preparing for a puppy for our family

[NewfoundlandNic]

Hi all,

 

Our new goldendoodle will be joining our family when she is 8 or 9 weeks old at the end of March/early April. We also have two children, 3 years old and 8 months and two cats. I know many don't feel adding a puppy to a family with young kids is a good idea, but we are dog people and unexpectedly lost our beautiful Lab cross Parker to cancer at the age of 8 last September. For sure, when we added Parker to our family 8 years ago she was the youngest "kid" and got all of the attention. This time around it will be more challenging but I will be returning to work in September so I wanted to get a puppy for the family while I am still home all day (there will always be someone home with the puppy after I return to work as well). I am a big advocate of crate training and clicker training and our new girl will be following the same "program" as Parker - who turned out to be the most gentle, well-behaved and sweet dog.

 

I am asking for tips or advice for those who have been in similar situations. I have been reviewing the new puppy discussions, potty training discussions and training group for the last three weeks and I have some questions.

 

1. How do I make our large crate smaller for the new puppy? Can I/should I put the crate in our bedroom? With Parker we did that, but we had a bungalow at the time. Now we have a two story and I am trying to envision getting new puppy down the stairs and out the door for bathroom breaks as quickly as possible. We also spend 90% of the day on the main floor, not the second.

 

2. How do I program our pup to go in one spot in the yard?

 

3. I have been buying chew toys and reading about how to reduce nipping and chewing. Parker chewed a couple of baseboard corners and practically ate a wicker basket in her first couple of days, then I started crating her if I couldn't have my eyes on her at all time. She used to nip at the back of our legs as a puppy, trying to herd us together (thoughts there was some border collie in there) but she quickly learned "gentle" and "kisses" and was licky until her final days. That is fine with us. Any tips about how to reduce the nipping?

 

4. I have a inside fence system that I was going to use for our 8 month old but now I am thinking of using it for the puppy. Has anyone used those? If so, how?

 

Of course, I have been reviewing "gentle" and all sorts of respect with our three year old. He totally gets it - we adopted a cat in September and they are great buddies. Friends of ours have two huge Labs and he is used to them as well.

 

Thanks for any thoughts/advice. Like I said, I know the timing may not be ideal, but for our family we want a dog companion for all of us.We are walkers and hikers. Parker's passing was not planned and now we are in this situation. I was raised with animals and really want my children to experience the love of a dog - I miss my nightly walking buddy terribly as well. We want the puppy kisses!

 

Thanks,

Nicole

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Nicole, you will see that Orijen is an excellent food but as Donna mentioned, rather pricey. I agree with the Fromm as an almost as good altermative. It's not cheap either. I also use real foods to stretch it. Mine love frozen green beans, lima beans, lentils... all great for them and inexpensive.

You would be very happy with Fromms I'm sure. But if you can afford Orijen then I'd stick with it, at least at first so she doesn't have too many changes right away and you can wean her to Fromms in a few weeks.

[NewfoundlandNic]

Great idea to supplement with "real food." I'll be trying that!

[Camilla and Darwin]

I have answers for a couple of your questions, and congrats by the way!

 

1: We used an empty cardboard box to fill the back half of his crate. We covered it in a blanket. It worked out really well.

2: Take her out on a leash and direct her to the same spot every time.

[NewfoundlandNic]

Thanks Camilla. I'll start trying cardboard boxes to get one to fit. Great idea.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

It sounds like you are well prepared and whatever is different about the relationship with this pup as opposed to Parker as a pup - well, you will roll with the punches and make it work!  Congrats.

[Leslie J]

We also have a two-story house and Cocoa stays downstairs.  The breeder started crate training Cocoa about 5 days before we brought her home and so when she arrived at our house she didn't have to adjust to sleeping in a crate and moving to a new family.  If your breeder can do that it really makes things easier.  I have Cocoa's crate downstairs in the family room.  The first 5 or 6 nights after she came home I slept downstairs on the couch right next to her crate and talked with her when she cried (after the first night it was only a couple of times each night).  By the time she could sleep without crying I moved upstairs and she has slept well downstairs in her crate ever since.  I also have young children and I am glad she is downstairs because otherwise I am sure that my kids would wake her up during the night.

 

I keep Cocoa downstairs because she still steals stuffed animals and chews up legos.  I can keep an eye on her better :)  She doesn't go upstairs now because she is used to being downstairs (which is pretty much where we are except when we are sleeping).

 

Like Adina, I kept Cocoa tethered most of the time while she was a puppy.  If she was too playful or nippy the kids could move away from her... and if she wanted their company she learned to "play nice".

 

Enjoy!!!

[NewfoundlandNic]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Leslie. Wow, chewing Legos - hardcore. That is going to be fun to deal with!

 

I will be tethering our girl for sure. My three year old is very excited about having a puppy.

 

N

[Jennifer Tramell]

Hi and congrats on your new pup!  I just wanted to mention the shock I received when we got our Webster.  I am a life-long dog owner & my dogs have always been well mannered and obedient.  My first dog (after I was married) was with us for 15 1/2 year and  his best friend was with us for over 9 years.  Both of these dogs joined our family before we had any kids and they received a lot of attention, training, and one-on-one time.  We got Webster almost 2 yrs ago and I was shocked at how much harder it was train Webster then his predecessors.  It wasn't Webster, it was me!   My time and energy and priorities were much different because I had 2 kids and then the puppy.  The kids are a distraction when I'm doing basic training, outside training requires getting the kids ready before we leave the house, etc, etc, etc.  Webster is almost 2 years old and he is still not as well trained as my other dogs.

I certainly don't want to discourage you but rather to encourage you.  Don't stress yourself out trying to train your new puppy to be as good as Parker.  It will happen but it might take more time, different strategies, new techniques.  Enjoy the puppy and take lots of videos as the pup and your kids grow together!

[NewfoundlandNic]

Thanks for sharing a story "from the trenches," Jennifer. I know it is going to be challenging but I don't want to wish away the puppyhood either. I plan on attending clicker training with pup outside of the house once a week - but you are right. With Parker it was the class and then mommy-time - I was always in puppy training mode.

 

Thank you for the encouragement! Love your pup's name, by the way.