Here’s a post that’s a slight interruption of my service dog training plans…puppy fever is puppy fever, ya know? There’s so much to decide before getting a new puppy, things to plan for and prepare for, that often get lost in the tides of puppy fever. But a wise owner will have thought about alot of things before the fat furball is in their lap!
Things like which food would be best, choosing between rawhides or nylabones, what size and cost of bed to get, types of toys, will the pup be allowed on the bed but not the couches…With a dog breed that can top 200 pounds it is essential to be consistant about what is allowed and what isn’t. A Great Dane can grow like weeds!
I had myself an outing to Petsmart. Puppies need more than obedience training; bones, beds, toys, food…
I found 2 foods I like (Blue Buffalo’s Wilderness Small Breed, and Wilderness Salmon) which have safe mineral ratios for a giant breed dog.
He also got an orthopedic bed that isn’t in the picture there. There’s a nylabone puppy chew, and a couple of bully sticks, since all pups have to chew.
Better a bully than the dining room chairs!
There’s a package of puppy bath wipes too, since I expect the little love will have to piddle or even poo in his shipping crate before he gets to the airport for me to pick up. (He’s coming from Hungary). A kong to stuff with peanut butter and freeze is always a great way to keep the fidgets at bay! And what little boy would be happy without BALLS to chase?
So I got most all of the dog loot. Still need a tracking harness and a backpack but that has to wait until I can take him to fit it. He’ll want a jolly ball or two, and maybe a few other odds and ends. But mostly, all that’s left is heavy duty cleaning of the house and carpets.
With all the posts about his specialized training, you might think I’ve forgotten the basics, like potty training and hygiene. Nope, me no forgot that, even if I’ve forgotten how to spell hygeine, hygiene, whatever. A boy needs baths, brushing, and nail clipping. Toothie brushing too.
The petsmart daycare is great but they require neutering, so that’s out. I’ve had people tell me I must neuter right away because adolescence will ruin his behavior and make him unsuitable to SD train…never, ever, once, a single time had a boy go that rangey and crazy before neutering. Teenage boys can be a pain, but they can be handled. Show dogs are intact.
Maybe it will happen with this boy; it’s always possible, so I’ll leave the option open if his teenage stage is horrible. I really don’t want to alter his normal bone growth by neutering early. Even dogs that are de-sexed go through adolescence. It’s a fact of puppy raising. So I’ll have to disallow the leg hike and other male behaviors. Done that before.
I still have to check out a couple more doggie day cares. I know one allows un-neutered dogs up to 6 mo old, which is fine. The day care purpose for me is for socializing a puppy. The neighborhood dogs aren’t the best behaved, and we get strays too. I don’t want him frightened as a little tots, which can become a problem later in public.
One of these is my Levi, at 3 wks old. I believe Levi is what I’ll call him. And I messed with the pic a bit, just because I think he’s worthy of being art…grin.
I’ve ordered an embroidered collar and leash set. Also a digital recorder to take places and record every kind of sound I can think of.
That will be part of the passive noise tolerance: we tug and chew and rest and do stuff while the grocery sounds and screaming kids play in the background.
The noise part will be the hardest for me: loud radios, the volume Mom listens to the TV, the recorded noise all can cause migraines, balance issues, and anxiety for me. But I can’t avoid it all and risk making him noise phobic when we go out in public.
I’m back to researching vaccines again, and tick controls. Found a non-toxic yard spray to think about, and also have to decide between Advantix or natural treatments. Our trainer, (my trainer is more accurate), knows she’ll see us in 5 weeks or so for puppy kindergarden, and fun outings together.
I’m just about ready to meet my sweet…
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Boxes are almost as much fun as balls,(if ya stretch properly anyway, he he) and this one was even more fun since it was closed. Nothing to get ahold of to rip it apart.
This is how the majority of Kenai’s “action pics” go, showcasing my lack of skill. My spotless cheetah can run faster than the camera can work!
The see me see you ambush puppy here just waiting for a foot stomp from me to pillage his way around the kennel so I can try to grab his tushie.
