My family had talked about getting a Staffybull for 5 years, and we had been on the wait list for 3 years. Then the time finally came...
When I got to pick my puppy, I had 3 choices...
I went with this dog, as she was the goofiest looking of the bunch
A few weeks later I drove down to Oregon to pick her up.
Looking back at this picture, I should have known she would be trouble,
but how was I to know, she was just so sweet.
So now this little puppy is mine...what do I do with her.
It was a 3 hour drive south to get her, so I had organized my life; passport, US dollars, directions and road snacks.
Right away I knew that I loved her but quickly I realized that I wasn't really prepared for a puppy.
She was shivering the whole car ride, I should have brought a blanket...
Maybe she is hungry? Shit, I don't have any food, AND I don't know what to feed her.
Luckily we found a Petsmart and I went and bought up the store.
Thankfully I learned quick...but there is a lot of stuff to consider when getting a pup.
So I thought I would take a moment for all the new puppy owners to have a point of reference, to either help you be prepared, or to have a list to compare to!
Food:
I will be sending home a list of the foods your puppies have tried and other types of food for you to include in their diet. Check out the 'Natural Diet' link on the right hand side ------------->
Also Simply Natural is a great raw food store, they are very knowledgeable and helpful (and it is where puppy kindergarten is held)
You will also want to make sure you have supplements like probiotic, bone meal, salmon oil, mineral powder.
Oh and meaty bones, have a freezer full. It will help with the teething process!!!!!!!!
Vet/Vaccinations:
Your pup will have had their worm meds, first round of shots, and also be microchipped (I hate the microchips, but it is a necessity to be CKC registered). We take the pups to Vancouver Animal Wellness Center (http://www.vancouveranimalwellness.com) where they are cared for my Dr. Kramer. She just might love your puppy as much as you do. She saw Clover thru both pregnancies, and she saw your pup on day one of life.
here is some info on her in case you are interested.
Feel free to find another vet, but make sure you have one in mind, cause your pups will need booster shots around 12 weeks (I think... ask your vet).
Training:
We will do clicker training with your pups. Check out the 'Training" ink on the right hand side-->
It will be the basics, to get them primed for you! We will work eye contact, submission, and house breaking. This is the beginning of Puppy Kindergarten. We start with them at 5 weeks, but you will want to continue and advance. The extra effort you put in with your dog in the first 6 months will last a life time. And these are tenacious dogs, they need strong handlers!
We have used, and like to recommend Shannon at Zen Dogs. She worked with us to train Clover and Frisco, as well as 3 puppies from the last litter...
PUPPY KINDERGARTEN
Check her out http://www.zendogtraining.com/index.htmlOffered in Kerrisdale. Designed for puppies 10 to 18 weeks, our Zen Puppy K classes are a great way to get you and your pup off on the right paw! Based on Dr. Ian Dunbar's methods, our action-packed classes will help you put an obedience foundation on your puppy, plus teach him or her proper social skills and play etiquette. Contests and games, tricks and a puppy agility course round out this interactive class. Each lesson is supplemented with handouts and homework sheets for the week and comes with training supplies for your dog.Our next set of classes is February 23rd. Contact Shannon at 604.812.8802 or k9@zendogtraining.com for more details or call Simply Natural at 604.266.1125 to register.**Because this class has become so popular, please phone early to book your spot for the next session.
Socializing but NO PARK:
Your puppy needs to meet 1500 people before it is 6 months old...or so they say! They also need to meet other dogs. But they cannot go to places where there are other dogs because they are not fully immune to parvo and distemper (it is found in dog faces especially in dog parks). So how do you do this? UMMMMM, I don't really know, you just figure it out. Granville Island doesn't have many dogs. Maybe you have friends with dogs (that have their shots). Puppy Kindergarten is good for this too!
Toys:
Have lots of em! Have kongs, kongs with peanut butter, treats, meaty bones, bully sticks, hard rubber, soft rubber, balls, squeeky toys, plush toys.
I order boxes full from www.dog.com it is a little cheaper, especially bully sticks! (Best if you can order it to a USA address. Check out The Letter Carrier in Point Roberts)
Accessories:
Including but not limited to...
Leash, collar (probably have to start with a choke collar, but also get a cool one!) kennel, dog bed, dog blanket, clicker, rain jacket, poop bags, food bowls (metal over ceramic, as ceramic can hold bacteria), puppy pee pads, nail trimmers...the list goes on. Take a walk around the dog store and see what they offer.
Don't forget to register your dog with the city
Whoa, that is a lot of information...and there is still so much more to know. It seems intimidating, but I promise you, once you bring your new puppy home, you just figure it out. Any other info you need, you can ask me, or look it up online. There are also alot of great books out there. I will post info on literature for anyone that wants to brush up and be better prepared!
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