11 Days to P-Day - shopping advice?

[McNulty]

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

[julesd]

Don't forget the biological powder and paper towels.

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

Not long now 

[kellyjayne]

If you Pm me your email address I can send you some recipies that I was given by another COLer

Think you've about covered everything on your shopping list - although what about dog food?

[Cayley]

A suit of armour for when they're teething  .

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. 

[Jan/Billy]

poo bags

[Elisa]

Patience and a sense of humour 

Name tag and appt for microchipping and loads and loads of kitchen towel 

[jann]

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

[hogan]

match sticks to keep your eyes open and tea bags for all the visitors

[Nicola]

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! 

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 

[happydog]

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 .

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 

[sallyb]

I have a 14 week old puppy so my advice would be iron shin pads and loads of kitchen paper. 
Also practise your proud expression cos everytime you go out, people will be saying "aahhh, isn't she/he lovely/pretty/adorable" etc 

[lolajays]

Also practise your proud expression cos everytime you go out, people will be saying "aahhh, isn't she/he lovely/pretty/adorable" etc 

Awwwwwwwww how sweet!

[Simon]

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.

[Niki]

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 
Best of luck 

[hamfam]

A hot water bottle - fill with warm water, wrap in a towel for pup to sleep with