My puppy comes home tomorrow!

**errica** · 05-30-2008, 01:24 PM

So we are picking Apollo up at 9:00 am tomorrow!! I am beyond excited, but also terrified! I have NEVER had a puppy. I have read and re-read all the educational archives here, what an amazing resource!, and have cleaned out my local pet store and spent a small fortune online.

I have everything I can possibly think of, which just means I am not thinking hard enough! We have:

crate
crate bed
chew toys
soft toys
treats
new toys and treats for Athena so she doen't feel left out
puppy food
dishes
gallons of nature's miracle (with two cats and one dobie already...)
collar
leash
potty training pads (not happy about this but reality is I can't leave the pup in a crate for 4 hours at a time while I work, so he will get a kitchen corral with pee pads for now)
camera (I know the penalty for not providing puppy pictures is death)
a few bottles of wine...

What am I missing, what should I be prepared for, and most importantly, how do I properly introduce Athena to this tiny little puppy??

cookie725 · 05-30-2008, 01:27 PM

Congratulations! I am so excited for you and your animals. There is nothing better in the world than a puppy -- especially a Doberman pup! You will have your hands full and love every minute of it!!!

GunnersMum · 05-30-2008, 01:45 PM

Baby gates? and a thorough crawl around the house looking for anything that can but shouldn't go in a puppy's mouth. Other than that, it sounds like you're all set and Congratulations on the new addition - pictures are, of course, expected and mandatory

Zombie · 05-30-2008, 01:48 PM

Oh man! I know how you feel!!!! My puppy is going to be born in less than a month and we are picking up the crate and some toys tomorrow! Good luck to you and yes.... PICTURES!!!!

**errica** · 05-30-2008, 01:51 PM

cookie725 - I hope you are right about the "loving every minute of it" part!

GunnersMum - I actually DID crawl around the house last night, looking for tiny things I missed vaccuuming, dropped advil, bits of cat toys, anything that the pup could choke on. My husband looked at me like I was crazy... I just asked him, while on all fours on the kitchen floor, if he wanted to pay thousands in vet bills if the dog got a hold of an advil or something. That seemed to satisfy him.

cookie725 · 05-30-2008, 01:57 PM

Oh you will!!!

I can only imagine how stressful it will be. Vito himself can be a handful, but then they just look at you, put their hand on your lap, or have a breakthrough moment -- and it's all worth it, and then some!!!
Looking forward to the pics too!

**errica** · 05-30-2008, 02:02 PM

Yeah, that pic of Vito in your signature...the pup could commit murder and get away with it if he looked up at me like that!

So any ideas on introducing a 65lb dobie to a (what? 8lb?) puppy?

cookie725 · 05-30-2008, 02:11 PM

Ah yes, they do know all the right looks to give us, don't they??

My only suggestions on the 1st meeting is keeping giving praise and positive reinforcement. Also, puppies like to play, play, play, maybe give the adult dog some quiet time away from the puppy (and some individual attention too when they are separated). My guess is they will both want your attention!!!

I know that's not very helpful...

clipclop · 05-30-2008, 02:24 PM

congrats!!!

**errica** · 05-30-2008, 04:19 PM

That's funny cookie725, I am more worried about Athena wanting to play too much for the puppy!

I am going to try really hard to make sure that Athena doesn't feel neglected, get jealous, etc. So I am prepared to crate Apollo and give Athena love, attention, quiet time, whatever she needs.

My big concern is that Athena will play too rough and one of my coworkers just brought up a good point... "If the pup can handle mom and dad and 9 littermates I think he can hold his own against one dog!"