Advice for new puppy owner

grainne831

Hi

My husband has come home with a new puppy 8 weeks old. Its a little Jack Russell and im clueless when it comes to dogs so im looking for some advice please.

We have a very large garden but its not secure as in he could get out under gate and through hedging. I have started to look into the wired boundary fencing but im a bit clueless. The collar and little box on the collar look very big and im just wondering are they suitable for such a small dog. Any advice on brand or makes would be appreciated as id like to have him roam freely around the garden as soon as possible.

I was wondering why he had a long tail and my husband mentioned that people get the tails cut. Is it necessary or is this something they do for show dogs. Sounds cruel to me but maybe there is a reason behind it.

He has been wormed so im wondering when do I worm again.how often. Is this something I do myself or do I need to bring him to vet

Also regarding grooming, nails etc how often do u do this.,,,,sorry these are prob really obvious questions but im a complete novice.

How often do you feed a puppy...im thinking small amounts often???

What essentials do I need to get.
bed
collar
leed
feeding bowls
toys
anything else?

What is the best thing to feed him.

Any tips or advice would be most welcome
Thanks

aonb

wow, a bit of a surprise huh? I hope you like dogs?!?

To answer some of your questions:

Feeding: Small puppy needs small amounts four times/day initially. I would go buy some chicken thighs, and boil 2 or 3 up with a small amount of rice. Remove the bones and chop it all up small. This will be enough food for him for 2-3 days. Make sure he always has access to fresh drinking water. Dont give him cows milk!

Toilet training: should start today/now! several times/day and always after eating and drinking, bring him out to the garden to wee/poo. Use a key word to tell him to 'pee' or 'poo' or whatever. LOTS of praise when he does the deed. There will be accidents, dont shout at him or smack or anything, just take him out next time til he learns that he has to go outside

You dont need to buy much initially. A cheap tiny collar, and a leash to start. He will need a permanent collar when he has reached full size. A box with a blanket/old towel in it will do for a bed for now. |Go to a charity shop and buy some soft toys (with nothing like beans etc inside) so he can play. Old socks tied into a knot to play tug with are popular

I would bring him to a vet to be checked. You will need to have a vet lined up in any case. He should have his shots up to date. There will be annual booster shots after that. He will need to be wormed regularly. Go to your vet and get him sorted there, and the vet will give you all that info too. You can buy worming tabs yourself, put in a bit of cheese/chicken and pop it in their mouth. Watch that he doesnt spit it out!

He will be nervous/frightened until he gets used to you and his new home. Be gentle and lots of kindness and TLC to help him settle. He is only a baby, so its a huge change and learning experience for him (and you!)

His tail hasnt been docked. This is no longer legal in Ireland. It would have been done previously when they were a couple days old. As you say, unnessary and cruel. He comes with a tail to show you when he is happy (wagging) or frightened (tail down)!

Folks will reply on the subject of collars/radio fencing etc. I dont like them - they seem cruel to me. I would prefer to fence in and patch up holes in your garden fencing - its what we've done. You wont be letting an 8 week old puppy out in your garden unsupervised for a good few weeks. They are too small to be out on their own - just to toilet, and a bit of a play, or to accompany you if going to garden or to the clothesline etc

Best of luck with your new best friend. I hope he settles in quickly, and you are lucky enough to have a wonderful new companion!

grainne831

aonb wrote: »

wow, a bit of a surprise huh? I hope you like dogs?!?

To answer some of your questions:

Feeding: Small puppy needs small amounts four times/day initially. I would go buy some chicken thighs, and boil 2 or 3 up with a small amount of rice. Remove the bones and chop it all up small. This will be enough food for him for 2-3 days. Make sure he always has access to fresh drinking water. Dont give him cows milk!

Thanks wasnt sure about milk...i did give him with his last two meals just to soften up things

aonb wrote: »

Toilet training: should start today/now! several times/day and always after eating and drinking, bring him out to the garden to wee/poo. Use a key word to tell him to 'pee' or 'poo' or whatever. LOTS of praise when he does the deed. There will be accidents, dont shout at him or smack or anything, just take him out next time til he learns that he has to go outside

yes a few accidents already inside but i know hes only a baby. Also only got him yesterday so id say a bit nervous and excited too!

aonb wrote: »

You dont need to buy much initially. A cheap tiny collar, and a leash to start. He will need a permanent collar when he has reached full size. A box with a blanket/old towel in it will do for a bed for now. |Go to a charity shop and buy some soft toys (with nothing like beans etc inside) so he can play. Old socks tied into a knot to play tug with are popular

Will get some toys for him. Was going to give him old slipper but thought that might be teaching him to eat shoes!......he seems to like to nibble on everything!

aonb wrote: »

I would bring him to a vet to be checked. You will need to have a vet lined up in any case. He should have his shots up to date. There will be annual booster shots after that. He will need to be wormed regularly. Go to your vet and get him sorted there, and the vet will give you all that info too. You can buy worming tabs yourself, put in a bit of cheese/chicken and pop it in their mouth. Watch that he doesnt spit it out!

Yes wasnt thinking about vaccinations....also read soemwhere that they cant really be brought for walks untill they have had their last vaccination?

aonb wrote: »

He will be nervous/frightened until he gets used to you and his new home. Be gentle and lots of kindness and TLC to help him settle. He is only a baby, so its a huge change and learning experience for him (and you!)

he has already wormed his way in beside me on the couch....never saw a dog fall asleep on his back before..hes so cute...im not really a dog person but i have to say i already have a soft spot for him. His mother died so i was feeling very sorry for him

aonb wrote: »

His tail hasnt been docked. This is no longer legal in Ireland. It would have been done previously when they were a couple days old. As you say, unnessary and cruel. He comes with a tail to show you when he is happy (wagging) or frightened (tail down)!

good i didnt like the idea of doing that!

aonb wrote: »

Folks will reply on the subject of collars/radio fencing etc. I dont like them - they seem cruel to me. I would prefer to fence in and patch up holes in your garden fencing - its what we've done. You wont be letting an 8 week old puppy out in your garden unsupervised for a good few weeks. They are too small to be out on their own - just to toilet, and a bit of a play, or to accompany you if going to garden or to the clothesline etc

am afraid patching up isnt an option...its a huge ditch on one side.

Thanks for the advice...much appreciated

aonb

p.s. there really isnt any grooming for a jack russell. They are tough little working dogs (I have 2) - smooth haired or long haired/rough coated. You may have to wash him very occassionally (if he rolls in something disgusting) you could have a nice brush to 'groom' him with if he is moulting (loosing hair) - my two love that.

He has 'dew claws' - little extra nail on the side of his front legs - that may get sharp/long - that may need cutting occassionally if they tend to catch on things. His regular claws/nails, will wear down if you walk him on pavements/roads every day.

You will have fun teaching him to walk on the leash - do this in the house for a few minutes every day (when he is settled in) - some puppies take to it v.quickly, others like to chew the leash and mess about - great fun!

Bonding with a new puppy is great - the 'rules' you make now will make all the difference as he grows - e.g. dont let him jump up/scratch - or whatever you dont want him doing - start with gentle training now, and it will really pay off. A little titbit is great to help the training along. Make sure you practise recall - he has to come back to you when you call - etc etc.

Jack Russells are fiesty little pests sometimes - great personalities and can be stubborn, but training, training, training when they are young, is really really worthwhile!

and yes, dont bring them out in to the street/where other dogs are, until he is vaccinated. He can be in your garden of course. Jack Russells are hunters/diggers/ ratters, so you do need to think about garden security then.

Use warm water, or a bit of gravy to moisten his food - they have a lactose intolance, so cows milk is out - can cause diarhhea

grainne831

Thanks Aonb

So is it the vet that would cut the dew claws?

What titbits are suitable?.....are they specific dog treats?

aonb

People used to remove dew claws at birth. Now illegal. You may not need to worry about dew claws - some dogs have sharp/badly growing ones, others are fine/never a problem. I would leave clipping any claws to someone experienced (like the vet). Just telling you about them so that you are aware of them if theres an issue with sharp ones or catching on things.

Anything that tempts the puppy can be used as a treat. You can buy dog specific ones in all the shops. My dogs would sell their souls for Choc Drops (Good Boy brand) that I get in Tesco. But a piece of chicken or a lump of cheese are up there for popular treats. You just need a treat to focus him when you are teaching him - he doesnt get the treat til he does what you tell him - with LOTS of praise always.

Flea stuff is another thing you probably need to think of. I dont use it - but never had fleas (my dogs that is) - when you go to the vet s/he will anti-flea as a matter of course usually - or you can do it yourself. (You buy a little plastic vial & just squirt contents onto the scruff of their neck)

Most dogs will sleep upside-down - keeps the 'baldy' tummy exposed to reduce the temperature!! Also good for reminding owners to scratch said baldy tummy!!

Do you know if he has had his shots yet? If you dont have a vaccination card, you should bring him to the vet for a checkup and get his basic shots started. he will need a few initially, then once/year for a booster. The once/year visit to the vet is useful to get him checked over. Being a tough little Jack Russell, he will hopefully never need to go to the vet other than his once/year checkup/shots. You might consider pet insurance, since you are new to dogs. (I dont have it, but lots of folks do)

irish_goat

Get him neutered as well.

grainne831

Thanks for the replies.....its like having another child...im already feeling nervous for him regarding his vaccinations!

aonb

grainne831 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.....its like having another child...im already feeling nervous for him regarding his vaccinations!

welcome to the world of pet lovers

(he will squeal when he gets his shots, so be prepared!!)

grainne831

oh no...thats a trip for hubbie so........

VonVix

Another hugely important thing you need to keep in mind is socialization. Between now and the next few weeks your puppy is very impressionable. You want to expose him to other dogs, children, men and women. Do what you can to bring him everywhere with you and meet lots of people. The socialisation process continues on for the first year or so of his life, but the early stages are the most important, the older he gets, the more of an uphill struggle it can be to try and get your dog into a place where he's not yappy/barking/fearful/fear-aggressive of new situations or dogs/people.

Otherwise you can end up with a fearful dog in the future if he does not learn the coping skills necessary. You got to show him the world is his playground and not a scary place, otherwise he will struggle to cope in new situations or around new people/dogs.

I'd strongly consider taking him to a puppy obedience class when he's a bit older/got his vaccinations, but that is more for teaching you than teaching your puppy.

Also, congratulations!

borderlinemeath

A dog run in the garden will prevent him escaping, for now a puppy playpen might do, providing he isn't much of a jumper - yet! Either spend money on a good dog run, or proper fencing but don't waste it on a dog electric fence, they're cruel, unreliable and will lead to behavioural issues with your dog.

Unless he came with a folder with all his vaccs to date listed on it, then he'll have to start fresh with them on his vet visit. I find they don't react too badly to the injection, but he'll need to be microchipped. (a tiny chip that contains contact details to be put on a nationwide database in case he gets lost) and the implanter is bigger than a needle so they usually yelp getting that done. Also get a gentle puppy wormer, he should be wormed every 2 weeks until he's 12 weeks old, then every month until he's six months old, then every 3 months after that.

A collar, name tag with contact details and notification that he's chipped. A lead, and there's no harm in getting him used to the lead on him around the house, so it's one less thing to worry him when he does eventually go out into the big bad world.

If you want to go down the route of crate training him, you can get cheap crates with next day delivery from https://www.jebbtools.ie/dog-crates. Don't go mad on buying beds as he'll probably chew them, a sheet of vetbed is brilliant, easily washed and quickly dried, and chew resistant to a certain degree.

At his age he should be fed 3 times a day at least, fresh food or a good quality puppy kibble, preferably grain and gluten free, any idea what he was fed beforehand? It would help to have a small amount of the same food so his stomach doesn't get upset.

Trimming claws can be a fine art! There's a vein in the nail and if you nick it, it will bleed, and it will be painful for the dog and he'll not let you near his claws again! The vet or a groomer can do it, or you can get a clippers in a pet shop but only literally trim a millimetre off at a time, it's very easy to nick a vein. If he has white claws you might be able to see the vein in the claw so it's a help! It's good to get him used to getting his nails done and teeth cleaned, he'll be well used to it once he reaches adulthood then.

AnScamall

You will also need a dog license which is 20 Euro and you get it in the post office.

Magenta

Would recommend visiting a library or bookshop and getting a good book about raising a puppy, there's far too much info than can be explained here

borderlinemeath

Magenta wrote: »

Would recommend visiting a library or bookshop and getting a good book about raising a puppy, there's far too much info than can be explained here

But avoid anything by Cesar Milan or anything that tells you to be the "alpha" or "pack leader" or subscribes to "dominance theory". It's all outdated nonsense, but there's still loads of literature available.

DBB

An excellent starting point for you op, is www.dogstardaily.com. You'll need to sign up to it, but there aren't many better (free) resources to puppy owners! Loads and loads of qualified advice to be had on it :-)
Also, there's nowt to stop you coming on here to ask any questions you have as you go along... Even if a question may seem silly, don't hesitate to ask, as there's a wealth of info to be gleaned from people here, as you've already found out! :-D
Good luck with your new pup, and demand an extra special night out funded entirely by your OH for embracing this new project, though it sounds like he did it for very laudable reasons!

coathanger

I have 2 Jack Russells,they are great,I got them both from a rescue & my only regret is that I didn't have them from when they were puppies,as they are both gunshy in fact any loud noises,bangs,fire sparking,hovering etc etc,turns them into nervous wrecks,so my advice would be expose them to as much noise as possible...in order to get them used to it where possible.
Don't forget to post some pics!