CockersOnline Forum

Cocker Specific Discussion => Puppies => Topic started by: McNulty on April 15, 2007, 08:03:07 PM

Title: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: McNulty on April 15, 2007, 08:03:07 PM
It's 11 days until P-Day and I have a planned shopping trip to Petstop next Friday (no Pets at Home in Ireland).  So far I have

Large (36") crate
Vet Bed and bed for aforementioned crate
The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey (Well read and training plan drafted)
Puppy socialisation classes booked
5 weeks of newspapers...
The ultime - something for him, something for me toy...http://www.firebox.com/product/1478?src_t=sbk&src_id=doggie

on my list for friday is..

Collar
Lead
Treatbag
Puppy Kong
MDF to "make" a puppy pen in the kitchen
Book a vet check appointment (for P-Day +1)
Clicker
Bowl (metal)
Toys for us (me and OH, to be 'ours' according to Gwen B!)
Vetbed for car

Questions???
I've been reading up on clicker training and I'd like to give it a go - Can anyone recommend a book - so far I'm trying to choose between the Pamela Dennison and the Karen Prior ones
How old before I should get pup used to a harness rather than a collar? There will be a variety of walkers who will be a variety of strengths
Can anyone recommend treats or even ways to homebake treats - for a bloke I'm not bad in the kitchen and I'd like to have a go at a few things..

Think that's it!  All advice welcome

Cheers
J
Title: Re: 11 Dasy to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: julesd on April 15, 2007, 08:18:33 PM
Don't forget the biological powder and paper towels.

I don't know the answer to any of your questions  ph34r

Not long now  :D
Title: Re: 11 Dasy to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: kellyjayne on April 15, 2007, 08:19:43 PM
If you Pm me your email address I can send you some recipies that I was given by another COLer :D

Think you've about covered everything on your shopping list - although what about dog food?
Title: Re: 11 Dasy to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: Cayley on April 15, 2007, 08:28:10 PM
A suit of armour for when they're teething  :lol:.

No, seriously it would help if you take a small blanket or a piece of old clothing to get the smell of the litter so when they come home they have something familiar to them. 
Title: Re: 11 Dasy to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: Jan/Billy on April 15, 2007, 08:30:31 PM
poo bags
Title: Re: 11 Dasy to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: Elisa on April 15, 2007, 08:35:13 PM
Patience and a sense of humour  ;)

Name tag and appt for microchipping and loads and loads of kitchen towel  :D
Title: Re: 11 Dasy to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: jann on April 15, 2007, 08:37:47 PM
Have a look at      www.itsaspringthing.co.uk  then click on 'willows kitchen'  for a selection of home made treats ;) Good luck for P-day ;) Jann
Title: Re: 11 Dasy to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: hogan on April 15, 2007, 08:59:51 PM
match sticks to keep your eyes open and tea bags for all the visitors
Title: Re: 11 Dasy to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: Nicola on April 15, 2007, 11:26:45 PM
Willow's Kitchen is fab for treat recipes.

I used a harness on Alfie from his first walk, I just didn't like the idea of him pulling and choking himself. I got a little soft puppy one from Pets at Home. Are you in Southern Ireland? Just that I was at home in Northern Ireland last week with the dogs and they've just opened a new PAH in Coleraine which was really handy for us. I think there's one in Ballymena as well... although that's not much good if you're in Cork!  :005:

I have a few clicker training books, the 'Getting Started' one by Karen Pryor is good for beginners. 'Don't Shoot The Dog', 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training' and 'Bones Would Rain From The Sky' are all highly recommended as well if you want to go more in depth on positive dog training theory and methods. You can get all of these on Amazon.

Good luck with the new arrival  :D
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: happydog on April 15, 2007, 11:42:58 PM
Cardboard boxes and toilet roll inners. Cardboard boxes are great to play in and sleep in, especially if your pup finds the crate too big in the early days, just pop it inside. Toilet roll inners. Roll them and chase, stuff them with paper and a treat hidden in the middle. Great to shred and leave all over that floor in soggy little bits :lol: .

A rug to cover the crate to make it more den like and help encourage lie ins rather than the canine dawn chorus?

Have you got a grooming brush/comb? Start for a few seconds every day and gradually build up so that by the time you really do need to groom them they are used to it.

Agree that Willows Kitchen is the place to look for home made treats.

I have Karen Pryors book Clicker Training for Dogs (Amazon)

11 good nights sleep  :lol:
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: sallyb on April 16, 2007, 06:28:12 AM
I have a 14 week old puppy so my advice would be iron shin pads and loads of kitchen paper.  :005:
Also practise your proud expression cos everytime you go out, people will be saying "aahhh, isn't she/he lovely/pretty/adorable" etc  :luv:
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: lolajays on April 16, 2007, 10:45:06 AM
Also practise your proud expression cos everytime you go out, people will be saying "aahhh, isn't she/he lovely/pretty/adorable" etc  :luv:
Awwwwwwwww how sweet! :luv: :luv:
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: Simon on April 16, 2007, 01:06:11 PM
A baby gate for stairs, or any areas you want to separate off, possibly? I've found mine invaluable, as it wasn't long before Tommy learnt to go up (but not down) the stairs, and would go up and wait for me to get him, like a game I guess! So the baby gate came in very useful for that.
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: Niki on April 16, 2007, 04:57:23 PM
Can I suggest an old towel for picking up day if you're going to be travelling by car ? It's not unknown for puppies to be sick on their first car journey, and it's so much better to be prepared for it and not need it than having pup sick in your lap  :005:
Best of luck  ;)
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: hamfam on April 16, 2007, 05:15:32 PM
A hot water bottle - fill with warm water, wrap in a towel for pup to sleep with
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: magicflower on April 16, 2007, 05:41:54 PM
Wow!

You are so organised!!

The most important thing I realised after Ruby moved in was to "go with the flow"!  ;)

All pups are different and you will soon find out what best suits your little one.  :luv:

And try and catch up with as much sleep as you can in the week before! Trust me, you'll need it!

All the best!  :D
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: Joules on April 16, 2007, 09:39:12 PM
Sounds like you are pretty organised already.

The Karen Pryor clicker book is good to start off with.  Pamela Dennison is worth getting too though!

A few suggestions though:

Small crate for travelling in the car perhaps?  - When Coco was small enough I used to take her in a wire cat basket.  Whenever she went in the car she just went to sleep (and still does!)

Earplugs - if you are going to be cruel like me and insist on pup sleeping downstairs  :shades:

Lots of handwash and Dettol floorwipes for cleaning up puppy messes  :-\

Make sure some of the toys are cuddlies - Coco still loves her cuddly toys best  :D  I get them from charity shops usually for £1 or less  ;)

Re: bowls - I would reccommend getting a spaniel bowl if you are going to feed any wet food (or water) so you don't have to constantly be washing and drying ears  :005:

Cardboard boxes and toilet roll tubes are very useful for sleeping/playing, so start saving them now ;)

And yes, get plenty of sleep now!  ;)

And remember, we will need pics as soon as you get your pup home  :D

Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: mikenlisa on April 17, 2007, 03:47:46 PM
Homebaked treat - Liver Flapjack - really smelly and excellent for training  ;)

Here is the recipe

400g of Lambs liver
1 whole garlic
4 organic eggs
750g of Organic porridge oats

Method

1. Put liver, garlic & eggs into a blender until smooth.

2. Pour over porridge oats & mix together until mixture is fairly sticky & all oats are covered with liver mixture.

3. Spread over non-stick baking tray & bake in oven for approx 25 mins on gas mark 6 until top is firm to touch & light brown.

Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Just a little bit of advise (this is just from my experience), metal bowls - Poppy thought it would be good to pick up her bowl, tip it over the floor and splash around in the water  >:D  She did this more or less everytime I put fresh water down. I brought a ceramic bowl in the end!

Good luck!

Lisa & Poppy
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: TeresaC on April 17, 2007, 03:50:24 PM
Ear Plugs  :lol:
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: jann on April 17, 2007, 04:50:57 PM
 ;) One of Clairep4's spaniel bowls  :luv:

Personalised spaniel bowls @ www.geocities.com/clpceramics/dog_bowls
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: happydog on April 17, 2007, 05:48:51 PM


1 whole garlic

  :huh: Do you really mean  a whole garlic , or do you mean a clove of garlic  :-\ ?
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: mikenlisa on April 18, 2007, 11:04:38 AM
My thoughts exactly, apparently yes the whole garlic, the recipe was given to me by the training center Poppy goes to and they swear by it - The idea is to make it really smelly, but it's up to you of course.

 :shades:
Title: Re: 11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?
Post by: Helen on April 18, 2007, 01:03:19 PM
i think the whole bulb is excessive, even 1 clove makes it really smelly, and liver is stinky enough to attract the dog anyway!