Some random questions about getting a dog

[missmich]

I soon hope to be a new dog owner and have a lot of questions and I'm hoping some of you can help answer a few of them for me. The dog rescue agency I'm probably going to adopt from has a 2 week trial period before the dog is officially adopted. So in case things don't work out with that dog during the 2 weeks I don't want to spend a lot of money on doggie things. I'll get other things like a dog coat and booties and a bed later on though.

What are the basic things that I must have for any dog the first day they arrive? She will arrive with nothing.

I know I need a leash and can get a cheap one at the $ store.

What type of collar do I need?

Should she be wearing one with her tags on it in at all times and then a chain lead collar only for walks?

I'd like to get her a toy or a kong or something and some treats. I think I'll ask the agency which brand of treats she likes so I'm not wasting money on them.

How many toys should I get?

Are stuffed animal type toys ok or do they confuse with my toys that I don't want her to chew on?

Should I put my cats food up high so the dog won't eat?

Can they share water though?

I have dishes and a will figure out a blanket or soft towel to use as a bed for now. I also have rags to wipe her paws after walks.

I keep all my shoes under a bench in the hall,but for now I think I'll keep one old pair underneath until I see how she is with chewing on shoes.

[MtBikeLover]

I'm not that experienced of a dog owner so someone may have more answers, but we did rescue a dog about 4 months ago. She came with a collar and a leash. I did buy her a nicer leash and collar but it wouldn't have been absolutely necessary if we were just trying her out.

For her bed, I made a bed with an old feather bed, towel, and a feather blanket - all just piled up. She never sleeps on it though because she sleeps in the kids room - either on the carpet or on the bed.

Toys - we didn't buy any at first. We just used the kids balls and a few other things to see if she was interested. So far, she is really not into playing too much, but she will chase a ball. Just last weekend, I got her a kong. She's only used it once.

Toy Treats - She loves the bones from the store that have the stuff inside. She will sit there and lick that stuff out all night long.

We've never had any trouble with her chewing stuff so we don't bother putting stuff away. But that is going to be very dog dependant so it is probably a good idea to put nicer shoes away.

[mata]

What are the basic things that I must have for any dog the first day they arrive? She will arrive with nothing. What type of collar do I need?

I'd recommed having a shortish leash, and as far as a collar goes, the dog's size and degree of obedience would determine the best "for now" collar you might need. A large dog with little obedience might be hard to restrain with a plain collar-you might want a pinch or choke collar. If it's a medium sized dog or smaller a harness might be good-I've found regular collars can slip off easily if they balk!

Should she be wearing one with her tags on it in at all times and then a chain lead collar only for walks? Yes, I switch back and forth with collars-keep tags on both, but use a pinch collar for walks.

I'd like to get her a toy or a kong or something and some treats. I think I'll ask the agency which brand of treats she likes so I'm not wasting money on them.

How many toys should I get? I'd just get one-most trainers recommend just having one toy.

Are stuffed animal type toys ok or do they confuse with my toys that I don't want her to chew on? If doggie is a big chewer, you will be wasting a lot of money on stuffies. And yes, they might think to go after other toys. I'd recommend getting her used to a rope toy-again, if she's a big chewer you might not want to leave it with her all the time so she doesn't eat it. Antlers are great for chewers-they're expensive but last a LONG time. Also, large plastic water bottles with labels and spouts/caps removed are fun for them-they like the noise.

Should I put my cats food up high so the dog won't eat?

Yes-you might find it upsets the dog's stomach-we keep out cat's food out of reach.

Can they share water though? Our dogs and cat share water-probably not the greatest in terms of sharing bacteria, but it's hard to prevent!

As far as a bed goes-again, it depends on if she's a chewer-you might end up seeing that bed or mat get shredded! We have a large breed dog with long hair, and a poofy dogbed is too hot for her-she prefers the cool tile floor. Our Jack Russell on the other hand requires down comforters and extra blankets!

[Ola_]

For the leash I'd strongly recommend getting a leather one. They are so much softer on your hands than the nylon ones that all the pet stores sell. Plus it will last you a long time and isn't specific to the dog in case the first one doesn't work out, etc. I recall that you're looking for a small 10-20 lb dog so I'd probably say go for a 6' one (I like a longer leash for smaller dogs than for larger ones) and either 1/2" or 3/8" wide probably. You can loop the excess over your hand if you need to bring the dog closer and some prefer more distance to potty - 6' gives you more options. Make sure the clip is not too large or it can hit the dog in the face while you're walking.

Are you anticipating issues with walking? Not sure what kind of a collar you meant when you said chain, but I wouldn't use one for a dog that walks well. Chain pinch/prong collars I personally reserve for dogs with "walking issues" and chain choke collars are very difficult to use effectively and personally I find them harsh so I'd skip those entirely. At first I'd get a plain flat collar or a martingale (also sometimes called limited-choke, it is useful to prevent dogs from backing out of their collar but doesn't tighten too much). I'd definitely keep the tags on when you go on walks - that's when they're needed most IMO, in case the dog manages to get away from you somehow when you're out of the house. Personally I don't keep collars on at home since there is a small risk of strangulation esp. if you are crating the dog or if you have multiple dogs that play together.

For treats I'd go for something soft and meaty as opposed to crunchy cookies. Most dogs like those better and they tend to be more smelly too (i.e. more enticing). Depending on what kind of pet store you're shopping at I like Zuke's minis or those Wellness soft chunk things that you can rip to smaller pieces. Something small or easily ripped into pieces with your fingers is very hand as I'm sure you'll be doing lots of training at the beginning so you'll need lots of rewards (but not ones that are too big).

I'd definitely keep the cat food up for now (and on a side note cat food or cat treats can be handy little training treats for dogs as most seem to love them). As for the water bowl, it kind of depends on them. My two dogs share water bowls, but some kitties get very upset when you get a dog and in that case separate ones may be better. I think your idea to use a folded blanket or towel for a bed is perfectly fine - many dogs like to nest with their paws so they enjoy those types of beds. Just make sure it's something that is ok to get damaged.

[missmich]

That's right it will be a little doggie for me!

I will always have tags on when we are outside for sure,just in case the dog runs off. Also I think I can get fined if they don't wear them. I still have to find out where to get them and the cost,but I'm sure the rescue agency can help me with that info.

I saw a dog walking video and the dog was bigger,but was a good walker and he wore a nylon collar with his tags and then he wore a chain sort of collar (a lead collar?) that the leash was attatched to. That's why I thought I needed 2 collars. I'd rather not use a prong collar or anything like that unless there is an issue with walking. I'm going to do a google search on these different collars to get a better idea of what they are. lol

So my cats food and water will be up and they will each have a water bowl but can share if the want to then.

I will be doing some training so lots of small treats will be needed. I'll get some nice chewy dog ones and see if the new dog will like the cat treats that my girl hates!

Oh and for people food...what is safe to give as a treat on occasion?

NO chocolate or onions I know this..

Carrots are ok though right and they help with breath. I sometimes give my cat a spoon full of yogurt or sour cream or a few shreads of cheese.

Oh yeah I wanted to add that my background is being a nanny for children,so I feel that training a new dog is similar to teaching children the new "rules" I have when they are with me. I have to be patient and show a lot of love and be gentle. I also have to expect them to regress a little and test boundries with me. This is true with dogs to right?

Will it be ok to ask the agency of the foster home for written routine/schedule for the dog so I can follow it as much as I can to make sure some things are the same for her? This is what I do with the children I care for as well.

[Oubliette8]

Is this a small dog? If so chain collars are definitely not recommended without a trainers guidance. Its best to walk small dogs in a harness. They can get health issues- collapsed tracheas, eye injury, etc from pulling in a regular collar. A harness takes any pressure of their necks.

[Ola_]

For tags I'm a big fan of Boomerang Tags. I used to get plastic tags ordered through a pet store and I tried these cause many people rave about them. They are so much better in quality! More durable and the engraving is very deep so it doesn't wear off. I'm in Toronto so I thought it would take a while for them to get here since they come from the states, but it was only like 3-4 days - I was very impressed! Since you don't know what dog you'll have yet, you should probably just get one with your name and address on it. I also put on the back of mine "If I'm alone, I'm lost".

For collars, the chain one you saw is probably a a choke collar like this. And here is a prong collar. Just so you know what they are called. I'm sure you know what a regular flat collar looks like. Here is an all-cloth martingale collar: link. See how only the small loop tightens? The dog's neck goes into the bigger loop and you adjust it so it's not too tight or too loose. This means it won't choke the dog unlike the choke collar. And here is a martingale where the tightening section is chain: link (you can also see how it's worn).

[Magelet]

I'd say for things you must have:
Food and water and a place to put them (bowls etc)
collar with tags and a leash (and possibly harness)
a crate which is for transportation and a safe place to hide/get used to the new place
a toy or two

treats can be from your food, a towel or the carpet will do for a bed (it can be nice for a dog to have a bed, but not needed)

Re:treats, it depends on the dog. However, some "people foods" definitely make great treats.
-bananas (our family newfie when I was a teenager would go through hell or high water for a bite of banana)
-peanut butter (works great in kongs too)
-cheese
-little bites of meat (raw or cooked, no cooked poultry bones, they can splinter)
-doggy sausage treats (these dog treats that come shaped like a sausage, you cut up bites, my dog loved them, but I'm sure giving them cheese, or meat or bananas is much cheaper)

the type of toy depends on the dog. our newfie left our stuffed animals alone and only plays with his (however, ours are never on the floor, his always are, so its another distinction). I think he would be very sad if he never had stuffed toys. He loves to parade them around the house when he gets home, or we get home, and show them off. I'm sure other animals like other toys, but most dogs I've known LOVED stuffed animals.

as for a schedule, I don't really think its nessicary. Knowing if the dog is fed two or three meals a day might be useful, but unless its a puppy, it will transition to two just fine. I'd say get the dog on whatever schedule works for you, rather than trying to work your life around the dog's schedule.

re: the collar, if the dog will play in the yard alone.... you may want to leave a collar with tags on at all times, at least until you get to know the dog. Yes, it might be slightly more dangerous, but so is being an uncollared, unmicrochipped dog running loose, and some dogs are escape artists who will get out from what you swear was a tight and sound fence.

[missmich]

Oh thanks for all the great answers! I think a Martingale collar is the best one to get. I think if the dog "needs" a prong collar then it isn't the dog that I should own unless I'm able to pay for a dog trainer right away to teach me how to walk it properly.

One of the dogs I asked about does need a harness for walks but the other 2 didn't mention needing one,so I'll wait and see about that. The pet shop is super close and if I need one I can always take the dog there for a walk to get the right harness.

I don't have a crate for a dog,but do have my carry case for the cat when she goes to the vet. Since I'm getting a small dog it may fit into that. If the dog does fit then I can leave it out with the door open and show them they can go there when they need to.

I haven't figured out where the closest dog parks are,but will eventually when it's nicer. If my dog is small and there are really big dogs there I might be a little scared. What do I do if a big dog is mean and lunges at my little dog?

I know I have to pick up poop. What do I do if my dog has a yucky poop that isn't easy to pick up though?

[2xy]

Originally Posted by missmich

NO chocolate or onions I know this.

Also no grapes or raisins, according to some sources. I'm skeptical, but I'm also skeptical about "no onions," too.

Originally Posted by Oubliette8

Is this a small dog? If so chain collars are definitely not recommended without a trainers guidance. Its best to walk small dogs in a harness. They can get health issues- collapsed tracheas, eye injury, etc from pulling in a regular collar. A harness takes any pressure of their necks.

I agree. It drives me crazy when I see people pulling little dogs by the neck. A harness is much easier on their bodies. I'm a former Chihuahua owner.