Your New Dog Comes Home
Bringing your new puppy home is an exciting time. This little Wire bundle is ready to become part of your family. Of course, both the family and new pup must make adjustments, so it is wise to be prepared. A basic list of things you will need to have on hand or to do is below. Here are some resources to find all the equipment you need.
Online Sources
http://www.jbpet.com/Shopping/default.asp
Wide selection of items. Best place to buy good quality crates as they do not charge extra for "oversize" shipping. Great selection of room gates.
http://www.cherrybrook.com/store/Default.aspx
Lots of grooming supplies, including tools for handstripping.
http://www.cherrybrook.com/store/Default.aspx
The cheapest place to buy toys but check for high shipping fees. This is a good place to order things with a friend...but not crates.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/
Supplies
Pet Yard: Many of the families who have gotten a puppy from
us have chosen to buy a plastic pen like this one from JB Pet. We also get them
at our Farm and Fleet stores but you might even look on ebay. The plastic pen does not scratch floors, can be
folded up and moved easily and provides a safe place for a young puppy when you
are busy. We love them and wouldn't be without one while the puppies are small.
They are usually only about 27 inches tall, so will not keep an older Wire in,
but they are invaluable with a puppy.
You may want to buy a linoleum remnant to put under your pen. (Menards 6-9 ft is about $15) and you can cut it to fit. Another option is a plastic panel. Menards has clear ones that are solid plastic (no no absorbing urine) for about $25. They are standard 4 X 8 feet.
Some of you have asked about the puppy pens we use here. They are far more expensive than the Pet Yards shown above, but they are very high quality and can be put together in a number of arrangements. The are sold by Rover Enclosures: http://www.roverpet.com/enclosures.htm
Since ours are just for puppies, we have the 30 inch tall size so we can step over the top. They do come in taller sizes but I would not recommend the shorter ones for Wires. I would also order the gate section so the puppy can go in and out.
For those of you who have a dog door to the outside, you can also buy two pieces of PVC piping and screw them to the wall. Then buy enough panels for just three sides of your pen and use the fasteners that come with the panels to fasten them to the wall. When you don't need the pen, you can just unclip the panels and even fill in the holes on the wall and be good as new.
Crate (Wire or Airline, but big enough for the pup to
stand and turn around when it is an adult) This will be invaluable in
housebreaking and provide the puppy with it's own quiet place. If you want
a small airline crate for your car, a size 200 Vari-Kennel is big enough. If it
is to be a place where the dog will stay for extended periods of time, then get
a 300 or even a 400 for an adult. A small crate works better for housebreaking. Here are the dimensions:
Model 200 - 20” x 27” x 19” High
Model 300 - 22” x 32” x 23” High
The Deluxe model Vari-Kennel is about the same height and depth, but is slightly
wider. We like those for our boys. Ours come from JB Pet. Wire crates can be
about the same sizes.
The crates sold at places like PetSmart are not like
the ones above. They might be fine for home use but will not give the same
protection in the car or in an airplane as the plastic Vari-Kennels.
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We place a crate
pad or blanket in the bottom. We wash ours often as it keeps the crate smelling
fresh and clean bedding is good for the dog's coat and general good health.
Crate pads can be ordered to fit from pet supply companies or purchased at a pet
supply store. Get the unstuffed
pads or your dog may unstuff them for you anyway! Our Wires love the "donut"
beds for home and "bumper pads" in their crates but puppies may tear
them up. .
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A water bucket with a double sided snap is handy to hang
inside the crate. the flat-sided ones hang best. JB pet is a good source
for these. Others like PetEdge may have buckets but not always the flat sided
ones. Get the double snap at your hardware store.
We have started using a "Smart Crock" in the crates as it doesn't spill. Originally made for large birds, it works great for dogs too. We use the 15 oz. size. You can find them at the link below but I have seen them on ebay and at some pet supply stores.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=5059+5950
A heavy bowl is fine on
the floor but be sure it won't tip over. Our dogs have fresh water available to
them at all times and we recommend you provide that too.
Collar and lead with lightweight snap.
All our puppies leave us with the
White Pine brand in size 9/16" (mini medium for Wires puppies).
It is a "modified" choke collar that really only tightens enough to prevent the
dog from slipping out. They come in a variety of colors with matching
leads but ask for the thinner ones with the small snap for the Wires. The
same size collar can be adjusted to fit the puppy as it grows into an adult.
http://www.whitepineoutfitters.com/catalog_page.cfm?queries_index=index10&title_bar=SOFT%20SLIP%3Csup%3Etm%3C%2Fsup%3E%20COLLARS&ProductSubCodeID=113&Pr
oductCode=1
If you have an embroidery business near you, they can put your dog's name and your phone number on the collar! They have matching leads too,
but ask for the thinner ones with the small snap for the Wires. (They also sell wonderful crate pads!) A light buckle collar is fine
too but we don't recommend the ones with plastic snaps. They break too easily.
A Flexi lead is handy for
longer walks in open spaces. Get the size for a dog under 25 pounds.
Flexi's are not a good alternative when you are walking on sidewalks, inside
buildings, in crowds or where you might meet other dogs. They can get tangled
around people's legs and do not provide enough control of the dog. For
exercising your dog in a field or open space, they are great.
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Dog Food. We fed ProPlan for
many years but after extensive research, recently have made a change to Blue
Buffalo. http://www.bluebuff.com/
Take this comparison test and you will see why we made the change. http://www.bluebuff.com/sample/true-blue-results.php
. While I believe that there are many good dog foods out there, I chose Blue
because it is the highest quality dog food PetSmart sells and I wanted our Puppy
families to be able to readily find it. On the other hand, not every dog does
well on a particular food. While your puppy will come to you on Blue, I'd be
happy to give suggestions for alternatives that you could gradually introduce
and eventually feed.
Safe Puppy Toys. Include a chew toy like a small Nylabone for teething time. We find that soft, fleece toys are popular with the dogs, but don't last long, so we buy very inexpensive ones. While some Wires just tear them up, some do swallow the stuffing which can cause a blockage and result in surgery. Many Wire pups will do that with even hard rubber or plastic toys so be careful. Remember that sharp toys (like an OLD Nylabone) may pull out face hair, so throw them away when they begin to have rough edges. PetEdge has a good selection at reasonable prices, but remember to add in shipping if below their minimum.
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A baby gate is useful to confine your puppy to a
particular room or space. These can be found in pet supply catalogues or
in the baby section of stores like Target.
http://jbpet.com has a wonderful selection for all sizes of door openings.
Check there first.
Small treats are good for training and we give a "cookie" at bedtime. We like Mother Hubbard Puppy treats because they are small, better quality than some of the cheaper brands and can be easily found at most large pet supply stores. However, small pieces of raw carrot or a small bite of apple or banana is good too. Just keep the treats in moderation for a healthy, fit and trim Wire. Recently, I've been using Real Meat treats for training. I think they even have them at PetSmart now. http://www.fetchdog.com/shop/a/dog_treats-chews/treats/N10008
The other treat we give our dogs is called Greenies. They help freshen breath and clean teeth. They are about $1 each in a pet store but you can get them for half that or less if you buy in bulk on eBay or do an Internet search.
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Nail Clipper or Grinder. Nails grow very quickly and generally need trimming once a week. We will have started trimming/grinding nails on your puppy, but you will have to do it regularly to keep the quick from growing out too much. Both clippers and grinders can be found in pet supply catalogues. You can also buy a Dremel grinder in your local hardware or home improvement store tool section. The smaller, battery operated ones are fine and actually quieter so the dogs don't mind them so much. Here's the one we use sold at PetEdge and other suppliers.
http://www.petedge.com/Dremel-Mini-Mite-2-Speed-Cordless-Grinder-ZW77750.pro
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Terrier Palm Pad, Soft Back Brush, Pin Brush and Comb. Decide whether
you are going to clip or handstrip your Wire. Stripping knives and clippers are
available in catalogues, like
www.jbpet.com
or www.cherrybrook.com Even if you plan
on taking your dog to a professional groomer, you will need the brushes and comb
to keep your Wire mat free.
 
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A grooming table is great if you are going to groom your own dog. We use the higher "toy" tables, which can also be ordered from catalogues or found at dog shows. Recently there were several for sale on eBay for a great price too. A table makes everything easier from doing nails to brushing to clipping or hand stripping your dog. Be sure to get the arm and noose as many tables do not come with that included. Try ebay for an inexpensive one.
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Use a high quality shampoo to bathe your dog
and add a creme rinse to the furnishings (beard, legs, stomach) to keep the hair
from breaking off. Our favorite,
Best Shot, must be ordered on line but we like all their products. We use
both their Ultra Wash and LemonAide shampoos as well as several other things
they sell. You'll love the fresh, peppermint aroma! This is sold at PetEdge now.
Want to handstrip your own dog? Go to our
Grooming The Wire Fox Terrier
page. to see the tools needed. Even if you aren't interested in hand
stripping all of your dog's coat, you may want to just pull on the black and tan
parts to keep the bright color and then clip the white. You can buy all the
grooming tools you need from JB Pet or Cherrybrook. Most will not be found in
pet supply stores.
A pen or outside run is a safe place for your puppy
when you aren't directly supervising him. Even if you have a fenced yard,
remember that Wires were bred to dig and can tunnel under a fence pretty
quickly. You can make an inexpensive pen with kennel panels from a large home
improvement store like Menards. If you are putting it along side a
building, you may be able to get by with just three panels, but we recommend
having an extra panel for a covered top to keep wildlife out and your puppy in. Some can be
"climbers."
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Pavers make a dig free, clean floor but another alternative
is to pour Sacrete in a trench around the edges to prevent digging and then have
a gravel base for the floor. You still may want pavers or concrete blocks under
the gravel for a dig free enclosure. It also helps drainage. Be sure to do a fence check before you bring your
puppy home. You would be surprised how quickly a Wire can wiggle through the
smallest of spaces under the fence. Actually, I once had two adult Dalmatians
get out under a fence that was no more than four inches above some soft ground.
Our fences are now all staked tight to the ground.
Your puppy will have been examined by our vet and have all appropriate inoculations, but you may wish to make an appointment with your own vet for a general checkup within a few days of the puppy's arrival. We will also include a recommended protocol for further inoculations of your Wire. This is important issue which we will discuss with you when you are here. Depending on the puppy's age, your puppy may already be micro-chipped when you take it home, If not, please seriously consider having your puppy micro-chipped for permanent identification. Home Again and Avid are two of the most popular micro-chipping methods. More info is at http://www.akccar.org/
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It is our policy to not ship young puppies. We are not
comfortable with the stress and potential danger to a young pup. Families must
pick up their puppy or talk to us about other arrangements. If you are flying
home with your puppy onboard, we will have an exam and health certificate ready
from our vet. This is required by the airlines and will cost about $35. Your
puppy can travel under the seat in a "Sherpa" type carrier, but you will have to
book the reservation for your puppy and pay a fee, usually about $80, depending
on the airline. Not all airlines take dogs on board, but many, like American &
United do. Midwest Express does not. Ask about their policy before booking
your flight. Keep in mind that all airlines have a temperature policy and will
not fly dogs if either the departure or arrival city has temps above 85 degrees
or under 30 degrees. Check each airline to see their specific requirements.
When buying the carrier, get the largest soft-sided one that will
fit under the seat so your dog can continue to travel with you as it gets a
older. It can be no more than about 11 inches high. It's a snug fit,
but a medium sized adult Wire will still fit in one. Bigger adult males may not. The Sherpa brand is
airline approved and can be found in PetSmart, Petco or in the dog supply
catalogues. Their large, deluxe model is what we use. I have traveled many times with both Dal and Wire puppies in Sherpas
and the dogs have always been very calm and quiet. I think the noise and motion
of the plane lulls them to sleep. I do carry a small cup for water, a soft toy
or chewy, a few cookies and baggies and cloth for emergency clean-ups. I also
carry a little baggie of dog food in case we get delayed. Remember that the
Sherpa counts as carry-on luggage, so you are limited in what else you take on
board.
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You should know that we will be a resource for you as long as your dog is with you. We take our responsibility to each dog we breed very seriously and are always prepared to take a dog back. We hope that you will keep in touch and let us know how things are going. We have been showing and breeding dogs for many years now, so hopefully, we can give you tips to help when you have questions. However, some articles are listed on our website to start you on your way.
CRATE TRAINING (from the
American Dog Trainers Network)
CHILDREN AND DOGS:
http://www.akc.org/life/family/kids/index.cfm
Be sure to visit our
Training
Your Puppy page! It will be found with
many other helpful links on our Wire Information page.
