is asking for training challenges! The breeder is WONDERFUL, having just the one litter in her house, FaceTiming with us, crate training them, using different surfaces, lots of handling, playing fireworks sounds, vacuuming and so forth. Having a great breeder is KEY I feel to starting you puppy off correctly, it makes your life and the puppies life a whole lot easier and âfriendlierâ when pup comes home to you.
Preparing for Pup
We like to be well prepared for puppy, it is our responsibility to keep him safe and healthy and provide him with the tools he needs for a happy life⊠just like having a baby really!
Things we purchased/ found to prepare for pupâŠ
KennelSol 1-Step, A good puppy friendly disinfectant is super important if pup hasnât had all his vaccines yet, we have two trays to fill which will go by our two door entrances so we can dip our shoes when we come into the house to help prevent transmission, we also have it in a spray bottle for cleaning surfaces and for any secondhand/ used items we purchased for pup.
A Crate. Crate training puppy is important, pup needs a safe and cosy space that is his own and somewhere to sleep at night to prevent accidents, all dogs should learn to be relaxed in a crate whether you decide to use one day to day or not. I stuff mine with super comfy bedding and maybe a toy to cuddle up to.
Puppy Pen⊠the pen is pups domain and I usually pop his crate within this area for nighttime snoozing. Full of toys, chews and occasionally treats when the Den Wizard (Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy by Steve Mann) visits. This should be a magical place that puppy loves.
Toys. Soft toys, crinkly toys, toys that squeak, toys that roll, toys to chew, toys to snuggle with, toys to rip. You cant get too much variation in toys. If you buy used make sure you run them either through the dishwasher or washing machine on a super hot cycle, I also sprayed mine down with the KennelSol and left for a while to ensure nothing yucky or possibly dangerous was left on the surfaces.
Treats, good quality, delicious treats will be important for training pup. You can use things such as, dried chicken breast, liver (limited as itâs quite rich), their food/ kibble, cheese, hotdogs cut up and so much more. You will want High Value treats (usually hotdogs and liver) and lower value treats (kibble).
Collar. Soft and inoffensive
Harness. Well fitting and non restrictive (ie doesnt cut over shoulder blade or tighten if pup should pull)
Leash (es). I like to have a few different leashes, one that I would say is a usual length, say 6ft or so, that puppy can get walked on eventually and is a short enough length for you to handle without it tangling. One long (30ft approx, light line that can be used on more exploratory walks or in the yard etc)
ID Tag: Be sure to follow local laws with what information needs to be included on your tag
Carrier? We also purchased a carrier so pup can go see and smell âlifeâ before he is fully vaccinated. We want to ensure he is being socialized at these important times but also want to keep him safe from infectious diseases.
Book: Well this is for you, not puppy. My Mum (Also a dog trainer) recommended Easy, Peasy, Puppy Squeezy by Steve Mann as I wanted something for my teenage son to listen to (amazing how much better they listen on something that isnt said by their parents). We have been listening to it on Audible on school runs etc for the last few weeks. Itâs a fantastic book.
And thats it, well it isnt of course, there is always more but this is a great start.
Whilst I write this, I am sitting at home with my older dog Detour, My husband Nic and son Ethan are enroute flying to Oklanhoma to pickup our puppy, from now on to be known as Pilot the Pomsky! Watch this space!
