The day before puppy comes home

… is the most exciting but also the busiest day of all. You’re likely scrambling to get everything ready for the puppy. Last minute shopping runs, cleaning the house one last time and making sure hazardous items are safely put into storage. And good luck trying to fall asleep! I know I’ll be waking up multiple times to check the clock, hoping it’s time to get up and visit the breeder.

In preparation for bringing your puppy home, it’s a good idea to make a list of all the things he might need on the way. Chances are you will be so hyped up that morning to visit the breeder that you’ll forget to pack important items like his leash or your cheque book.

Things to bring to the breeder when picking up your puppy:

[   ]  puppy collar (breeder may not give you the collar currently used to identify your pup)
[   ]  puppy leash (puppy should never go outside without a leash)
[   ]  puppy sweater (November in Canada gets quite cold, better be prepared)
[   ]  towels (can be scented with his litter-mates and put into his crate at home)
[   ]  potty bags (get in the habit of bringing these everywhere)
[   ]  box of kibble for treats (to reward him for good behaviour in the car)
[   ]  water bottle (pretty self explanatory)
[   ]  notebook and pen (write down any advice from the breeder, important dates, to-do’s, etc)
[   ]  video camera (record breeder’s ear posting demo so you can refer to it later)
[   ]  cheque (or money order depending on what form of payment your breeder accepts)
[   ]  paper towels (just in case he has an accident on the way home!)

Critical Socialization Period: 10-14 weeks

There is a period of development in all puppies which determine how they perceive new experiences as an adult. This is known as the Critical Socialization Period and it usually occurs between 10 - 14 weeks of age. During this time, the idea is to expose the puppy to as many new experiences as possible so that when the dog comes across a similar experience in the future, it will be able to adapt more quickly and with ease. In a way, we are establishing the baseline in the puppy’s mind for what are considered normal activities and behaviours.

Dobie will:

• meet LOTS of people of varying age, gender and ethnicity
• be exposed to a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, dish washer, laundry machine
• hear me dropping things on the floor, plates into the sink, letting cutlery fall on the counter
• experience video game sounds and sights, television, radio
• learn car riding manners
• visit my parent’s house and yard
• go to a mall, visit pet stores
• go to cafes, patios, bubble tea take out
• go to parks and playgrounds
• experience grooming, taking baths, brushing teeth, trimming nails
• listen to different types of music
• visit the vet and get his shots

I have highlighted in orange the experiences which require extra caution and sometimes carrying the puppy to prevent him from coming in contact with other animals and their feces.

Here’s the catch, usually puppies are not fully immunized from diseases such as parvovirus and distemper until 16 weeks of age. However by then, the window for critical socialization is closed. My breeder likes to vaccinate at the early end of the accepted schedule in order for proper socialization to occur. Dobie will get his first set of shots at 7 weeks, the second set at 11 weeks and the 3rd set at 14 weeks instead of 16. Between the second and third vaccines, we need to be very careful where we take Dobie, but he will still be able to venture outside and his risk of infection is greatly reduced after receiving 2 vaccines. He still won’t be allowed to visit high dog-traffic areas such as pet stores or the vet office though. It is advised to pick up and carry your puppy when visiting these places. They still gain socialization from being in a new environment, without the unnecessary risk of contamination.

Puppy proofing the house

The count-down to Dobie's arrival has finally begun.  In the next few weeks, I'll be spending a lot of time reorganizing and cleaning my home.  Puppy-proofing is very similar to baby-proofing. We want to keep dangerous items and our valuables out of reach of the puppy.  Here is my to-do list:

• Put cleaning chemicals in a closet with a door the puppy can’t open.  Safety first. 
• Put away decorations that can be knocked over and broken, such as vases. 
• Roll up and put away your rugs until puppy is house broken.  No point getting mad at the puppy when he has an accident on it.  It was our fault for leaving the rug there. 
• Put all small items away, even if it is on the coffee table.  Remove anything that the puppy can possibly swallow or choke on. 
• Remove any material that the puppy could become tangled in when playing.  Such as nets, string, power cords, or the cables to your gaming console, etc.  Loose cables should be tidied in a cable organizer or wrap. 
• Close the door to all washrooms when the puppy is unsupervised.  We want to avoid the bad habit of drinking out of the toilet.  Yuck! 
• Put away all people food in cupboards.  Don’t leave anything you don’t want the puppy to eat on the counter or kitchen table.  They will find their way to it and there are foods which are toxic to dogs.  I’ll upload a list of toxic foods in another post. 
• Put away your valuables.  The puppy hasn’t learned that these are not chew toys yet. 
• Give the puppy a safe area to play in, fence off the dangerous areas such as the kitchen.  Fill this play area with his toys to help him learn which toys are his and which items belong to you. 
• In addition to cleaning the house, make sure the backyard is puppy proof as well.  Some examples are getting a garbage can with a lid that locks, making sure the lawn is clean of debris that the puppy could potentially ingest and making sure that dangerous weeds have been removed.

Household rules for humans

Have you ever seen those people whose dog runs wild, jumping on all the guests, barking non-stop, and the owners don’t bother correcting the dog anymore because they are so fed up with its behaviour? It’s not a pretty sight, and guess who is to blame! Not the dog, it is always the owner’s fault for the dog’s poor behaviour. When bringing a puppy into a home, there must be basic rules that everyone in the house follows. Even all guests to the home MUST follow the rules because dogs learn through repetition. It is crucial that consistency is maintained in the puppy stages.

Here are the 10 rules I have set for my household. Some are for the puppy's safety and some are for the puppy's training. Most of these rules are just common sense. To make sure these rules are followed, I will print and frame this list to ensure all guests to my home understand how to act around my puppy. Since I am training for a perfectly behaved Schutzhund dog, I cannot allow the reinforcement of unwanted behaviour when my attention is diverted. I already know ahead of time that I will receive negative feedback about these rules. I'll be told that I’m being unreasonable or insensitive to my guests. But to be perfectly honest, it doesn't matter to me how guests feel about the rules.
Don’t be afraid to establish household rules and reinforce them.  Serious dog owners put their dog’s well-being first!

10 Household People Rules

1. Do not feed Dobie anything other than his kibble (NO TREATS, NO PEOPLE FOOD)
2. Do not leave any food out, eat it or put it away, drinks included, except water
3. Close all doors when leaving a room unsupervised (washrooms, bedrooms, office)
4. Do not leave cleaning supplies/chemicals out, put away in closets
5. Do not use chemicals near Dobie, put Dobie in crate before cleaning
6. Do not pet Dobie if you have not washed your hands
7. Ignore Dobie if he jumps up on you, say “NO” and turn away
8. Do not let Dobie on any sofa or bed, say “NO” and push him off
9. Do not let Dobie scratch his ears, say “NO”, hold his foot, give him a chew toy
10. Do not let Dobie chew on anything other than his toys, say “NO”, give him a chew toy

Finding The Right Breeder

Once you have determined your favourite breed of dog, it’s time to do more research. This is the fun part, but also the most important part.  As hard as this is to believe, choosing the right breeder is actually more important than choosing the right puppy.

In the case of Dobermans, this breed has a predisposition to many genetic defects such as Von Willebrand’s disease, hip dysplasia, cervical vertebral instability (wobbler syndrome), as well as heart defects and skin problems.  The good news is, if the parents are tested clear of these defects, you can be sure your puppy will also be in the clear.  It is also observed that some aspects of temperament are passed along as well.  If the parents have a problem with aggression, the puppies will also display aggressive behaviours that may not be acceptable to you, so make sure you find a reputable breeder who will answer your questions honestly.

The first thing I noticed when I was searching for Dobie’s breeder is that good breeders have as many questions to ask me as I have to ask them.  Don’t be offended if the breeder wants to “interview” you. This is a very good thing. It means they are a responsible breeder who wants to ensure their puppies go to good homes. I wanted a local breeder that I could always contact if any problems came up. Of all the breeders in southern Ontario, I chose Garshangan Kennels:
http://www.garshangan.ca/

Frank and Sheilah are wonderful people who breed their dogs with health, temperament and longevity in mind. Breeding is a hobby for them, they are not breeding for profit, so they only have 1 or 2 litters available each year. Good breeders always have waiting lists for puppies because they don't over-breed their dogs. Infact, I’m on Garshangan’s waiting list at this time.

Here are some of the questions I asked when I was choosing a breeder:
1. What type of health testing is done on your dogs?  Can you provide documentation certifying the health of the parents?
2. How old did the dogs in your bloodlines live to be?
3. How are the puppies socialized while in your care?
4. Will I have continued support throughout the puppy’s lifetime should any problems arise?
5. Do you have a contract guaranteeing the health of the puppy and whether it must be spayed/neutered in the future?

How much does a dog really cost?

Welcome to my dog blog!

Hi, my name is Karen and welcome to my Doberman Pinscher blog! I’ll try to keep all my posts as informative and concise as possible. This blog is dedicated to documenting everything about my Doberman right from the start. Beginning with choosing a breeder, to puppy training, to (hopefully) Schutzhund practice in the future. I have always wanted a dog, specifically a Doberman. But the first question I asked myself was...

Do I have the means to be a responsible dog owner?

Before deciding to bring home a puppy, I needed to evaluate myself on whether I could dedicate the time and resources required to properly raising a dog. The idea of getting a puppy is so exciting, it causes many people to jump at the chance of having a dog without any sort of preparation. This happens way too often, and that’s why we see so many dogs brought to the shelter because their owners simply “could not care for the dog anymore”. Dogs are lifetime pets. As a potential dog owner, I need to ensure that I can take care of my dog for the 10 years or more of its life.

I urge everyone considering adding a puppy to their lives to objectively review your cash-flow and create a “dog-schedule”. Here is a sample break down of how much it costs, money-wise and time-wise to own a dog.

Puppy purchase price = $1500
One-time dog supplies = $390
$130 - Crate with divider
$100 - Dog bed
$35 - Grooming brushes, nail clipper
$50 - Food/water bowls/diner
$10 - Puppy collar
$15 - 4’ training leash
$20 - Chew toys
$10 - Stain and odour remover
$20 - Kibble bin and measuring scoop

Dog consumables cost per month = $110/month
$50 - Dry Food
$5 - Training Treats
$5 - Puppy shampoo/conditioner/grooming
$10 - Replacing Chew Toys/Accessories/Clothes
$40 - Pet insurance

Time commitment = 3 hours per day
- 2 walks per day (1 in morning, 1 after dinner)
- at least 1 hour every night devoted to training
- at least 1 hour a week for grooming
- take 1 week off work for puppy’s first week at home

It costs $3210 the first year and $1320 every year after that for the rest of the dog’s life!
Owning a dog requires 3 hours/day of your time, everyday for the next 10 years or more!

I guess this means I want a dog pretty badly, because after taking all this into consideration, I still really want a Doberman. So stay posted for tips on selecting a breeder!