In the garden
Before your puppy arrives, you need to decide where he is going to go to the toilet. This outdoor space needs to be puppy-proof. You do not want to be chasing your puppy around your neighbour’s garden with a torch at 3 a.m. because you didn’t fix the hole in the fence.
Puppies can squeeze through smaller spaces than you might imagine. Some puppies are pretty good climbers, too. So make sure there is nothing against the fence that your puppy can use as a climbing aid to assist him in clambering over the top. Some puppies have the excavating capabilities of a mechanical digger, so don’t be tempted to leave your puppy outside unsupervised if there is no hard surface to prevent him tunnelling under the fence. And hedges, even thick ones, are not an obstacle to a puppy left to his own devices for very long.
If you intend to allow your puppy the freedom of your garden, the entire perimeter needs to be secure, and you need to think about puppy-proofing what is inside it. Check that the puppy will not be able to get into the garden shed and pull a spade on top of himself, or help himself to your slug bait.
Puppies love ‘gardening’ – especially digging and pruning. Unfortunately, their enthusiasm for the job is not matched by any kind of natural ability in the landscaping and plant-care department. Think about what you are going to do with any planters or tubs, and do consider how the puppy might affect any flowerbeds or vegetable plots that you are fond of. Anything you leave in the puppy’s outdoor area will be treated as fair game. As well as flowerbeds, tubs and planters, this includes garden furniture, watering cans and hosepipes. Don’t be tempted to set yourself up for weeks of conflict where the puppy repeatedly tries to wreck your stuff and dig up your petunias while you repeatedly try to stop him. That way madness lies.
With a very large garden, it may be impractical to attempt to puppy-proof the entire area. In this case, you may find it helpful to buy or build a temporary enclosure or puppy playpen. This means you can put your puppy down in the pen while you hang up the washing or do some gardening, without having to watch him like a hawk. If you are undecided where to place your playpen, bear in mind that puppies often prefer to wee on grass. You may get off to a quicker start with house-training if you allow your puppy access to an area of grass when you take him outside.
I don’t want this to be a chapter of doom, but sadly there is another warning I should make at this point. Dog theft is not uncommon in the UK, and not just from vehicles. Puppies are a great target for dog thieves because they are so saleable. So don’t be tempted to leave a puppy in a playpen in your garden while you pop out to the shops, even if he cannot be seen from the road. He just might not be there when you return.
You are going to be spending time outside with your puppy, day and night, so some light, and a chair, can be useful. Solar-powered garden lights on a spike that you push into the grass can provide just enough light for you to keep an eye on your puppy when he needs a wee in the night, without disturbing your neighbours’ beauty sleep. A reliable torch may also come in handy for your night-time manoeuvres.
Puppies can squeeze through smaller spaces than you might imagine. Some puppies are pretty good climbers, too. So make sure there is nothing against the fence that your puppy can use as a climbing aid to assist him in clambering over the top. Some puppies have the excavating capabilities of a mechanical digger, so don’t be tempted to leave your puppy outside unsupervised if there is no hard surface to prevent him tunnelling under the fence. And hedges, even thick ones, are not an obstacle to a puppy left to his own devices for very long.
If you intend to allow your puppy the freedom of your garden, the entire perimeter needs to be secure, and you need to think about puppy-proofing what is inside it. Check that the puppy will not be able to get into the garden shed and pull a spade on top of himself, or help himself to your slug bait.
Puppies love ‘gardening’ – especially digging and pruning. Unfortunately, their enthusiasm for the job is not matched by any kind of natural ability in the landscaping and plant-care department. Think about what you are going to do with any planters or tubs, and do consider how the puppy might affect any flowerbeds or vegetable plots that you are fond of. Anything you leave in the puppy’s outdoor area will be treated as fair game. As well as flowerbeds, tubs and planters, this includes garden furniture, watering cans and hosepipes. Don’t be tempted to set yourself up for weeks of conflict where the puppy repeatedly tries to wreck your stuff and dig up your petunias while you repeatedly try to stop him. That way madness lies.
With a very large garden, it may be impractical to attempt to puppy-proof the entire area. In this case, you may find it helpful to buy or build a temporary enclosure or puppy playpen. This means you can put your puppy down in the pen while you hang up the washing or do some gardening, without having to watch him like a hawk. If you are undecided where to place your playpen, bear in mind that puppies often prefer to wee on grass. You may get off to a quicker start with house-training if you allow your puppy access to an area of grass when you take him outside.
I don’t want this to be a chapter of doom, but sadly there is another warning I should make at this point. Dog theft is not uncommon in the UK, and not just from vehicles. Puppies are a great target for dog thieves because they are so saleable. So don’t be tempted to leave a puppy in a playpen in your garden while you pop out to the shops, even if he cannot be seen from the road. He just might not be there when you return.
You are going to be spending time outside with your puppy, day and night, so some light, and a chair, can be useful. Solar-powered garden lights on a spike that you push into the grass can provide just enough light for you to keep an eye on your puppy when he needs a wee in the night, without disturbing your neighbours’ beauty sleep. A reliable torch may also come in handy for your night-time manoeuvres.
تعليقات
إرسال تعليق