# Help with last purchases...



## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Hi folks, 

So now that getting our puppy is in sight I’m allowing myself to make the final purchases. 

As I’ve mentioned I’ve already gone a bit bonkers on the purchasing front and have got plenty of chew toys, squeaky toys, mooing toys (don’t ask – impulse buy !) rope/pull toys, throwing toys, ball toys (ok, you get the point – lots of toys )… a crate, some vet bedding and blankets, bowls, grooming products that will be ok until her adult coat comes through, puppy pads, treats, and a lovely red equafleece (kindly donated by Lozza! ) 

I’d like to get the following before she arrives:

A pen for when she is at my parents' - we're thinking a fabric pen as it will be easy to fold and put away. I've seen this but how high? I've heard Cockapoos are good little jumpers...! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/55cmTall-...9?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&hash=item2a176821c5 

A clip-on bowl for her crate

Food – I assume I should initially start her on James Beloved (breeder’s food of choice) and gradually move onto NI? I'm thinking we'll end up feeding her a mixture of NI, kibble (we like the look of Barking Heads) and then other things such as stuffed Kongs, pig's ears, raw chicken wings etc. 

A harness for the car 

A lead and collar or harness – what would you recommend initially? Do I need a training lead? I don't really 'get' what they are... 

A larger cuddly toy to snuggle with in her crate… any suggestions? I presume none with plastic eyes that she could pull off and swallow? 

And a sounds DVD to get her used to fireworks and so on… 

Oh, lastly… regarding worming and flea treatments… do I need to buy these? She will have been treated by the vet at eight weeks and we will be taking her to the vet for her second inoculation at ten weeks. 

Thank you in advance for your help!


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## Lozza (Jun 3, 2011)

I know the feeling Turi! Looks like you have every thing under control.

A couple of suggestions, based on what worked with Boston.

1. Pets at Home have these great pig ear strips. I found Boston would struggle with the size of normal pigs ears and he really liked the strips because he could get them up into the back of his mouth onto his molars. I still use them all the time now...particularly when I need 10-15mins of peace to distract him. He loves them!

2. Another chew suggestion is fish skins - see Fish for Dogs. Boston particularly loves the twists (http://www.fish4dogs.com/Products/sea-jerky-fish-twists.aspx). Again a great shape for him to be able to tackle easily. These don't last as long as pigs ears, but they are not as messy with raw meat like chicken wings.

3. I sorted out purchasing my flea and worming stuff from the vet on the first visit. They should advise you and have everything there for you.

4. Boston's favourite toy to sleep with is actually a duck with no stuffing (we call him Eddie). It is super soft and easy for him to grab onto and snuggle into (without being big). Boston has a tendency to really stretch out when sleeping, so a big toy wouldn't work for him. He has another big toy for rolling around with which is a stuffed dog from Pets at Home (we call him Stanley!)

5. We went for a lead and collar initially, but then in the first few weeks added a harness into his walks. I didn't really want to do this, but after him pulling for a few weeks (despite all his training, they still do it) I just didn't like the feel of the collar pulling on his little neck. I am much much happier now with the harness for walking. We still keep a collar on him most of the time at home.

6. I also thought about a clip on bowl for the crate, but then decided against it. There are pros and cons either way, but I didn't want to encourage wee'ing in the crate but suppling too much water. Boston has only had one accident in his crate and toilet training has been going really well (we have one or two accidents per month at most now). So I think it worked for us...personal preference really.

7. On blankets...Boston really loves chewing on his blanket. I was surprised by this, and so now on I also make sure he has access to his blankie whenever he wants it. I think this helped us avoid a lot of chewing on the furniture.

You are going to be a great puppy parent Turi and your little girl is going to be very lucky to have such a loving mum! When do we see first photos????


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

Have a look at the CCGB for what you really need - have you kept receipts 
:laugh:


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Hi Lauren 

Thank you for your suggestions… it sounds like we need to pay a vist to Pets at Home… even though things can be cheaper online it’s good to see and feel what you’re buying! We could get ourselves our very own Stanley 

We have the venison chews and liver treats and kong that you gave us and a stag bar so lots to chew on. Would you get anything else or see how she gets on with these first? The fish skins sound skiiiiinky lol (wonder if the cats would like them too?)

Re the first visit to the vet – would you suggest going before ten weeks or once we get her home to register her? 

I think like you we’ll get a collar for home and a harness for walks. Just as well I didn’t buy one before now… I was going to get a boy colour! 

I was going to get a clip on bowl for the crate for when she’s in there in the day for little chill-out sessions. I’d remove at night. Do you think having one on the floor in the kitchen will suffice? 

One of our cats loves fleecy blankets and the way they squeak when she chews then – we’ve got a fleece one and a wool one too. 

Thank you for your encouragement Lauren – so appreciated! I hope I do her proud! Attached a picture of the litter to another thread but here it is again. The litter at three days old!


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

ali-s.j. said:


> Have a look at the CCGB for what you really need - have you kept receipts
> :laugh:


Uh-o. Have I gone a bit OTT


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Turi just in regards to the vets, generally I think most people take them a couple of days after you get them home just for the initial 'check up' & they weight your pup & things like that to make sure everything is okay, then back again for the vac at 10 weeks & you can ask either time about fleaing & worming, it depends when your puppies treatments run out as to when you will need them. Can't wait to see how you get on  x


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Laura(L)Izzie said:


> Turi just in regards to the vets, generally I think most people take them a couple of days after you get them home just for the initial 'check up' & they weight your pup & things like that to make sure everything is okay, then back again for the vac at 10 weeks & you can ask either time about fleaing & worming, it depends when your puppies treatments run out as to when you will need them. Can't wait to see how you get on  x


Thanks Laura . Our vet is lovely so I'm sure she'll love it - ha! Hardly likely


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Turi said:


> Thanks Laura . Our vet is lovely so I'm sure she'll love it - ha! Hardly likely


No problem  One of our vets loves our two  So i'm sure they'll love seeing you & your little cockapoo! He commented when Izzie went for her 1 year booster how gorgeous she was  I thought that was lovely from a vet who deals with so many dogs everyday  x


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Of course he loved gorgeous Izzy!


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## Lozza (Jun 3, 2011)

OMG! So cute!! Just adorable little bundles of puppy goodness. You are making me want another one. I could just see a little blonde pup running alongside Boston (have been trying to convince the other half but he is not having it! I will wear him down eventually!)



Turi said:


> We have the venison chews and liver treats and kong that you gave us and a stag bar so lots to chew on. Would you get anything else or see how she gets on with these first? The fish skins sound skiiiiinky lol (wonder if the cats would like them too?)


I'd use the liver treats chopped into smaller bits for training, rather than as a chew. I would definitely add pig ear strips to your list. These are the ones we use (http://www.petsathome.com/shop/pork-strips-dog-treat-by-pets-at-home-32322). They also come in a bulk size - and I am sure there are other equivalents out there.



Turi said:


> Re the first visit to the vet – would you suggest going before ten weeks or once we get her home to register her?


I called the vet beforehand, explained the situation and they advised me as to when to come in. Helps to know during this conversation about when the vaccinations have been done at the breeder and the type of vaccine. I am sure the receptionist at the vet will give you all the info you need.



Turi said:


> I was going to get a clip on bowl for the crate for when she’s in there in the day for little chill-out sessions. I’d remove at night. Do you think having one on the floor in the kitchen will suffice?


We always put Boston into his crate for sleeps during the day and we didn't give him access to water during this time. We never put him in the crate for more than 2 hours...usually it was about 1.5 hours. We never seemed to have an issue with hydration, as I was keeping an eye on this carefully (even the vet said he was well hydrated at his checks). I found that Boston normally goes for water at two points: after he's been eating (particularly something like a pigs ear), and after he has been walking/running/vigorous playing. When he would come out of his crate, he's not normally go for water, so I figured this was fine for him. It might be different with your pup. I would probably not buy the clip on (save you the cash), see how you go first. If she goes for water after being in the crate, then consider it.

There was one thing that I missed off the list. Puppy cam. I must admit, we are at an advantage because my other half is a bit geeky and loves a good electronic gadget. BUT, puppy cam is absolutely brilliant. I can see what he is up to, any time, day or night...it gives me such peace of mind (like right now I know he is asleep on his bed in his room whilst I am sitting on the sofa in the other end of the house, all by just using my iPhone). Puppy cam is the first thing I check when I wake up, and the last thing I check before I go to sleep (does this make me neurotic??).

If you guys are really interested in getting it setup, let me know, and I will see if I can convince my other half to give some more hands on instructions (or gosh, if I really worked my magic, try and convince him to set it up for you during a puppy play date...now that would be really sneaky of me!).


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

We had a clip on water bowl for Lolly as she had a tendency to stand in her floor standing bowl and spill it everywhere! We never felt the need to remove it at night as she only had an accident the first night and never in her crate after that! I had trouble finding one I liked. Pets at Home only sell metal round bird ones that I wasnt' keen on. I bought one from Partners Pets store (which happens to be out nearest pet superstore) They do have an online shop but I can't find the bowl we bought online.


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

http://www.ultimateanimals.co.uk/acatalog/dog_crate_water_bowls_dog_crates_dog_cages.html

I found it somewhere else. The top bowl was the one we had. It has a little lip/lid to help stop extra spills. Lolly never chewed it until she went to stay at our friends while we were on hols and they left the lid bit off! Then she realised she could chew it so my advice would be always use the lid thing!!! lol


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Oh and we found a car harness a terrible faff to get on and off and that was only when we tried one when she was about 7 months old. I'd imagine a small puppy would be even harder. We used this 
http://www.ultimateanimals.co.uk/acatalog/cupL.jpg








until she was about 7 months old and from then we have used her old 30" metal crate in the boot.


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Sorry keep thinking of other things! lol Lolly came to us on Arden Grange but we decided to change her to Barking Heads as I liked the reviews and it was recommended to us. Before we changed her food she suffered with terribly dirty ears and had a couple of ear infections. Since the change of food her ears have stayed beautifully clear! I hadn't linked it to the change of food until I was chatting to the lady in the pet shop. I'm so pleased with it for this reason alone!!!!


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## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

Hi Turi

I moved Biscuit onto NI over just a few days and had no issues with this at all.

I would also definitely just go for the one bowl of water on the kitchen floor. If she goes on to NI you will find she probably doesn't need much water anyway.

You might want to wait and see if you'll need a harness first and just try her with a lead.

As for cuddly toys - we bought some in the baby section of HomeSense. They had some good ones with soft eyes. 

Good luck with a pen - Biscuit hated his from the moment we put him in it. Nothing would make him like it! 

I highly recommend the Stag Bars. They last for ages and seem to be really good for their teeth.

Happy Shopping!


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Turi said:


> Hi folks,
> 
> So now that getting our puppy is in sight I’m allowing myself to make the final purchases.
> 
> ...


Hi i tried clip on water bowl it was rubbish Buddy kept knocking it and there was water everywhere in his crate so i dont baother now.

Id get a lead and collar to start if you want a harness its best to take pup with you to the pet store to get the correct fit,i think by training lead do you mean a long lead this is when your teaching recall etc so i wouldnt bother buying till you need it if you need it.

Buddy loves his big cuddly toy brought from the pet shop but it now has no arms and he has started to pull the insides out ha ha 

I have the souns dvd its good if you remember to use it ! once we were able to go outside i stopped using it,i would carry Buddy for short walks outside before he was allowed to go for walks so he could hear car sounds etc close up.

Id get flea and worming tablets from the vets as they tend to be stronger and better then shop brought,your breeder will give you a list showing when she was last treated etc.

My best purchase by far was the soft crate for the car i think it was by ancol my cars an Aclass so not a maassive boot and its a great fit ,im still using it even though Buddys huge now ,so much better then wet muddy dog on the back seat! you can wash the inside as well which is great.

Also dont know what id do without my equafleece def get one when shes big enough it saves you bathing them everyday!


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Just thought ,dont leave all these toys out for her to play with,save some and use for a special treat ,i dont like the tug ones they made Buddy hyper he mainly loves fetch or chewing on his stag bar,i did buy him a toy where you hide treats and they have to work out how to move the pieces to get the treat great toy but expensive.
Be warned the best toy is either your knickers or shoes ha ha


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## Anita (Jan 5, 2012)

Hi
Frisbee sleeps with a big floppy dog hot water bottle cover, great for the first few nights with the hot water bottle inside but now he just likes to snuggle up to the empty cover. I don't think you can ever have too many chew toys but Frisbee's favourite things all seem to be things he has pinched - hats, gloves, shoes etc.!


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

Training leads are great for teaching recall when you fast start going out but aren't letting them off the lead. They are also useful as they got older and forget what recall is! We used Daisy's alot when she was in season and we wanted to give her a bit more freedom. I no longer use my extendable lead as I think it is what taught her to pull on the lead . 

We bought one of these bowls.. http://www.roadrefresher.com/ .... in pink! It is great as they dont get wet ears from them hanging in the bowl! 

What a lot of fun Turi and so exciting! xx


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## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

Hey turi I feed Maggie barking heads and am really pleased with it. Pets at home do a large soft toy with rope arms and legs. Maggie had gets since day one and only needed a replacement at Xmas, she takes it everywhere with her. 
I used a puppy pen rather than a crate for Maggie so if ur using a pen at ur mums I'd recommend http://www.croftonline.co.uk/scp/Puppy_Play_Areas_and_Pens/products.asp?partno=FP1190, delivery was efficient and customer service great as a bit of mine broke in transit they had a new one with me the next day! It was the highest I could find and Maggie can still jump it! But usually is quite happy to be in there. Emma xx


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

Hi Turi, Some of the things I have found useful, 36" crate to leave her in when I go out with room for puppy pad which she has only used once. Had clip on water bowl but to be honest she was not in crate long enough to really need it. 24" crate for car with dog bed in to give her support. I think car harnesses are fine for adult dogs who will sit still but too much of a faff for a puppy, prefer metal crate as it only takes a few minutes for them to chew their way out of a fabric crate and manufacturers only reccomend for adult dogs (but yours may be an angel!) Collar to start with harnesses can encourage pulling and can rub behind front legs if not fitted properly. Advocate spot on tick/flea and wormer all in one from vet saves shoving tablets down puppy and didn't seem to cause runs which tablet wormer can. Good luck !


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## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

I have an Ancol car harness that i've used since I got Betty and i love it. I put a blanket on the car seat or her small bed (which gets referred to as her car bed!!!) and she settles straight down. 

I've never used a crate in the car (but then again i have a Mini so not much space to fit one in!).

You certainly sound very well prepared!!!

x


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## PipE (Aug 4, 2011)

Hi Turi
I know how excited you'll be feeling now, it feels like forever waiting to bring your puppy home doesn't it!
My way with most things I do is always 'Forewarned is forearmed' and I read everything I could lay my hands on, including stalking this site for weeks beforehand. I gained so much from all the advice on here.
The only thing I will say though is that even with all the research I had done, the first week home was SO stressful and I felt TOTALLY overwhelmed!! (and also worried myself silly about things that 'might go wrong' as I had read so much about potential problems!!) 
But, the best thing we did was to buy a puppy pen.
It is a 5 sided, 3 1/2ft high metal pen that with the help of a few cable ties, we can fit it onto the front of Kippers open crate so that when we go out she has about 8 sq feet of space to stretch her legs. She's only left on her own for about 3 hours at a time but it took away all my guilt feelings when we left her.
So far (probably tempting fate here!) she has never had an accident while we've been out.
It also gives us a great 'time out' area where she can see us but not get to us when we really need to get on with something.

The other thing I did that I think worked brilliantly was that in the 8-12 week period before she was allowed out, I took her everywhere in an old rucksack on my front. I looked like a total nutter (I posted a picture on here of her in it somewhere) but I took her on the school run,to the pub, out for walks, into the town centre, to my sons football, even out to put the wheelie bin out!! As a result she is now what my friend calls 'Bomb proof'!!
Nothing fazes her and everyone (after her initial welcoming excitement!) comments on how chilled she is for a puppy. (I also put this down to feeding her NI and nothing with any yucky additives in- also NI 'play bones' are fantastic when you want 1/2hours peace!!)
It IS hard work when you first have a puppy but she's now 5 1/2 months old and we're gearing up for the 6-12 month 'toddlerdom'!!
The biting seems to have passed, you suddenly realise that the kids aren't spending all day saying 'No biting Kipper!' I still think, to a certain extent, she sees them as litter mates to be played with!
Oh, and I bought a training lead but have never used it- far too tangly!!! On the advice of people we met on Kippers first outside walk- which just happened to be the Virginia Water Cockapoo meet!!- we let her off the lead from day one. Very scary but definitely paid off. (and we've now discovered that a ball gets her back to us better than any food treat as she LOVES to play ball even more than she loves EVERY other dog she sees!!)

Sorry for the rambling post!!

Looking forward to seeing more pictures of your baby!

Pip X


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Thank you for all your responses! If I do a multi-quote I know I'm going to mess it up so here's another tack.. 

Lauren, I definitely think you could have another 'Poo (or am I not meant to say that...?!) I'll add the chews to our list - I've convinced Marcus to go to Pets at Home so watch this space! Puppy cam... now there's an idea. I don't think you sound neurotic at all! When you say you can see it day or night is that from one computer or any computer? I'll speak to Marcus and see what he says but it's incredibly generous of you to offer to help (and we should organise a puppy play date soon either way!)

Hi Janet! Thank you for the advise on the clip-on bowl... I've only seen the metal ones but that one looks nice and compact. Re car travel, we actually have a bag very similar to that which we use for the cats for vet visits... Bingo! I'm glad to hear you're happy with Barking Heads... I think Karen (Wellerfeller) also uses it and that's how I heard of it. Because our puppy will be at daycare during the day it just isn't feasible to feed her NI during the day and so we'll do a mix of the two and see how we get on. 

Hi Jane - that's reassuring to hear that Biscuit was ok with NI. I know these little pups can have sensitive tummies. Homesense... that's a good idea. Though we don't have one near me - I'll try TK Maxx! 

Hi Donna! Definitely getting the impression that a clip-on bowl is more bother than it's worth! Another thing I'll take off my list initially and see how we'll get on without. I hear what you're saying about a collar rather than a harness... I've heard that before. I've seen the cutest puppy collar in red tartan - as a half Scot I'm sold! I don't think I'll spend a lot on a teddy... especially if the puppy might 'kill it'! Perhaps I'll hold off on the sounds DVD and see how we get on - we'll be taking her out and about so much anyway and massively concentrating on socialisation. I have an equafleece - Lauren (Lozza) kindly donated Boston's that he'd grown out of! I agree with what you say about not leaving all the toys out... we'll probably put them on rotation (so much to remember!)... and I'll hide my knickers I think! 

Hi Anita! I don't think we've 'met' before - hello! When you say Frisbee slept with a hot water bottle... do you mean a human one? I've read that a hot water bottle can make a puppy settle. 

Hi Sarah! Thanks for the advise on training leads. Will hold out until the puppy gets a bit older until we get one of those. Sooooo excited... and just read your post about getting a second... !!!

Hi Emma! Delighted to hear of someone else who is happy with Barking Heads. As I said we're going to Pets at Homes and I'll keep a look out for a teddy with rope arms! That pen looks ideal... exactly what we're after. Wonder if we'll be able to find a slightly cheaper one on ebay or gumtree...? 

Hi Sue! Sounds like I should leave worming and flea treatments to the vet... 

Hi Jules! The ancol car harness is perfect, thank you! We don't have a large boot so this will work really well. 

Hi Pippa! How is gorgeous little Kipper?! Thank you for forewarning me about the stress... it will be good to go in with my eyes opened so I'm not shocked if I am initially wondering what on earth I've done lol! Attaching the pen to her crate is a good idea... I hadn't thought of that! I remember your rucksack photo well! We've an old one which we're going to use. How long did you go out for on each occasion and did you worry she wouldn't be able to hold on to her wees and poos?! I'm so pleased for you that she's turned into such a well-behaved, happy little girl! I think I'll be SO nervous to let such a wee puppy off the lead! 

Phew, what a long post! Thanks again for all your suggestions, much appreciated.


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## Freddies Mum (Nov 20, 2010)

You seem to have it covered, and then some!!

You may not have to buy the DVD, when you go for your first vet check they will probably give you a puppy pack, and Jasper's had a sounds CD in it.


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Oooooo, a puppy pack? Yes please! I also need to find out if our vet organises puppy parties for uninnoculated puppies. 

I just received a call from one of Marcus' friends whose dog is now an adult and they've decided not to use their crate anymore. He said we could have it in exchange for a bottle red - hurrah! Solution found for my parents'. Another friend has said that we can have their baby gates for the bottom of our stairs. It's great to get hand-me-downs (and I hope I can do the same for any future puppy owners)


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## PipE (Aug 4, 2011)

Pippa! How is gorgeous little Kipper?! Thank you for forewarning me about the stress... it will be good to go in with my eyes opened so I'm not shocked if I am initially wondering what on earth I've done lol! Attaching the pen to her crate is a good idea... I hadn't thought of that! I remember your rucksack photo well! We've an old one which we're going to use. How long did you go out for on each occasion and did you worry she wouldn't be able to hold on to her wees and poos?! I'm so pleased for you that she's turned into such a well-behaved, happy little girl! I think I'll be SO nervous to let such a wee puppy off the lead! 

Phew, what a long post! Thanks again for all your suggestions, much appreciated.[/QUOTE]

Hi Turi,

We sometimes had Kipper in the rucksack for up to an hour and a half ish but she never wee'd or pooed in it! I did put an old towel in the bottom just in case but I needn't have worried.
We tried the stair gate thing to keep her downstairs but she was so little she just squeezed through the bars!! We took it down in the end, she soon learnt that she's not allowed up there (I haven't given in yet!) although she dashes up here whenever she thinks we're not looking! 

Pip X


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## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

Turi if I lived close by you could have had mine. It was worth every penny tho. It's almost as good as new after pretty heavy use, it was also great for putting round the Xmas tree while I was out before she got used to it. Emma x


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## Anita (Jan 5, 2012)

Hi Turi. Yes the hot water bottle was my daughter's, a big floppy dog and as it is intended for a small child there are no eyes, buttons etc to chew off. Dulcie has also handed down some other soft toys to Frisbee as well as an octopus rattle teething toy from Early Learning Centre that is his favourite thing of all.


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

PipE said:


> Hi Turi,
> 
> We sometimes had Kipper in the rucksack for up to an hour and a half ish but she never wee'd or pooed in it! I did put an old towel in the bottom just in case but I needn't have worried.
> We tried the stair gate thing to keep her downstairs but she was so little she just squeezed through the bars!! We took it down in the end, she soon learnt that she's not allowed up there (I haven't given in yet!) although she dashes up here whenever she thinks we're not looking!
> ...


Oh, that's a relief - I was thinking I'd have to pop home for a toilet stop every half hour lol! 

The friends who are giving us the baby gate have a French Bulldog who I presume would have been a much smaller puppy? I'll check to find out if he got through the bars - if yes then there is no point in putting it up! 



Emma said:


> Turi if I lived close by you could have had mine. It was worth every penny tho. It's almost as good as new after pretty heavy use, it was also great for putting round the Xmas tree while I was out before she got used to it. Emma x


Oh thank you Emma... never mind! 

Are you in Perth, Oz?


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Anita said:


> Hi Turi. Yes the hot water bottle was my daughter's, a big floppy dog and as it is intended for a small child there are no eyes, buttons etc to chew off. Dulcie has also handed down some other soft toys to Frisbee as well as an octopus rattle teething toy from Early Learning Centre that is his favourite thing of all.


I wondered if a puppy might chew a hot water bottle and hurt itself and/or make a mess! I'll give it a go... and a teething toy if all our chew toys don't suffice. 

Thanks!


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## Dee123 (Aug 20, 2011)

I had a furry cover fr the hot water bottle. Milo did chew at the fur probably cos it was so soft but never got to the rubber. I know some puppies like it but Milo would much rather just have his bed beside a radiator...


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## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

Lol no turi Perth Scotland so if u were up this direction for some reason also no problem! Emma x


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Oh dear... I think I've just exposed my poor Geographical knowledge ! And I'm half Scottish... my Mum would be so ashamed lol!


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

I brought a hot water bottle and cover ,ive never used it! Buddy ate the cover and he has always been a hot dog and prefered to sleep on cold tiles then warm soft vetbed.That was a waste of £35.

A great purchase was the water bottle from pets at home you can use it while out and about to give your dog a drink ,it was very handy this summer ,you can also get same ones off ebay or in the pound shop someone told me.


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2012)

pic of the puppies looks gorgeous janice xx


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

DONNA said:


> I brought a hot water bottle and cover ,ive never used it! Buddy ate the cover and he has always been a hot dog and prefered to sleep on cold tiles then warm soft vetbed.That was a waste of £35.
> 
> A great purchase was the water bottle from pets at home you can use it while out and about to give your dog a drink ,it was very handy this summer ,you can also get same ones off ebay or in the pound shop someone told me.


We just found a teddy in TK Maxx with a removable microwavable inside... was £3 in the sale so not too worried if she doesn't use it. 

Pets at Home was fab - I didn't realise you can take your dog there! I'm sure I saw a black Cockapoo puppy buy before I had a chance to ask the owners had disappeared. 

We bought a gorgeous puppy lead set with stars on - we decided we didn't want a pink one even though we're getting a girl so this is black and gold. 

We asked about dog grooming - they offer a puppy groom for £15 and you can go as many times as you want until 7 months. From then on it's £40. I'll probably take a picture of someone's on here so that they can get an idea. 



romeo said:


> pic of the puppies looks gorgeous janice xx


Thank you! Hope they're as gorgeous in 'the fur'


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## Julie Clark (Sep 8, 2011)

Great thread Turi, and some fab advise. Thank you everyone. 

My shopping is going really well, biggest job left is replacing the fence panels in our garden.... job for hubbie as diy is not something I'm at all good at! 

Thought I would mention though that if you register online to receive the Pets At Home newsletter you get a 10% online discount voucher.


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Julie Clark said:


> Great thread Turi, and some fab advise. Thank you everyone.
> 
> My shopping is going really well, biggest job left is replacing the fence panels in our garden.... job for hubbie as diy is not something I'm at all good at!
> 
> Thought I would mention though that if you register online to receive the Pets At Home newsletter you get a 10% online discount voucher.


So pleased it's been useful for other new Mummies and Daddies 

I'm not sure if our garden needs any adaptations - we have high fences on all sides (two of which our cats can't even reach). The puppy would be able to get behind the garden shed on both sides but there's nothing she could hurt itself on and it's spacious enough that she wouldn't get stuck. Any thoughts? 

Thank you for the Pets at Home tip - will do that now


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Turi said:


> The puppy would be able to get behind the garden shed on both sides but there's nothing she could hurt itself on and it's spacious enough that she wouldn't get stuck. Any thoughts?


Can you also fit behind the garden shed to fish pup out if she decides not to? If not I would block the gaps with something!

Can I place bets on this pup having at least another three sets of collars and leads within your first six months


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## Julie Clark (Sep 8, 2011)

Yeah i agree, you need to be able to get behind the shed too, you don't want to give Roo too many hidding places. (Is the name 'Roo' still the front runner?)

Our fence panels are getting old and weak so it was on my 'must do before pup arrives' list!


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

2ndhandgal said:


> Can you also fit behind the garden shed to fish pup out if she decides not to? If not I would block the gaps with something!
> 
> Can I place bets on this pup having at least another three sets of collars and leads within your first six months


Oooo, good question! I may have been able to before Christmas 

I'll check tomorrow and if no, we'll block it off. Chicken wire? 

Hmmmm... _might be slightly addicted to spoiling this little monkey and don't even have her yet so there is a slight possibility that we'll be lavishing her with gifts (including new collars and leads). I'll need them to coordinate with my outfits you know :laugh: 



Julie Clark said:



Yeah i agree, you need to be able to get behind the shed too, you don't want to give Roo too many hidding places. (Is the name 'Roo' still the front runner?)

Our fence panels are getting old and weak so it was on my 'must do before pup arrives' list!

Click to expand...

We have three names and we're going to wait until we meet her before deciding. They're Roo, Nutmeg and Jaffa (as in the cakes!)

What about you Julie? Any name ideas?_


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## Julie Clark (Sep 8, 2011)

We still like Izzy for a female, but we've not really settled on a male name yet. We both liked Olly, but have decided against it because our new baby niece has been named Holly. From our names list I think Alfie is the front runner for a boy.
I like the name Jaffa, but I think I'd get a craving every time I called the name!  Once you've met pup I'm sure you'll know what name will suit her best. x


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Izzy and Olly are both lovely names... it's so hard this naming process isn't it!


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Obviously I love the name Izzie/Izzy  So I would say brilliant choice! What *** do you think you'll be getting Julie? x


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## Julie Clark (Sep 8, 2011)

Mmm... I wonder why you like the name Izzie?  My hubbie likes the name Izzy simply because of Izzy Stevens from Greys Anatomy (which he will no longer watch as shes not in it anymore ).

We're not really worried so much about which *** puppy we bring home now. There seems to be lots of discussions in books and on the internet about the pros and cons for each ***, and then an equal amount of real life experiences written on forums like this one disagreeing with all the printed blah. So plan A is to make our decision based on temperament and puppy personality.... plan B involves the 'aaahhhhhhh' factor!


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Julie Clark said:


> Mmm... I wonder why you like the name Izzie?  My hubbie likes the name Izzy simply because of Izzy Stevens from Greys Anatomy (which he will no longer watch as shes not in it anymore ).
> 
> We're not really worried so much about which *** puppy we bring home now. There seems to be lots of discussions in books and on the internet about the pros and cons for each ***, and then an equal amount of real life experiences written on forums like this one disagreeing with all the printed blah. So plan A is to make our decision based on temperament and puppy personality.... plan B involves the 'aaahhhhhhh' factor!


I can't imagine why I like Izzie so much?! Haha  I just loved the name, it was between Izzie & Bonnie for Izzie, & we ended up all voting for Izzie, but I love Bonnie as well still  But Izzie is a great name 

& fair enough, I suppose it's best to just go & see which you like best at the time BUT they all have the awwww factor! It's a good job we'd said our preference was a golden girl before we had to decide as that way we only had two to choose between whereas it would have been like 10!  I don't know how i'd have managed! But if you don't already have a preference then it's good to go by personality


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