Santa is bringing us a puppy

Hi there,
Santa is bring my kids ( 10,7,4) a Staffy Puppy.
Her name is HOLLY and she will be 8.5 weeks on xmas eve when we pick her up.
I plan on popping her in a box right before the kids wake up... ( this may be a challenge )

I am planning on creat training her.. I have a small create that my kitten flew in..

Do you think this will be ok for the first few months?...

Is it ok to upgrade her to a bigger create when she gets older?... or will she not like this?
I have read that if I start her on a large one she will poo and wee in there as it is to large for such a little girl?

thanks to all those that answer my post...
I am very excited to be getting Holly.. I cant wait for the surprise on the kids faces when they see her

X Mel

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Hi & wwelcome to the forum

no put her straight into a big crate she may wee a few times but shouldnt poo as she will have been tought not to by her mother not to soil in the nest(puppybed)
plus it will give her plenty room to move around in.
but please please try and keep it as quite as possible on christmas morning and let her find her space as she will get totally streesed out if its all up in the air and she gettin past from piller the post, ha ha which is a lot harder said than done when there a new pup on the scene.

Hi and welcome to the forum! Sounds like you'll have your hands full over Christmas! Do take loads of pics & post some on here so we can see what she looks like.

As bigwazza says, you'd be best getting her a full sized crate straight away - it will become her bed, her 'den' and her place for quiet 'time out' (both for you & her!).

TRY to keep things as quiet & calm for her over the first couple of days. I know Christmas is exciting, especially for the children, but your pup will be stressed with being taken away from her mother & siblings so you want her to settle in to your home as easily as possible. I'm sure you will, but do remember to tell your children that puppies need LOTS of rest & sleep & should be allowed to do so from day one.

Good luck, and if you have any problems or questions, just post em here & we'll do our best to help!

Thanks.., I will make sure that the kids know the rules
I have printed out santa's puppy rules... so they know what to do

also thanks for the crate tips x

were about in oz are you mel as we have a few members over there

I bet they'll absolutely love her! Wish I could see their faces when they realise - maybe you could get some pics of that?

hi and welcome you need to take pics of the kids faces when they see what Santa has brought them

Hi guys
I am so glad to have found this friendly place.

yes i will be taking alot of photos.... I am a budding Photographer as well...
so you guys will prob get sick of me posting puppy pictures. LOL

I am in Wollongong, About 1 hour south of Sydney.
I am hoping my Son, ( who is a little strange at times and acts like he is 80 YO) will take her to puppy pre school as a "sport".. He suffers a little with anxiety but he is soooo much better than he was a month ago as he is in theropy and they sugguested he do a "sport" for confidence..
I thought what better confidence builder than a puppy that loves him and they can work together.
I will post some pics of that too
x

We NEVER get sick of seeing puppy pics! I think there's no better therapy for a child than interraction with a pup that loves him. Children & dogs seem to go so well together, they understand each other!

and welcome to the forum

Hi and welcome to the forum

Your not wrong Caryll. My daughter who is autistic wouldn't talk or interact with anyone in the family but our pet boxer was the one who ended up getting her from isolating herself. Them 2 had a relationship so deep that no one else in the family would ever of been able to achieve.
I remember coming out to a hallway full of about 14 toilet rolls unravalled and them 2 sat together like it wasn't us lol

BlueStaffBlue wrote:Your not wrong Caryll. My daughter who is autistic wouldn't talk or interact with anyone in the family but our pet boxer was the one who ended up getting her from isolating herself. Them 2 had a relationship so deep that no one else in the family would ever of been able to achieve.
I remember coming out to a hallway full of about 14 toilet rolls unravalled and them 2 sat together like it wasn't us lol

BlueStaff it is so nice to hear about things like that it just shows what bonds are built with children and dogs

Mel Skora wrote:
Is it ok to upgrade her to a bigger create when she gets older?... or will she not like this?
I have read that if I start her on a large one she will poo and wee in there as it is to large for such a little girl?

You can get a crate large enough for her adult size but with the crate you can also get dividers which block off the extra room, or you could fill it in yourself with your cats cage etc or a secure board.

Oh yeah that is a great idea thanks
xx

hello and a warm welcome to the forum.

x

id say you're counting down the days, and don't forget a puppy is for life just not Christmas, but im sure you know this already.

Hey Shane,
Yeah we have had a staffy before so we know what we are in for..
Unfort I didnt have any idea what i was doing with her.. I did no reasearch and just assumed that she would fit into our family.. How wrong was I .
I feel quiet bad about it now as she displayed all the signs of seperation anxiety I have read on this forum.
She was quiet rough with the kids as well.. at the time my eldest was only 4 and I had a new born son... when we renovated a friend took her as we had no fences up and a pool being built and I didnt want her falling in there... and she never came home.. she was a different dog on the farm.. seemed happy and much better runnign around and playing with the other dog they had there.. they didnt want to give her back either after 7 months..so we decided to let her stay there.

So that is why I am determined to make sure I know everything , well everything I can possibly read, before we get this puppy home.
I want her to be a part of our family till death do us part.
So far I have the support from my Husband ( which i didnt have before as he was on shift work). He is home at 5pm and all weekend.. so we plan on doing alot of work with her over the 7 weeks summer break.
I will post a new thread I think... on things people would have done diff... I am sure there are alot of puppy owners who did things the wrong way first time around.. I am def one of them.
As I have said before... I am so greatful to have found this forum and all the people on here.
Thanks

Aww, I think we would all change some things! I remember my first lol, my second was slightly older and thats the way I like it! Although I get puppy fever when I see some of the pics on here lol

Janey,
We are leaving her at the breeders until almost 9 weeks of age..
I pick the last Staffy up at 5weeks and 5 days!!!! TOO TO TO young...
I didnt know any better. and they didnt seem to care
they poor little thing cried and cried and cried for weeks
I feel so gulity and horrid at the way we handled her.. I must say we were not great puppy owners at all

But it all worked out in the end, do you still know how your first pup is? Its never something to be taken lightly but as you have learnt doing your homework helps greatly. Just ask anything, someone on here will have suffered the same and use this site as a support. Make sure everythings in place and by the sounds of it you are. Its never easy but you'll be fine x

Janey,
As far as I know she is still with them. They were friends of my sisters more than ours... She worked in a hotel and one of the regulars happen to mention gettign a play mate for her dog on the farm to keep her company when they were busy,
I decided it wasnt fair for my little girl to go visit once we made the decision for her not to come home.
Alesia still talks about her and says she thinks of her every now and then.
she is 10 now and will be much better equiped to help train Holly too i think.
My son will be the one that takes to her.. he seems to have a way with animals and they just addore him.

Very sad but thats what happens if you dont do your research. Just make sure this time you are fully prepared.

Yes it is / was sad.
I am checking in here every morning and night. reading tho old posts and looking at other peoples idea etc,
I feel much better about getting Holly , more informed and much better understanding as to dogs behaviour and we are also goign to take her to puppy pre school and hoping to be able to get into some sort of sporting team of course that will be a while off but it looks like alot of fun
Holly is no show puppy , but that isnt what we were looking for either.
Maybe when the kids are grown up and we have much more time I will be able to look into some of these great names/ blood lines you have in your dogs.

Hay mines a rescue and thats the way I like it but whatever you like, just be relaxed and it will fall into place x

Yes, we go on about 'show lines', but really, in the long run none of that matters. What matters first & foremost is that you love your dog & he/she loves you. It's only when you intend to show or breed that you need worry about pedigrees/show lines.

There are a few members here who have some absolutely gorgeous rescue dogs & staffy crosses, and they wouldn't want them any other way!

Caryll wrote:Yes, we go on about 'show lines', but really, in the long run none of that matters. What matters first & foremost is that you love your dog & he/she loves you. It's only when you intend to show or breed that you need worry about pedigrees/show lines.

There are a few members here who have some absolutely gorgeous rescue dogs & staffy crosses, and they wouldn't want them any other way!

Correct x

Yes i agree.. I was the same when I got my kitty cat. I got him out of the cage.. he pured and snuggled up in my arms... BANG.. I was hooked.. and he is such an amazing cat.. my youngest one gives him a bit of stick and he just takes it.. dress ups, prams everything.. i guess if uit feels right then we have made a great start.

It'll be fine, I'm sure, you seem ready this time. I got my first as a pressie on xmas day! Never having owned a dog let alone a stafford before! I coped and Scrumpy was amazing! My next slightly older but we all have our preferences! You'll be grand, look forward to some stories and pics lol x

Oh there will be pics... prob get banned for posting to many,
i am "mrs Fuji" they call me...
most people at some stage have told me to shove my camera where the sun dont shine... i love capturing moment..lol

There are a few members here who have some absolutely gorgeous rescue dogs & staffy crosses, and they wouldn't want them any other way! [/quote]

yes i totally agree with you.

Mel Skora wrote:Oh there will be pics... prob get banned for posting to many,
i am "mrs Fuji" they call me...
most people at some stage have told me to shove my camera where the sun dont shine... i love capturing moment..lol

You'll never be banned for too many pics! Too few yes lol!! Mrs Fuji, I for one am looking forward to pics, as will everyone else be lol

Thanks Guys,.
My hubby told me i was sending the cat blind taking a zillion pics of him,
can the flash hurt a puppies eyes?

I don't think so but can't confirm that, I never really use flash, 99% of pics are taken in the daylight outside, and if you go on how many pics babies get prob not. But don't know, good question!

I will need the flash on Xmas morning !! it will still be dark when the kids get up I should think pmsl....
God I am going to be so tired xmas night

Holly won't be, I remember Scrumpy (my first) and I was itching for her to wake up and play and all she did was sleep! Now all I want is for Moo too sleep lol!

LOL.. yeah my eldest daughter sleeps 13 hours a night.. actually all my kids sleep 12-13.5 hours a night.. ( i trained them well pmsl)
and Ali's first couple of xmas's we were up waiting till 9.30am for her to wake up.. now they set their alarms for 6am ( my rules) and fly out of bed...
I plan on setting mine for 5am and putting Holly out under the tree in her cage .
I am sure she will be fine for an hour on her own???

Just be carefull you don't suprise/frighten Holly too much, is there any way you can keep her calm and relaxed in a seperate room and then poss warn the kiddies whats about to happen without ruining the suprise? Just think about Holly really its the biggest change of her life x

Thanks Janey, Maybe I can intercept the kids.
We have a large house and the kids are at one end and us at the other. Kitchen dining and lounge between us.
I am sure that if I stop them at the kitchen and tell them they have to be super quiet and chill they will be fine.. I dont want Holly to be scared that is for sure.

Just be very calm, why not get a pic of Holly and pop that in the cage, that way they can be all excited without scaring your pup, then when the commotions passed introduce them calmly. Up to you but imagine how you would feel in the pups paws!

Thanks for your suggestions. I will make sure which every way we decide I will Holly in mind 100%.
I dont want her to be scared of the kids and they will still be getting a great suprise either way