Therefore, I have decided to write this article of the first 10 puppy days while it is still fresh in my mind. The next time I even think of getting a puppy, I can re-read this article and hopefully remember what a big pain in the ass a new puppy is! 😀

A New Puppy – First 10 Days of Hell

Days 1 & 2 – Nights from Hell

The first few days were not too bad. We mainly focused on introducing puppy to our other two dogs and making sure that our existing dogs saw puppy as a positive thing.

We also started on puppy potty training but puppy seemed to have that under good control. We did not have any mistakes – it was amazing!

However, puppy did cry at night. This is not surprising since it is the first time she is sleeping in a new location and without her litter mates. Puppy was feeling lonely, sad, and scared. The first couple of nights I had to wake up about 4 times. 2 times to take puppy out for potty, and another 2 times just to cuddle with puppy.

As a result I did not get much, if any sleep. Be prepared to get very little sleep in the first few weeks with a new puppy.

Be prepared to get very little sleep in the first few weeks with a new puppy.

Days 3 & 4 – Puppy Potty Training Hell

The first few good potty training days lulled me into a false sense of security. On day 3 puppy made lots of mistakes all over the place.

I was around to supervise puppy the whole time, but I thought it would be ok to take short bathroom breaks while puppy was sleeping – WRONG!

I found out the hard way that constant supervision is absolutely necessary for potty training in order to prevent potty mistakes.

When I need to go to the bathroom or perform some other task, I now always put puppy in her play-pen or enclosure. There is a blanket, some toys, and puppy pads in the enclosure. This makes things a lot better because puppy either does her potty outside or on her puppy pads. I reward her for going outside, but I don’t reward her for going on her puppy pads.

Siberian Husky puppy resting in her puppy enclosure.

• As soon as puppy wakes up.
• After puppy feeding time.
• After play or any other heavy activity.
• Whenever it looks like she is about to potty, e.g. circling, pulling to go to corners, etc. Each puppy will have their own potty signs, so observe carefully to identify our puppy’s pre-potty behaviors.

If puppy tries to go inside the house, I am right there next to her so that I can non-mark her (Ack-Ack), interrupt her, and leave her in her enclosure to finish up. This allows me to quickly go back and clean up the mess while she is in her enclosure.

Constant vigilance and a fixed eating and drinking schedule are crucial in puppy potty training.

Day 5 – Puppy and Furniture Hell

On day 5 I nearly had a heart attack.

Puppy was sleeping nicely with me on the couch, when I started getting really hungry. The kitchen is in the next room, so I quickly stepped away to get a loaf of bread from the refrigerator – WRONG!

As soon as I got the bread, I hear this loud cry. I threw the bread on the kitchen counter and ran back to a crying puppy on the floor. She was holding one of her front legs up in pain.

Bad, bad ShibaShake!

Luckily, puppy was ok and was moving around without any sign of a limp within the next few minutes. Whew.

From then on, I am always with puppy. If I cannot be with puppy even for 1 second, she goes into her puppy enclosure.

Puppy will get into trouble if left on her own even for just 1 second.

Days 6 to 9 – Energizer Puppy Hell

I was hoping that all the dogs would play and at the end of the day I would end up with 2 tired dogs and 1 tired puppy.

At this point, puppy is a lot more comfortable with her new surroundings and is always up to something. It is tiring as hell to try and keep up with a hyper puppy.

In the beginning, I figured that my other two dogs can take up some of the slack. I was hoping that they would all play, have a lot of chasing and running goodness, and at the end of the day I would end up with 2 tired dogs and 1 tired puppy.

Indeed it worked out well at first. I supervised all play sessions and both my dogs played well with puppy. I stepped in as soon as things got too excited, and the dogs started getting too rough with puppy.

Things were looking up because puppy not only tired out Shiba Sephy, but she also conked out Husky Shania who is a big time Energizer Bunny herself. All I needed to do was stand around and step in at the appropriate times.

WRONG!

On day 9, Shiba Sephy ran over puppy before I could get to them and stop play. Puppy started crying, and was limping for the rest of the day.

It is best not to let puppy play with larger adult dogs until puppy is a bit older.

Day 10 – Puppy in Vet Hell

On day 10, puppy was still limping so we took her to the vet.

It was fun, fun, fun – with temperature taking and various poking and prodding of body parts. Then, the vet had to put puppy’s leg through a series of pretty heavy handling.

Puppy was not happy.

$343 later, we had a conked out and unhappy puppy, with a sprained rear leg.

Thank goodness it wasn’t anything more serious, but no more off-leash play until puppy gets bigger.

To close, I feel it is only fair to say that there are also many reasons to get a puppy. But … they require a lot of time, supervision, and energy to care for especially in the first few months.

There are also a lot of advantages to having a puppy.

Update

Day 12 – Puppy slept through the whole night without waking up. Hopefully there will be more such nights in the future.

Day 14 – Puppy’s limp is all gone. She now has free and good use of her rear leg. YAY!

I have a Shiba Inu and his name is Rocco. He is great for our family except for my dad who does not really like dogs. Well this is a bit of a jump, he’s a great dog but he cannot be let off the leash. We do take him to dog parks a lot and he is starting to listen better so hopefully one day I can take him to run around and have him come straight back when called.

But if you’re looking for a breed: you should not get this dog if you have strict people in your house hold or people who don’t like dogs too much.

They are great for a fun loving family who love to play with him/her and will not get to mad if he acts up now and then.

~~ [Ian]

It Takes a Family to Raise a Dog.

Often, we get a dog because some people in the family really want one. Those in the family who are unsure or who are against getting the dog may give in because they love their kids/wife/husband, and cannot deny them that happiness.

However, when a family is divided about the dog – it can cause a lot of friction, stress, and unhappiness for everyone, as well as the dog.

Consistency is Key

In Dog Training Consistency is Key.

When a family is divided about the dog, it is only natural that each of them treats the dog differently. Some may want to fully participate in training the dog, others may want the dog to follow certain strict rules, and some may not want to spend any time with the dog at all.

It such an environment, it is easy for the dog to get confused. The dog will not understand why he can jump up on some people and not on others; he will not know why sometimes he is allowed on furniture and why at other times he gets hit or spanked.

While training a dog, consistency is key.

Everyone in the family has to be on the same page, use consistent techniques, and apply consistent rules.

Dog Training Requires Fairness and Consistency.

Who Picks Up the Dog Poop?

Adult dog will poop more and require more exercise - every day of the year.

Another common problem that arises is how to divide up the work.

It is fun to play with puppy for the first few days or weeks, but owning a dog is for the long haul. After puppy grows up, adult dog requires regular exercise and someone has to pick up the dog poop – every day of the year.

When family members do not all participate in the rearing and caring of the dog, those that do most of the dog work may grow to resent those that participate less. Members that did not want the dog in the first place, may not want to do any of the work. Suddenly, the family dog becomes my wife’s dog, or my son’s dog.

This often leads to arguments down the road and the dog becomes a source of stress and unhappiness.

Once a dog joins a family – it should be viewed as a group effort where everyone participates. When everyone shares the work, the rewards are truly great, and the dog will bring the family closer together.

It is best when everyone in the household participates in the dog work and also enjoys its rewards.

Can I Just Ignore the Dog?

What if some of us just ignores the dog. Will that cause any problems?

Sadly, yes.

If some members of the family choose not to participate at all, the dog may view those members as not belonging to his pack. As a result, the dog may try to guard his pack or his belongings from these outsiders. Ultimately, a divided pack can lead to dog aggression and dog behavioral issues.

It Takes a Family to Raise a Dog

As Ian captured so well in his story – it takes a family to raise a dog.

This is even more true for stubborn, independent, or energetic breeds that require more attention and training from the people around them.

Only get a dog if everyone in the family wants one and is willing to participate in the dog’s life.

Having a dog can be a great, happy, and fulfilling experience – but only if done at the right time.

Having a dog can be a great, happy, and fulfilling experience - but only if done at the right time.

1. A blanket with smells from our puppy’s litter-mates and mother.
2. Some of our puppy’s current food, so that we can slowly transition him over to his new diet.
3. A favorite toy, so that he will have something familiar to play with, while he is getting used to his new surroundings.

New Puppy Supplies - What a Puppy Needs

1. New Puppy Supplies – Crate

Shiba Sephy working on his Kong while in his crate.

Crating is important for a variety of dog issues, including puppy potty training and destructive chewing.

I get a crate that is large enough to accommodate my dog when he is full-grown. Initially, I put in a divider or a box, to make the crate smaller. Dogs do not like soiling in their sleeping area, therefore, by making the crate smaller, we discourage puppy from soiling inside it.

Put the smelly blanket and toy we got from our breeder, inside the crate. Puppy will feel safer and more relaxed, amid the smells of his litter-mates. Just make sure that the toy is chew-safe, and our puppy is unable to break-off or swallow little pieces of toy, which may be a choking hazard.

Some people think that crating is cruel for the dog.

Crating is only cruel if we leave puppy in there for too long, and he is forced to soil his sleeping area. When properly introduced, a crate can become a safe den for our dog; a place where he goes to sleep, eat, and get some peace and quiet.

The general guideline for maximum crate time is 1 crate-hour per month of age.

For example, an 8-week-old puppy can be crated for a maximum of 2 hours during the day. It is usually best to crate for less time than that, especially if we are not home, so that there is a healthy margin for error. Here are more detailed crate times taken from the ASPCA.

Here is what the Humane Society of the United States and the American Dog Trainer’s Network have to say about crate training.

Siberian Shania working on her Greenie while in her crate.

2. New Puppy Supplies – Food and Treats

Research our puppy’s current dog food.

• Make sure it has a named meat as its primary ingredient. For example,

Chicken > Chicken meal > Poultry meal > Poultry by-products


Having a nice nap after a meal.
• Avoid food with artificial coloring, preservatives (e.g. BHA, BHT), or that contain too much filler material (e.g. corn hull).
• Avoid any food with wheat or corn gluten. Here’s why.
• Apply the same food ingredient rules to dog treats. Only get treats that do not contain unnecessary sugar, salt, or other additives. Split treats up into very small pieces so that we may reward puppy often, without overfeeding him.

If his current food does not meet these requirements, then find a higher quality kibble and slowly transition him over to the new food. Some good kibble brands include Innova, Orijen, Nature’s Variety Instinct, Wellness, and Blue Buffalo.

Start with 1/4 portion of the new kibble, and 3/4 portion of the old kibble. Do this for 3-4 days, and observe puppy’s stool and behavior. If everything is well, then do 1/2 new, and 1/2 old kibble, and so on.

Gradually switching over to the new kibble, will ensure the least amount of digestive issues with our puppy.

If we have a large breed puppy, it is important NOT to feed him food that is too high in protein. It is generally safest to use puppy food until he is almost fully grown (usually about 1 year). It may be longer for larger breeds, and shorter for smaller breeds.

I called up the food company and consulted with my vet, before switching my first dog over to an adult, high-protein kibble.

Here is more on different dog diets and dog treats.

YUM! Siberian Shania working on her kibble toys.

3. New Puppy Supplies – Lots of Interactive Toys and Chew Toys!

Most puppies are high energy and love to chew.

Most puppies are high energy, and love to chew.

Get our puppy some good chew toys, and make sure to supervise and teach him, which items are good to chew on, and which are not puppy safe. Every time puppy chews on something unacceptable, no-mark him (Ack-ack) and redirect him onto a sanctioned toy. When he redirects onto the toy, make sure to reward him by playing with him.

In this way, puppy learns that some toys are a lot more fun and rewarding than others, and he will quickly abandon the uninteresting, non-sanctioned items.

Kongs are great chew toys for my dogs. We can even put food into Kongs, which will motivate puppy to play with them, and exercise his mind. I put wet dog food into Bubble Kongs, and then freeze them. These are fun for dogs, and great for teething puppies.

Shiba Sephy and Siberian Shania working on their frozen Kongs.

I am a great fan of interactive food toys.

Wild animals spend most of their time working for their food. Domestic dogs who get food presented to them in a silver bowl, often get hyper, because they lack the physical and mental exercise of working for their dinner.

A great way to keep an energetic puppy occupied, is by making him work for his food, either through obedience training exercises or through interactive food toys. Be creative and challenge puppy with a variety of food puzzles and commands, but make sure to always set him up for success. If we make ‘work‘ fun and rewarding, it will help build puppy’s confidence and keep him coming back for more.

Note – some chew toys can be dangerous to dogs.

Chew toys that are overly hard and have no give (e.g. processed white bones, processed deer antler, hooves) may crack our dog’s teeth. My Shiba Inu cracked one of his pre-molars while chewing on a deer antler from AntlerZ.

Chew toys such as rawhide, may become a choking hazard. Dogs can tear off large chunks of the material at once, and when swallowed, the material may obstruct their throat or intestines. Rawhide is also very water absorbent. They may expand while in the dog’s intestines, and cause further digestive distress.

Always supervise when we give puppy soft toys to play with, or to fetch. Soft toys frequently have plastic parts that may be chewed off, and swallowed. Many squeaker toys contain plastic squeakers that can also be swallowed. These various toy parts, may become a choking hazard and cause digestive issues.

Here are a list of interactive food toys that have worked well for my dogs.

Shiba Sephy and Siberian Shania working on their interactive food toys.

4. New Puppy Supplies – Grooming

Like walking, grooming is something we will have to do almost everyday with our dog, for the rest of his life. Therefore, it is important to make grooming into a fun and rewarding experience.

Some useful grooming supplies –

• Soft brush. Depending on breed, we may later want to switch over to the Furminator.
• Nail clipper and styptic powder. I prefer using a nail grinder (Dremel Minimmite) on my Shiba Inu because he is very sensitive to clipping.
• Small toothbrush and dog toothpaste.
• Dog wipes or shampoo in case puppy gets into something smelly.

Try to be very patient while grooming puppy, and do not rush the process. Many dogs become fearful of grooming because they are forced to endure it, rather than taught to enjoy it. Instead of using physical force, go slowly and reward puppy for working with us on a combined task.

Here are some tips on how to clean puppy’s teeth from home, and make it into a fun joint activity.

Note – Do not shampoo puppy too often. Brushing is the best way to remove most surface dirt. Shampooing too often, for example less than once per month, may cause our dog’s skin to dry out and his coat to become unhealthy.

Dog Teeth Brushing - Make it fun and rewarding.

5. New Puppy Supplies – Puppy Activities

Two key activities puppy will be engaged in initially, include potty training and leash training.

Some useful potty training supplies –

• Enzymatic pet cleaner for potty accidents.
• Puppy pads for situations where puppy is alone, and may not have outside access.

Other useful puppy supplies –

• Stainless steel food and water bowls. Some ceramic bowls may contain lead in their glaze. Plastic water bowls may be chewed, can be easily knocked over during play, and provides a more conducive environment for bacterial growth.
• Collar and leash. Get a 6 foot regular leash for walking. Retractable leashes do not give us enough control, during the training process. They are most appropriate for dogs that are already leash trained.

Puppy Siberian Husky Shania. You lookin' at me?!

I use a 6 foot leather leash for walking my dog. Leather leashes are very durable, and comfortable on the hands.

I also use the Premier Martingale collar during walks. For smaller dogs, consider using a harness instead of a collar, so as not to accidentally hurt their neck.

I size the Martingale collar so that at its tightest, it is the size of a regular flat collar. I like the Premier collar because it is thick, sturdy, and not susceptible to breaking or slipping-out. However, as with other training collars, they are only appropriate under supervision. They should be removed after the walk, or whenever our dog is off-leash.

Note – Do not perform leash jerks or leash corrections on puppies. Even traditional trainers do not recommend using leash corrections on dogs, until they are at least 16 weeks of age. In general, any physical corrective methods are inappropriate for young puppies, including alpha rolls.

Only use reward training techniques on puppies. If we want to switch to aversive training methods, wait until the dog is older, or we will risk hurting him mentally and physically.

Only use reward training techniques on puppies.

6. New Puppy Supplies – Dog Bed

Many people get designer soft beds for their dogs. However, while most people do prefer soft beds, this is not necessarily the case for dogs.

The bed that has worked very well for both my dogs, are elevated outdoor beds. I have two outside, and one inside.

During cold weather, the dogs will curl up on the carpeted landing, or in front of the fireplace. During warm weather, they like sleeping on the elevated bed, or on the tiled floor areas.

Soft beds were just looked upon as chew toys, and not as beds 🙂

During the puppy stage, there may also be potty mistakes on the bed. It is extremely difficult to get all the smell out of soft bedding, which can further encourage more mistakes. Therefore, it may be best to hold off on the soft beds, until puppy is fully house trained.

I also have a cool bed (water bed) for my Siberian Husky, which I put in her crate. If we have a thick-coated or double coated dog breed, the cool bed can help to cool things down during hot days and nights.

Make sure to get a bed with removable, washable covers. The beds frequently get a lot of fur and dirt on them, and it is a lot easier to just remove and wash the covers.

Puppy Siberian Shania having a nap.

7. New Puppy Supplies – Conclusion

Most of all, make sure we have a good supply of humor and patience.

A puppy is a crazy ball of energy, and can be a highly destructive force.

Humor and patience will be needed to redirect that energy into positive areas, and away from the Dark Side.

A puppy is a crazy ball of energy and can be a highly destructive force.