Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ginny and Diggory on April 4, 2008 at 7:34pm

Here are my tips:

1. Hide your socks! Nothing is more fun for puppies than to run around the house with your socks.
2. Put the litter box somewhere the puppy can't get to. You wouldn't believe how delicious he will think those sprinkle-covered tootise rolls are!
3. Take LOTS of pictures. He will grow up so fast, and you'll regret it if you didn't get some good puppy pics.
4. Buy some band-aids. Puppy teeth are sharp!
5. Find a vet you like and who will answer any questions you might have.
6. Invest in a decent crate. It will last him his whole lifetime and will give you a peace of mind and a good night's sleep.
7. Get some carpet cleaner ahead of time. Puppy accidents are inevitable. We use "Get Serious" and it works great.
8. Talk to your breeder about what kind of food he's eating. It's best to stick with what the breeder has been feeding him to start.
9. Socialize, socialize, socialize. Take puppy with you to meet different types of people in different settings. The first few months are critical!
10. Think about enrolling in a puppy class. It teaches you the best ways to work with your dog and helps you forge a good relationship with him, with YOU as his leader.

You are making a commitment to give your love and take care of this puppy for the rest of his life. Be sure to give him lots of love! There will be many times when he will frustrate you at first, because puppies don't have very good manners, but be patient and he will be a great companion. Good luck with him!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Parker on April 5, 2008 at 2:05pm

You are awesome! Thanks for all the great tips! We're working on a way to get that litter box out of his reach. I'm going to start a puppy class the week or two after we get him! I'm super excited!
What do other people do to keep the puppy out of the litter box?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Avyon on April 5, 2008 at 2:51pm

ohh lets see...

-go through your whole house and puppyproof everything! and I mean everything! lol
-yup you want a good crate :) try and get one with a growing fence so you dont have to go out and buy a -bigger one later on (they expensive :( )
-get lots of soft toys and balls and things for puppy to chew on ;) If you ween that baby on dog toys early and have stuff for your little one to redirect those teeth on then all the better ahhaha.
-get what your breeder is feeding the pups and what you want to eventually feed your pup till it can go on adult food. (search for dog food in the threads and you'll find some good discussions on healthy dog food)
-get a leash and collar but a normal one as first.. as mentioned before you want to just let that leach drag around for a little while so your little one can get used to the weight and feel :)
- sometimes pups (especially if their a little older) don't eat normally for the first two weeks that their in a new home.. its an adjusting process and should go away with some attention and comfort.
- make sure everyone in the house knows the rules and have a routine! its easier on everyone if pup eats twice a day and this time and this time.. and goes out at these times.. and do this before pup goes out.. etc. etc. If things are different each time the learning curve can be very difficult hehe.
- if your pup goes and you find it 30 min later.. your pup isn't a little person. They wont know why your screaming at them then or tossing them into the crate lol. You have to be watching them all the time if they're out and catch them in the act. If you do any time out methods.. also know that your pups attention span is very low so 5-10 min max should do.. after that they just get bitter and forget why they're being punished.
- never give in. you give in that one time and its all over lol. so if you want that pup to sit (once they know it) they should sit.. if you decide never to give human food. never give human food.. etc. corgis take advantage of ANY good situation and they are very sneaky and smart little bunnies ;)
- that first day get your pup used to the crate first thing.. so that night you may be lucky and have a quiet night. put a shirt or toy in there that the pup seems attached to (shirt for your smell) this can be done by putting a treat in there with a command (we use "bed time roxi") and praise everytime your little one goes in there.. slowly take the treat away and just use praise... then slowly start closing the crate for small periods of time (with you there!)... then slowly start going around a corner for a few minutes. This is basicly letting the pup know that 1 its ok the crate is closed and 2 even after over some time you will always come back. be careful not to do this everytime your pup cries... this will teach your pup that if it cries you'll come back instead hahaha.

you also want to pick some activities with your little one to start working on :) corgis need their brains stimulated because they're intelligent. A bored corgi is a sad (and sometimes destructive) corgi. For younger kids small spurts of play should be enough but as they get older make sure to take at least an hour a day for a continued exercise (Wear those legs out!) fetch.. then run.. then walk.. then fetch.. then play.. keep that bunny butt moving for a while :) though be careful to build the muscles and stamina up before doing long play times :)
- stairs... make sure your little one learns early that jumping from heights is not ok. They seem to think they can fly sometimes >_< so the earlier they learn the earlier they figure out how high is too high.



hmm I've run out of thoughts at the time... if you have any questions dont be afraid to ask or search for em on here :) And good luck! I can't wait to see more photos!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on April 5, 2008 at 5:53pm

On top of what others already suggested, i'll add:

1. Furminator, best grooming tool you'll ever need.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide, have 6 bottle in hand at all times.
3. Nail cutter
4. flea shampoo
5. Kong and a jar of peanut butter

check the online store, those are the products that our members recommend.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Parker on April 5, 2008 at 6:02pm

Thanks guys! This is all great! I didn't even realize I could check the online store for recommendations, thanks for the idea!

• ▶ Reply