What preparations should I make at home for a Sheltie puppy?

R

Roni

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I'm getting a Sheltie puppy in a few weeks and I'm really excited and I've been wondering about the preparations I should make :) Thanks in advance (y)
 
Check for low stuff that can be chewed, cords etc. Get some toys that can be chewed. Get a slicker brush so you can start him getting used to a brush. Some sort of kennel. Dog food and bowl. Carpet cleaner for 'accidents'. A camera so you can share pictures.

I am sure others can add to this.
 
Everything Sheep said, plus:
A baby gate was my life saver. I could gate him off in a space that had no outlets, nothing he could chew, and a tile floor for accidents without having to crate him.
Small toys...I remember I bought him three toys and had to go back and get extra small toys LOL He was sooo tiny!
Ok now I'm getting all nostalgic!
 
A fold-up metal pen - lifesaver. Like a playpen can be used indoors or out, a little more room and freedom than just a crate. Also some kind of bed, either a pad or nesting bed with sides. Our girls have always loved beds with sides. Definitely need to have pictures posted when your new pup comes home! Oh, also get a collar and get an ID tag made that you can put on him/her immediately. You just never know.
 
Boy I remember those anxious times, preparing for a puppy....I made lists and more lists lol! When I got Piper I got a nice fancy dog bed for him which he proceeded to destroy so I would suggest you get a cheap dollar store brand because he/she will chew it (get a fancy bed when he's older), a baby gate is invaluable and a crate is absolutely a necessity. I crated Piper from the day I brought him home and he slept in it at night until he was almost 8 months old, even after that I'd keep the door open and he'd go in there to sleep during the day...it was his safe place. When Piper came home I went to the dollar store and bought one of those cat chutes (Piper was under 5 pounds) and he loved that toy, he'd run through it and drag it around everywhere. When he got a bit bigger I took it outside and he'd drag it around and jump on it, that was a cheap but great toy. I also took an inexpensive throw to the breeder about a week before I brought him home so it could get the smells of the other puppies and the breeders other dogs so the transition would be easier for him. I'd also recommend a small slicker brush (for the legs) and a pin brush (no heads at the ends of the pins, these pull at the hairs) and a good comb (greyhound makes good ones with regular and fine teeth) and maybe baby wipes to clean him/her paws and such off after they run through the mud. Good luck and try to stay sane these last few weeks (they will be the longest of your life lol).
 
Piper's mom said:
Boy I remember those anxious times, preparing for a puppy....I made lists and more lists lol! When I got Piper I got a nice fancy dog bed for him which he proceeded to destroy so I would suggest you get a cheap dollar store brand because he/she will chew it (get a fancy bed when he's older), a baby gate is invaluable and a crate is absolutely a necessity. I crated Piper from the day I brought him home and he slept in it at night until he was almost 8 months old, even after that I'd keep the door open and he'd go in there to sleep during the day...it was his safe place. When Piper came home I went to the dollar store and bought one of those cat chutes (Piper was under 5 pounds) and he loved that toy, he'd run through it and drag it around everywhere. When he got a bit bigger I took it outside and he'd drag it around and jump on it, that was a cheap but great toy. I also took an inexpensive throw to the breeder about a week before I brought him home so it could get the smells of the other puppies and the breeders other dogs so the transition would be easier for him. I'd also recommend a small slicker brush (for the legs) and a pin brush (no heads at the ends of the pins, these pull at the hairs) and a good comb (greyhound makes good ones with regular and fine teeth) and maybe baby wipes to clean him/her paws and such off after they run through the mud. Good luck and try to stay sane these last few weeks (they will be the longest of your life lol).
Click to expand...
Thank you and I'm already having problems staying sane when I'm waiting for her ;)
 
I have a puppy for almoust 3 weeks now and Piper is right with the last statement.:winkgrin: Puppies are cute but I like older dogs more:o1
As for the bed I bought a cheap one because I suspected she will destroy it right away...and this is exactly what happened. So for now cheap beds for my princess:lol:
I was lucky and the breeder gave every new owner a puppy package. We got a big toy, even now at 12 weeks it is bigger than her. She uses it as a pillow. Collar, harness, leash. I bought her a cheap leash because she likes to bites it when we walk.. After she stops she can get all the nice ones. We have a crate, she sleeps in it at night and I put her in the crate when I can't watch over her.
She likes to pee on all the doormarts we have, so we put them away for now.
I used some old toys of my first dog so I can see what toys she prefer. She doesn't like the squeaky ones so after one week we went to the store and bought what she likes.
Buy a lot of chew treats to keep the puppy occupied. Don't leave any shoes around..
And like the others said make a lot of pictures, they grow fast!:wink2:
 
As for puppy food, you should find out what the breeder is feeding and buy a bag of that. If you don't like that food, then you can transition it, but you don't want to do a hard change. The Belles like small toys, and my boys like big ones. So, I recommend both small and large toys. 40 thousand chew toys are a must! But seriously, I recommend a variety of chew toys because you don't know what little pupster will prefer. And you want pupster to have what it prefers (in case it decides that it prefers the legs of your prized antique table).
 
Oh and another thing, if you have a fence take a good look at it. A puppy can go places you did not think. For instance Spitfire could go between the gate post and gate where the bottom of the gate had the rounded edge. Always good to have a fence. I did not leave him out unattended but if I was mowing out front he could be in the back with Sca.
 
A really wonderful book is "Before and After Getting Your Puppy" by Ian Dunbar. All kinds of wonderful information in there. I highly, highly recommend it for anyone bringing home a new puppy.
 
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