Right well most of you have had more experience raising dogs than I of course but I DO need some assistance before I go out purchasing surplus things really not necessary for McQueen. I have been travelling the net grid looking at various products available for training ie (clickers, whistles and so on) as well as various hygeine products and toys. If I was to purchase all of the things that sounded important the bank already broke would kick me the heck out. Especially given the situation here in Greece at the moment. Note : times are extremely tough at the moment financially (which was one of the reasons I was reluctant in getting McQueen in the first place) can I get some input in the utmost necessities for McQueen please considering this? Other than vet vaccinations etc which have already been taken care of. Be advised his puppy food costs me 20 euro for every 10 days. Thanking you,
Re: Things to buy ~! To be honest, he doesn't really NEED anything, other than your love and attention, food, a warm place to sleep and a safe place to play. But you will want him to have a collar and lead, and a doggie bed (a crate is very useful, and can double as his bed and be used for traveling, and I bought mine second hand, for instance). Then puppy toys for playing with and chewing on. A whistle is very useful. Baby gates to block off parts of the house can also come in very useful. One thing I would recommend is pet insurance, but probably that will work a little differently in Greece. Don't go spending a whole load of money at once - wait and see what you need. If you have friends with dogs you might find that they have stuff that they will sell you or even give you. Good luck!
Re: Things to buy ~! Thank you Karen...Let me just let you know what I have so far..it might help. I purchased a bamboo pet basket with cushion of which I keep him on indoors. It contains my sons first fleecy blanket that McQueen has issues parting with already! hehe Now as for toys he has a soft duck which has become his chewing companion ...A plastic bone which he rarely touches other than the fetch when he's in a good mood. He has a travel cage...(similar to a bird cage only larger) which he came in ...I use that in the car for now. That probably won't last very long considering he's growing so rapidly. His food and that is all. I've seen Kongs (are they of any use yet?) collar and lead he has...got tha from the vet ...and a brush which also massages him .(although I find he tends to shed more when I use it ) Treats?
Re: Things to buy ~! Oh one thing I forgot to mention which you guessed correctly. There is no such thing as pet insurance here, there barely is personal insurance let alone that. Most organisations have left people high and dry. It's all out of pocket I'm afraid. I have the chip ready to be placed on our next visit for his 4th vacc...which is a double mind you ...30 euro ...the chip itself is cost another 35 for placement and registration. Noone chips their pets here I'm afraid. Now you know why...but...I've shosen to do so. I took the leap and I'll deal with it all as best I can limiting other things till its all done.
Re: Things to buy ~! If he's a typical Labrador, then he will not be very discerning regarding his food so I wouldn't worry too much about treats - a couple of his normal kibble pieces given to him by hand as rewards will delight him! Also puppies can have surprisingly delicate stomachs, so I wouldn't give him adult dog treats. A word of warning - and i hope I don't insult you by this - be careful who has access to him. Pedigree dogs and puppies are sometimes stolen and sold for profit - and with the financial situation as dire as it is, someone might make use of the opportunity to gain some cash. And again - in some places street dogs are seen as pests and I have heard of poison being put down, so be vigilant. But on the other hand, you must let him meet as many people as possible and have good experiences with all sorts of situations, so it's a juggling act! The things you have so far sound fine. You may need a bigger crate and bed later - this dog may weigh 30 kilos once grown! (My old lab weighed 35 kilos in his prime, and he wasn't fat at all!).
Re: Things to buy ~! It's really easy to make toys for the dogs out of stuff like a piece of old rope as a tugger toy. As long as the material is safe for the dog to chew on that is.
Re: Things to buy ~! Thank you Karen and David...You are not in any which way shape or form insulting me by warning me...It happens..It has happened to a neighbour whereby she woke one morning to find her dog poisoned at her door step. I've taken extra care in terms of the back and front gates. I actually live in a village on a large block of land with fruit trees and a large patio ...where he stays most of the time. At this point I have ensured his not getting out and anyone getting in but then again they can certainly jump fences etc. Yes, he is popular ... I believe my biggest mistake was introducing him to the locals via facebook. It it one of my biggest paranoia issues at the moment to be honest with you. David, thats a wonderful idea...I'll have a look about the house and see what I can find. Should I be using dog whistles ?
Re: Things to buy ~! David is right Labrina , my Sam adores balls on ropes or even just the rope itself, also used tubes from toilet rolls although he tends to eat them if you dont get them off him pretty fast when he starts nibbling the edges : People do tend to go a bit crazy with toys for dogs these days, makes me wonder how my old ones ever managed By all means get him used to the whistle now, then it wont become the enemy ! Also use his lead in the house, let him trail it behind him , just to get used to the feel of it before he goes out into the big wide world, most of all, enjoy him , they grow up so quickly
Re: Things to buy ~! Hattie and Charlie adore tennis balls and I bought 35 used ones for £8.00 on Ebay. A bargain as we lose lots!! Have fun with him he doesn't need lots of toys just you and George is all he needs. Helen
Re: Things to buy ~! Thank you so much everyone for your advice. You are all a breath of fresh air ! I currently have McQueen with his lead on as advised. If there's anything left of it by the morning I'll keep doing it LOL ! Most importantly, its wonderful to know that by NOT going ahead and getting all of these things that look dreadfully important...He is not missing out on something of importance !!!
Re: Things to buy ~! Lab pups are amazingly amenable. Loo roll tubes are always welcome and a scrunched up piece of newspaper can provide plenty of distraction, empty boxes work well too. One of mine became fixated on a piece of tea towel, tied onto a thin rope and flung around the garden it was perfect for tiring her out . Whatever you have, and don't mind being trashed later when they're bigger, will fit the bill.
Re: Things to buy ~! Our Lilly isn't much interested in toys (she has a ton of them) although she does sometimes have a fit of "lets de-stuff this one and chew the squeaker". Eary on, we really appreciated kongs - stuffed with some dry kibble and squashed ripe banana then frozen - and used this as a reward for going into her crate when we were all going out. Must admit we don't use them now, and tend to use treats for training rather than for the crate. We still use her crate even though she is 2 and a half, as her "haven" and find its good to have if we are going anywhere strange for a weekend or even taking to relatives when we go on holiday. She would much rather play fetch with an old shoe or slipper than her toys, and a slipper always appears as if by magic at the front door when I get home from work! Oh...and we have just discovered "stag bars" - a new favorite - but I guess McQueen is a little young for these just yet LOL jacqui
Re: Things to buy ~! Thanks Jaqui...so it sounds like most of you use crates so I'm going to have to invest in one and they are pretty pricey here...a kong sounds like fun too for him, might make him seem happier in the crate to start off with if he had to deal with something like that ....Now where to buy crates!!! They rarely use them over here other than the dog pound or breeders...
Re: Things to buy ~! We haven't found many toys that don't get destroyed so kongs are a winner. Riley loves squeaky balls but he's never left with them as he'll eat those too! We just use them for retrieving or games aswell as proper dummies. His crate has been really useful although we've rarely used it after about a year old(only visiting people so he and their homes are safe) but we have baby gates closing our kitchen in where he sleeps. If you can't buy one would a breeder or pound lend you one?
Re: Things to buy ~! They would be lucky to have enough to cover their own needs over here let alone lend one out. Unfotunately Greece is a little behind on most things and unless you have cashflow you need to find alternatives. I found a plastic dog house ...Stunning ..sturdy ...cost ...wait for it....180 euro ! For the size I need to cover him for at least a few years.
Re: Things to buy ~! I may be showing my ignorance here, but what about ebay or amazon? Does delivery costs push the cost too high? jacqui
Re: Things to buy ~! Standard international (2) Normally arrives within 2-4 days (allow 5 days) £71.99 (inc. VAT.) LOL For this! http://canineconcepts.co.uk/en/meta...nce-premier-dog-crate-cage-5411388032906.html Should I rob a bank now?
Re: Things to buy ~! I think I paid around £40-50 for my large crate from our local Pets at Home store - of course I could pick it up so no delivery (just my own petrol). I think something decent might be worth the investment. I sure don't know how I would have managed without one. Might save money in the long run (less chewed house-hold items? less frayed nerves?) if you can make the initial outlay. I'm lucky that I haven't really had to worry about the money part of it, but appreciate that not everyone is so fortunate. Don't suppose you know a local welder? jac
Re: Things to buy ~! The initial payment of the crate itself is not the issue, although high in itself I would have to make do...it's something of utmost importance, however postage is almost double the cost of the crate itself Jac. I certainly can't afford such bulk, especially with how things are over here. As for a welder no not really but I guess I could ask around. The problem with Greeks is you order something and they ignore the order till you kick up a fuss about a billion and one times beforehand. Pretty much sums up the reason the place is in shambles at the moment. Even if I did manage a welder, the inital cost would most probably be as horrific as the postage costs for a weak product...
