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!

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.

Some dogs may be more than a bit insulted, with that remark :D. Nevertheless, there are many similarities between men and dogs.

Living together with a man is a big deal. Suddenly, we have to put up with his many bad habits, all of the time. Living together with a dog, is an even bigger deal. With dogs, it is truly a “till death do us part” commitment. Since dogs are totally dependent on us, there is no such thing as a divorce.

Should I Get a Dog – 10 Things to Consider Before Getting a Dog

When we agree to bring a dog into our family, we are making that commitment for life.

And just like men, dogs have an array of bad habits.

Therefore, before getting a dog, we want to first consider some of their less than desirable traits.

Should I Get a Dog 1

Dogs Snore Like Drunken Sailors.

This is my cute little Siberian Husky girl, Shania. She is the sweetest thing ever, but at night, she snores like a really large, really drunk, sailor.

At least when a man snores, we can give him a swift kick, and make him turn to the side. This will usually stop the snoring.

My Husky girl, bless her heart, will snore in whatever position she is in.

Should I Get a Dog 1 - Siberian Husky Shania snores like a drunken sailor.

Should I Get a Dog 2

Should I Get a Dog 2 - Dogs Are Expert Stalkers.

Shiba Inu Sephy - The Little Detective.

Dogs Are Expert Stalkers.

I think that the Police song, Every Breath You Take, was composed for a dog. Dogs like following us everywhere, and they watch everything that we do.

My Shiba Inu likes sitting outside, and staring at passers-by, cars, and everything else.

He is known by some of my neighbors as “the little detective”.

If he could talk, I bet he would have some really juicy stories to tell!

Should I Get a Dog 3

Dogs Are Not Ashamed of Begging.

My dogs learned really early on that their most powerful weapon is not their teeth, but their pretty face.

Dogs are willing to do about anything to get what they want, and that includes begging. Beware! They are very, very, good at it, and they will do it whenever they want something from us, which is almost all of the time.

Should I Get a Dog 3 - I'll gladly pay you Tuesday, for a cake today.

Should I Get a Dog 4

A Dog’s Favorite Perfume is Eau De Skunk.

A dog’s favorite scent is not Dior, CK, or even Old Spice. Rather, they like dead things that smell like, well, dead things. Rolling around in a dead thing to acquire that oh-so-quaint aroma, is often the highlight of a dog’s day.

Smelling and eating poop is also a favorite activity. My Siberian Husky Shania, treats bird poop like it is caviar. What the cat, horse, and goat left behind, is also on her favorite list of foods and scents.

Casual Canine Lil Stinker Pepe Le Pew Skunk Halloween Dog Costume from Amazon.com.

Should I Get a Dog 5

Should I Get a Dog 5 - Shiba Inu Sephy landscaping around the tall grass.

Dogs Are Landscaping Addicts.

We may think that our yard is perfect or close to perfect, but our dogs know better.

Yards often have a boring, flat surface, look. All dogs know that the most interesting, beautiful yards, are the ones that have the most number of holes.

Dogs are such optimists that they always have a can dig attitude. Even when our entire yard is riddled with holes, they always find a way to add just one more. Finally, all the holes combine into one large, big, flat hole, and the process starts all over again.

Should I Get a Dog 6

Dogs Drool, Belch, and Fart.

Dogs live in the moment.

They will drool, fart, belch, and whatever else, in the moment as well. Think Homer Simpson, except much cuter, and with more hair.

SIMPSONS HOMER SUGAR DADDY Tee Licensed from Amazon.com

Should I Get a Dog 7

Should I Get a Dog 7 - Dogs are lazy.

Dogs Are Lazy About Personal Hygiene.

When women say “men are dogs“, this is probably one of the key reasons why.

Like men, dogs will sometimes clean themselves, but most of the time, they prefer to just lie around, watch t.v., and go to sleep. Even when we offer to give them a bath, brush their teeth, clip their nails, and wipe their muddy paws, they will object in the most virulent fashion.

The best way to get a man, err I mean dog, to let us groom him, is to pair grooming with something pleasant. Using a favorite food, often does the trick.

Should I Get a Dog 8

Dogs Shed, and Shed, and Shed.

Dogs are cute, and cuddly because they have all that soft, plush, silky hair that we love running our fingers through.

What they often fail to advertise, is that the hair comes off – all over the house.

The amount of shedding varies greatly by dog breed, so careful research is a must. Before getting a dog, make sure that we are not allergic to dog dander. Also get used to having hair all over our floors, furniture, clothes, and other prized possessions.

Frequent brushing, will help ensure that the hair comes off in a more controlled, and manageable fashion. I find that a Furminator is very helpful, especially for dogs with double coats.

Should I Get a Dog 9

Should I Get a Dog 9 - Dogs think that the World is their toilet.

Dogs Think that the World is Their Toilet.

Dogs, especially puppies, find it extremely inconvenient to have to go to the toilet, like we do. Interrupting dog play for a trip to the loo, seems like a big waste of time. Therefore, they will just do it on the go. After all, they have unpaid human servants to clean up after them, so life is good.

The best way to potty-train a dog, is to teach him that toileting outside is more fun than a Chuck-E-Cheese trip.

My Siberian Husky puppy was not easy to house-train, because she did not seem to mind frolicking in her own waste products. As soon as she has to go, which is when she wakes up, and after every 10-15 minutes of play-time; I take her outside and give her the “Go Potty” command.

When she goes potty, I praise her very well and give her yummy treats and affection. Then, she goes back to playing. Very quickly, she learned to go sit by the door whenever she needed to go potty. After all, pottying inside gets her nothing, but pottying outside, is a happy bonanza of praise, treats, attention, and play.

Should I Get a Dog 10

Shiba Sephy chewing on his duck toy.

A Dog’s Favorite Chew Toy is Everything.

Before we bring a puppy or new dog home, make sure to store away all of our prized possessions.

I do not leave my Jimmy Choo shoes around, or it will quickly become designer rawhide. Make sure to put cell-phones, iPhones, iPods, and all other expensive equipment on a high shelf.

Proper puppy training and puppy management is a must. When puppy Shania is out and about, I supervise her very closely. When I am too busy to supervise, she goes in her crate or long-term enclosure. I also provide her with many interactive, dog friendly, chew toys.

An iPhone may be coolest thing since sliced bread, but it is not friendly to a dog’s digestive system, nor is it friendly to our pocketbook when we pay the vet bill.

Should I Get a Dog 10 - A dog's favorite chew toy is everything.