What kind of dog(s) do you have?

D

dhcsim

Cathlete
I know that this is OT, but I need help. We have had our house for 10 months and my husband promised the kids a dog when we got a house. Today he came home and asked me to pick something up at the mall because he didn't want to go back. He said they had it on hold. Me and my older son Caleb went to the mall and he took me right to the pet store. Low and behold I was picking up a pure bred male Siberian Husky that will be 4 months old on the ninth. He is mostly black w/ white and grey. He came from a breeder in Missouri, cost $800 plus tax and is the cutest thing you have ever seen. I have some ?'s:

1. The pet store told me that they have had him for 6 weeks and have always fed him "their" brand of dog food which is Earthblend. Should I keep him on this because he is still a puppy, or can I slowly wheen (sp?) him to another dog food?

2. I bought a : harness (instead of collar), retractable leash, food/water bowl, rope toy, poop bags, food and shedding blade (brush that looks like loop). Am I missing something besides the shampoo?

3. How often do you bathe them? Brush their teeth? Brush their hair?

4. Is there a good dog book?

In case you haven't noticed, we have never had a dog. I want to make sure I do everything right. My daughter Sarah is in 7th heaven. I will post a picture of him tomorrow. They couldn't decide on a name so I had them each write 5 names down. We played eenie-meenie-mynee-moe to pick the name. His name is Max. Sorry for the long post , but ANY advice would be really helpful. :)
 
We have a Sheltie for a pet and we breed basset hounds. I would say that you should read up on that type of dog becasue all breeds are different. You can wean him onto a different kind of food slowly but make sure it is still puppy food. (Do this by slowley mixing your new food into the old food.) He will need puppy food for a year. Finding a good vet is very important. Some vets like to make money and don't really care too much about you or your dog. I would suggest private places not the chain ones. Hope some of this helps
Sarah

oh and the best bet for a book is going to your library and checking out all you can find and breezing through them until you find one that looks like it fits your needs. If you find one then go out and buy it so you have it on hand.
 
Thanks for your advice. I have to go the library and return movies that are due tomorrow anyways. They also told me to feed him twice a day from 1 1/2 to 2 cups. If he doesn't finish it, then cut back by 1/2 c. at the next feeding. Does that sound right?
 
That's great! Can't wait to see a picture of your puppy. And Max is a great name.

There is a lot of good information online. You can look up breed specific info at places like:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/abc.htm

Clubs are great places for info to. Sometimes the forums are helpful (imagine! lol)
An example of a club you might want to check out:
http://www.shca.org/index.shtml

There are also good websites on dog behaviour. It wasn't long after I got a new puppy that I was seeking help in this area. Google dog behaviour when you need it. Do you have a plan for housebreaking? If he's going to be inside you will need one. ;-)

We have a german wirehair pointer and she's the best dog in the world. Ok, I'm biased. I needed lots of breed specific info on what to expect for temperment and personality, how to maintain the coat, etc. and found lots of good stuff online. Good luck. You will love your new puppy!
 
ducky,

I will definitely be looking at those sites. My husband told me this morning that he wants to do the whole obedience training course. The whole night Max stayed in the corner of the yard. He will get lots of attention. Especially from my daughter. He will mostly be an outside dog. I don't mind him coming in the house, but I know that as soon as he goes out I will be right behind him cleaning up all the shed hair. :) When I was little my dad used to duck hunt and we had 2 pure bred English Springer Spaniels. I haven't had a dog since. About the house breaking.......I have a baby gate to put at the end of the stairs. If he chews up the furniture, that's okay, I'll just get my sectional earlier:) . He seems to only go for the shoes right now. I was told to discipline him in a quiet but stern voice. I had him in the house last night for about an hour and all he did was sniff around and play. Any tips will be appreciated on housebreaking though:) Plus I have a 40 year old oak kitchen table and chairs that I don't want him chewing on.:eek:

BTW- I tried clicking on your pet album and it said that it was password protected.
 
Welcome to the world of dog people, Heather! Puppies are a lot of work but even more fun. You've gotten good advice here, and I'd like to add some that might be helpful. :)
The upfront expense of adding a dog to your life is pricey, but it's a long term investment. I'd definitely encourage you to buy a crate for your puppy to stay in at night and when you aren't home. Buy one that will be big enough for Max when he's full grown and you'll never need another. Most books about dog/puppy care will have lots of info. on crate training. As soon as you let Max out of the crate, put him on the leash and take him outiside. Have some sort of treat in your pocket and give it to him immediately when he pees or poops, along w/ lots of praise ("Good boy, Max!" etc.) It won't take him long to connect relieving himself outside w/ something yummy to eat.
Expect him to have accidents in the house. He's a baby, and doesn't 'get it'. If you catch him 'in the act', say NO, and quickly take him outside. If he 'goes' outside, treat him. If not, just bring him back in, no praise. Rubbing his nose in his waste, hitting him, etc. will do no good in teaching him anything but to be afraid of you.
Puppies chew a LOT for at least the first yr. of life. Give him plenty of things that are ok to chew. (dog toys, nylabones etc). Be as careful as possible in putting things out of his reach that he shouldn't chew (shoes etc) and impress this on your kids too. We've lost more shoes here to puppies because we're not careful . . . .
Most important to a sane life w/ a dog is obedience training. Look into a puppy class for Max and either you or your husband. It's invaluable for their socialization w/ other dogs and also helps you to understand him better for him to get a clear idea of what's expected of him. It really helps make life w/ a dog more pleasant for everyone.
One quick word about dog food: puppies stomach's are sensitive, so switch gradually. Cheaper dog food tends to have more fillers and is higher residue (dogs poop more :( !) Our dogs gets Iams Eukanuba, which is a dry food. Not the cheapest, but not the priciest either. We're able to pick up a 20lb. bag at our local supermarket. Less to clean up is a good thing. :D
Enjoy your new puppy!
Valerie
 
An absolute must read is "Mother Knows Best" by Carol Lee Benjamin. It is one of the best sources of information on puppies, and dogs behavior, why they do what they do and how you can make them part of the "human pack".

I second the recommendation of obedience training. We have 2 wire fox terriers and without obedience training they would be hellions! The only thing I know about the Husky type breeds is that they love to run and run and run...! they need a lot of excercise. Good luck with your puppy!
 
Congratulations with your new puppy!!!

I also recommend obedience training. Not only is it great to have a dog that listens but it's a great way to get your puppy socialized and used to other people and other dogs.

I have two 7 month old St. Bernard puppies. (I have had two other puppies in the past that grew to be big beautiful dogs that have sadly passed on.)
All puppies and dogs are different, but I believe that they all respond to praise, love and stability.
If you are consistent with him so he knows what is expected of him; he will be a happy dog and you will be happy!!!
You get what you put into it!!!


Good Luck!!!

Michelle
 
I second Michelle's recommendation for going to obedience training. It will be a great experience for you and your dog - *especially* if you've never had a dog before.

Also, if you get the National Geographic channel, check out the TV show "The Dog Whisperer".

I have an almost 12 year old Boston Terrier and a 6 year old Boxer.
 
We have two chow/shepherd mixes. Absolutely love those dogs. Obedience training is a very good recommendation. It would be a good thing to make your daughter part of the doggie process by including her on as much of this new venture as you can.
 
Congratulations on your new baby:) I highly recommend obedience training also. My husband and I have done 3 types of training for our dogs, Group classes, private in-home training and in-kennel training where they stay there about 2-3 weeks. Depending on how much time you have at home would help determine which type of training you need. I don't suggest group classes unless you have ALOT of time because you will be doing all the work! I prefer in-home training because then the trainer can help address issues your dog has in the environment they are having the problems in, but again they would be teaching you how to handle the problems. The in-kennel training is wonderful! the dogs are professionaly trained and when they come home they know alot of commands: sit, stay, down,come, walk, heel, return to heel, and also door and visitor control. But once you bring Max home you will still need to make sure that you are consistent with your rules. I would suggest calling a few trainers and get an idea of what they can offer you!
Good luck and pet Max for me:)
allison
ps. my current dog is a whippet mix, and previously we owned 2 beautiful weimeraners.
 
Congrats on your new puppy. I just got a great dane puppy last Saturday. I would HIGHLY suggest crate training. If i didn't have that crate everything would be chewed up. It has worked beautifully so far.

I also agree with the training. Our first puppy class is this saturday. I think you should try hard to socialize your puppy right away. We had a cocker spaniel growing up and we kept her in the house. We never really took her anywhere or introduced her to other dogs, cats or kids. She is very snippy and very protective. I have had my new puppy around everything and everybody I could find. I take her for walks around the neighborhood and encourage the kids to pet her. I take her to Petco/Petsmart just to be around strangers and other animals.

Good luck and enjoy your new baby!
 
DOH!
I forgot, in my long winded dog post, to mention what dogs I have.
Currently, we have 2 ten yr. old shelties, a 5 yr. old corgi, 2 yr. corgi mix, 5 yr. old and 1 yr. old border collies. If someone told me 10 yrs. ago, I'd have six dogs, I'd have thought they were insane!
3 from breeders and 3 rescues. Love 'em all.
Valerie
 
I have an Aussie who is trained for Search and Rescue. Smartest dog I've ever met. Smarter than I am, for sure! He is also one of the most loving dogs. Having a dog can be very rewarding.

Absolutely - go for a clicker training class. Huskies tend to be very stubborn, so the more your work with him, the better off you are. They also require a lot of exercise. (I've had huskies so I speak from experience). These are dogs who were bred to pull sleds for miles. They are very athletic dogs. Walk him frequently and find a local dog park to let him get out, socialize with other dogs (this is soo important) and burn off that extra energy. A tired dog is a good dog. As soon as he has his shots, he should be okay to go. Be prepared for chewing - even if you give him 20,000 chewies, your shoes are always going to be more interesting. Crate training was also recommended- fabulous idea. Read up on it. If done right crate training can create a safe comfortable place for your pup to stay while you are out of the house. If given the chance, my husky would take off and run as far and fast as she could. Be careful about that.

Anyway if you're going to switch dog foods, mix the new food with the old for a few days and gradually add more new food than old food, until it's all the new. It's okay to change foods, but do use a high quality dog food. It makes a difference.

Brushing - daily unless you love dog hair all over your house. Brush his teeth daily as well. Bath him as needed. We bath our dog about once a month, but he spends a lot of time in water.

Jean Donaldson has several fabulous books - one is Culture Clash - it kind of gives you the idea of what the dog is going through and how to train him a little better. It's a great book - a must read for any dog owner. Your local PetSmart or PetCo can also give you a lot of good advice.
 
Congratulations!!!!!! A new family member!!!! How exciting and wonderful for all of you- Max included!!

I have the kind of dogs that are 2 cats, so I can't help at all. Sorry, but I did want to say congratulations!!
 
"""BTW- I tried clicking on your pet album and it said that it was password protected."""

Well that's not right. Here's another:
http://community.webshots.com/album/64379207aHDqcw

There are a lot of good pet people on this board (another thing I love about this place!) so the great advise just keeps coming.

I really agree that we need to consider what dogs are bred to do. Their brains are hardwired for certain activities and when they aren't able to do them it can lead to problems. On the other hand it's a beautiful thing to see a dog follow its instincts and perform what it was born to do.
 
I just looked at this thread very quickly but wanted to pass along the best piece of advice that I have ever been given about getting a dog.

DO NOT CUT HIS NAILS - EVER. If you do not cut them, they will never need cutting. Sounds stupid, but I learned by example.

We have a female German Shepard that was hurt when being groomed at Petco. I think that they just cut them way too short and now cutting her nails is a project. She gets really upset, growls a lot, etc. Because of that, they tend to stay a little longer to avoid lots of trauma for her on a regular basis.

We have a male German Shepard too. After hearing that advice from our trainer, I stopped cutting his nails (at 9 weeks - they were only cut a couple of times before then). He's almost 6 now. His nails are aways need and trim and never need cutting. He always looks perfectly pedicured ;)

Good Luck!
Christine :)
 
I have to respectfullky disagree with Chistine's post :) Sorry Christine.

I think nail cutting depends on the dog. My dog's foot is positioned so that the nails do not angle down enough to keep groomed by normal wear. Her foot is angled back so that the nails grow out and not down. We had never trimmed her nails and they got too long. They caught on things and caused a tearing injury to the toe. We cut her nails ourselves and there has been no trauma. She's fine with clipping. It just depends on the dog. :)
 
Agree about it depending on the configuration of your dog's foot for nail clipping. (I've never owned a husky, so am useless!). Only one of our six (groan!) dogs needs her nails trimmed regularly and it's our corgi. She weighs 28 lbs. and it takes 2 people to cut them, w/ her squealing and squirming the entire time. Our other dogs nails do wear down but hers grow out and when we have let them get too long, we can tell by her gait they're impeding her.
Here's a wonderful book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...002-5616145-8752060?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
The Other End of the Leash, by Patricia McConnell. It's helped me a lot to understand my dogs better.
Valerie
:)
 
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