Countdown and Final List Check

Alrighty everyone. Got the official email a few days back, and the confirmation today, my little pup has been born, and she's ready to come home on the 24th of June, at 8 weeks old.

I just wanted to go down my checklist of items/plans/house rules to ensure I've taken the best of everything I've learned her, and have everything ready so that we may both survive this transition.

Items:
1 Medium-large sized dog crate, closed lid.
1 crate divider
1 dog bed
1 dog blanket
1 Carpet Spot Remover
1 De-Linter roll (for the clothes!)
1 water bowl - metal/rubber bottom
1 food dish - metal/rubber bottom/slow gulp
2 tug of war toys (1 soft, 1 hard)
1 teething toy - freezable
2 soft chewing toys
1 nylabone
1 frizbee
1 boomer ball

-Leash/Collar/Harness to be picked up upon measurement of dog on first day

Training: - Will be using positive reinforment, with treats/games acting as prizes.
Crate training - from day 1 - Crate not to be used in punishment
Bite training - No biting, loud pain yelp, activity stops
House training - outside only, have dog walk herself to door, then rush her outside to a known area. Mistakes in house are not to be punished (not pups fault)
Leash training - have dog wear collar/leash periodically around house to get used to feel/weight
Bark training - firm no, followed by rewarding silence.
Socialization with people - wash those hands, slow increments, strangers can bring small treats.
Socialization with dogs - After second jabs, reward based behaviour, training classes
Food/Toy handling - interrupt/remove food/toy randomly to ensure dog does not become food/toy aggressive

House Rules
No biting - activity stops
Low/No barking - silence is rewarded
No bed - Dominance establishment rule (will likely cave within 2 minutes and give in, unlikely to work)
Girlfriend - Ensure I do not replace girlfriend with dog. Unlikely to work for first couple months.
Boyfriend - Ensure I am not replaced with dog by girlfriend. Unlikely to ever work.


Now is there anything I'm missing should remember to include. Yes, I'm a list maker. The price you pay when you have to train a puppy, a roommate, and a girlfriend to all follow the same rules. My biggest concern is that my roommate will totally counter my rules the moment I leave the house. "Oh barking and biting is fine... not my dog even though I agreed to all of this already".

Either way, I'll be massively updating/editing this post as people add suggestions and such!

Thanks
~B

My goodness me, you're well organised! I could have done with you to make me a list when I got all my dogs! There was always something I forgot!

Kerrby wrote:Girlfriend - Ensure I do not replace girlfriend with dog. Unlikely to work for first couple months.

All I'll say to this is "Take care your girlfriend doesn't replace you with the pup!

hahaha. Edited and added suggestion. Thanks Caryll.

I've always been an overplanner. 5 minutes early for social gatherings, 10 minutes for work, 15 for interviews. Clothes planned out the night before.

This dog planning has been 8 months in the planning. I cannot tell you how much research I did on various dog breeds, how many breeders I met, how many trips to the local petstore to price out various items for the 4 different dog breeds I got hooked on. The pages and pages and pages of questions I emailed to multiple breeders of each breed to counter-evaluate all of their information.

Spreadsheets, "perfect dog" quizzes, books, library trips, forum accounts.... well you get the point.

When it comes to me making life choices, I don't make em fast and without thought. Jumping off a 4th floor balcony because I'm "Pretty sure I could roll out of that jump dude" is a different store.

But when a little pooch is relying on me, I ain't leaving nothing to chance.

Good for you! I wish more people would look into things as thoroughly as that!

Nice list! I love planning stuff, too - great way to spend the time while waiting. And it might come in handy when the little terror is driving you crazy..

Hahaha. So true. Heard a quote I once appreciated greatly,

"Heaven is owning a dog. Hell is owning a puppy."

well done for planning - don't think you have missed anything

except

a countdown clock

bet you can't wait

lynne wrote:well done for planning - don't think you have missed anything

except

a countdown clock

bet you can't wait

45 days, just 45 days. Yup, 45 agonizing days. Dang-it! I've waited to long. ARRRRGH! Why do dogs have to age so slowly god?!?! Why?!?! I hope someone out there invents something that rapidly speeds things to 2 months of age. Would save a lot of time.

Kerrby wrote:
45 days, just 45 days. Yup, 45 agonizing days. Dang-it! I've waited to long. ARRRRGH! Why do dogs have to age so slowly god?!?! Why?!?! I hope someone out there invents something that rapidly speeds things to 2 months of age. Would save a lot of time.

Great idea! But on the other hand, the anticipation and waiting makes it that little more special. I'm picking up mine in just under (21 minutes that is) 4 days!

Kerrby wrote:

"Heaven is owning a dog. Hell is owning a puppy."

But what about the memories, they last forever....

Kerrby wrote: ARRRRGH! Why do dogs have to age so slowly god?!?! Why?!?! I hope someone out there invents something that rapidly speeds things to 2 months of age. Would save a lot of time.

And then they grow at such a fast pace that if you blink you'll miss something.

Dogalogs88 wrote:

Kerrby wrote: ARRRRGH! Why do dogs have to age so slowly god?!?! Why?!?! I hope someone out there invents something that rapidly speeds things to 2 months of age. Would save a lot of time.

And then they grow at such a fast pace that if you blink you'll miss something.

So True Didn't Bruno Would Grow So Quickly

hahaha. It's why it stops their growth at 2 months and then they continue as normal.

For those first two months I don't get to be with my puppy. I'm losing time here people!