I am so excited - Paw Talk

Perrigirl · #1 01-26-2003, 11:36 AM

Hey guys Im going to be spending more time around this forum.
We went yesterday to look at a Shih Tzu puppy. He is just so adorable and just what we were looking for. So we decided to put a downpayment on him. He will be ready to come home next weekend. I can hardly stand the wait though. I want it to be sat. so bad. I am going to be spending the whole week getting all the stuff I need for him.
I already have a crate, but I need just about everything else.
I would love suggestions on bowls, leashes and anything other products you would like to recommend.
Thanks all

PokeyPokey · #2 01-26-2003, 11:45 AM

Is this your first doggy? If it is a puppy and you will be gone during the day at work or school I suggest getting Kongs. You stick peanut butter and treats inside and it keeps them busy. I don't think Shih Tzu puppies are that errorizing with their teeth but a thick leash. Good luck!

Perrigirl · #3 01-26-2003, 05:27 PM

well my parents had dogs my whole life. but this is my huband and is first dog. I havent bought dog products so I just wanted some recommendations.
Thanks.

Crittercall · #4 01-26-2003, 07:27 PM

Welcome to another shih tzu owner! My little girl is a year old now.

You'll probably go through a stage where it is a complete horror and you think the dog will never be potty trained - I remember going through that with my other one (15 years ago) and again with this one, even though she has the other dogs to teach her the ropes.

My two have had really different personalities. This one LOVES to have toys - the more the better. If we take them to the living room for her while we are in there she will dilligently take them one at a time back to the bedroom. I have a box I keep them in and she'll get them out of the box but not put them back! Her "must haves" are a knotted rope and fuzzy toys. One of her most favorite things is the left-over fabric where I cut off a couple of skirts and knotted it really tightly in the middle, leaving long thick strings for her to chew on. But my other one didn't want toys at all. You'll just have to wait and determine that when you get the puppy.

What color? Got a name picked out?

Get a bowl that is NOT made of plastic. Now only can/will they chew the plastic, some dogs have a reaction to the plastic which makes their noses change color. Be sure you are on good food and don't over feed. They'll gain weight quickly and easily. (Again, though, a difference in the two I've had. Sasha will always eat and is always anxious to; Bonnie would sometimes eat once every two days.) Sasha is very bonded to me and if I'm upset she's right on top of me trying to get me to tell her what is wrong.

I'm excited for you! They're such cute puppies and great dogs!

capnsweets · #5 01-26-2003, 09:14 PM

Good Luck! I don't have any dogs of my own yet-I hope it all goes smoothly!

Perrigirl · #6 01-27-2003, 12:11 AM

Thanks guys.Im just so excited I got a picture of him at 3 weeks old from the lady I am bying him off of.
I will resize and share it with you.
Critter that is so cool that you Shih tzu.
Luckily my mom took a lot of training classes when she got her last puppy. My uncle breeds Brittany Spaniels and we have always owned at least one of his dogs. We got a pregnant female and kept her babies.
So she can give me lots of info an how to train him
Has anyone had the bowls that attach to the crates? He is being crated trained where he is now and we already have a crate for him, but I heard they can really make a mess with their water bowls unless you get the kind that attach. Do they really stay on ther or can they knock them off?
Well Im off to resize the pic.

Perrigirl · #7 01-27-2003, 12:16 AM

Ok here he is. This is a close up of his adorable face

Perrigirl · #8 01-27-2003, 12:18 AM

Here he is with his sister. He is the one with the smaller white band.

Will this week ever end? LOL I wanna give him kisses so bad.

The breeder said he was going to be gold and white.

Crittercall · #9 01-27-2003, 10:13 AM

I posted a picture of Sasha so you could see her. (under Sasha and TibbyToe) She started out almost solid brown and is now - well, you can see how light she is!!

I've never had much luck with the bowls that attach to the crate, either at home or in a clinical setting. Seems no matter what they STILL manage to get to that water and get it out of the bowl. And it depends oh how long you plan to leave him in the crate on whether you really need to leave water with him or not. They can get by for longer than you might think.

He's adorable - would love to be there with you to see him! They are just the cutest puppies in world. It will be interesting to see what personality he has.

Thanks for sharing.

Jodi · #10 01-27-2003, 10:59 AM

Oh what a cutie pie!!

I would recommend stainless steel bowls. They are a little more expensive but they last forever and help keep bacteria down. And yes Critter, I agree about some of those puppy stages. Bach (GSD) was a horror for a few months there!!!

But it's worth it once you get them trained.

Good Luck! Post more pics when you get him home! Do you have a name for him yet?

Perrigirl · #11 01-27-2003, 12:09 PM

Thanks again for the tips. I was definetly going to get stainless steel bowls. Im wondering if its worth it to get the ones that attach to the crate. I plan to leave him in there when we arent home and at night until he can go several hours without needing to go out for potty. So I want to make sure he has water.
As far as names go............we are still up in the air. My husband doesnt want any cute frilly names. I really dont care as long as it fits his adorable face. My daughter loves the movie Ice age and she suggested the character Manfred (Manny for short )as his name. So that is one of possible names as well as Barkley, Nugget, Bonsai, Shihzuki, and a few others.
Any favorites or suggestion on the name? All are welcome we arent naming him until we get him home.

Ps Does anyone use leashes that you can extend and retract? Are they nice or a pain?

**Scarlette** · #12 01-27-2003, 12:40 PM

He's adorable!

Attachable bowls are great if the crate is big enough to attach them on the side. If they have to attach to the door, then I would say no. The puppy will most likely go through a "get me the heck out of here" phase and scratch at the door of the crate knocking everything out of the bowls and making a huge mess. Been there, done that! If you have a wire crate put a blanket over the backside of it to give him a feeling of security and it also helps keep drafts off of him.

I have no experience with retractable leashes. I really wouldn't want one because when I walk my dog I want her to stay at my side but that's just my opinion.

I love the name Bonsai! That is so cool!

Jodi · #13 01-27-2003, 12:47 PM

I use a retractable leash for my YorkiePoo (6 pounds) and it works great. For our GSD we just use a regular one.

I like Barkley and Bonsai!!

Crittercall · #14 01-27-2003, 06:16 PM

There is a book available called 7 days to crate training (I think that's the number of days!) and I have talked to people who say it works great! It goes into info about what size crate to get - for instance you want to get one now that he will "grow into" but you may have to block off part of it because you don't want him to be able to potty in one part of it then be able to get away from that area. Dogs do not normally like to lay around in their own poop!

I guess it sounds cruel, but I wouldn't be too worried about leaving water with him for a few hours at a time. You'll be able to get him into a potty mode more easily if, say, you get him out of the crate when you get home, let him have a drink of water, then take him outside. Sort of the same principal as leaving food down all the time - something else you don't want to do because you want to be able to leave the food down for a certain period of time then take him outside.

I've used retractable leashes and had no problems with them. I have a fenced back yard and usually just open the door and say "go". (When I open one door the bird even says "You want to go winky?") Tibby absolutely will not walk on a leash and I've never forced the issue; Wallis will walk on a leash forever and never potty; I've worked some with Sasha but not as much as I should.

Whew! Too many things to think about, huh? So exciting to get new babies. My daughter had Sasha for about 2 weeks before I was able to get her, so most of the training was done by the time I got her! But she is a "submissive wetter". We don't have a lot of people come to the house so if someone does come in and we pick her up, we get wet!

#15 01-28-2003, 07:24 PM

What a Beautiful baby ~ time goes so slowly when you are waiting. :hershey:
My cavalier pup Ashka is just 4 months old now. Crate trained but I do not leave food or water in the crate. Small stainless bowls are great ~ I have one with a fitting plastic lid which is very handy to take in the car with us. His crate is strapped into the car when we go out with him.
Retractable leads work by the dog pulling on them so they do teach the pup to pull away from you ~ I prefer mine to walk with me without pulling. A collar was put on him the first day home and left on. Just use an ordinary lightweight lead not left on or it gets chewed up.
In his Toy basket ~ chew ropes in small, medium and bigger than the dog sizes. Solid rubber dumbell, kong and chew toy. Basket ball and a couple large sea shells he collected himself. Can't forget the large Teddy bear that he was given recently to give our cat a rest.

He also spent several hours dragging the car tow rope around the garden ~ too big for his toy basket.

Favourite game would have to be chasing a tourch light around the lounge in the evening.
My vote would have to be for the name Bonsai ~ love it.
Best of luck with pup whatever you call him.