So far so good! We purchased Shep last Wednesday so we would have several days home with him. He has done really well so far, so have the kids lol. He is mostly pooping/peeing outside with the occasional accident inside (even overnight has only pooped once). We have his crate in our laundry room but don't lock him in so he has a little more space to move around. He is SUPER playful with the kids. We are going to really have to work on the biting but I know he is just a puppy right now. He loves our cat and the cat loves him-they chase each other and wrestle. The biggest problem has been our older dog does NOT like him at all. In fact, she bit him (barely but still). So we are keeping them apart until I can figure that out. Of course he has fleas so we are fighting that too. But overall he has been a great dog so far. Thank you all for your input! I'm sure I will be back with more questions!
need opinions if sheltie puppy is right for us?
- Thread starter bdg0221
- Start date
BarbV
Forums Celebrity
Lots of things to consider here.
As others said, even though I sell them in my store, I do not recommend an electric fence. I only recommend them to customers with very specific requirements. I DO like the idea though of an outdoor kennel. They come in many sizes, as big or as small as your property can allow.
As for being penned during the day. here is the reality, dogs sleep about 3/4 of their day. Even when you are home. I have a set up where I have a crate inside an xpen. At night, the pup is in his crate. When I'm away from the house he is in his crate. When I'm home and can't watch him, he is the pen. When I'm home and can kinda watch him, he is loose, but the hallway is blocked with a gate so he can't stray far. He is 17 weeks old now and thankfully, despite a relapse dealing with a broken leg, he is pretty much house trained. Yes, for the first 5-6months or so, you should have someone who can take the puppy out for 30-45 minutes. After that, pup should be fine in an xpen, with access to water and more mobility. When you come home, lots of play. And no problem crating the pup again at night.
My 2.5 year old keeps "stealing" my 17 week old's crate and pen. This was his "den" for so long, he cannot seem to give it up to the puppy! LOL!
So to your specifics.....you will need to train your kids as much as your train your puppy. It does not matter what breed. If they run, the dog will chase and probably nip. This is actually good for the kids. Teaches them how to be calm for the puppy. (And benefits you, as they will learn to calm too!!)
I got my first Sheltie when my kids were 3 and 5 years old. No problems at all. Yeah, everyone had to learn good behaviours.
All to say...I think the question is not whether or not a Sheltie is for you, but whether a puppy is for you.
As others said, even though I sell them in my store, I do not recommend an electric fence. I only recommend them to customers with very specific requirements. I DO like the idea though of an outdoor kennel. They come in many sizes, as big or as small as your property can allow.
As for being penned during the day. here is the reality, dogs sleep about 3/4 of their day. Even when you are home. I have a set up where I have a crate inside an xpen. At night, the pup is in his crate. When I'm away from the house he is in his crate. When I'm home and can't watch him, he is the pen. When I'm home and can kinda watch him, he is loose, but the hallway is blocked with a gate so he can't stray far. He is 17 weeks old now and thankfully, despite a relapse dealing with a broken leg, he is pretty much house trained. Yes, for the first 5-6months or so, you should have someone who can take the puppy out for 30-45 minutes. After that, pup should be fine in an xpen, with access to water and more mobility. When you come home, lots of play. And no problem crating the pup again at night.
My 2.5 year old keeps "stealing" my 17 week old's crate and pen. This was his "den" for so long, he cannot seem to give it up to the puppy! LOL!
So to your specifics.....you will need to train your kids as much as your train your puppy. It does not matter what breed. If they run, the dog will chase and probably nip. This is actually good for the kids. Teaches them how to be calm for the puppy. (And benefits you, as they will learn to calm too!!)
I got my first Sheltie when my kids were 3 and 5 years old. No problems at all. Yeah, everyone had to learn good behaviours.
All to say...I think the question is not whether or not a Sheltie is for you, but whether a puppy is for you.
MissyGallant
Forums Enthusiast
It sounds like this puppy is definitely FOR you. As for nipping, be consistent with NO- from the boys also. Your older dog will adjust, just make sure that (s)he gets a lot of one on one attention still. And talk to both dogs about what you hope will happen. Once Shep ages a bit, he'll calm down a bit, and maybe your older dog will like that better.