Had the idea of getting one sometime in the future but wanted to make sure we are prepared well in advance done all the research etc… but then I got convinced to go have a look at this little chap and now he is mine.

He will be coming home in a few days, vet stuff arranged and getting home his crate,bowls tag etc.

Any tips or anything I have probably forgotten I need?

I already know that I will be doing all the walking once the kids are bored and the missus doesn’t want to go out when it is winter again.

Cutie.
🙂

What make is it?

Any tips or anything I have probably forgotten I need?

Now would be a good time to buy some spare:

– shoes
– usb leads
– mains leads
– cycle helmets
– sofas
– car interior

He’s a collie

There were 2 to choose from, I really liked his bigger brother as he was a bit more live but he was a bit full on with the kids all and wouldn’t calm down and this little fella was a lot calmer and controlled so was the sensible option I hope. He’s still a collie puppy so he’s going to be nuts whatever happens.

Oldnpastit- i’ve got loads of spare shoes and my car interior can’t get much worse so that’s a start.

That’s what I like to see. Someone just going out and impulse buying a dog. None of this loddrick 20 threads first 😀

Any tips or anything I have probably forgotten I need?

Insurance?
Move anything valuable to a higher level.

wiggles – Member
He’s a collie

😯

You are now the fifth most intelligent being in your house.

Insurance as above. Mine broke a toe at 9 months old and after 6 weeks of **** around still had it removed. 2k later I was very glad of the insurance. Be ready to be knocked down the household importance order another spot. Dog quite often makes top spot in our house to be fair. Make sure you pick an appropriate name as you will have to tell people it and also shout it in public.
Dog Vader says hi btw…

wiggles – Member
He’s a collie

Any tips or anything I have probably forgotten I need?

Some of these to keep him semi tired

Maybe an e-bike to keep up?

As above. My border collie was brilliantly nuts. So smart (a little too smart) and full of energy.
How about getting signed up for agility training. I have taken my border and rough collies to it from around a year old and they loved it and so did I. You and the dog get to run around a lot, they get to socialise with other dogs and they get super obedient, so you can be the really smug owner in the park.
The reason it’s worth thinking about now is, in my experience, there is generally a 6-9 months waiting list and some will have a programme for younger dogs where they learn some of the basics before the step up to the main class.

I look forward to seeing you in the novelty-sized stick thread

Make sure you duct any exposed cables and cover with chili sauce (habanero or better) to stop chewing. Lifetime insurance is good too

Darn you he’s cute 😀

Checks in….

(Looking for a puppy now…)

http://www.naturalinstinct.com/raw-dog-food?gclid=Cj0KEQjwv467BRCbkMvs5O3kioUBEiQAGDZHL45oUYE6WCOCa9RLWxCa9DDWP899nMxyu72WIu6FlyEaArsJ8P8HAQ

or

Honey’s Raw Food for Dogs

@Rusty Spanner

You are now the fifth most intelligent being in your house

.

Corrected for you: You are now the fifth most intelligent important being in your house

A collie? Get him an ‘I’m with stupid’ t-shirt!
He’s lovely

He is super cute.

Make sure you make good progress on the crate training early – sister in law didn’t bother with hers and she now has a dog with serious attachment problems. We started straight away and our two go into their crates on command and just settle down until we let them out. The big lad goes in their to get some rest from the little one on occasion!

To train the crate we were recommended to stuff hollow bones with wet dog food (or soaked dry if you’re feeding dry) and freeze them; they get them only when they go in the crate as a special treat. Keeps our two going for hours and they barely notice that they’re in their crates or that you’ve gone out.

Cracking mutt, well done!

We got our pup about 5 weeks ago so this is what I have learnt (obviously every dog is different)

– Name, get it right as everyone has an opinion.
– Buy more poo backs than you think you would use in a lifetime, they will be gone within a couple of weeks!
– Try and encourage it to fetch a ball. It will be a few weeks before you can get it vacinated and out walking, the dogs will have bags of energy and there are not too many ways to use up this energy in the garden, hence fetch being good.
– Crate training is well worth it, read up on it and persevere if necessary
– Get it used to the car. Our dog has a crate at home and one in the car, loves both of them and is quite happy in the car for extended periods, either on a journey or if left alone.
– Most puppy books same the same things about training. Pretty simple stuff, reward based training, put time aside for this
– Petplan insurance seems to be the go to provider, recommended by my friend who is a vet and says they reliably pay out. Get lifetime cover and just tick it off as once of those expenses that you have little choice over (like car insurance)
– If you think you garden is secure, then you are wrong. Keep a close eye on the pup until they have exposed all points of weakness
– 8-14 weeks is generally accepted as being really important times for socialising and normalising for pups. Collies are known to be a bit neurotic sometimes so it is doubly important for you to expose him to as much as you can during this time. Our dog has come everywhere with us from Day 1. A bit difficult when she was not vaccinated but, I think, well worth it for her experience.

Most of all though, ignore me and work it out for yourself once you get to know the pup. Like having kids, you are surrounded by experts but you know best as he is your dog.

Have fun! Dogs are awesome and already I can’t imaging being without ours. I like her more than I like my kids.

Defo set aside the time for recall and response training – reward based, natch.

Resist the initial whining it does eventually stop.

If he turns out to be a “jumper” then arm visitors with water pistols to deter the behaviour.

Crates are good and they get quite comfy in the end.

Good luck with the energy levels and the puppy poo.

Train it to dump in the long grass if you can.

EDIT – more pics please…

Puppies!!!! Can we start the day with a puppy thread every week? Please mods, pppplllleeeeaaaassseeee!! Just post a puppy to a different user every day and await the post, win.

They grow up so fast.

[/url]Brambles first day by Phillip Dalton, on Flickr[/img]

[/url]Brambles first birthday by Phillip Dalton, on Flickr[/img]

[/url]Bramble at 7 by Phillip Dalton, on Flickr[/img]

Looks cute whats he going to be called, our collie is now two and she loves been out with the bikes.

Doesn’t seem two minutes since she was a bundle of fluff

I would second what people say about crate training, it does help dogs learn that being alone is okay and waking up alone is okay. Every time Ziva fell asleep on us we would go and put her in her crate so she would wake up and be settled there.

I would say for me though, lead training was massively important and extremely time consuming. My first dog was a boxer and although I loved her to bits she would pull the entire way on a lead so it was a huge priority for me because it meant that at times like town trips etc I wouldn’t take her because it was just unrealistic to manage. At on average 38kg with Ziva it was important that this was done better and although it took months of really slow walks with stops every few meters she now walks both impeccably for me and for family etc. I can easily eat a bag of chips while balancing a can and still hold ziva because she walks beautiful at my side without instruction. If she starts to get cheeky and rush me because she thinks its dinner time (which clearly is anytime when I walk towards home) I only need to stop slightly and she will leap back to my side like her life depends upon it because she knows that unless she is there with eye contact that I wont budge and her dinner is clearly the most urgent thing ever!

A birthday “cake”. For a dog. Can I recommend you this website.

OP – don’t forget a nice dog bed! 😆

Katie made Abigale a birthday cake with the dog on it,

She also made one for the Fin

Your dog is luckier than ours Tracey, we just stuck a candle in some food. It was a can of meat as a birthday treat.

Currently got a loaner sprocker for the weekend. Boxes of frogs don’t even come close….. A rare moment of not being a whirlwind of fur:

Awesome pictures guys. Some great tips too, thanks.

Looking to set up insurancewith petplan as there is vets on our street and they have said they are the one they deal with the most.

Already got a crate ready for him, so will try and make sure that is used from day one. I think the name has been decided as Indy.

I think the name has been decided as Indy

quality

Tracey, I think your puppy picture is the cutest one I have ever seen!

Looks dodgy to me. Have you checked out the family history.
Make absolutely sure you can trust him fully before allowing in the house. I think he’s hiding something. Just saying….

Beware long haired dogs, they’re seedy characters…

Great thread, Tracey love the cakes !

OP well congratulations, wow and good luck, they need a lot and I mean a lot of excersize and stimulation as a result of their intelligence. Feel free to post updates and photos regularly

Did someone say cake?..

Ziggy at the end of February

Last week

It’s been hard work at times but worth it.

First few nights, put t shirts belonging to (and smelling of) you and the wife in the dogs bed.

I’m not sure he’ll want to put his wife in the dog’s bed…

I have an old blabket we use on the sofa etc so be using that in the crate for now as it will Smell of us.

Will make sure I update with plenty of pics, just waiting on a reply from the seller about picking him up tomorrow.

First few nights, put t shirts belonging to (and smelling of) you and the wife in the dogs bed.

Why should the wife get to enjoy sleeping in the dogs bed..? If it were up to me I’d have the puppy in my bed…

First few nights, put t shirts belonging to (and smelling of) you and the wife in the dogs bed.

Cut out the middleman, and have the dog in your bed 😀