New Puppy advice

[Kitten0819]

NO reputable breeder would ever sell to a pet store!

I have known a pet store owner that sold only their own or family members pups through their store. They only had two breeds though. I still wouldnt trust the back yard breeder either but it wasnt from a mill. Anywho i was saying to stay far away from pet stores. I dont even recommend going in one "just to look". The pups in the stores are sometimes so far off from what the breed should look like.

 

[momto2inKC]

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Just to comment on the above about food, Do not contact your vet about food. They usually know nothing about nutrition sadly. They usually push science diet or eukanueba since they get kickbacks, but those foods both have corn in them. Research online.

I just wanted to respond since that was me. It's always a good idea to discuss diet with your vet. They will know if there are certain things your particular dog needs and how much your specific dog should eat and what not. The OP mentioned making the food herself so I would think discussing that with her vet would be a really good idea. Of course diet is something most vets discuss anyway at your first visit. I didn't say to ask your vet what brand of food, just to discuss the overall diet

 

[jennb529]

I just got a new puppy for Christmas and it has been a ton a work. Of course this was a puppy that we had been thinking about getting and researched the breed (English Bulldog) thoroughly before getting her.

We also have a male miniature schnauzer who is ten months old. They have been getting along great, but there is no way that I could have handled both of them as tiny pups at the same time.

Whatever your decision is good luck and enjoy your new puppy!

 

[5forDis]

A new puppy is a crazy amount of work & 2 might be too much with 2 small children. Our dog (a shichon--mix of bichon frise & shih tzu) was very easy to train (crate and potty) but required so much time to do so. She was crate trained at the breeders so that wasn't a big deal, but puppies have tiny bladders and need to be taken out very frequently. We hung bells low on the door and we taught her to ring the bells when she needed to go out. She is almost 3 yrs old now & still rings the bells . She is definitely not 'toy' size and I am happy about that with 3 active kids and their friends. She is about 18 lbs & if someone accidentally steps on her, she doesn't break (knocking on wood...).

She drove me nuts the first 6 months because I couldn't leave her for more than 2 (maybe 3) hours. She was in her crate and that was enough time. She could be in her crate for 8 hours now, but I wouldn't do that. She's much more responsible at age 3 & is gated in the kitchen when we are out. Plenty of space for her. She can be alone for 10-12 hours, if absolutely necessary, but that has probably only happened twice.

We walk her 2-3 times a day and now that she is bigger, I do let her outside with an electric collar for quick bathroom runs.

Google her 'breed' (really just a mutt but one by design rather than accident)--they are called shichons, zuchons, or teddy bears. She doesn't shed, but does go to the groomer once every 4-6 weeks and it is about $50. 2 puppies would be expensive because their shots and spaying is very expensive the first year.

My pup is allergic to chicken (common for small breed dogs) & she eats California Naturals. No more itching since we switched her food.

 

[5forDis]

Another great thing about our dog (and I've talked to other shichon owners & they have the same experience) is that she is really quiet. She almost never barks. It is so rare to hear her bark. She also loves everyone and would be forever grateful if we brought home a new puppy for her...she loves other dogs. Friends and other family members will bring their dogs in our house (I do this deliberately & have since she was a young pup) and she shares everything...not territorial at all. The other dogs can eat her food, drink her water and she just wants to PLAY, PLAY, PLAY.

My pet peeve with her is that she jumps on our legs when we walk through the door. I tried to have the kids ignore her in the beginning like the training instructed, but they would respond and reinforce this annoying habit. Every time anyone walks in the door, she acts like they've just returned from war & she is so happy to see them. It is annoying, but also sweet to always have a happy greeting

 

[Pumbaa_]

honestly, with such young children i would wait. Puppies bite, they have sharp little puppy teeth.

We adopted a pair of rescue puppies in June (they turned 1 today) and they are a ton of work. They are sweet as all get out, but man some days! (Billy ate my glasses yesterday, he took them off hte night stand and had a nice little snack)

toddler faces are at the same height as puppy faces

 

[5forDis]

honestly, with such young children i would wait. Puppies bite, they have sharp little puppy teeth.

We adopted a pair of rescue puppies in June (they turned 1 today) and they are a ton of work. They are sweet as all get out, but man some days! (Billy ate my glasses yesterday, he took them off hte night stand and had a nice little snack)

toddler faces are at the same height as puppy faces

I agree.

 

[SarahKate]

We have an almost 3-year-old male Shih Tzu, his name is Skoshi. He is the sweetest dog ever, but here are the things I have learned:

- He wasn't that easy to potty train. I had read the males are harder to teach than females and they were right! I wouldn't trade him for anything! But it has been a bit of a challenge. And he still marks even tho he's been neutered.
- I would ask you to really think long and hard about getting two initially. They ARE a lot of work. Twice the work. Twice the money. Twice the food and other resources. At least get ONE and then down the road explore getting a 2nd.
- We use Blue Buffalo and our little guy loves it.
- If you do have younger kids, you really do have to be extra careful. My daughter was about 6 when he was a puppy, and it took a long time for her to remember the boundaries (messing w/ him when he eats, taking treats/toys away, etc.). And she did get bitten by him. Luckily he's beyond that.....I can't remember the last time he did that and she's a lot better with knowing what not to do.
- He has been great for my husband, who has allergies to certain dog breeds and cats. Doesn't shed much at all. Has been very healthy except for some allergies that HE has (ironically!).....he is also prone to ear infections because of the structure of his ear and we have to get his ear hair plucked.
- You do have to get them groomed every few months. For us it's about $50 a pop. I have done it myself at home, but it never looks as good as when the professionals do it!

Best of luck in your decision!

 

[calypso726]

I bred and showed Champion Golden Retrievers for years and have many friends in other breeds including the toy breeds. My strongest recommendation is to go to a reputable breeder. Someone who shows their dogs, belongs to the breed's national club, has signed a code of ethics and only breeds healthy (with proof and documentation) dogs, with correct temperaments. A good breeder is your support system for the life of the dog on all topics, training, health, nutrition etc. 24/7.

If you wish to rescue, I would recommend going to a rescue group that specializes in the breed you want. Pug rescue or Shih-Tzu rescue. Expect to go through an stringent interview process, home visit etc. I never placed puppies into homes with children under 5. Toy breeders I know won't place puppies with children under 8. My interview process was very stingent, including, home visits, meeting ALL members of the family and observing them with my dogs.

Keep in mind it is extremely rare that you would find a dog/pup bred by a reputable breeder in a rescue group or shelter. Reputable breeders have contracts (mine was 5 pages) that include a take back clause. Any puppy/dog of my breeding was not to go to a shelter under any circumstances. Those were MY "grandpuppies" They all have a home with "grandma" should the need arise no questions asked. The dogs/pups that wind up in shelters usually were bred by a back yard breeder or came from a pet shop/puppy mill. There is more likelihood that they would have health or temperament problems than the dog/puppy from a reputable breeder who would have generations worth of careful genetic health screening and temperment considerations in the bloodline.

As a breeder I would not sell two puppies to the same family at the same time. It is way to difficult to train two at once. You will be constantly sending mixed signals. Example: One puppy is playing nicely with a toy the other is nearby chewing on an electrical cord. You verbally reprimand the one with the cord in a manner to startle and distract that one from what he's doing as you approach to correct the situation. While the intention was to correct the cord chewer's behavior, you have actually also just reprimanded the other one for doing the right thing.

Crate training is the way to go for your puppy's safety and your sanity. Do NOT consult a vet regarding food. They are doctors/surgeons that treat many species of animals and have broad general knowledge on disease. They are NOT trained properly in nutrition. They do not have in depth knowledge on any one breed, unless they also hapen to show and breed, like my vet does and a few other vets I know. I would feed saw dust before I fed Science Diet and most vets recommend it all the time. The foods several PP's have recommended are fantastic foods. Again, each breed is different and their nutritional needs are where I would defer to the reputable breeder.

Lastly, they are expensive. The cost of a puppy from a reputable breeder while pretty steep is nothing compared to the cost of care over their life. So even if you rescued a dog for a nominal fee, you are still looking at a lot of money down the line. Beyond routine care and food you need to be prepared for the unexpected. Unexpected vet visits can run into the thousands.

Hope this helps.

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

Hi, all the advice so far is great, I just wanted to add my 2 cents about dog food. I unfortunately had a chihuahua that died during the bad dog food incident in 2006 that killed a bunch of dogs with liver failure, so I reserach dog foods THOROUGHLY now. And I highly recommend using dogfoodanalysis.com and never feed anything under their 4 or 5 star rating, some of those brands distribute coupons even and make it not that much more than lower brands.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We got a Shih-poo(Sheetzhu/poodle mix) this past August and he has been great! He was 3 months old when we got him. We did crate train him and we also trained him to ring bells that hang from our doorknob for him to go out. Before that he was having accidents, now he just rings the bells and if we don't come right away he rings them louder! I didn't pay $15 to buy one I just made my own from yarn and bells from the craft store. I have to say I didn't think he'd "get it" but within 2 weeks he was ringing those bells.
I am allergic to dogs and his fur is great...he doesn't shed because he is part poodle. When I brush him I get about 4 hairs off him...simply amazing! We do get him groomed about every 8-10 weeks to keep his fur from getting too long and matted.

My dd picked him out for her 9th birthday. I also have 2 kids ages 12 and 4 and I babysit a 1 y.o. and he gets along with all of them. We also have cats and one of them is his best friend.

Also my friend has 2 pugs and they shed like crazy, so just prepare yourself ofr that if you get a pug. She has laminate floors and has to sweep them every day due to their short fine hair getting everywhere.

 

[adventure_woman]

Well - I have now been convinced that I am totally crazy to think about getting 2 puppies at once - so we'll just stick to 1 at a time for now!! So, it will probably be a pug or a mixed pug. One of our cats has hair all over the house already (we find little hairs everywhere!), so hopefully the hair won't be too much of a surprise.

Thank you all for the food advice. I am definitely going to look up those brands listed above.

I really appreciate reading everyone's thoughts and their experiences.

 

[Lewisc]

This is the budget board.

Stores like PETCO frequently offer low cost shots. Some communities the local shelter offers free rabies shots a few times a year.

Some shelters have vets and will spay or neuter pets for a lower cost then a private vet, even if you didn't get the dog from that shelter.

COSTCO has dog food which is lower cost and higher rated then many of the name brands.

 

[momto2inKC]

Well - I have now been convinced that I am totally crazy to think about getting 2 puppies at once - so we'll just stick to 1 at a time for now!! So, it will probably be a pug or a mixed pug. One of our cats has hair all over the house already (we find little hairs everywhere!), so hopefully the hair won't be too much of a surprise.

Thank you all for the food advice. I am definitely going to look up those brands listed above.

I really appreciate reading everyone's thoughts and their experiences.

I think you made a really good decision in just getting 1

 

[happypaws]

Sounds like you have received a lot of good advice. I just have a couple more tips/ budget ideas.

If you are looking for a lower cost option for spaying/neutering, the friends of animals is an organization that sells low cost certificates you can redeem at certain veterinary clinics for this procedure. Spaying and Neutering is good for every pet, unless you really plan to seriously breed your animal (which is a serious time commitment/cost in itself).

I also think it is ok to shop around for a good vet clinic if you don't already have one you like (which it sounds like you do since you have two cats). Higher prices doesn't necessarily mean the care is that much different, however in some cases it does. Its about knowing what questions to ask your vet to determine what to look for. Spay/Neuter is a good example of what questions to ask, like how are the animals managed post op? Most clinics will give analgesics post op (yes, if you just had your uterus removed I think you might want to have some pain medications too) while other clinics still live by the outdated mantra that pain is good for healing, in an effort to cut costs. Animal health care is just like people health care, you should know up front exactly what you are getting for your money, and even more so since it is all coming from your pocket in this case. Shots and medications are standard and there really shouldn't be too much difference in price.

In terms of food, I love Innova Evo, we use it for our dog and ferrets. We used to use it for our cat, however, he has irritable bowel (yes animals can get this too), so the only food we are left with is science diet prescription GI diet unfortunately. His coat is not as lovely (he is a big fluffy white thing), but at least he isn't having diarrhea all the time. And that is the most important thing with food, you want to make sure your pet is nourished well. Dogs are omnivores and tend to not get urinary crystal problems, so dry or wet food really doesn't matter as much (Male cats get crystals all the time so wet food with high protein is preferable). Therefore, if budget is really a concern in terms of food (Innova Evo and similar brands can be expensive) it is ok to get a slightly cheaper yet reputable food brand. We often buy our pet food online, because it is way cheaper than at pet stores, even with shipping.

Good luck with your new puppy! They are an exciting challenged, but most of all a wonderful companion to your whole family.

 

[bedogged]

COSTCO has dog food which is lower cost and higher rated then many of the name brands.

I have switched over to the Costco lamb and rice recently and the Yorkie herd and I are liking it very well. One thing with tiny dogs, you know quickly if the food is poor.

One thing I would like people to remember is that dog ownership is expensive, particularly medical care. Before getting a dog, please think long and hard about what you would do if your pet should develop a serious illness or require surgery? You can purchase pet insurance, but that is an expense that needs to be budgeted.

FYI statistically cat ownership is less expensive as cats generally require less medical care throughout their lives. So if money is a big issue or if no one is home during the day, a cat may be a better choice as a pet.

 

[Happiest mommy]

you got good advice here I adopted a chihuahua pup last year she is now 10 mos boy I had forgotten how they like to chew lol! I crate trained for the 1st time and I think it was the best thing we did she is not in the crate anymore she goes outside and on wee pads great dog with the girls. One thing I did do was not carry her all the time so she is not a yappy nervouse dog and she LOVES the girls at first I fed her blue but she did not do well so her vet recommnded Wellness so far so good and one of the first things I did was get pet med insurance because I am still paying off my last dog pet vet bill alot of money $4000(miss her so) she gets all her shots at Banfield located inside Petsmart LOVE our Vet he is awsome!!


P.S my sisters dog also died from the tainted dog food it was a HUGE loss for her.

 

[momto2inKC]

her vet recommnded Wellness so far so good

My vet also recommends Wellness and Taste of the Wild

 

[adventure_woman]

We often buy our pet food online, because it is way cheaper than at pet stores, even with shipping.

Is there a site that you prefer to buy online? (this is of course after I make sure that puppy likes the food I pick!)

 

[Friendly Frog]

As the owner of two small fur babies I agree with one at a time.

This is some of what I can think of as a basic suggestion to a new puppy owner. Also, dog forums can be good sources of information just like the Dis.


Estimate everything you can think of towards the cost of owning a dog and multiply by 4 to get closer to the actual cost.

Collars can be dangerous. I came Very close to loosing my puppy because of one and it happened while I was at home. I thought keeping a collar and tag on at all time was what you were suppose to do. My dogs will never have a collar on again. ( but are micro chipped)

Crate training- YES! -I use potty pads, but if you use the yard, I suggest making a small 3 sided fence using baby gate or whatever and train them to one area as their place to go. Easier to clean the yard!

Spay-Do not wait till she comes in heat. This will reduce the chance of breast cancer. Be sure your dog gets pain meds for home after the spay. She will be in pain and some discount spay places do not include this in the bill and suggest that is not needed. (BS.) Also remember that discount spay may mean no pre surgery blood work. This is also a good time to get the dog microchipped! Also see if any baby teeth need to be removed at this time depending on the age of your puppy and how well the teeth came in.

Training-Food rewards for potty training and cage training worked wonders for me. (ShihTzus are food motivated!) I also used a dog door, *BUT* I had a screened in patio area the puppy went out on. I would not want a puppy going in and out a dog door unsupervised.
NEVER ever punish your dog for an accident in the house. You will do more harm that good. Tell him "no" only if you actually catch him while he is still going, even then a non scary "no" as a correction and then take him out and PRASE when he goes there. ( and maybe a treat, I just used a regular food bite as the treat. )

Read up so that you know long is reasonable to leave your puppy in it's cage based on its age.

Lots of good books out there on training and be sure to also check out some "how to talk dog" style books. Personal opinion-I am not a fan of Cesar style training.

It is helpful to know the development stages of a puppy. http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/DevelopmentalStages.html
(It can be tough decision between socialization vs exposing your puppy to illness.)

Is your yard and house dog safe?
Do you know the poisonous plants? What people food are not safe for your dog such as grapes onions and some artificial sweeteners? and others)

Children-Do young children know not to feed the dog unsupervised? Are they old enough to keep small items/toys away from the puppy to avoid choking/poisoning hazards? How to safely pick up the dog...or to NOT pick up the dog? Not to put weight on its back? Not to hug too tightly?

Food- in...and out-

How often to feed your puppy based on age and breed? How long to feed puppy food vs. dog food?

Do you know not to change foods quickly? That change to diet has to be done gradually or you dog can become ill?

How long after feeding do it normally take before your puppy has to go/ how often to take you puppy out?

Do you know what healthy poop looks like? When to be concerned?


dogfoodadvisor and dogfood analysis are good resources, but check to be sure the information is current. Companies change owners and food formulas change. I know a couple of the 4-5 star foods that I personally would no longer feed. Some dogs actually do better on a lesser star rating food but taste should not be your main guide. ( Junk food can taste better.) My dog tired about 6 major top rated brands before we found what worked for her sensitive tummy. ( We found out that she does best on a buffalo diet!)

Finally...

The number crunchers said that pet insurance was not a good value, but that is the number one thing that I wish I would have purchased. My poor little Shih-tzu has has cost me a small fortune in unexpected medical costs and she is only 4.


Good luck!