Bringing home a new pup

After living alone for some time now I've decided to give in and get a dog. I've been wanting to for quite awhile now but mulled over it because I hadn't found the right dog yet –– y'know, the one that jumps out at you right away and you know instantly is the one? (Ah hell. Does that mean there is such a thing as love as first sight? Dammit.)

Anyway, he's a six-week old Beagle pup and he's an absolute stud. Now comes the crazy part, buying supplies, finding a vet, going through the hassle of telling my apartment and paying all the fees, and, most importantly, coming up with a name the young guy can be proud of. But what else is there to expect? Now, he won't be my first dog –– I've had plenty growing up and through my 20s –– but he will be my first official dog that doesn't have any ties to anyone else in the family.

I already have plans to crate train him and to start house training him as soon as possible, although I've read Beagles can be fairly stubborn when it comes to that, but there's gotta be more I'm either missing or forgetting.

Damn, I'm excited. Sunday can't come fast enough.

 

Paging MisterCreosote.

I've wanted to buy a dog for years, but living alone and working all sorts of hours, I worry I can't handle that responsibility. I'd also have to move, and dog-friendly apartments are expensive.

 

Socialization. He's young enough that he needs a lot of it. Get him around other dogs when you can and lots of other people so that he's not skittish when he meets either. Also, having him around a lot of people early gives you the chance to teach him proper behavior, like not allowing him to jump on people's laps unless he's invited. My rat terrier is pretty well socialized but still tries to "climb" people (When the dog gets up on its hind legs and puts its front ones on you and acts like it's trying to get up higher). My Boston mix can still be skittish around strange dogs, especially if they charge at her, and is super hyper around new people. Whoever had the rattie before I adopted her socialized her pretty well and I didn't have to correct very many things. Whoever had the Boston before I adopted her did a poor job of socializing her and that's been tough to overcome (She's better around people and animals she sees frequently but still hyper/skittish around strangers).

And once he's old enough, leash train him and then walk him at least twice a day if you can. We once had a beagle mix and she'd start zooming around the house at two in the morning when we didn't get her outside enough. Walking a dog at a good pace releases a lot of pent-up energy and the more you do it, the calmer he should be.

 

Yes, it is.

 

Do you work from home?
I'd be very concerned about a beagle puppy alone in an apartment for 8-10 hours a day.

 

Thanks for the advice, all. What's a good age to start training him on a leash? Socialization won't be an issue. We have tons of parks around this town and I'd like to get him out walking as quick as possible, and there's talk of the city (hopefully) moving forward with plans to build a dog park. Either way, I plan on taking him out to the parks to walk at least a couple times a week.

MC, what do you recommend for treats, or does it really matter? And food? I've read that Purina Puppy Chow is good for him early on. Then again, I know there's all that "organic" dog food that costs a small fortune that you can keep him on throughout his entire life and not have to worry about changing it once he gets to be an adult.

Buck, my job is fairly flexible and gives me the option to work from home, which with a youngin' around now, I'll surely be doing more of. There's no way I could commit to a dog if I had to be gone eight-plus hours a day. At most I would be gone three, four hours max in the mornings, and even that still it feels like a lot. When he is home alone what are some good ways to get him to feel like he's not? Leave some music playing near his kennel? Give him plenty of toys? Give him enough exercise so that when he is home alone all he does is sleep?

 

Ha. That is great. I have a few good size couch pillows I've collected over the years hiding away in a hallway closet I'm hoping to train him to use as a bed.

 

Please do not show me adorable puppy pictures. I have two dogs. I have two hands. It matches. Still, the last couple of weeks this little idea has wormed its way into my brain that maybe what I need is a puppy. Puppy pictures do not help me resist this cuddly non-solution.

Be sure the puppy has all its puppy shots before taking it out and about meeting other dogs. Keep in mind how young he is at six weeks. He really is a baby.

I'd ask the breeder what food the puppy is getting and keep him on that at the beginning. The breeder may be willing to give you a few days worth of food. Then, if you do want to switch mix the old food with your new food and do the gradual change over that someone else mentioned. I've tried a number of brands, including the very expensive ones trying to find one that both dogs will eat and both do well on. I've ended up with Eukanuba dry with a little Nutro dry mixed in keeps both happy. Not the cheapest solution but not the most expensive either. I think with some of the cheaper brands you end up feeding more, though, so the cost ends up being not that different than one that costs a little more.

Don't take training advice from me. I've had four dogs - three were young adult, breeder placements and one was a puppy. The three young adults have been wonderful, delightful dogs loved by all. The one raised by me turned out to a really odd little guy with terrible separation anxiety. I like to think this is due to nature rather than nurture, but I think there's a chance I was a lousy mom.

On naming - when I've had the opportunity to name my animals I've spent some time with them until I get a feel for their personalities.

Congrats on the new addition.

 

How do you call them before you name them? "Hey, you!"?

 

Pretty much. Puppy works. Of my dogs and cats, I've only named the dog I got as a puppy and one of my cats. It didn't take long for their names to come to me so they didn't have time to get used to "hey, you." I think I've renamed all of my horses, though. Took longer for me to decide on those.

 

Dark_Knight, does your puppy look like this:



?

 

Six weeks is way too early for a puppy to be separated from mom and the litter if it can at all be helped -- no proper breeder would do this. Please get a trainer to guide you, because otherwise this baby is going to have all kinds of issues.