Take care of your dog

At last. You have made it home with your precious new bundle. You pull into the drive and switch off the engine.  What now? The very first thing you need to do is take the puppy straight to his outdoor toilet area so that he can have a wee. Offer him a drink of water and make yourself comfortable. It may take him a while to decide that it’s okay to wee in this new place. Puppies vary in how they react to being placed on the ground in a strange place. Some are like little clockwork toys – you put them on the ground and off they go. Others will be more hesitant, and a few will freeze with fear. If your puppy seems worried, get right down on the ground with him, let him know that you are there for him and let him climb on your lap if he wants to, while he surveys this new world. He will want to stay near you but he will soon begin to sniff about and hopefully will decide to do a wee. Once he has emptied his bladder, you can take him indoors, but it is a good idea to set an alarm ...

The chances are that your puppy has never been in a car before. He has also never been away from the home where he was born and where he feels safe. If you put your puppy in a crate in the back of your car and drive home with him shut in there, one or all of the following three things may happen. He will scream very loudly most of the way. He will be sick. He will empty his bowels.  This reinforces your position as pack leader and is just good manners! This is simply because the puppy is stressed and feels abandoned. He may be perfectly safe in the crate in the event of an accident, but your driving is likely to be adversely affected by the noise and the smell. All in all, it is not a very good start to his new life. For this reason, when I collect a puppy, I always take an adult passenger with me, or get someone else to drive. Then the puppy can sit in the footwell on the passenger side of the car. Pressed up against someone’s legs, he will feel safe and won’t scream with fear. I...

If you are buying a pedigree puppy, make sure that the breeder gives you the registration certificate, and the pedigree certificate, and make sure that they are for the same puppy! Check that the KC registration numbers match. Your breeder has probably registered several puppies and it is an easy mistake to mix up documents. If the puppies have had their first vaccination, you will need your puppy’s vaccination certificate, too. Many puppies will not have been vaccinated at all, and that is perfectly alright. You can read up on vaccinations in Part One if you haven’t done so already. Don’t forget to check the relevant health certificates if you haven’t seen them already. Some breeders will give you a little piece of blanket or vetbed to take with you so that the puppy has something with the smell of home on it. Don’t forget to take some of the puppies familar food with you. Breeders normally give you enough for several days. Some breeders will give you a puppy pack with food sample...

The journey home will be much simpler if you take a friend to help you. You will need a travel crate of some description in case you have to restrain the puppy in the vehicle (more details below). Line the crate with vetbedding or an old towel. Take a travel pack with a couple of bin bags (to put soiled waste in), spare newspaper, a spare towel and plenty of baby wipes. It is probably a good idea not to wear your best clothes! If this all sounds a bit ominous, don’t panic – not all puppies are carsick but if you prepare yourself in this way, the worst that can happen is that you will need your kit. Hopefully, you will be lucky and have an uneventful journey home. Take with you a list of notes/questions that you want to ask the breeder. If your visit overlaps with someone else’s, or she is very busy, things can easily be forgotten. Note down any documents you need to see, and make a note to ask the breeder when the puppy was last fed, when he was last wormed and whether or not he has be...

AT LAST THE big day has arrived. The waiting is over and it is time to collect the new addition to your family. The day that you bring home your puppy is a fairly momentous occasion. You are about to begin a new chapter in your life and you are bound to feel excited, and perhaps just a little anxious. We all have our own way of doing things. If you like to organise every outing like a military manoeuvre, as I do, you won’t need me to remind you to make a list and plan the day carefully. If, on the other hand, you are a free spirit, who likes to take things as they come, I suggest you read through this chapter first. My objective is to help your day go smoothly. We’ll look at the best way to travel with a small puppy, what you need to take with you, and what you will need to bring home with you in addition to your new friend. Before you leave the house, you’ll need to prepare your puppy’s den and put up any baby gates that you are going to use. Have the puppy’s crate ready in a family r...

Have you: • Bought a crate, car crate and baby gates? • Bought vetbedding to fit the crates? • Bought some Kongs, a rope toy and a ball or two? • Puppy-proofed an outside area or bought a puppy pen for the garden? • Set up some garden lights where necessary? • Bought a torch and some slippers? • Arranged a puppy-sitter for when you go back to work? • Bought a game for your kids? • Stocked up on familiar food (the same brand as used by your breeder)? • Booked an appointment with your vet the day after your puppy arrives?