• A bed – heavy plastic for preference (basketwork is ideal for chewing)
• Vetbedor fleece bedding for comfort
• Two or three tough playthings and toys
• Two unchewable water and food dishes
• A light cat collar and lead
• A leather collar and lead to fit him when he is an adult dog
• An identification tag for the collar with your address and telephone number engraved on it
• A six- or eight-panel puppy play pen.
When I acquire a new puppy, I always prepare a cardboard box. I remove the top, cut a hole in the wall of the box which is big enough for a puppy to pass through, and then turn it upside down on a piece of Vetbed which I cover with a sweater from a member of the household. Puppies love to go inside; they get a sense of security and even if they chew it, it doesn’t matter – I can always prepare another one.
Collecting your puppy
On the big day, don’t go alone to pick up the puppy. Ideally, two people should collect him as he will need to be held and comforted in the car on the way home – he may never have been in a car before and nor will he have left his family. Take some towels and tissues with you in case he is travel sick.
Persuade the breeder to give you about seven days’ worth of the food that the puppy is accustomed to eating – this will prevent stomach upsets in the transitory period. The breeder should also give you a diet sheet, detailing how often and when he should be fed.
If the puppy is old enough to have already had his first vaccinations, get the certificates to show your own vet. If he has not been vaccinated, do not let him out of the car to urinate in lay-bys under any circumstances – they are hotbeds of infection and it is not worth taking unnecessary risks.
A dog is at his most vulnerable regarding disease when he is a puppy or a pensioner, so, in view of the cost of a puppy and the high fees charged by vets, it is a good idea to purchase pet health insurance. Some breeders will even provide this, at least for a limited transitional period, and the Kennel Club makes arrangements when a puppy is transferred to the new owner.
Fortunately, the average Jack Russell is made of stern stuff and he will seldom need the attentions of the veterinary profession, but you never know what the future may bring – accidents can happen.
Other things to do
Find a vet you respect and like and tell him/her about your new addition. Make an appointment to see the vet two days after the puppy arrives home for a health check and his vaccinations.
Make certain that your garden really is escape proof. Jack Russells are notorious escapologists and the smallest hole attracts them like a bee to a flower. So check for holes in fences, gaps in hedges, gates that can be crawled under, bars that are wide enough to allow a small puppy through, and unprotected garden ponds.
Similarly, in the house, ensure that cupboard doors at ground level are securely closed, there are no trailing electrical leads or wires that can be chewed, and consider positioning a child gate at the bottom of steep stairs until the puppy is older.
Coming home
The first thing to do when you arrive home is to take your new puppy out into the garden. When he performs (urinating or defecating), praise him lavishly. Whatever you do, however, you must not let the children go wild with him; he could get over-excited and leave an unpleasant deposit on your new carpet. He needs some quiet time to snuffle about and discover and get acquainted with his new surroundings.
Feeding your puppy
Give your puppy a small amount of food, make some fresh water available to him and call him by his name. Throw a little titbit into his box or basket to tempt him into it, but avoid feeding him sweets, cakes and chocolate, which is poisonous to dogs. Treats should consist of tiny morsels of cooked meat, liver or very small pieces of dog biscuit.
You should feed your puppy four small meals a day. His stomach is still very small, but as he grows the meals can get smaller in number but larger in quantity. By the time he is between six and eight months, he can be fed just twice a day.
Initially, continue to give him the food recommended by the breeder, but you can gradually change it to whatever you have opted to use,. However, don’t do this too quickly, otherwise an upset stomach will ensue. Don’t offer the puppy cow’s milk unless his breeder has given it to him from birth – some dogs find it difficult to digest. Your vet can supply you with a milk substitute which is adequate, if necessary. A dog can live a perfectly healthy life drinking only water.
Your puppy will need several small meals a day while he is still very young. Decrease the number gradually as he grows older.
Start training
It is never too early to start training and socializing your puppy, and there are some important things you need to start doing as soon as you bring him home. He will learn quickly and will soon get used to the new routine.
Using a crate
To get your puppy accustomed to going into his crate, simply feed him inside it. Give him the same command each time: ‘In your box’. Leave the door open to start with as you want to get him used to going in and out without any stress. After about three days, shut him in for five to ten minutes and then gradually increase the length of time he is confined each day to about one hour. He will eventually travel happily in the crate or go in of his own accord for short periods of rest or sleep – the crate will become his den where he can escape from the busy world. Have it fitted with a water dispenser, but don’t keep him confined for too long.
Using a puppy pen
You can also start to train him into his puppy pen; this will be a godsend when you want to vacuum the carper – he’ll probably want to kill the vacuum cleaner – or need to pop out to the shops for half an hour. A puppy pen will keep him safe and secure. He can have his bed, toys and a water bowl inside, and watch everything that is going on around him without feeling isolated. Again, don’t be too long or he will become anxious.
The first night
Before you put your puppy into his bed for the night, take him outside, wait for him to perform and then praise him enthusiastically. Spread sheets of clean newspaper all round the area where he sleeps. This is the beginning of house training, and the puppy will not want to soil his bedding. The first couple of nights are often quite difficult for both of you. Your puppy may squeak and howl with loneliness, and I am afraid that you must harden your heart because if you go to him he is, in effect, training you to come at his beck and call.
Your puppy will be safe in a puppy pen, which you can move around the house or garden. He can relax and watch the outside world.
Helpful tips for bedtime
• Place a ticking clock near to the puppy’s bed
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