planning for a new puppy

[nira rajavasireddy]

Hi everyone,

I'd love to get some advice from all of you, we'll be bringing our pup home in April, she'll be 9 weeks old. I'm planning on taking a week off from work, to get her adjusted to our home. But after that is when I have questions. My husband or my son will probably wake up with her, let her out for a potty break, feed her and then put her in her crate. As I work nights, I'll be home by 8.45, another potty break, play time then back in the crate. My kids wont get home until 3.30 from school. She'll be in the crate 51/2 hours. Should I not crate her on the days that I'm working( I only work 3 nights a week), maybe put her in a play pen with some pee pads? After she's older, I'm planning on sending her to half day day care, but that's only after 16 weeks. I definitely don't want to get a dog walker, Any advice?

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Aww, I did not know you were in the same boat I'm: a geinus and a "normal" puppy. LOL

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

Ha Ha Jarka.....had my "normal" one come first there might not have been a second! I thought people were insane when they complained about all of the bad (normal) things their puppies did! Although I think genius comes with its own set of problems. I have often wondered if Murph's anxiety is due to his heightened awareness and extreme intelligence. That was a nice way of saying Wilson is too dumb to be aware of his surroundings......JK (kind of)......I know Joanne will read this and be on her way to take Wilson away from me!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

LOL, Ronna!

But I will say, I truly agree with your statement ( and I have no proof of statistics-just my thoughts) that some of the serious anxiety issues are due to higher intelligence.  I totally agree. 

Now, Give me that Boy! NOW

[F, Calla & Luca]

Luca usually never goes in his crate unless I tell him too but Calla does. When Luca wasn't feeling well he went to his crate and laid there by himself for some time. I do think the dogs see their crates a s a safe place.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Ahh, she will be in bed with you in no time.  If you only work three nights a week and the rest of the family is home during that time, they can put her in her crate when they go to bed at night and get up once during the night to take her out for a potty break.  Then the first one up can get her up and started for the day.  I'll bet your family will be trained in no time.  Like having a baby in the house, you get accustomed to less sleep.  It doesn't last long.  When she starts going to day care, will you take her after you get home from work?  Who will be picking her up at the end of the day?  There is probably still a bit of planning you can do and make the necessary modifications.  I try to remember what it was like when I had a pre-schooler and worked full time.

[nira rajavasireddy]

We have a Petco which offers daycare, 5 mins from our house. I'm planning on dropping her off at 9 and my husband will pick her up at 3.30 along with the kids from school. I have until the end of April to finalize everything, but I plan everything to death...

[Jennifer and Jack]

I have heard good things about Petco's daycare.... I have a doctor friend who brings her dogs to one. We went to a different one that was private owned.. and when I was desperate and working late Camp Bow Wow which drove me crazy because you could watch them on video and while I tried to chart I would quick jump online and watch him and get upset if he didn't look happy, it drove me nuts.. I drove them nuts too always calling saying he looked thirsty..

We loved the private one though...

[nira rajavasireddy]

You know, it's funny, when my youngest son started daycare, he went to a relatively new one. Kindercare had opened up a new location, so I'd figured it would be relatively clean because it was so new.Now our local Petco just started Pooch Play, and I'm thinking the same thing, as it's new, hopefully, it'll be clean. Do dogs tend to fall sick more if they attend daycare?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Bordetella vaccine every 6 months ( some require every year) helps to  greatly reduce Canine Influenza. So, get that vaccine also.  In many cases, this is an optional  vaccination given by vets. Be sure to tell your vet you may be using these services. Our vet never offered. I learned it here on DK

Just got ours on Monday and we no longer go to dog parks or use a groomer.  So our risk is low and we still get the vaccine.

But, it doesn't seem at all as serious as having human children in Day Care. They get sick hourly  in those environments  :) 

[Jennifer and Jack]

When Jack went to daycare we did Kennel cough every six months ..I also got him his flu vaccine...he was exposed to many many dogs...I also put his frontline on him monthly as opposed to every three months....

Jack was very healthy at daycare....I hope it is a clean place...five minutes away sounds perfect... Ours was about 25 minutes away from home and semi on the way to work.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

P.S.  You will be getting your pup at 9 weeks old!

Thank YOU.  So many people getting these puppies way to young.  Too young to be leaving the litters and Moms and the problems are so complicated because of this. 

[nira rajavasireddy]

Yes, our breeder keeps them until 9 weeks until they're spayed /neutered, then a couple of days to recover, and then we'll get our baby.