Adding a Puppy!

[Cass C]

Hey everyone,

 

I find out for sure on the 23rd if there will be puppies from the litter I've been waiting for, but the breeder said from her experience it looks promising. I'm getting really anxious to find out, but am already in prep mode. Even if this litter doesn't work out I've got a couple backup litters picked out due after my first choice.

 

The question is what prep can I do before the puppy arrives to get my house and other dogs ready or at least as ready as can be?

 

I've started gathering some puppy items that were on sale for the holidays. I've also been dog sitting friends and family dogs at my house to at least get my dogs accustomed to having other dogs in the house, which I know only goes so far. Lyka seems to think the more dogs the better and Lily seems to just ignore the new dogs unless she decides it's time to play. However she will correct them if they continually harass her after she walks away from them; which I'm a little concerned about with a puppy. It never looks aggressive to me she just knocks them over and growls before walking off. I've never seen an escalation from there, because the other dog usually stops. She never does this to Lyka, but I'm not sure if it's because Lyka was there first or if she just doesn't care because Lyka is part of the 'pack'. Is this a big concern or do you think it's ok for an adult dog to correct a puppy once in a while?

 

They won't be loose together without constant supervision until I know they can be trusted. The puppy will be about 8 weeks old so I plan on keeping it in an xpen or leashed to me when I'm not supervising it at first.

 

Any and all advice is welcome. It's been a long time since I've had an 8 week old puppy. Lyka (4) was 10 weeks and Lily (3) was 12 weeks.

[Gloria Atwater]

The most important thing, I would say, especially for Lily, is to make sure your grown dogs have safe places to go where the puppy can't reach them. Use puppy gates, use x-pens, use a crate, but make sure your dogs continue to have the sanctity of "their" favorite beds or spots. Supervision will be key, and don't allow the puppy near their food bowls or chew treats.

It sounds like you already have an eye on things like that, though, so sounds like you are on the right track. Feel free to post photos of the new arrival! We can always uses more puppy pics.

~ Gloria

[gcv-border]

Congrats! Sounds like you are aware of what to watch.

 

I can't wait to see puppy pics.

[D'Elle]

Severe Puppy Envy here.

 

Only thing I would say is to relate my experience in bringing in an 8 week old foster puppy one time. Both of my adult border collies immediately and passionately hated the puppy, and I couldn't leave them alone with the pup for even ten seconds, for fear that they would kill her. Literally. That went on for two weeks. Then, one day, between morning and evening (during which time the pup was with me and away from the house), everything did a 180. My female dog became the puppy's overprotective mother, washing, nuzzling, sleeping with, teaching her things....and my male dog became Kindly-Uncle-With-A-Heart-Of-Gold and allowed the pup to do anything with him she wanted. Suddenly the puppy who was chomp bait a few hours ago could do no wrong and was loved. I never, of course, knew why it changed. It continued like that until the pup was adopted two months later.

 

All that just to say.....if at first the adults don't take to the pup, don't despair. For no apparent reason, everything can change on a dime.

Best of luck.

[Cass C]

Thanks for the warning D'Elle! I don't see Lyka having a problem as she thinks all dogs were put on Earth to play with her. Lily on the other hand I could definitely see doing that.