Advice Needed Before Golden Retriever Puppy Arrives Home

[KAT1]

Hi everyone,

In about 6 weeks I am welcoming a golden retriever puppy (my first pet) into my home. I am very excited and am so looking forward to it but I have a few questions about what I need to buy for the puppy to make him feel at home. I have been reading through many books and the puppy posts, etc.. and have the following questions if you can help me out. Sorry if it is a bit long...

1. I would like to crate train him, and was wondering do I need to buy a puppy sized crate or do I need to buy an adult sized crate that he can grow into? If you have a golden retriever or similar sized dog, how many of you still use a crate at home for your adult dogs? Is it worthwhile purchasing a large one? I had envisaged that once he had reached a certain age and level of obedience he wouldn't need a crate anymore, but could use a kennel when he is outside and a special sleeping mat or beanbag or something for inside.

2. Which grooming brushes should I buy for a puppy, to get him used to being brushed? Is a puppy sized slicker brush and comb enough? Or do I need something more?

3. I have read various accounts about when to start socialising a puppy with other puppies and other dogs. Do I need to wait until his vaccinations are complete or can I start socialising him from 9-10 weeks? What has been your experience?

4. so far I have on my list the following:

-puppy collar and puppy length lead

-puppy sized kong, various chew toys and a soft fluffy type of toy that he can snuggle with at night.

-crate and puppy pen

-grooming brush and comb

-dog bowls for food and water (and food)

Is there any other essential items that I have missed for the initial welcome except for multitudes of cuddles?

Thanks in advance!

KAT

Edited May 7, 2009 by KAT1

[Kirty]

Congrats on your soon-to-be baby!

1) I don't crate my dogs so I'm not really sure on this one. But my MIL uses a very large crate for her puppy (big enough for a bed, food and water bowl and still room to spare). He is fine in his crate, so I imagine if you wanted to get a crate that would still fit him as an adult, that would be fine.

2) I would buy something gentler than a slicker brush for now. One of those soft-bristled brushes would be good, or even just a comb. Combine grooming and patting, and make it enjoyable. Perhaps when he is tuckered out after a good play, sit on the floor with him and just gently groom him. Keep the sessions short for now, and slowly build up the length of time. Remember if you brush regularly, you will avoid knots. If you leave a long time between grooms, he will get knots which will be painful to brush out and then he will start to dislike being groomed.

3) This is a contentious issue. Everyone has a different idea. Personally, I would get him out and socialise him with dogs that you KNOW have been vacc'd. Friends or family member's well behaved, FRIENDLY dogs. You don't want him to have a negative experience, so make sure the dogs are puppy-friendly. You could also enroll him in puppy preschool. It would be worth asking around to find a good one though, as some are shocking.

4) It sounds like you have everything covered, ready for his arrival. Have fun!!

[persephone]

for the initial welcome except for multitudes of cuddles?

You're doing well with the list

I would suggest though, that you behave toward the pup as you mean to go on.

By that.. I mean hold off on the cuddles and gushing babytalk....

UNLESS the pup is being calm, and has 4 feet on the ground, and is being quiet...NOT whingeing or whining.

Hard to do... as humans gush over babies- we are 'programmed' for it..and human babies react accordingly.

Dogs do NOT see it the same way... and in trying to 'comfort' a puppy, or gushing/cuddling just because the pup is fluffy and cute and YOURS (and GR pups are undeniably gorgeous! )

The pup learns TOO quickly that his humans are praising him for whinging, or jumping up for attention, or wriggling, or.......

So... when you collect pup... try and be matter -of-fact about everything... from initial hello, to car ride, to that first important TOILET OUTSIDE (before you go inside).

Heap praise on the pup for peeing/pooing outside that very first time...and for being quiet under your hand, as you tell him you love him!

Speak calmly , and sincerely... use his name for every good and loving thing you say.

Let him settle ... offer plenty of toilet opportunities,praise for every socially acceptable show of behaviour.. and don't let friends/relatives get all mushy, and excite your boy into jumping and yipping and mouthing

[Dogsfevr]

All our dogs are crate trained as there showdogs but even if not shown a crate trained pup/dog is so convenient .

Size depends on whether you want to always use it.Just buy a big one & you can divide it off or allow the whole access.

Brush wise a soft slicker is no issues at this age & far better than a bristle brush which wont really remove any coat although i would hold off & ask your breeder,

We show our puppy buyers what grooming tools to buy or we buy them for them ready for when pup leaves.

If you talking to your breeder or heading around ask them what to buy otherwise what till you pick the pup up as there will be no rush to brush asap & better to purchase the right tools.

If you do go with a slicker buy the size for an adult but make sure its a soft one.You should be able to run it down your arm without scratching.

The lawrence ever gentle is great.

An undercoat rake will be a must & a combo comb

[Stitch]

Crate training is the best however in my experience I have found if the crate is too big when they are puppies, they don't seem to learn that urinating in the crate is a bad thing asthey have just too much area to wander around in.

Also I do not put water in the crate as it is usually upended by the puppy. I withhold water from about 6pm onwards.

As far a socialising is concerned, it is never too early to socialise but because of their lack of vaccinations you have to be careful.

I usually take my pups out at 6 weeks old on my lap and let them see cars, people, situations etc. without letting them walk or sniff on the ground.

Puppy preschool usually starts at approx. 12 weeks onwards - very important!

Good luck

Edited March 28, 2009 by STITCH

[Red Fox]

List sounds good. If you are using Kongs regularly I would suggest that you buy at least 5 or 6 of them. I normally found that I'd have 2 Kongs in the pen, 2 in the sink and 2 in the drawer ready to fill I would also buy a wheat pack as this tends to comfort the puppy through the first few nights. Good luck

[Nekhbet]

there are wire crates available that come with a divider so you can decrease the area the puppy has.

Crates are something you keep for life, they are incredibly useful and all my dogs are crate trained. No matter where the crate goes they know that in there is bed time.

As for socialisation - well I say there is no such thing as too early or too much. Speak to your breeder and see what they have success with. I will never agree with the 'no going out until 16 weeks' theory though, and as a trainer I havnt seen it as a plus.

You can also desensitise at home. When you puppy has settled in you can put different surfaces down (like tarps, planks etc) you can put on CDs, mower, whipper snipper (NOT with dog running free in yard :hide:) and loud movies to get the dog used to loud noises as well. This decreases chance of the dog becoming firework/thunder shy. Also having different people visit, men, women, children, older people etc is a good start.

Also train your puppy from the start how you want it to behave - dont listen to 'oh they grow out of biting you' or 'they grow out of chewing your stuff' ... they only do if you help them know what to do and what not to do. Rules first, learning starts from when they open their eyes.

oh and the best lesson ... it might be cute now, but will it be cute at 20-30+kg of bouncing, barking, biting dog? Goldens are strong dogs if you dont want the behavior as an adult then dont allow it as a puppy.

OK I'll stop sounding like a doomsayer Be positive, encourage your puppy to follow and focus on you, and most of all - for every time you tell the puppy off for something naughty you should guide and praise at least 2-3 times

[Gayle.]

As for socialisation - well I say there is no such thing as too early or too much. Speak to your breeder and see what they have success with. I will never agree with the 'no going out until 16 weeks' theory though, and as a trainer I havnt seen it as a plus.

I agree with this. When I bought my first Australian Shepherd, his breeder said to me "Get him out meeting people, seeing stuff, being places, experiencing life as much as you possibly can from the day you take him home. More dogs end up being euthanased in pounds through poor social skills than will ever die of a disease picked up off the ground!"

When my next puppy arrived, she was 8 weeks old and came on Virgin Airlines, in a Jet Pets crate. It seemed a little silly to keep her away from public areas when she'd already flown interstate in a crate that had housed who-knows-what prior to her being in it, on a plane that could have all manner of air-borne diseases, and then in the Jet Pets van which carried thousands of puppies before her.

[glendabenda]

"deals direct" online department store have some crates and other things like beds, bowls etc and ther postage is quite reasonable.

[Odin-Genie]

I have a 14 month old goldie. She still behaves like a puppy

What I found different about her was that she required a lot more attention and cuddles than my elkhound (who was quite independent as a puppy). She seemed to thrive on human contact (still does). But as persephone said, a puppy should not get cuddles when it is misbehaving or being fearful. Sometimes that can be quite difficult. The first few days, Genie would whine everytime we left the room. But I gradually increased the time she was left alone.

I had taken a week off to settle her, but ensured that I did not spend all my time with her.

I also used to carry my elkhound and go on walks to get him used to traffic and people before he was fully vaccinated.

[poodle proud]

How exciting!

I took my second pup with us on walks in my arms too so she could get used to local sights, sounds and smells.

I have posted this before but something I found invaluable was buying a soft toy dog that looked a bit like my pup. The pup came from a breeder but didnt have anything that smelt like home so we were worried how she would settle it. She cuddled up to the stuffed dog from the first night and only cried in the morning to tell us it was time to get up :rolleyes:

All the best

[KAT1]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I will take everything on board and try and implement when he arrives!

I think i will buy an adult sized crate and block it off to puppy size. That way I will be able to use it as he grows up. and I like the idea of having a stuffed toy to keep him company at night. Someone also advised me that it is a good idea to buy two of the same toy so that if he gets attached and the original is destroyed :D there is a backup...

I am counting down the days. 4.5 weeks to go! sigh...

KAT

[jamesanddean]

Congratulations on your (soon to be) new Golden Retriever puppy.

We were first time dog owners when we bought our GR puppy home 15 months ago and similar to you had done a lot of reading and research before he came home with us. One of the most significant things I can remember is that the first few days can be quite overwhelming (particularly after the first night) where you wonder if you had done the right thing. All I can say is persevere - GR's are intelligent and adapt quickly into their new homes if done right. The difficult first days will pass quickly and once you get him/her and yourself into a routine it is a breeze, and the love, affection and loyalty you receive from your puppy is amazing and outweighs any difficulties in the first few days.

We purchased a full size adult crate from vebo pets on ebay. It was reasonably priced and we placed cardboard boxes inside to restrict the space and slowly increased the space in the crate as he grew. Our puppy went in from the first night and was very comfortable with it and never made a sound. We put the crate in our bedroom with us for the first night but I hardly slept a wink as I was listening for him to take him out to the toilet. All I could hear all night was his tail wagging and hitting the cardboard divider we had put in there to restrict the space. From the second night we moved his crate into our kitchen because I couldn't sleep from the anxiety of listening out for him! I would set my alarm and get up in the middle of the night to toilet him. He was sleeping through from 11.30pm to 6.30am within 2 weeks of getting him home.

For the first couple of weeks we had to get up in the night to take him out, but he learnt so quickly. At least it was summer and not the middle of winter for those middle of the night trips outside. It is important you restrict the space available in the crate (we used cardboard boxes) and cover it with an old sheet or blanket as it makes them feel more secure - I think this was one of the things that really helped us. It is also good to have somewhere to put them when you want them safely away when you can't give them your full attention (or you need a rest!).

We had bought a number of toys and some he palyed with and some he didnt (eg Kongs). He loved pigs ears initially but now couldn't care less about them. You really need to just work things out once you have him/her home as every dog is different and you have to learn as you go. You will fing the things that he/she will like playing with.

We also bought a puppy run (two of them combined) from soldsmart.com.au which we kept him in for the first few weeks when we were at work. We would come home at lunchtime or one of our neighbours would let him out to toilet in the middle of the day and he was fine..he actually liked the boundaries it set him.

With socialisation I carried him down the street in the early stages before he was fully vaccinated to get him used to traffic, sounds, etc. You do have to be cardeul with other dogs at this early stage but we took our boy to friends who didn't have dogs to let him run around and get familar with other people. If you have friends with dogs who you know have been vaccinated then you could let them play together as long as it is in your back yard or somewhere safe. To be safe you should wait though. Puppy pre school is really important where puppies can socialise together before final vaccinations.

The other thing that happens in the early stages is that they grow in size and change behaviourally so quickly in the early stages. Many of the things you get concerned about one day are gone the next week or month and there is something else to address. So don't get too stressed about things as they will change! Just get ready for the hair on the floor, clothes, etc but itwon't be long and you won't care about that because you love them so much.

Good luck and enjoy. Having been in the same position as you I am more than happy to answer any other questions you may have.

Edited April 2, 2009 by jamesanddean

[KAT1]

Hi jamesanddean,

Thank you for your words of encouragement.

Congratulations on your (soon to be) new Golden Retriever puppy.

We purchased a full size adult crate from vebo pets on ebay. It was reasonably priced and we placed cardboard boxes inside to restrict the space and slowly increased the space in the crate as he grew. Our puppy went in from the first night and was very comfortable with it and never made a sound.

We put the crate in our bedroom with us for the first night but I hardly slept a wink as I was listening for him to take him out to the toilet.

I was considering putting him in my room, but may not as I would probably have the same problem.

All I could hear all night was his tail wagging and hitting the cardboard divider we had put in there to restrict the space.

Thats so cute!

We had bought a number of toys and some he palyed with and some he didnt (eg Kongs). He loved pigs ears initially but now couldn't care less about them. You really need to just work things out once you have him/her home as every dog is different and you have to learn as you go. You will fing the things that he/she will like playing with.

We also bought a puppy run (two of them combined) from soldsmart.com.au which we kept him in for the first few weeks when we were at work. We would come home at lunchtime or one of our neighbours would let him out to toilet in the middle of the day and he was fine..he actually liked the boundaries it set him.

Oooh, good point about the toys. I will try not to buy too much to begin with. Do you still keep him indoors when you aren't at home?

Thanks again for your advice.

kat

[KAT1]

Hi everyone,

My puppy, Darcy, has finally arrived home! Hooray! Here is a picture of him at home among the grass. It is his second day at home and he has settled in so well.

Thanks again to all of you DOL'ers for your wonderful advice.

KAT1

[Kelpie_Pup]

Oh SOOOO precious!!!

[monny]

Oh wow he's gorgeous , my 12week old golden sam looks alot like him but has a little white patch on the top of his head lol.

[KAT1]

I would love to see a photo of sam!!

Oh wow he's gorgeous , my 12week old golden sam looks alot like him but has a little white patch on the top of his head lol.

[poodle proud]

What a beautiful pup. Hope your baby is settling in well!