laurajaye Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Hi there! I'm new to this forum and will be bringing home a gorgeous purebred chocolate border collie pup this weekend! I was just hoping to get some tips regarding the best way to actually remove him from his litter as I know it can be a bit traumatic? He's a beautiful, smart and outgoing pup but when I first met him at 5 weeks old he was still a little bit too cautious (as they weren't handled a lot before then) and I really want to make sure I make a good impression on him and his breeder! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The pup's breeder should have done that for you before you arrive to pick him up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecutter Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 We brought a gift for pup's mum What age is he going home? You might bring something that could be rubbed with mum's scent (that has your scent as well - e.g. old tshirt) and take it home with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurajaye Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 Thanks for the advice He'll be 8.5 weeks when we pick him up and I'm planning on taking lots of treats for mum and the pup! Mum is lovely and had absolutely no reservations about letting me near her pups when I visited last time, hopefully we will be able to take an old towel or something that smells like her! We will actually be driving 10 hours home after we pick him up so I've got loads of spare blankets, wipes, toys, a new collar and lead and will be sussing out a good sized harness (just in case!) for the trip. Hoping to make this a pleasant experience for him..! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 If you've got room in the car, I'd probably be using a crate (cat crate will be fine for now) rather than a harness - pup will really be a bit small for harness. Crate can be made like a little snug den - especially if you have a towel or something with the mum and litter scent on it as well as yours. You will need to plan to stop at least every 2 hours to let the pup wee - but try to use areas where there will not have been other dogs - because your pup won't be fully protected against disease. Not too much food or treats (don't want him to be sick), but a nice chicken wing to gnaw on would be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Thanks for the advice He'll be 8.5 weeks when we pick him up and I'm planning on taking lots of treats for mum and the pup! Mum is lovely and had absolutely no reservations about letting me near her pups when I visited last time, hopefully we will be able to take an old towel or something that smells like her! We will actually be driving 10 hours home after we pick him up so I've got loads of spare blankets, wipes, toys, a new collar and lead and will be sussing out a good sized harness (just in case!) for the trip. Hoping to make this a pleasant experience for him..! Resist the urge to fill the pup with treats. With a long drive ahead of him, I'd want a fairly empty stomach and I'd be offering water at stops but not much more. I would recommend you invest in a quality travel crate (or hire one) for the trip. Be VERY careful about where you toilet the pup on the way home. Frankly I'd avoid popular rest stops and try to pull off the road in a place where other dogs wouldn't have been. You can't be too careful about parvo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 1. Pick puppy up 2. Take puppy to your car 3. Place puppy inside car 4. Drive away Puppies will do what puppies do. You could rub a towel over the mother and siblings and put that in puppy's bed so they can sleep with it, thats about all i do. If you have purchased your pup from a reg breeder the pup will hopefully be socialised enough that it wont freak out at being removed from its siblings etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecutter Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 10 hrs in the car - bring a fair few towels in case of car sickness If possible, ask them not to feed pup before he goes home with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zug Zug Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 No advice but just saying wow - how exciting for you to be bringing your new pup home! I can tell by your post that this is something you've been looking forward to and probably planning for a while. Enjoy your first days with the pup. Fingers crossed he doesn't get car sick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurajaye Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 Thankyou! I do have a crate and blankets organised for in the car, the harness is just for when we stop as I'm not sure how well adjusted he will be to a lead and collar just yet. And yes - we will be avoiding the popular stops and any other dogs. So I think the plan will be a couple of small treats to make me smell good when I pick him up and something chewy in the car! The main reason I'm concerned is because I know this is the breeder's first litter, she would keep all of them if she could and as it is she wouldn't agree to me putting him on a plane. Inconvenient, but I'm still keen as mustard to drive to Sydney to pick him up! I just want to make sure it all runs smoothly so thanks for all your tips, sincere or otherwise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 When I brought my munchkin home she was in a crate and cried for the first hour of the 1 hour 15 minute drive!!! It was awful. But after that she was pretty good. First night there was a bit of crying (maybe 30 min) at bed time, but I figure it was her fisrt night away from her brothers and sisters and she was sleeping in a crate on her own. After then we really had very few problems, still have a bit of a howl for the first 2-3 minutes if she is left on her own, then she just gets on with life! Just set up a routine and stick to it, they work it out pretty quickly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suziwong66 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 My suggestion is to pack a lot of plastic grocery bags or cloth laundry bags as a precaution to store any items that have been soiled from eruptions from either end! Our first four legged baby (24 years ago now ) and both of our two legged babies suffered terrible car sickness and those plastic bags came in handy; you can never have enough IMHO Our second pup never had a problem in the car (phew) and i'm hoping our third one is a good traveller as well, but hey, if he's a vomiter, we'll cope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Don't worry about treats,the more you smell odd the more it affects the pup,don't go overboard just use simple measures. Rubbing of towels,toys etc etc we have never bothered with in over 25 yrs of breeding & never had any pups suffer because of it nor the ones we have brought ourselves. The more you make of it the more the pup will be cautious . As already mentioned depending on pick up time ask the breeder to feed very early or a partial meal Ensure pup has toileted Place in car To be honest we never stop unless the dog is restless whether it be new pup or adult ,on long trips we do stop but not at set hrs just keep driving . Pack spares towels/bags & water bowl /water ideally if anything bottled water or fill bottle of home water as water changes can give some dogs the runs but just keep it simple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakeydoak1 Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Thankyou! I do have a crate and blankets organised for in the car, the harness is just for when we stop as I'm not sure how well adjusted he will be to a lead and collar just yet. And yes - we will be avoiding the popular stops and any other dogs. So I think the plan will be a couple of small treats to make me smell good when I pick him up and something chewy in the car! The main reason I'm concerned is because I know this is the breeder's first litter, she would keep all of them if she could and as it is she wouldn't agree to me putting him on a plane. Inconvenient, but I'm still keen as mustard to drive to Sydney to pick him up! I just want to make sure it all runs smoothly so thanks for all your tips, sincere or otherwise Make sure you come over to the border collie thread too, we always love new members and seeing their new babies!!! Im with Showdog. We dont stop unless pup is restless, if they are sounds asleep happy, no point stopping, as soon as they wake up and are getting restless then we stop. First pup I stopped every now and again and he didnt do a thing cause all he wanted to do was go to sleep. I wouldnt worry about treats either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atanquin Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 We never stopped only one stop but that was for me :D he slept down by my mums feet or on her lap the whole way home and was a perfect angel just do what is right at the time he might like to be in the crate or on someone's lap(if you are taking someone with you) just don't make a fuss oh and make sure you have toy for him to play with I'm sure you will be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 When new owner come to pick up the pup from me I tell them to bring towels in case the pup gets car sick, but never had one as yet. Maybe bacause I take them for car rides few times before they are sold. Also each puppy (as part of the puppy pack) get a blanket that has been part of the dog bed in their kennel. Its dirty, smelly etc but at least it gives them something familiar. All the pups cuddle up to it for few days until they settle in their new homes. I also give the new owners enough food for about a week, so that there is no change in the diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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