Friday, September 11, 2009

First Nights and weeks with a puppy

When you decide to get a dog or a puppy you should prepare for a change in your life. As you would make a home child proof you should consider making it dog proof.



1. Move breakables away from dog nose and tail level. The new dog will want to explore their new territory, and will probably be very excited. Moving precious breakables helps ease your strain. Given a week or two the new pet will relax and so will you.



2. Check fences and gates. Think about putting a poster near doors and gates to remind friends that you have a new dog. Just in case they walk in and surprise your new dog or leave a gate open and let the puppy out.



3. Read lots of books about dogs in general and specific breeds if you want a pedigree dog. Some breeds have specific problems. It is best to learn about them BEFORE you invest time, love and money on your pet.



4. Make friends with your pets Veterinarian and their staff. A good veterinary doctor will welcome your enquiries about your new pet. If possible even get your veterinarian to look over your pet BEFORE you buy or adopt them. It is a sad fact that in a world full of puppy mills the cute puppy you fall in love with might be a very sick puppy.



5. Prepare for a few sleepless weeks if you have a new puppy.



I was brought up to leave the puppy alone on it's first few nights in a new home. However that is easier said than done and I admit after an hour or two the screams of a new, lonely puppy away from it's siblings is not pleasant.



My first night with Polly, who was nine weeks old at the time was awful, until I went to sleep with her on the bathroom floor. In the morning I found her lying on my shoulder, five pounds of cute black fluff, eyes closed tightly. If you do choose to leave your puppy alone, put him or her in a room with an easy to clean floor. Trying to get puppy poop out of a carpet every morning is no fun for you or the puppy.



Following my night on the bathroom floor I decided a new method was needed. So I went to a local TV shop and got a cardboard box, the largest they had. You might find one at U-Haul stores at a reasonable cost. I set the box beside my bed, in the bottom I placed a layer of newspaper, just in case of accidents. Make this layer about one inch thick. Also I found an old shirt which I wore for the day. Wearing the garment covers it with your scent. It will be the puppy's bed and so the puppy will associate you with comfort. Some also suggest covering a loadly ticking clock, but this might be more annoying to you than comforting for the puppy.



Immediately before you both go to bed, let the puppy out to relieve itself. Then bringing it to the box place it inside with the lid open. The puppy can then hear you as you move in the night. They might scratch and whimper a little but much less than locked away in isolation.



In a few nights you can move the puppy box to whereever its bed will be or you can provide the puppy with a crate which will be his or her home, crate training at a young age is easier and is useful if you need to travel with your pet.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

How to Photograph your Puppy




Polly at 12 Weeks
 (Photograph W. Elliott)


1. Remove film from box and load camera.

2. Remove film box from puppy's mouth and throw in garbage.

3. Remove puppy from garbage and brush coffee grounds from muzzle.

4. Choose a suitable background for photo.

5. Mount and focus camera.

6. Go find puppy and take dirty sock from mouth.

7. Place pup in pre-focused spot and return to camera.

8. Forget about spot and crawl after pup on knees.

9. Focus with one hand and fend off pup with the other.

10. Get tissue and clean nose print from lens.

11. Take flash cube from pup's mouth and discard.

12. Throw out cat and put peroxide on scratch on pup's nose.

13. Put ashtray and magazines back on coffee table.

14. Try to get cute expression by squeaking toy over head.

15. Replace your glasses on your face and fish camera from under sofa.

16. Jump up in time to grap pup by scruff and say "no, outside".

17. Call spouse to clean up mess.

18. Fix double martini.

19. Sit back in lazyboy and resolve to
teach pup 'sit-stay' first thing tomorrow.

20. Tell yourself that pictures are overrated anyway!

-Author Unknown

Monday, September 7, 2009

Any Suggestions?

Sorry for not posting for a few days now. My wife and I decided to take a quick weekend break in San Francisco, CA. We had good weather and enjoyed the few days rest.

Polly got to spend a few days with my wifes parents. She enjoys the fuss she gets from them.

I have some ideas for topics which I might like to cover; stories of all my dogs; hints and tips on care; possible problems; how to choose a dog; puppy or rescue? These will be ongoing items.

But if anyone has ideas or particular questions then please feel free to comment or request information. I will be pleased to answer most dog related questions.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

About Me

I have owned German Shepherds since 1988. My first was Suki, she was a year old when I found her in a rescue shelter. Her ears more often drooped than pricked, she was a faithful companion for almost seven years. Along the way I met Brett, a big shaggy German Shepherd and Husky cross. He came into both Suki and my life the day I got Suki. At first owned by a neighbor he left us for a while in the summer of 1989 but came to live with us on 2nd December 1989 when his owner offered me the choice. Take Brett of his hands or Brett's next journey would be the veterinery clinic to be put to sleep. Brett finally chose his own time to go to sleep at the end of August 2002.

My third and still precious companion is Polly, nine weeks old when I got her in February 1995. Today a still playful though aging beauty. Polly has moved often in her life, a puppy born in the islands of western Scotland, moved to England, daughter of Czech stock, she came to the United States with me in 2006. It actually cost more to ship Polly than it did to transport my wife and I and our entire house contents. But the price was as nothing as to the loss I would have felt leaving her behind. I should guard my words, for it is said, "If one loves something so much, the angels grow jealous and take it away."

This blog will I hope share stories of my dogs. The joy of my life and a celebration of theirs. If you have stories you would like to share about your dogs, whatever breed feel free to share. But I hope you too will share the celebration of the love and devotion of this one special breed.