Caring For Your New Investment

Caring for a dog of any breed is a life long commitment, time consuming on a daily basis.  
Your dog will need:

EXCERCISE

Your dog is an active dog and thoroughly enjoys his exercise, necessary for both health & happiness. As a youngster he will require very little in the way of ‘walks’ but as he grows so will his needs, he will as an adult, require between 40-60 minutes, a day.  

TRAINING

You can incorporate your training sessions into your routines (playtimes as a youngster and during his walks when a little older). Introduce this from a very early age - from the moment you take ownership of your new puppy would be a good place to start. You will start with toilet training (investing in a good book if you are a first time owner is not a bad idea). I can recommend Positive Dog Training for Dummies By Pamela Dennison.

You can start with very basic obedience, which should be very limited short sessions just as you would expect of a toddler; the puppy will have a short attention span. Lots of gentle encouragement and praise for all his correct behaviour, by positively reinforcing, he will soon learn - he is a very intelligent little chap! Allow the puppy time for lots of rest and little bursts of time for play - a time to explore and learn in a safe environment about his new surroundings. Have lots of patience with your little chap – the outcome will be a relationship like no other - he will respect you like no – one else on earth! The rewards will be amazing.

Enrolling on a puppy obedience course will be a good idea if you are unsure of the training by yourself. You may find that there are classes local to you, ask around;, go along without your puppy and ‘check- out’ the teaching methods of the trainer. Positive dog training / trainers being the best ones to advise or teach, ask at your local vets if they can recommend one to you. Training may continue throughout the dog’s life and you will find that it is something you may both enjoy (he will need the mental stimulation in order to satisfy him, even as an adult). Classes are a good way to socialise your dog and also for you to make new- like-minded friends too!

There are a variety of options when dog training:  (1)   Obedience  (2) Agility  
(3)   Ring craft/showing classes (4) Gundog training (5) Fly ball (6) Kennel Cub Good Citizens Awards – Gold, Silver &Bronze levels  
You may prefer to partake in the Breed club classes, held in various parts of the country throughout the year – check the links page for the breed club website addresses. There are many possibilities for you and your dog to get out there and have some fun together!  

 HEALTH

Make sure that you register with a good vet; again ask around get recommendations from people/friends if you are not sure. Your dog will require vaccinations each year, worming etc. Chat with your vet and get expert advice.   Know your own dog - make regular checks of his eyes, ears, teeth etc by doing so regularly, you will soon learn to detect any early signs of infection. Seek medical attention if you are unhappy with any problem. Check nails on a regular basis, these may require trimming from time to time, the frequency of trimming depends on the type of exercise each dog has and the type of surface that he walks upon, hard surfaces will wear away nails quickly and you may never have the need to trim the nails if this is the only type of surface that you walk upon.  

IDENTIFICATION & SAFETY

Your dog is a highly valued friend, therefore it is wise that you always keep a close eye on him and ensure that he is safe at all times. Make sure that you have a suitable fenced area for him to play in at home, somewhere he cannot escape from easily. Investing in a good quality collar and lead is essential, check that you have the right size collar for your dog so that he will not be able to wriggle free from it at any time. Identification is a must – clear legible dog tags with all your necessary contact details are extremely important. Every puppy that leaves the Stonerubi Kennel will have been Micro- chipped at an early age but it is still a requirement when exercising your dog in a public place that he has identification tags clearly visible, increasing the chances if he were to become lost, he would be returned to you safely.

Be Safe & Be Happy - Enjoy!

 RECOMMENDED READING
 
Positive Gundogs by Jim Barry, Mary Emmen and Susan Smith
 
Don't Shoot the Dog (The New Art of Teaching) by Karen Pryor
 
Weimaraner by Lavonia Harper
 
Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training by Pamela Dennison
 
All avaiable now at Amazon