Family's First Puppy.........

[paul collins]

Hello everyone

This is our first post as new members on this great site.

We will be bringing home our first family pet as an 8 wk old I.S. Puppy boy called Ronnie in less than 5 weeks time.

What do we need ? 

What size crate for the house should we be getting?

Every book we read gives different advise for the first few nights?

It will be a long journey home any advise?

Raised food bowls?

Any tips or advise would be great 

Thanks

Paul & Family

[Cynthia B]

Oh man, I'm jealous.

S/he will throw up in the car, guaranteed.  Take a couple of old blankets to cover the seats.  With regular bathroom breaks, your puppy will not pee in the car if you keep him/her in your lap.  They seem to "get" this.

S/he WILL be unhappy for the first few nights.  You need to blunder through that by comforting without "rewarding" your puppy for being unhappy by doing anything that might be mistaken for praise or encouragement.  Mine had a Teddy Bear to sleep with to sort of resemble the missing siblings which seemed to help a bit.  At age 9, he still gets it out occasionally and gives it a good sniffing.

You don't need much.  A collar, leash, 10-gallon stoneware crock for food, water bowl, kennel.  I've had 5 Irish Setters, one after the other, and none of them would eat any more than they absolutely had to.  If I measure their food, they get thin.  I just pour the dry kibble into a 10-gallon stoneware crock and let them eat as and when they want--so the food is raised as well.  They make a huge mess.  Get used to cleaning it up.

S/he needs to be able to lie down stretched out, stand up, & turn around in the crate.  Any bigger and it will interfere with house breaking (because room to "go").  So you will need a number of kennels as your puppy grows.

Don't let him/her on the furniture, not ever, not once, unless you want them on your furniture for the next 10-15 years.  They don't "get" that they can't get on the furniture when they're no longer "cute".  Ever.

Irish Setter puppies tend to be extremely destructive, because they're full of fun & mischief. This will grow into a non-destructive capacity for glee as the dog matures that will uplift you through the travails of life.  Keep your cellphone, toothbrush, sunglasses, hammer, underwear, shoes, toothpaste, book...you name it...out of the reach of your puppy.  Spray anything you don't want chewed with Bitter Apple or similar product (try different ones - one will work).

Clean their ears regularly with a solution you can get from the vet.

They don't do well on grain--hair loss, tummy upsets.  Look for dog food without corn etc.

Spear grass penetrating the skin between the toes has been the cause of 3 surgeries.  Now, in the summer, I shave off all the hair between the toes, and check between the toes regularly.

TAKE OBEDIENCE CLASSES.  You need them as much or more than the dog does.

[paul collins]

Thanks Cynthia

That was a great help,We are looking at classes and we defiantly don't want dog on sofa.

[Cynthia B]

You're welcome - and "not on furniture" means "not on lap" either.  They don't understand the difference.

[Kimberly Simmons]

Hi Paul, how exciting! I'll be picking up my male in two more weeks! Ok, I purchased a large crate, but I already have a med sized one that I had previously used for my other dogs, so I will use that in the beginning. I've read that if you use the large one from the beginning, partition it off so that the pup will not feel lost and also that it will not provide adequate space for him to do his business comfortably. Naturally, they will not want to "go" in their den.

I'm sending a new blankie that I've slept with so that he'll recognize my scent when we meet and also that the breeder can place with his mother and litter mates so that he'll have their scent for the car ride and first nights away from them. : (

I have borrowed a medium sized plastic "pet taxi" (crate) for the car ride home and subsequent car rides, for safety, until he gets used to riding in the car and mature enough to be trained how to behave in the car.!

I've read to crawl around your house and look at everything at eye level to "puppy proof"! I've purchased some baby gates for containment, to keep him in the room with us.

I plan on letting him sleep his first few nights crated in the bedroom with us. Then maybe in the room where our other two dogs sleep but still in his crate. (Sounds like a plan, but we'll see how it goes! lol )  Our other puppies always slept with our children, but we did have accidents if the kids didn't realize they wanted out. So not such a good idea in the beginning.

I've wondered about raised food dishes also, we'll see what the "experts" say when they reply to this. There's several members that have young pups so I can't wait to hear their stories and get their advice!

Good Luck, Kim : )

[paul collins]

Thanks Kim

We did give mum a scent blanket, someone said wrap a hot water bottle in the scent blanket   that way they have the warmth and smell. We are willing to try anything. 

Good luck to you too. 

Paul and Family

[Valerie Short]

Hi lucky you, I have had several puppies, Setters and Cocker Spaniels and have never put them in crates in the house, only for travelling in the car.  Usually start with a strong box or plastic bed with vetbed to keep them cosy and warm.  Puppy will cry at night for a while, if you bring him into your bedroom he will want to sleep there always. My breeder gave me soft toy that smelt of Mum and siblings.  Your puppy's breeder should give you all the advice you need, regarding feeding, etc.  I use a raised feeding and water bowl for my adult Setter but would not think it necessary for a puppy.  One of my puppies was very sick on its first journey to her new home although she was cuddled by my daughter.   Good luck and enjoy Ronnie he will grow very quickly and if like mine will love your children.

[paul collins]

Thanks Maggie, Do you get the sickness pills from the vet.

[Sue Paterson]

Some good ideas there. Yes Ronnie will probably be sick in the car coming home, but having said that our last one travelled fine all the way back from Scotland to Essex with very little problem...I think he slept the best part of the time as motorway travel is a lot less disturbing than windy country roads. We have a cage in the back and put his plastic bed with vet bed and a soft toy to cuddle up. The breeder may also give a half sealegs tablet to counteract sickness.

If you give a hot water bottle at night, wrap very well in a thick towel and don't have it too hot. Our new pups always go in a crate in the boys' room so they're usually no problem as they hear 'normal' doggy noises in the night. New pup on his own may cry a bit if he wakes up and we used to try to leave it. If really won't settle again I used to go down and let him out for a wee etc, clean up if needed and try very hard not to interact with him too much... so hard I know but they learn quickly!! Usually only lasts a couple of nights.

No raised bowls necessary as pup, and I think the advice is not to raise the bowl as adult either. We find unbreakable bowls best as often pups like to try and throw them around or have a kick about:) Also we feed set amount 4 times a day as an 8 week old...your breeder should give you advice sheets pertaining to that and all manner of other things like worming regime and vaccinations etc. Most breeders will give some of the puppy's usual food to bring home. If you are going to change it, leave it a while and do it very gradually. Oh and its not unusual for pup to have a little bit of an upset tummy with all the changes to get used to re travel, environment etc. If you have set meal times it is easier to get into toileting routines and also the beginning of training as you will have natural opportunities to start  recall  and 'Sit'.

Ok I know I could go on, but I'll stop there:) Just remember to be consistent and all the family need to use the same words and expect the same thing to stop pup from getting confused. Oh and make sure always to have a toy close by, so you can give it to him when he tries his little needles out on you or a treasured possession!!

I'm sooo jealous.

Have fun!

[Angela Clarke]

Hi Paul and family, cann`t add much to what has been said only EXERCISE. It is so easy to over exercise a setter pup as they have so much energy, and every trip takes twice as long because everyone wants to talk about your beautiful Irish, donn`t let them tell you they are thick or untrainable because they are not, take a look at the video`s on this site and you will see for yourself, enjoy. <:0)

[Lesley Gilks]

5 mins per month is a good rule of thumb i.e 6 months old = 30 mins walk.

[paul collins]

Thanks Sue.

[Dianne cook]

Welcome Paul, family and soon your baby Irish, lucky you :)) Reading what you wrote Sue makes me so envious I so could deal with all that new puppy work, I'd love it truly. There are two new babies in our family of the human kind and OMG... that brings back memories ( not ones I'm doing again lol ) But the puppy ones I'd love too. Sue gave you great advice Paul enjoy your new bundle of joy, raised right he will grow to be a wonderful and loving member of your family and if ever you have a query or worry I'm sure there will be someone here on ES to help you out. Take care and have fun. Dianne and Irish :)