I just had to...

Taiga

As some of you know, we lost our beloved pooch only a few weeks ago. We're still completely heartbroken and there's a massive chasm in the house. It will never be the same again.

That being said, we reckon we need to look forward so we can look back in peace iykwim, so we applied for a little rescue pup and it looks like we got him. Home visit tomorrow. We're very excited and the name debate is raging all day.:rolleyes: He's not our Mac, but he's him and I'm sure he'll be wonderful.

I'm giving ye a heads up as it's over 6 years since we've had a puppy so I'll be on looking for advice peeps. We'll be crate training him. With Mac I paid a lot of attention to Caesar Milan, this time I think not.

He's an almost 2 hour drive away, any tips on keeping him comforted on the way home?

I can't wait to hear the pitter patter of little nails on the floor following me around again. It's bittersweet, but it's the way to go for us.;)

alie

Condolonces on the loss of your fur baby, we lost our 15 year old springer nearly 2 years ago, we also took a little 5 week old pup into our lives, its like having a brand new baby in the house, He is almost 18 months and hes great company. One thing the vet did say and it was great advice, dont get the exact same breed again as you will only compare it with your old dog. We crate trained ours which was a god send, gives him peace of mind as a safe place for him. Hes outgrown it now and he really came on in leaps and bounds. He was taken away from his mother far too early and had a lot of bad manners. We just wrapped him in a blanket for the car journey . He slept the whole way home. Good luck with your new addition.

Taiga

Thanks Alie. He's a terrier cross like our last fella but a completely different colour. We had Mac crate trained too, though I'll have to look it up again as I can't remember how we did it! It was brilliant for him. It was a place he could always go if he wanted to be left alone. Bless.

tk123

CHEESE!! Name him cheese after Mac

Taiga

That made me lol Tk!! There has been some mad names thrown around here today but I think you take the prize with that one.:pac:

VonVix

tk123 wrote: »

CHEESE!! Name him cheese after Mac

Haha, Gouda! Or Cheddar!

One of the most valuable things I learnt with crate training, is try and have the crate where you sleep at night, so your puppy can see you, it helps them settle and it also helps let you know when they need the bathroom versus making noise just because they're lonely. It doesn't mean you'll have to keep the crate in your room forever, but giving him the security in the early days is important.

Also avoid getting into the habit in the early days of shutting the door and leaving, you don't want a pup building the connection that crate door shut = being left alone.

peasant

Taiga wrote: »

He's an almost 2 hour drive away, any tips on keeping him comforted on the way home?

If he has a blanket/cushion or something like that in his current place, ask if you can bring that along in the car / for his first few days. Familiar scent and all that...

(you should suss that out before collection and perhaps donate a replacement)

Taiga

VonVix I remember that now with the crate training, with the door I mean. I did leave it in the kitchen but I might bring it into the main living room for a while and sleep on the sofa. I just know I'll end up with him on the sofa with me. Heaven! I may regret that though.

Good idea Peasant, I hadn't thought of that. The poor little thing, getting upended. Must be so stressful for them.

jimf

you could name him lowry

Graces7

Congratulations!

I could not bear to read your other thread and felt guilty at not doing so; still too near my loss of my dog and a dear cat the same weekend last autumn.. an indebted to folk here for their support - and to my far away family for ORDERING me to go and get three new cats... Not as replacements but as I had the room and so many needy ones.

Taiga

Ah I know Graces 7, it's unbelievable heartache. We'll never get over the loss of him. Everyone is different with how they cope. I thought I'd be the type to say never again and I was for only a few days. I think a way of honouring Mac is to rescue another little one in need.
So in saying that, everything went great today. The lady said our house is a perfect home for a pup, so we'll be taking him to his forever home at the weekend.

We're still absolutely hurting, but this little fella is rescuing us as much as we're rescuing him.xxx

alie

Taiga wrote: »

Thanks Alie. He's a terrier cross like our last fella but a completely different colour. We had Mac crate trained too, though I'll have to look it up again as I can't remember how we did it! It was brilliant for him. It was a place he could always go if he wanted to be left alone. Bless.

We put a couple of teddies in the crate so he could snuggle although he decided best pace to sleep was wrapped around my neck.
Plenty of puppy pads too as they just cant hold it in , saves a lot of washing.

Taiga

Thanks Alie, I'm trying to remember all these things. First fella cottoned on to things very quickly, he was very easy to train. I'm prepared for anything this time. Only thought today I'll need to go get some teething toys and a little kong and a little collar etc tomorrow. Gonna enjoy my sleep the next few nights!

alie

Taiga wrote: »

Thanks Alie, I'm trying to remember all these things. First fella cottoned on to things very quickly, he was very easy to train. I'm prepared for anything this time. Only thought today I'll need to go get some teething toys and a little kong and a little collar etc tomorrow. Gonna enjoy my sleep the next few nights!

The kongs are a god send and lickey mats, ours love pureed baby food frozen with a little kibble. When we would go out we would give him a kong and some puppy treats in a rolled tea towel, and removed toys just in case he decided to behead them and disembowel them which he still does now and again. We also put newspapers and puppy pads at the back of the crate so he could go to the toilet , always make the crate a positive reinforcement too although when he was older and bad manners happened he was crated straight away and we left the room, brody was 3 weeks old and taken away from his mother so he was really unruly at times.

aonb

LOVELY to have a new puppy - will definitely help the recovery from the loss of Mac. New dog is not a replacement, just another dog. We'll want to see lots of photos please.

Taiga

Thanks so much guys. We got a few bits today. We'll set the crate back up tomorrow which will bring tears but also hope.
Don't worry Aonb, I'll post a pic.
Thanks for your lovely comment on the other thread Alie.x

Dubl07

I'm glad for you and the new pup. I hope he fits in and bonds with you all. It's summertime, so toss the notion of puppypads right out the window and set your alarm for 3am, 5am and 7am for a very quick elimination in the garden, on lead, no play, no chat, just a quick "Go pee" and "Good boy!" praise when he goes. That way he doesn't learn to go in the house and you're building associations to the command.
Yes, it's tiring for the first while but it pays dividends in the longer run.

Taiga

Dub you've just reminded me I used to do that with Mac and he was quick to cop on. I remember stumbling out with the light on my phone and saying go toilet and he'd go. Awww! I had newspapers at the door though and often he'd have gone there but I'd still bring him out. I'll try get him used to his collar early on. It will be interesting to find out where he's at with it all when I see him. The nerves and excitement here is unnatural. It's like Christmas.

Does anyone have any treat recommendations as obviously training and the craic will be mighty.

Also, we've told everyone to stay away (which they won't, it's like a train station here most days) but should we just go with the flow when people come and go and encourage gentle socialisation as long as he's not sleeping or in his crate?

Oh lads, I've booked him into doggy daycare! I wish I'd known about it when Mac was a puppy, he would have benefited massively from it. Just a half day once or twice a week.

I'm in severe danger of neglecting my kids for the next few weeks.:D

alie

alie wrote: »

We didnt stick to training treats, most are for four months up, and you get ripped off with the ones for younger puppies, we gave little pieces of apple, carrots and frozen veg, brody is 17 months and had frozen green beans with his kibble. Its great for keeping them cool in this weather. You must be so excited now, bittersweet I know, x

Graces7

Taiga wrote: »

Dub you've just reminded me I used to do that with Mac and he was quick to cop on. I remember stumbling out with the light on my phone and saying go toilet and he'd go. Awww! I had newspapers at the door though and often he'd have gone there but I'd still bring him out. I'll try get him used to his collar early on. It will be interesting to find out where he's at with it all when I see him. The nerves and excitement here is unnatural. It's like Christmas.



Love your huge zest and enthusiasm! Lucky puppy!

jimf

Graces7 wrote: »

Taiga wrote: »

Dub you've just reminded me I used to do that with Mac and he was quick to cop on. I remember stumbling out with the light on my phone and saying go toilet and he'd go. Awww! I had newspapers at the door though and often he'd have gone there but I'd still bring him out. I'll try get him used to his collar early on. It will be interesting to find out where he's at with it all when I see him. The nerves and excitement here is unnatural. It's like Christmas.



Love your huge zest and enthusiasm! Lucky puppy!

was thinking the very same graces

Taiga

Thank you guys.:) Well today has been busy. So went and got him (2hr drive away) and when he saw us he was all happy and tail waggy and he hasn't stopped since. He's mad. It's gonna be a tricky night as he doesn't want us out of his sight. We're hanging in the kitchen with him and he's not overly fond of his crate.

He's done lots of pee's and poo's in the kitchen but two pee's in the garden, massive celebrations were had!

I'll try get a pic up soon.

jimf

Taiga wrote: »

Thank you guys.:) Well today has been busy. So went and got him (2hr drive away) and when he saw us he was all happy and tail waggy and he hasn't stopped since. He's mad. It's gonna be a tricky night as he doesn't want us out of his sight. We're hanging in the kitchen with him and he's not overly fond of his crate.

He's done lots of pee's and poo's in the kitchen but two pee's in the garden, massive celebrations were had!

I'll try get a pic up soon.

you must have him spoiled already

pics are a must when we know somebody has a new puppy we will not relent until we get :D:D

Taiga

I'll try get a pic up soon, I promise. I'm not the best at these things but I can't wait for ye to see him.

Well last night was a disaster. He howled and barked up a storm. We went to bed at 12 but hubby went down at 12:45 and didn't come back up!l He stayed down here with him snuggled and watched telly and dozed all night. So I suppose it wasn't a disaster for me at all!:D

I'm in the kitchen with him now as he's starting to go into the crate with treats and just to investigate. He doesn't settle for long because as soon as someone comes in he's out to see what's happening. He's currently playing with a puppy pad. He's some man to chew!

He's a quick enough learner, he sits now when told and knows treats happen in the crate.

Dubl07

Taiga wrote: »

Well last night was a disaster. He howled and barked up a storm.

Does he have a used t-shirt with the scent of the person he's bonding with, and a ticky clock nearby? Worth a try or bring the crate upstairs and sleep with your hand near the bars to reassure him. You can always move the crate the landing in a while when he's settled and then downstairs to where he's supposed to sleep longterm. Saying that as someone who has to do gymnastics to exit the bed as mine often ends up sleeping between my knees, unless I have a bad dream and she falls out onto her own bed with its rug, toys etc...

When our last puppy arrived, he took a shine to my hubby. So much so that the only thing that gave him comfort were hubbys slippers. He loved those slippers so much that he didn’t chew them, just snuggled up on them.

Taiga

Awww lads that's so cute! Our fella likes to sleep on my slippers but only when I'm wearing them. Last night I slept on the couch with him snuggled at my neck. I will admit that I loved every second. I brought him outside a couple of times to pee and we gleefully snuggled back to sleep after.

He's asleep in the crate now (door open) for the first time. I'm at the table beside it chilling. I don't know what to do tonight. People are telling me different things to do and of course Google is totally confusing. For the neighbours sake I don't want him roaring tonight.

Should I bring the crate up and gradually move it? It would probably take ages then.

The eldest wants him in her room, on the bed with her.

I want hubby down in the crate and Sir Cuteness snuggling with me. Obviously that's not gonna happen.

Are we helping or hindering him by sleeping on the sofa with him?

I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it up.

Oh another thing, he love his treats and I sometimes use his kibble as treats to get him to eat because he's only eating half the recommended amount. The lady from the ispca said he and his litter mates were slow to eat. For obvious reasons this is worrying me. I'm giving him Red Mills Leader Puppy kibbles. Does anyone have any tips or ideas?

Thanks again guys.x

jimf

Taiga wrote: »

Awww lads that's so cute! Our fella likes to sleep on my slippers but only when I'm wearing them. Last night I slept on the couch with him snuggled at my neck. I will admit that I loved every second. I brought him outside a couple of times to pee and we gleefully snuggled back to sleep after.

He's asleep in the crate now (door open) for the first time. I'm at the table beside it chilling. I don't know what to do tonight. People are telling me different things to do and of course Google is totally confusing. For the neighbours sake I don't want him roaring tonight.

Should I bring the crate up and gradually move it? It would probably take ages then.

The eldest wants him in her room, on the bed with her.

I want hubby down in the crate and Sir Cuteness snuggling with me. Obviously that's not gonna happen.

Are we helping or hindering him by sleeping on the sofa with him?

I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it up.

Oh another thing, he love his treats and I sometimes use his kibble as treats to get him to eat because he's only eating half the recommended amount. The lady from the ispca said he and his litter mates were slow to eat. For obvious reasons this is worrying me. I'm giving him Red Mills Leader Puppy kibbles. Does anyone have any tips or ideas?

Thanks again guys.x

just love your suggestion of hubby in the crate

might be a good idea to not leave boards open for his eyes

have a new puppy in our house as well 11wk springer spaniel guess who stayed up all night with him are we mad or what

but why not there only babies for a few months

as for the food don't worry he wont starve to death once he has food available my vet always says hunger is a great sauce

Taiga

Awww Jimf lovely, it's a busy time for us! Our fella has woken up and done a pee outside though I had to bribe him to go out.

Great result with his food, I added a little warm water and he ate it so I'm delighted with that. We'll see how he goes tomorrow.

So we've decided the eldest is going to sleep on the sofa with the crate beside her and we'll gradually move it to the kitchen and see how it works. Wonder how long she'll last:pac: but I feel better if we're all on the same page.

jimf

the first line of your last post can you just clarify

was this doggy or husband



I will post a pic when daughter returns home from weekend I just cant get my head around pic posting on here me thicko

Taiga

It could be either Jimf!:pac:

The eldest lasted no time last night so I ended up on the sofa with Cuteness in the crate beside me. Not a peep out of him. Brought him out during the night for a pee and back to sleep then.
I'll do the same tonight but I'll move the crate a little further away. I won't lie, I was so tempted to take him up for snuggles!

Does anyone know the deal with when to introduce them to little walks after vaccinations? I can't remember. He's had two sets, including kennel cough. The second set was on Friday just gone. Is he done now until annual boosters?

I'm gonna introduce a bit of lead training in the house tomorrow. Is Cheddar cheese ok (tiny bits of course) for treats, I want to keep the treats tempting if you get me.