Three Weeks Old
There are still 4-5 weeks of waiting before we can bring Caza home. In the last post, I made it sound like there is almost nothing to do but wait. In reality, there are many important things that can be done while waiting for a new puppy to arrive. If one is a first time puppy owner or if it has been a long time since the last dog, then there is more to do to prepare for pup’s arrival.
I have not had a dog in 14 years. ( Not entirely true, two of my kids have had dogs during that time. My son had a chocolate lab and my daughter a golden retriever. BUT, I (as in me) have not had a dog in 14 years!) So, I have lots to do to get ready.
Here are several important things that need done, some general (but important), others specific to my situation. As we wait for our puppies to arrive, we can be busy preparing to make pup’s transition to an new how an exciting time for all of us.
- Finish the fence around the yard.
- Build outside kennels.
- Decide what to use for inside kennel and where to put it.
- Get kennel for truck.
- Interview veterinarians.
- Make extra money. (going to need lots of gas money for proper exposure to wild birds.)
- Make sure entire family understands the ‘rules’ that both we and puppy have to follow. ( I do believe that the whole family can help with training, but little ones can get exuberant and need monitored.)
- Find extra training grounds (field, forest, and water.)
- Make friends/contacts with other dog enthusiasts that can mentor/help train. (Breeders, VDD, and NAVHDA are great sources.)
- Determine a training plan. (based on experience, books, and input from breeders and more experienced trainers.)
- REMEMBER that like people puppies are individuals. Any training/exposure schedule must be flexible to meet puppy’s needs.
