New puppy owner - questions about when out of the house

ShaShaBear

On the top row beside the smileys, there's an attach option.
Too young or not, 6 week old puppies are cute, and I wanna see
A good oul puppy face is what everyone needs to cheer them up right now

peteb2

andreac wrote: »

What food are you feeding the pup at the moment and what are the feeding guidelines saying on the package?

It is recommended to feed a pup of that age up to at least 5-6 months 3-4 times a day. Twice isnt enough as they need to be fed little and often.

I feed my adults dogs twice daily but this is not enough for a pup of that age.

No one is attacking you at all and i really wish people would stop saying that. We are all very surprised at some of the advice you have been given away from this forum, hence why we are giving you the correct advice to go forward.

Vets are not qualified nutritionists so they usually know very little when it comes to your dogs diet. Most of the just recommend the food that they sell in their practice as they get commission for doing so.

All of the people giving you advice here are very, very experienced dog owners and breeders and have years and years of experience in owning and breeding dogs so that is why we are giving you the correct advice for you and your pup.

As i said,if more research was done on owning a puppy, a lot of the stuff that we are posting is actually readily available there whether in books or online on different dog sites etc.

As i said there is a huge about of differing advise on the same matters online. I don't deny that the people here wouldnt have experience............which is why I am posting her here. But the manner is enough to stop new posters in this forum.

The only reason I continue here is that I am determined to get it right and not osterosise anyone that can give me some useful advise.

Royal Canin Lab food for dogs below 5 months. I'm going off the top of my head here as I'm not at home. The package says 2 3/8. Which I am taking to be two measurements of 3/8 of the cup daly. The reason I distrust there advise is that at some point on the guidance illustration it recomments giving a significantly smaller amount to larger dogs.

tk123

peteb2 wrote: »

Sorta common sense? How so? The Royal Canin actual product package is clear as mud!

OP you might want to look into a better quality food. Royal Canin isn't the best food - I know because my retriever was hyper on it as it's full of fillers. There's loads of threads here on foods but as a rule of thumb stay away from any foods you can buy in the supermarket.

peteb2

Need a better camera!

peteb2

tk123 wrote: »

OP you might want to look into a better quality food. Royal Canin isn't the best food - I know because my retriever was hyper on it as it's full of fillers. There's loads of threads here on foods but as a rule of thumb stay away from any foods you can buy in the supermarket.

When I went up to the counter with Pedigree dogfood in the petstore, they actually told me that it was full of fillers and was the worst one and to go with Royal Canin.

ShaShaBear

peteb2 wrote: »

Need a better camera!

Oh bless!
Every time I see a picture of an adorable puppy, I give my insane, hairy brute a sour face and ask "Now, why couldn't you stay like that?" :rolleyes:

Actually, might just be the scale, but she looks big for 6 weeks?

peteb2

i think she is small enough. That's a small JML Magic carpet if it gives you any indication! I know she wont be that size all the time unfortunately.

andreac

Brayson Chilly Tournament wrote: »

I don't post very often in this forum as I've been put off by some of the attitudes. I just wanted to offer my support to peteb2 and say I agree with reeta.

The OP obviously didn't realise that the pup was too young when he got it. Fair enough - we all all make mistakes. He's trying to be a responsible dog owner. He is looking for advice here in order to look after his dog properly.

Attitudes like some of the ones above will just alienate new posters from this forum.

Have you any advice for the Op or are you just going to come on and say how we are attacking him, giving out etc :rolleyes:

ShaShaBear

peteb2 wrote: »

i think she is small enough. That's a small JML Magic carpet if it gives you any indication! I know she wont be that size all the time unfortunately.

-sigh- my boy could fit into your cupped hands when we got him, now he's 45 kilos in weight, sheds his hair like undercover cop disguises, and whinges like a baby when he wants something. Swap?

peteb2

Tempting...............but i'm just waiting until I can her our for a load of exercising!

andreac

peteb2 wrote: »

As i said there is a huge about of differing advise on the same matters online. I don't deny that the people here wouldnt have experience............which is why I am posting her here. But the manner is enough to stop new posters in this forum.

The only reason I continue here is that I am determined to get it right and not osterosise anyone that can give me some useful advise.

Royal Canin Lab food for dogs below 5 months. I'm going off the top of my head here as I'm not at home. The package says 2 3/8. Which I am taking to be two measurements of 3/8 of the cup daly. The reason I distrust there advise is that at some point on the guidance illustration it recomments giving a significantly smaller amount to larger dogs.

Your dog is a baby puppy and needs that type of food. Lab food below 5 months wouldnt be the best really as your pup is so young, it needs a lot more requirements so needs a specific young puppy food.
Your pup is 6 weeks and that is very different from a pup thats 4 or 5 months old so you need to get the correct food for that age pup.

The reason you give a smaller amount to a larger dog is because they dont need as much nutritionally as they have done most of their growing. At 6 weeks your pup is growing so much and needs more nutrition to help this, hence feeding little and often and more than what a 6 or 8 month old dog will need.

ShaShaBear

This is Shadow. Clearly mentally challenged. Cross between a Border Collie and a Bernese Mountain Dog. Disaster

peteb2

So what should I be feeding her? this is what it is currently:
http://http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dry_dog_food/royal_canin_breed/breed_junior/207893#more

As I said I asked in the pet store about it because we were unsure about it. They said to use that and moisten it with a little warm water.

peteb2

ShaShaBear wrote: »

This is Shadow. Clearly mentally challenged. Cross between a Border Collie and a Bernese Mountain Dog. Disaster

What are you talking about? Thats a gorgeous dog!!

tk123

peteb2 wrote: »

Tempting...............but i'm just waiting until I can her our for a load of exercising!

FYI you should only walk them for five mins per month of age to save damaging their joints! She's a lovely little pup. Did you give her a chocolate name? - I know a Twix and a Rolo lol

andreac

That link isnt working.

I would feed a puppy food, designed for young pups from 2 months onwards. I personally dont rate Royal Canin at all but it does suit some dogs.

You dont have to go for the breed specific one. Even a Medium sized puppy food for young pups.

ShaShaBear

peteb2 wrote: »

What are you talking about? Thats a gorgeous dog!!

Oh, sure - he's gorgeous now!

But imagine, if you will, where my entire family Christmas Dinner went this year while my mother was answering the front door.

8 years on and I still can't put manners on him.

peteb2

Haha. I'd say that was some fun!!

@ Andreac that was the only one I could find but it was one for dogs of two months that I think I got. I'd have to check at home.

Zulu

Brayson Chilly Tournament wrote: »

I don't post very often in this forum as I've been put off by some of the attitudes. I just wanted to offer my support to peteb2 and say I agree with reeta.

The OP obviously didn't realise that the pup was too young when he got it. Fair enough - we all all make mistakes. He's trying to be a responsible dog owner. He is looking for advice here in order to look after his dog properly.

Attitudes like some of the ones above will just alienate new posters from this forum.

While I agree with you somewhat, fair is fair: the OP clearly didn't do enough research, and perhaps appears to represent some of the major issues that can be seen in poor dog ownership elsewhere.

Apologies OP, I'm not saying you are a bad dog owner, just that some of what you are posting is far from ideal.

That said - and leaving that behind, you are where you are, and you can get help here with what you are going to face over the coming year.

This time last year i arrived home with an 8 week old pup & even though I had read the books, watched the videos, I was little more prepared than you are now.

Firstly, your dog is a defenceless baby. You can't really leave it at all. You are now it's pack; it's mother. In the wild, if it were left alone at this age it would die, so in it's mind being left alone is the end of the world. It's the most dangerous scary thing that can happen to it. So forget your social life. Forget visiting your friends. You are running a nursery for the next few months!?!
We got our dog when my wife was made redundant. There was a window there that someone could always be at home. There were occasions that my wife had to go to an interview or what not, so I took a half day, or a really long lunch break, or a day off. So that's "leaving the dog alone".

Creating is fantastic, it really speeds up the toilet training. I set my alarm for 1am & 5am. I got up, lifted her out of the create and brought her outside whispering "get busy, get busy, get busy" until she went. When she went, lots of praise & back into the crate. The tricky part was giving her praise without getting her riled up & excited, as at 1am & 5am I wanted her to go back to sleep. Consistency is the key. Stick with it and the dog will quickly learn. Mix it up & you can forget about it. Getting up in the middle of the night was a serious pain, but it has to be done. The dog see the create as a clean place - that’s how the training works. If you don't get up, the puppy will soil the crate & if this happens often enough, the dog will learn not to mind soiling the crate.

Nipping is natural & a good thing!!! When the dog nipps, make a shriek, pull your hands away, and stop playing with the dog. This way it learns not to bite at a very early age.

I can't remember if you mentioned anything else, but don't be put off posting. It can appear that posters are attacking/berating you or being snobby, but remember - they have your dogs best interests at heart, and they won't set you wrong.

It's bloody tough work now, and it stays that way for a few months, but it's worth it. Lay a good foundation now, and you'll have a great friend in a little while. With dogs, you get out of them what you put into them. Invest time & love & you'll have a loyal companion for the rest of it's life.

andreac

peteb2 wrote: »

Haha. I'd say that was some fun!!

@ Andreac that was the only one I could find but it was one for dogs of two months that I think I got. I'd have to check at home.

Ok, well sure see what it says when you get home. Have you a local pet shop near you, like Petmania, Maxi Zoo or so on? They usually have a great range of pet foods.

star-pants

Guys I'll ask that we move on from the whole 'you didn't research' 'have you no clue' 'why do you even have a dog' type sentiments that are appearing in multiple threads these days. Post helpful advice to the situation at hand or not at all. Thank you.
(P.S. do not reply to this post)

peteb2

tk123 wrote: »

FYI you should only walk them for five mins per month of age to save damaging their joints! She's a lovely little pup. Did you give her a chocolate name? - I know a Twix and a Rolo lol

Yeah I know about the walking business. I did some research! :rolleyes:

No. the wife wanted to call her Rolo but I felt it was a male name so we went with Roxie!

ene

hi!

i got a puppy about 6 months ago so i can give you some advice,

i would try to socialize her as soon as you can, i don't mean take her for walks but carry her to the shops and go in the car etc from a young age. my dog loves getting into the car now but she used to be afraid of the noise! we also have a church beside my house and there was lots of people on a sunday there so i literally stood at my door and let people pet her and stuff so she can get used to strangers!
as for other dogs my friend had a house dog who is fully vaccinated and i brought molly to see him all the time!! no molly is a westie and harry is a lab but they got on great and it was great to see them play together!
when i got molly she was 8 weeks old and i didn't really leave her by herself often, but when i did i gave her a meal in her kong (add boiling water to the nuts and they kinda melt then spoon into kong and allow to cool) she really liked this and it kept her busy!

as regards to the garden, make sure she is not left out on her own. i found this out the hard way when i let her out for a run around while i was boiling the kettle and molly some how got herself stuck on a bike! so just keep your eye out!

also allow her in one room only at first, don't give her the run of the house! for one it would probably just be destroyed, 2, you can't keep a eye on her, and 3. she needs to get used to one room and its noises first!!

sorry that this is really long

just trying to help!!

Bullseye1

Best of luck with your pup Pete. She looks in great condition considering her age. Keep us posted with progress.

peteb2

Now you see this where I get confused with someone saying to feed her in the kong which I get. But when you aren't there? Surely I am supposed to let her out straight after she eats??

peteb2

Oh plus guys I need to get more than one kong hollow chew toy but the choices in shops are bewildering as to what is suitable so please, any specific ideas are welcome !

Zulu

How long will you not be there for?
If the knog is frozen, she'll only be getting a little bit at a time spread over a few hours. If you're popping out for an hour or so it should be fine. If you are leaving for 8 hours & hoping the knog will be a substitute for company, it won't be for the coming weeks.

Zulu

Kong + buster cube is plenty enough.

peteb2

Thanks. But please read the whole thread here because an no point did I ever say my dog was regularly left alone for 8 hours!

Zulu

peteb2 wrote: »

Thanks. But please read the whole thread here because an no point did I ever say my dog was regularly left alone for 8 hours!

Apologies peteb2, but I did read the whole thread. Perhaps you are being a little defensive.

Please reread my post.