Hello! ^_^ I’m a newbie here at Dogz Online, so please be kind. I also bring a great number of questions which I’m hoping all you lovely people can help me answer! They concern the befores and afters of getting a puppy. Please bear with me, everyone; I have a lot to ask!
Right, so I’m currently fifteen and at the end of the year our family is planning on getting a puppy--how exciting, especially when I get to do pretty much all of the training and looking after seeing as it’s my summer school holidays! We’ve settled on a breed already (the papillon), and I’ve already contacted a number of breeders around my region (I reside in Canberra). And, before anyone says anything, our family isn’t looking to adopt a rescue dog. Please don’t attack me for not getting a pet from the as some people have done on other sites. >_<
So, now, onto the questions!
Which sex is “better”? I’ve looked up the pros and cons of each sex, but I’d just like some input from people who’ve had experience with dogs. Is it true that dogs are more affectionate than bitches? Are dogs more outgoing and more “puppy-like” for their entire lives whereas bitches are more reserved with the “you love me” attitude (instead of vice versa)? Is it true that bitches are easier to housebreak and easier to train? What about marking and dominance? And just so you know, I’m planning on getting my puppy desexed.
How to tell if a breeder is reputable, what questions should one ask a breeder before they purchase a puppy from them and how to choose a puppy? I find telling a reputable breeder apart from a non-reputable breeder a job that isn’t particularly easy as non-reputable breeders try and seem reputable. What types of papers/documents should I ask to see? What if they haven’t screened for some of the health problems common in the breed (all the breeders I’ve contacted haven’t done this and I’m slightly worried…)? What should I expect to see from a good breeder? What questions should I ask about the puppy’s parents? What questions should I ask about the puppies? Are there any good rules to follow when selecting an individual puppy out of the litter? Use the temperament test? How to tell if a puppy knows bite inhibitation?
What specific items should one purchase before getting the puppy? Any particular toys? Hard, soft, rubbery or other? What brands of food and treats are good and are mostly natural (no preservatives, additives… etc.)? Nylon, leather or other material collars? Leashes or harnesses, and how long? What types of grooming equipment? Brushes? Shampoos? Conditioners? Clips? Dental equipment? What about the crate, lining and the such?
What to do the moment the puppy is home and how to schedule a timetable to include play, exercise, training, housebreaking and socialisation? When he arrives, what’s the first thing to do? Introduce him to his bed? Play with him? Take him out to the toilet? How do you schedule a timetable to include all the important things that a dog must know/go through/have, especially as a puppy (therefore to have it last for their lifetime)?
What to do about socialisation? What about the diseases that the puppy may catch? Where to socialise? How to best avoid diseases? Should I keep my puppy away from everything until he has all his vaccinations? What about fear periods?
What to do about toilet training? What are the signs that most puppies give before they do their business (e.g. maybe sniffing or circling)? How to train a dog so that he tells you when he needs to go to the toilet? Get him to ring a bell? What if he abuses that and uses the bell to get outside and play in the backyard? What if no one’s home and he rings the bell and there’s no one there to let him out?
How long should training sessions last and how many sessions should there be on average per day? How long does it take for a puppy to get tired of training, and therefore lose interest and not pay attention? How many repetitions (on average) does the papillon need to learn a command? Is it possible to train a dog in more than one language (same hand signals will be used)? I’m bilingual, and my family has difficulty in English so I thought it might be more convenient for us to have a dog understanding two languages. Is it too much to ask for?
How long should daily walks be for puppies? And how to teach them not to pull on the leash? Is there such thing as “too much walking”? What are the instructions on teaching a dog to walk beside you and not in front?
How to prevent separation anxiety, or solve it if it occurs? Any procedures to follow to prevent it? What if, for most days people are going to be home (my grandparents are retired) and then suddenly, for a day or two (at the most) no one’s going to be home? Will these cause any problems with these sudden complete absences of people?
Any tips on preventing barking from becoming a problem and how to teach bite inhibitation?
Any grooming, trimming, nail-clipping tips and procedures?
That’s all I can think of now, and I’m sure that’s plenty enough for me to take in for now! Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
P.S. Please ignore the other thread with the same title and topic description as this one. My computer did something dodgy and I ended up posting when I hadn’t finished typing yet. Now it won’t let me edit it (hence this topic was created). *blushes*
