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Hope you are not buying your dog from a backyard breeder. Lots of doxies need rescue. Are you getting your baby from a rescue group? Please learn from the get-go not to overfeed your dog. Small amounts 3-4 x a day for a puppy. Get a crate for him that is just big enough for him to turn around in ... no larger. You can buy a crate pretty cheap. Maybe cat size to start. Keep him there whenever you cannot supervise him. Have him sleep there. The minute you take him out of the crate take him where you want him to potty. Praise him immediately after he potties with a small treat (have it in your pocket when you go out). Don't distract him by praising while he is going potty, don't wait to give the reward until you are back in the house....he will forget. Don't let children pick up the puppy. they can hold him in their laps but no carrying the pup around the house. They might injure or frighten the puppy and you want to make sure he doesn't fear or dislike the kids.
I think harnesses are the way to go for smaller breeds, less stress on the trachea when they pull etc - just make sure you get an adjustable one and it fits ok - also let her wear the harness and leash in the house for a while (she'll drag it around), she'll be less resistant when you take her for walks - we kind of walked ours in the yard til she got the idea, then ventured out. Would make sure she's had all her shots before taking her to areas frequented w/ other dogs etc - best not to take a chance. Best of luck, am sure it'll all go great
ps - woudl stay away from kibble w/ corn, soy or wheat - stay away from supermarket brands - Petco and PetsMart have a huge variety of diff. brands -
MY best advise is that you will have a very brief feeling that you have made a big mistake. You will feel as if you are in over your head, and miss your life before (Oh, you want to go out, AGAIN?!!). I felt this way when I had my first baby, and also when I fostered a litter of orphaned kittens, and an injured squirrel. The feeling is, "oh, no, what have I done?", but after a very short time you will love the experience.
Feed a puppy a little bit whenever he wants it. I would neuter a male puppy for sure, before his hormones kick in. Do not EVER give people food, except maybe protein in his dish. There is nothing sadder than a fat dashchund, and, since our next dog will probably be a dachshund also, I've read up, and I'm sure you must know that they are prone to expensive spine issues if you let them get too fat.
Excellent advice! I will manage my expectations, and remember that it won''t be all fun and games. As for getting heavy, the good news is that NYC is a walking city. This little dude will be doing lots of walking, and we have a place close by for him to run in when he's ready.
I am so excited for you. Your life will change forever but in a very good way. You will wonder why you waited so long and will never be able to imagine your life without your dog. I wish you all a wonderful time as you get to know your new family member. And yes, the stocking is important!
I'd also recommend hooking up with the local Dachshund club, they will be a wealth of info for you. Because the breed is a long backed breed there are specific ways to hold and care for the dog...no jumping up or down on furnature, stairs etc.
Hope you are not buying your dog from a backyard breeder. Lots of doxies need rescue. Are you getting your baby from a rescue group? Please learn from the get-go not to overfeed your dog. Small amounts 3-4 x a day for a puppy. Get a crate for him that is just big enough for him to turn around in ... no larger. You can buy a crate pretty cheap. Maybe cat size to start. Keep him there whenever you cannot supervise him. Have him sleep there. The minute you take him out of the crate take him where you want him to potty. Praise him immediately after he potties with a small treat (have it in your pocket when you go out). Don't distract him by praising while he is going potty, don't wait to give the reward until you are back in the house....he will forget. Don't let children pick up the puppy. they can hold him in their laps but no carrying the pup around the house. They might injure or frighten the puppy and you want to make sure he doesn't fear or dislike the kids.
Fantastic post and I agree completely!!
Also, please make sure your husband has a lot of experience training dogs. Doxies are incredibly stubborn and hard headed. It's the one breed of dog I don't pull from shelters anymore as almost every single one has been a biter and even after 16 years of dog training, I wasn't able to correct that behavior in them. I'm NOT saying it's a 'bad breed', I'm just saying make sure you train and socialize it properly from the second it walks through your door!!!
Puppy proof your house! Puppies chew, so make sure there are no electric cords that the puppy can get to. Make sure the garbage can't be knocked over. I'm having a cabinet made for my kitchen to put ours inside of so I can lock it and none of the dogs can get to it.
Decide if you want to potty pad train. I do, but I know a lot of people are strongly opposed to it. I've found that with small breed puppies in the fall, potty pads are a God send. Trying to clear a path free of snow that you can take puppy out in to potty and then spending the time waiting for them can be difficult. They're also a big help if you plan on both working and puppy will be home along for 8 or 10 hours a day. As an adult they can hold it that long, but as a younger puppy they can't. Giving them a place they can go if they need to is helpful. And if you get stuck away from home for an emergency, it's nice that they have a place to go if they have to.
Not taking puppy out of the house until they've had their second vaccine for two weeks is vital!!! Parvo and Distemper are very highly contagious and until that second set of vaccines has been in them for a full two weeks they're not considered immune. And that doesn't mean you don't need the third booster, because you do! After that, if you're able to do it financially, have titers testing done each year before vaccinating. You may not even need to vacc him/her again for a while. This does not apply to rabies unfortunately because of laws in each state. However, after a one year rabies now, you can get a three year rabies in some states.
To add to some of the great advice above....you can get a larger crate than he needs now, but get a crate divider with it (some crates are sold with crate dividers, I know the iCrate is) so you can increase his available space as he grows. Feed him in his crate. Never punish him by putting him in his crate - the crate should always be a happy place to go. Don't overuse the crate.
Don't assume that once he (or she) has pooped or peed once outside, that the puppy is "done." IME, most puppies poop and pee in installments. Make sure it's all emptied out.
Baby gates or ex-pens are your friend.
Enroll in puppy obedience when it's old enough (12-14 weeks) and TAKE THE KIDS! So it is a family experience and you all learn together. Find a class that is very motivational and fun.
Feed good food, not too much of it, you should always be able to easily feel ribs (but not see them, at least not easily.)
Don't know how feasible it is to keep a puppy in NYC away from areas other dogs go until vaccinations are done and sero-converted, but do be aware.
All 27 vet schools in the U.S. have been teaching new vets for years that a three-year vaccination schedule is fine for core vaccines in most areas. Puppy series + annual booster then every three years, and/or titer. Except for rabies, you ought to follow state law on that one. (Every three years in Michigan after the initial vaccine at 4-6 months + one-year booster.)
Thank you for all the great advice. We have a new puppie! He is 12 weeks old and as sweet and as cute as could be. The poor thing had some car sickness on the way home from PA., but has done well ever since. He has bonded incredibly fast with all three of us. He seems happy and playful and loves to be petted. Now it was tense when we got home considering we have two cats. The puppy seemed okay, but one of the two cats hissed at him, and this cat has never once hissed in 12 yrs. We find that when the cats are way up they feel more secure. My poor daughter was terrified "the boys" would fight and the puppy would get hurt, but so far so good. I think we all feel a bit tense, but we are optimistic. My husband has been a calm, wonderful presense and my daughter has the energy to play with this little guy. I keep on petting the cats to make them feel loved. I am exhausted. Thanks again for the excellent advice. I forgot to mention, his name is Prescott. My daughter had the final say. I wanted to name him Cedric. My husband liked, Badger. We all were seriously considering , Fritz, but it is what it is. I am having a hard time remembering his name.
LOL on forgetting the name you gave him. I thought I was the only one that did that (just about the only dog subject that hasn't been covered on this forum, at least in my time).
A new puppy, and settling in dogs and cats, can be a whirlwind time. I don't doubt you're exhausted. Just keep telling yourself things will calm down and get normal again.
Try not to leave him and the cats unsupervised for now, till they all figure out how to deal with each other. Since he's so young I bet they'll have his complete respect in no time.
Enjoy!
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Make sure it's all emptied out.
