Our 1st Dog Arriving Soon... Need help on preparation

love_my_eassy · 12-26-2006, 10:47 AM

My BF and I will have our first dog in about 6-7 weeks. It will be a chihuahua and we are hoping for a boy!!!!

This will both be the first dog we have had on our own and need some recommendation on how to prepare over the next couple of weeks before Eassy (yes that is our Chi's name) comes home.

1. First, I want to crate train. How big should the crate be if I want to store a mini-crate/bed in there and a divider so the other side can be a restroom?

Quote:

I am having some reservations about that. Would it be better to have a two door style crate and allow the dog to be able to walk out into a gated area that would have pads on the floor?

2. Since Chi's are so small, when it first comes home is it good having it sleep near your or prepare them from the beginning to rest in their crate over night? We have a 2 story place but the hallway is VERY small upstairs; we both have preference to keep the crate downstairs.

3. I was looking to feed our Chi Innova and California Natural. Would that be appropriate for him?

4. I want to get pet insurance for the Chi, just in case, what do I look for in the policy, company, and prices?

5. How frequently should small Chi's eat/drink? How long between the intervals?

sobreeze · 12-26-2006, 02:52 PM

crate training is very important for new puppys you can put it where ever you what to as long is its not to cold or to hot and no drafts you might want it where your pup can make it out side to potty fast and always go out with them when they potty out side reward them i would never train one to go in any part of there crate but if you cant take them outside pee pads might work also remember puppy are just like human babys they are infants cant hold it for long time you should be taking it out about every hour or so you should also feed your puppy small meals about three times aday all the water it wants if you work than this can be hard but a puppy cant be left in a crate
for long hours with out being turned out it may also cry for about a week or more before it gets used to a crate so good luck with your new baby

mistyinca · 12-26-2006, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by love_my_eassy

1. First, I want to crate train. How big should the crate be if I want to store a mini-crate/bed in there and a divider so the other side can be a restroom?

I posted a picture here about the set up I use for my dog. It is an x-pen with papers at one end and a crate inside with an open door at night.

We no longer have to use this set up, as she now sleeps through the night, at 14 weeks, without needing a potty break. So she sleeps in her crate with the crate door closed.

This crate is the smallest size available. Here's the one I use, the smallest one: at petsmart. A chi is in the same size range as a yorkie, so you would probably want that size also. There is no room for her to make a separate potty area in it. It's like a private little retreat for her. Nice and cozy.

drfong · 12-26-2006, 08:48 PM

If you need to have a place for the dog to relieve itself i the night than I would recomend a dog safe area with the crate in it and pads away from it. You don't want the dog to go in the crate. It is best if you can just take the dog out a few times in the night outside so they learn to go outside all the time. It will help with house training. Put the crate wherever you want to keep it, but the closer you are the more comfortable the pup will be and the quicker you can respond to it needing to go out. Quickly take it out, let it pee/poop and praise the dog. Immediately return the dog to the crate and go back to sleep. It's not a big deal if you don't make it one.

DogAdvocat · 12-27-2006, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by love_my_eassy

My BF and I will have our first dog in about 6-7 weeks. It will be a chihuahua and we are hoping for a boy!!!!

This will both be the first dog we have had on our own and need some recommendation on how to prepare over the next couple of weeks before Eassy (yes that is our Chi's name) comes home.

1. First, I want to crate train. How big should the crate be if I want to store a mini-crate/bed in there and a divider so the other side can be a restroom?

2. Since Chi's are so small, when it first comes home is it good having it sleep near your or prepare them from the beginning to rest in their crate over night? We have a 2 story place but the hallway is VERY small upstairs; we both have preference to keep the crate downstairs.

3. I was looking to feed our Chi Innova and California Natural. Would that be appropriate for him?

4. I want to get pet insurance for the Chi, just in case, what do I look for in the policy, company, and prices?

5. How frequently should small Chi's eat/drink? How long between the intervals?

Most of these questions should be asked of the breeder you're getting your puppy from. Is s/he not available?

Why do you want to keep the puppy apart from you at night? Are you not getting it for companionship?

Also, I think you're making a big mistake by encouraging or allowing your puppy to potty inside the crate. Mother dogs keep puppies clean, which keeps the bed clean, so you're going against the beneficial thing your puppy has learned. This is one of the many reasons why it's such a mistake to get a puppy from a pet store - because those puppies have no choice but to go in their cages, and that makes them much harder to housebreak later.

The following website should help you about pet insurance:
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/peth...or_Animals.htm