BCDreamer Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 So, I'm looking into getting a puppy the summer of 2010, and I'm trying to figure out how much I need to buy. Right now, I'm thinking: - Crate (for when she's grown, since she'll come in a smaller crate, I assume) - Toys (kongs, iQCubes, etc.) for crate training - Collar and Leash for the puppy stages (after she's a little older, I'll probably just use an all in one leash) - Blankets for her crate (little cheap lap blankets, for when we first start crate training, incase she has an accident, I can take it out and wash it, but have other little ones to put in her crate while the other is washing) - Money in the bank for emergency vet visits. (Basically going to be putting away as much as I can here and there when ever I can from now until the puppy's here, and even after she's here). Anything else? I haven't really done the puppy thing on my own before, usually mom gets what we needed (really, though, I've only had one puppy, and that was 4 years ago), and I didn't really pay much attention... Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 sorry. don't know how I posted the OP...I have removed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 sheep? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Nature's Miracle. Lots of it. I'd wait until closer to the time when the puppy comes to get that, but I'd put it on the list!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCDreamer Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Oooops, forgot to mention, the sheep are already here! They've had sheep on this farm since LONG before I was born! Root Beer, good idea, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTrain Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Two of everything they can be chewed, ripped, torn etc., cleaning supplies and a couple of good books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCDreamer Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 DTrain, any adivce as to which books? Good advice on the two of everything! I didn't even think of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SincereArtisan Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 A baby gate. Maybe two. They come in Ver-ry handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCDreamer Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Baby gates. We've got one now, but we probably could use another one.... And I could probably convince the family to buy that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTrain Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 DTrain, any adivce as to which books? Good advice on the two of everything! I didn't even think of that! The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell is a book that anyone who owns a dog of any breed should read a couple of times. After years of owning and training dogs I have only recently read it and I wish I would have done so in my teens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCDreamer Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 I'll look into it... I've done a fair bit of dogish reading, over last summer, while I was working with a trainer, because I was dealing with the bigger problem of Bella's dog aggression... Now that I've got it mostly under control, I've stopped reading the dog books, but I'll look into buying The Other End Of The Leash... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afrancis Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 I'll look into it... I've done a fair bit of dogish reading, over last summer, while I was working with a trainer, because I was dealing with the bigger problem of Bella's dog aggression... Now that I've got it mostly under control, I've stopped reading the dog books, but I'll look into buying The Other End Of The Leash... Ian Dunbar's puppy books, esp. Before and After Getting your Puppy: http://www.amazon.com/Before-After-Getting...pd_bxgy_b_img_c Ailsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthBelle Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Baby gates! Don't buy 'em brand new. I found three nice sturdier quality baby gates at Goodwill, an infants/toddlers resale shop in town and then at a higher end consignment store in the town down the road. If I remember correctly, I don't believe I paid more than $25 dollars for all of them combined. You could always check Freecycle or put a wanted ad on your local Craigslist. I didn't want to buy brand new ones as I assumed Belle would chew them up, but suprisingly she didn't show any interest in them. She was more interested in shoes and ankles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCDreamer Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Good idea, RuthBelle, I'll look around, I'm sure I could find one in some of the local second hand stores... And if not, maybe Kijiji... Or, or, or, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Things to puppy-proof the house - like cabinet-locks and those little thingies you stick into electrical outlets to keep kids (pups) from sticking their fingers (tongues) into them. I had a crate, of course. But since I was working and gone too many hours at a time (well, too many for me anyway....) - I got a scrap of linoleum from a flooring store; put a big metal x-pen on it; cut some PVC "braces" for the top - basically a cross, with slits in the ends, to hook over the x-pen. As he grew, I ended up with those little ball/bungees to hook the PVC to the x-pen. (Sometimes he'd jump up on the sides of the pen, and knock the PVC out of the slots.) Initially, my guy had a "litter box" with newspaper, and then I tried the "puppy pee pads" - but he really thought those were just to chew up! But the x-pen gave him a bit more room to move around, with blankets and water and toys and such inside. At one point, I put a crate inside the x-pen to provide a more "den-like" area - but realized that would simply be a nice step to hop out over the top from! More Kongs - so one can be freezing whilst the other is being licked/chewed on! A supply of cream cheese, peanut butter and/or braunschweiger (ugh - liverwurst) to stuff in 'em. And then get yourself another Kong or two! Have fun - they don't stay pups long enough! (or some would say....too long!) diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Go through your towels, and pick out three or four of the worst and set them aside; they will come in handy to use on the floor at an entry way on a wet or muddy day, and to dry the dog in case of rain or snow. Pick up some hair traps that you can put over the drain in the bathtub to keep fur from going into your drain system when you give the dog a bath. (As for shampoo, my favorite is EFA HyLyt.) When giving the dog a bath, do not apply the shampoo directly to the dog; mix it with water, and work it gently into the fur with a sponge. If you are going to use this technique, then a soft sponge (like the special ones they use to wash cars) might also be a good idea. Get an undercoat rake and a grooming brush to groom the dog on a regular basis. A doggie toothbrush and some doggie toohpaste would be a good idea; a dog's teeth should be brushed every so often (your vet can tell you how often). I second the lifetime supply of Nature's Miracle. A small hand-held steam cleaner would also be a good idea. Last but not least, where a puppy is involved, Valium (for you, not the dog); either that, or a plentiful supply of 18-year-old Chivas Regal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCDreamer Posted January 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 Thanks! We may already have a crate, but I don't know how much too big it'd be. Right now my German Shepherd's in it, so I don't know if it'd be too big... I had plans on getting Bella (GSD) a new crate, so maybe the pup'll get the old one. Thanks for the information! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 Last but not least, where a puppy is involved, Valium (for you, not the dog); either that, or a plentiful supply of 18-year-old Chivas Regal. You beat me to it! Also a nice supply of Band-Aids--those puppy teeth are razor sharp. And always be on the look out for dangers from their angle. I was fanatical about that, but it saved Scooter from some nasty incidents. We have those brass door stop thingies with little white rubber caps on the end. I noticed Scooter working on something one day and sure enough, he was trying to remove the rubber end. We removed all of the doorstops after that, since without the caps, it became another hazard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizmo Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 Blaze used a medium crate (I think maybe 25"?) for a while as a young pup. I had bought him a 36" crate before I got him thinking he would use that one. That crate was a piece of crap and so hard to put together. If he moved at all during the night it sounded like he had just broken the whole thing. So, I put it up and got my old one back out that I had for Lizzie, a 40" or 42". He fits comfortable in this one and can stretch out. Plus, it's super easy to clean because I can slide the bottom right out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCDreamer Posted January 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 I may just use Bella's crate, I'm sure the pup'd fit in that one, and if I don't, I'll probably save the money, and set it aside, so once the pup needs a bigger crate, I can get one... I'm getting REALLY excited about the pup. Too bad it's not for another year and a half (ish)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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