Ideal first day for Shikoku Puppy

twobirds

Hey! I'm getting prepared for a Shikoku puppy at some point within the next year. I was wondering if folks could share their experiences on their first day with a NK puppy, from the drive (mine will be about 8 hours) to introducing the puppy to your home. What worked well? What would you change if you you had it to do over? What's on your list of essential supplies to have ready at home (besides the obvious food/crate/collar/etc.)? Thanks in advance!

rikumom

@twobirds, good luck w/ your puppy!

It was so much easier introducing a puppy vs. when I brought a 2-yr-old ex-show dog home.
The only thing I wished I'd done different is read this book before my JA pup came home:
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Puppy-Days-Start-Right/dp/0964151871/

Also start looking and interview local puppy training classes and availability of pup socials, see which trainers you liked and didn't like, and get your pup enrolled as early as they are eligible. Even if you're fully capable of doing obedience training on your own, this provides puppy with an environment to socialize w/ other puppies of similar age. NK just seem to need more socialization than your typical sporting/floppy ear breeds.

Hinata23

Here's a similar post

http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/comment/150657/#Comment_150657

CrimsonO2

We don't affectionately call them "Puke-koku" for nothing:-). Be ready to take your young puppy for as long a walk as they will tolerate when you go to pick them up. Send your stinkiest, raggiest, old articles of clothing to the breeder a couple of weeks before you arrive. Take your time on the drive back. Take your puppy to Home Depot and other non-foodserving public establishments (PetSmart, Pet Co) so you can better socialize your pup.

Jesse

Loni

Buy a little blanket, sleep with it for a few nights, then send it to the breeder. Ask them to put it with the puppy as early as possible so they can get used to your sent, and so the blanket will also get the sent of their mother and siblings. So when you pick up your puppy they'll have the blanket as well, a security blanket. I did that with both my puppies and it seemed to help. Meeko still sleeps with hers, she gnaws on it as she falls asleep.

twobirds

Thanks for the sound advice, everyone.

@rikumom - I managed to read that entire book on the plane Monday when I was heading east for the holidays. It had some great info. I tried out a few things with my parents' adult dogs and it worked well and was really fun

rikumom

@twobirds, yay!!