Smart shopping for a puppy

There are so many things a puppy needs, and so many products available, it can be a bit overwhelming trying figure out what to buy. So I wrote down some key points for the items below, along with a picture of what I purchased.

Crate: Choose a crate with an adjustable divider. Reason being, dogs don’t want to mess where they sleep. When crate training, you want to provide only enough room for the puppy to stand and turn around. It is more cost effective to buy the adult size crate instead of a smaller crate for house-breaking and upgrading later.  [Petsmart: $120]

Puppy’s first collar: I went with a simple double-layer nylon collar instead of a harness because I want to start walking my Doberman properly from the beginning. A harness promotes pulling on the leash because the weight of the handler is coming from the dog’s shoulders instead of from the dog’s neck. It gives the handler less control of the dog.  [Petsmart: $10]

Leash: The best advice I read was to start with a short training leash, 4 to 6 feet tops. I went with a double-layer 4 foot nylon leash that matches the puppy collar. The goal is to teach the dog to walk beside you in a relaxed manner. Long extentable leashes make it easy for the dog to run ahead of you, which is behaviour we want to eliminate from daily walks. The leash I picked also has a padded grip for added comfort. I expect the puppy to pull on the leash for a while before he learns to walk on a slack lead.  [Petsmart: $15]

Food/water bowls: Opt for stainless steel as ceramic and plastic are porous, which overtime become difficult to clean and experience more wear than stainless steel. I chose a 2-in-1 bowl with a stainless steel insert. This way, when it is not meal-time, the outer bowl can be left out with some water. When it is meal-time, the water will be removed and the food bowl goes in its place. This prevents the dog from drinking too much water after eating. Dobermans and other large breeds are prone to a fatal condition called bloat. One of the causes is excessive drinking immediately after eating, causing the stomach to expand rapidly. By having this 2-in-1 bowl, the dog won’t have water with his meal, until you remove the food bowl and fill the outer bowl with water again. This can be done 15-30 minutes after the meal, giving the dog time to digest properly.  [PJ's Pets: $30]

Toothbrush and toothpaste: Dental bones and chew toys will not get rid of your dog’s bad breath. Buy a dog toothbrush and clean your dog’s mouth at least once a week. Make sure you buy the dog toothpaste as well. Human toothpaste has fluoride which is toxic to dogs since they don’t know how to rinse and spit it out. Dog toothpaste comes in delicious chicken flavour so they will learn to enjoy having their teeth brushed.  [Petsmart: $15]

Potty Training Spray: I decided to purchase a potty training spray as well. This is for indicating where you would like the puppy to go on a daily basis. For example, if you are an avid gardener and you don’t want your dog watering your plants, this spray will train your dog to always go in the same location you picked for him/her.  [Petsmart: $8]

Pet Stain & Odour Remover: Last but not least, don’t forget to buy this important cleaning item! It is inevitable that your puppy will have an accident in the house. Clean it up as thoroughly as you can so that the puppy does not smell the spot later and think “that’s where I’m supposed to go potty!”  [Petsmart: $12]

Some bad news, some good news

The bad news: The litter I was waiting for had some complications. Only one puppy was born, and it was a red male. When this happens, the mother usually has difficulty giving birth because it’s hard to push out just one pup. She needed a c-section, but good news is that both mother and pup are well.

The good news: A litter of all black puppies is due September 8th. This litter has the same pedigree as the first, except in reverse. The sire of this litter is the brother of the dam in the first litter. And the dam of this litter is the sister of the sire in the first litter.

Now it’s time to cross my fingers again and wait patiently for Dobie to be born. The upside to all of this is now I have more time to prepare for Dobie’s arrival and develop a plan for puppy Schutzhund training.

These are puppy pictures of (hopefully) Dobie’s parents! If Dobie is even half has handsome as these two I would be extremely happy with him.

Sire: Garshangan's Union Jack AKA Jackson (Ch. Wrath's Soldier of Fortune x Ch. Garshangan's Legendary Dyna)

Dam: Garshangan's Take A Chance On Me AKA Abba
(Ch. Dobereich's One Of A Kind x Ch.Garshangan's Legendary Dyna)

Pictures courtesy of Garshangan Kennels

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!