T minus 1 days and counting!
Our new little 8-week old Shih Poo baby arrives today and we are ready. What’s a girl to do to prepare for a new puppy? Can you say, “shopping spree?” I knew you could! Here’s what I bought.
* Toys * Food bowl * Water bowl * Crate * Dog carrier * Car seat * Dog bed * Gate * Playpen * Bones * Treats for training * Dental cleaner * Dog Food * Soft food * Vitamin supplements * Clickers for training * Brush * Shampoo * Puppy proofing for electric cords and power bars * Doggie doorbell * Blankets * Pet odor eliminator
I went a little crazy on Amazon. This is my first puppy, after all. I have had dogs before, but they were all full-grown by the time they were in my life, chock-full of eccentricities, and well-established bad habits.
Given my “real” job is as a behavior analyst, I am not starting this process as a total amateur. The basic science of applied behavior analysis is the same (reinforcement rocks!), regardless of whether you are working with humans or other kinds of animals. Still, I am used to working with human beings. Never trained anyone to poop outside or sleep in a crate before, so I’m excited to take on this new challenge.
To the oracle!
Pinterest gave me all kinds of suggestions about what to buy (maybe too much advice), it taught me the first commands to teach, how to potty train, how to crate train, etc., etc., etc.
We are ready to have sleepless nights and to pretty much get nothing done for a few weeks. We got this!
Charlie becomes a member of our family this afternoon. We will be driving out of town to retrieve him armed with blankets, a dog carrier, towels and cleaner (just in case of accidents), food, treats, toys to Gnaw on, and a heartbeat-enabled teddy. (Yes, that’s a thing.)
We will follow the advice of many experts. We will expose him to the house one room at a time to prevent him from becoming overwhelmed. We will also start training him immediately. When we get home, we’ll start clicker training, crate training, and potty training right away. Wish us luck!
