So I'm getting my little dude this Friday and I have a few questions. I've done a ton of reading but there are a few things I couldn't find answers, as well as some things I think would be more accurately answered here. As for information he is going to be precisely 6 weeks old when I bring him home; I'm getting him after his first shot late in the evening. I'd guess he is around 15lbs or so right now from the pictures. I swear he is twice the size when I went to look at him two weeks ago. He is my first dog, but I'm a responsible adult who has done a lot of research so I'm up to the challenge as I know what I'm getting into.

Now for the questions:

1. I'm wondering if I need to get a new harness for him, I ordered one but it looks pretty small. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Q52U4M/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is the one I got. Same thing with the collar: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Q1PRDW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I'm thinking about just going ahead and ordering the bigger harness.

2. How much should he be fed as a puppy? I've read very conflicting things from "feed him as much as he wants, then measure out later to standard amounts as an adult/when he gets off puppy food" to "feed him 1/2 cup 3x a day as a puppy then 2x a day as a puppy feeding 1 3/4 cups". A little more clarity would be amazing.

3. How long should I ween him off the puppy food he's currently on (he's on all solid food right now). The food actually is "Diamond's puppy formula" looks like a 2.5 grade dogfood of iffy quality that actually has a recall I let the guy who has him know about, while he says he's going to change it as he didn't know about the recall (seems legit since it's from April this year) I doubt it would be changed by Friday anyway. I picked up this for him http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11562356&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo It seems like a solid food potentially, if he likes it. So I got a 4.5lb bag to test out when I bring him home.

4. I've read things all over that some breeders recommend formula/vitamins for puppies, but I think I read that quality food negates this need?

5. He is getting his first shot the day I bring him home, but it looks like the Parvo shots are started this day as well? So I assume he's getting the DLHPP shot set that day, what I've been reading is to keep him from other dogs/dog areas that may have puppies who have not been vaccinated. I read this includes grass where puppies are playing etc. I live in a very nice apartment with a few big dog parks. I'm guessing I should be taking him just to the grass outside my place for potty training, until he's fully vaccinated?

6. Does anyone have some tips for integrating him with a 2 year old Brussell's Griffon? He's about 2, very playful and definitely not aggressive or even alpha at all. I'm going to have them meet outside the house, but I'm trying to determine what levels of play will be acceptable/OK right off the bat so as to keep the little guy safe.

7. I'm a runner so I have no problems running a lot with him when he is ready But I live in Dallas, TX. It does get hot here during the summer months which are coming up, but it stays relatively cool during the early mornings and late afternoon (read: lows in the high 60s to 70s and highs from 90-105 during the harsher months). I've heard conflicting things about their coats, some say that it insulates from heat as well as cool. This sounds kind of backwards since they dogs do not sweat from the body, so the hair would not be wet providing cooling, unless they have some aluminum/copper type properties I'm completely ignorant about The question is what kind of heat is reasonable just to be out and about for a long walk and what would be reasonable for running a mile or two in?


8. This is going to sound silly but, since he will be new in the house I figured I will spend a deal more time awake with him throughout the first night or two. So I may spend it with him in the living room on the couch since it is much closer to my external door. However, my couch is about a 13-14 inches off the ground.. I'm guessing I shouldn't have to worry about me dozing and him falling off from this height, or will he be able to easily jump down without issue?

9. I've read very conflicting things about bathing. Ranging from don't bathe them unless dirty to 2x a year to once a week. The most accurate one seems to be bathe as a puppy when he gets dirty then 2-3x a year or as necessary, since they're already pretty clean about themselves?

10. Brushing! I've heard furminators are great/terrible for them. I got a slicker brush for now, but I want to make sure his coat is great and he's comfy.. So I'm holding off until there is more info on grooming. The most reasonable thing I've read is only comb/furminator them when blowing their coat, otherwise brush 2-3x a week?

Any suggestions/information would be much appreciated!

Thanks

Regards,
Andrew

First - congratulations!
Second - is there any way the breeder will be holding any of the siblings until 8 weeks? Bringing home a pup home at 6 weeks generally leads to horrid biting inhibition and extra work and training later on because they don't get that two weeks of socialization with their siblings.
Harness - I really wouldn't worry about it until he's older because he'll outgrow it soon
Food - How much depends on what type you're feeding him. It looks like you were going to go with Blue Buffalo Wilderness. It's a great choice, however some dogs have intolerance to it (it may be too rich or the ingredients in it) so you may want to do a bit more research on foods. In my opinion, PetSmart isn't the best place to go 'food' shopping, as they mostly carry the brands that 'advertise' a lot. Do you have a Pet Supplies Plus or a Jacks Pets near you? They carry more holistic brands.
Vitamins - Again, I wouldn't worry about it at his age.
Vaccinations - Yup, keep him away from dog-populated areas until he's been completed vaccinated (16 weeks is usually the last set) but feel free to carry him lots of places and socialize him in human places!
Integration - Take him and your other dog for a walk in a park or around the block, make sure you remove all toys from inside the home for a bit so there won't be fights over anything, and closely monitor the two at all times as he's still a puppy.
Running - Careful!! At his age, he really cannot run for 10 months yet! Over exercising puppies can lead to joint damage and problems at an early age. The typical rule is walking 5 minutes per month of age, no jogging or light pulling until a year old, and no real strenuous exercise until 1.5, once the growth plates are completely done forming. But when he is ready to run, next year, if it gets really hot out (80s 90s) usually we stick to the early mornings and late evenings when its cooler out.
Sleeping - You may want to look into crate training stickies, its always good to start on the first day and once they're used to it it will be helpful for when you have to leave and don't want to come back to your house destroyed.
Bathing - I only bath when necessary, if the dog is REALLY dirty or REALLY stinky. So about twice a year.
Brushing - You'll want a good undercoat rake and comb will really help!!

Sorry this was really blunt and to the point for now.. cause I'm off to bed. But hope this helps

The breeder can hold them a bit longer but a deal of his litter mates will not be there as they're being picked up due to distance. I'm willing to deal with the potential for biting inhibition which I have time to work with him right away. I was unfortunately recently laid off (no worries I have a good deal saved up so finances are no issue) so I do have a lot of time to spend bonding with him and training. A big part of the timing for me since my old work environment could be very hectic. I'm looking for more stability in positions from here on out.

The reason I mention the harness is I'm not sure it's big enough, that's why I included the link with the specific size. I'm not sure what to expect for his measurements since I haven't seen him in almost two weeks.

I do have a Pet supply plus down the road, which will be convenient. I'm just not certain which brands that are hollistic are best for huskies, while being moderately reasonably priced. I primarily did my research for food for him online. I based my decision on what I saw was good for them on ingredients and reputation of the manufacturer. I got a small bag in case it doesn't sit well with him

I don't intend to run with him right away, just curious for the future.

As for crate training I have read a good deal of them, and I have a crate for when I'm not home. But I have an aversion to having him sleep in another room in a cage. I'd like to train him to the point where he can sleep with me or in the same room without a crate. The crate is something I'd like to gradually introduce over the first few weeks.. kind of make it a happy fun place for him slowly so he doesn't get scared and have issues with separation anxiety.

The plan is to kind of make it a place where I'll put his fun toys sometimes or a treat and let him lay in there with something comfy every now and then, but leave the door opened at first. Then gradually close it while right next to him (it's going to be next to my desk) for short periods. Then increase it so he knows it's, he's not being abandoned.. sometimes walking into the kitchen/another room periodically.

Ideally the crate will just be for when I have to leave to get groceries or go out etc.. I may test later on leaving him out of the crate while not there for a few minutes and increase... but I don't want him to eat all my stuff

I've already done a lot of reorganizing to make sure cables are zip tied and up off the ground as much as possible haha.

My overall impression of the breed is that they are fully capable of being very well trained and behaved.. as long as you respect the fact that they need quality exercise and entertainment.

I'm guessing Cloud is named after FFVII?

Quote :

My overall impression of the breed is that they are fully capable of being very well trained and behaved.. as long as you respect the fact that they need quality exercise and entertainment.

Don't forget mental stimulation. They need to exercise their minds as well as their bodies, so starting off with training right away is a good thing. Have you thought about puppy training classes? I know petsmart offers them, but its hit or miss on whether the trainer is good or not (apparently the one out here is so I need to sign Karli up lol.) You can only go for ten minute walks right now and try to keep that to low traffic areas. The puppy classes would be great to start off his socialization.

Some of the foods recommended on here besides Blue (which is what I feed) are Orijen and Taste of the Wild. Both are very high quality food. If the cost throws you off, Costco's Nature's Domain is also a really good food that can be fed for a much better price.

For a puppy the harness should fit OK. 18" is about 4" shy of a full grown husky (if I'm reading that correctly.) Karli was only 13lbs when we got her and it took her a while to grow so you should be OK there. She still has the original puppy collar we got her and it still fits (we had to make it bigger of course but it fits fine.) I would personally wait and see if it fits or not. No sense in buying a new one if you don't need it right away.

Even if the siblings are going to be gone, leaving him with the mother for another two weeks would not be bad for him. The bite inhibition is extra work, that if left with his mother, you wouldn't have to worry about. I got Karli two days shy of 8 weeks and we've never had a biting issue. She knows people aren't chew toys. But good luck and we can't wait to pictures of the little guy!

I'm just going to comment on what I know based on experience.

My puppy is only 6 months old and when we first got him, he had to stay with my parents due to an emergency and they have a 2 year old black lab and a 7 year old golden. If your other dog is playful and friendly and they are introduced right away, they should get along famously! My pup and Zeus (black lab) are best friends and even the golden takes very well to Kato crawling all over and playing with her. That should not be a problem at all. Supervised, of course.

I am also a runner and have read/heard very conflicting things about what age they are able to start running. My vet cleared him for VERY short runs until he's much older. I live in Wisconsin so the weather is much different but regardless if it's 85 or 55, Kato loves to be outside. Long walks, short walks, short runs, playing ball outside... he's always excited. When we get back in though, he likes to suck on ice cubes and will gobble down lots of water. I wouldn't worry about him overheating, you will learn very quickly how to read what your dog is telling you.

We bathe our dog around once every two months, whether he needs it or not. It helps a lot with the shedding, as it gets rid of a lot of loose fur. Generally though, I try and wait it out until he's muddy anyway so it doesn't seem like unecessary torture. He HATES bath time. But loves sitting in the tub. Very bazaar. Brushing is another fun task! As stated before, our weather pattern is different, but when it started to get warmer he shed a lot more so we went from brushing once a week to brushing between 3 - 4 a week! It's all based upon how much you'd like to clean your house from fur

As far as weening him off puppy food, I say mix it until the old food is gone. Kato actually liked the food we got him (Blue Buffalo) better than what the breeder fed him so after about 2 weeks he was completely switched over. Might have been kind of fast but it agreed with his tummy so I didn't see a problem. The best judge will be his stool.

For the crate issue. Will he be in his crate while you work? And will he be sleeping in it for a short time until he's potty trained, then you plan to have him sleep with you? I was a little confused about what you meant. With Kato, we started with the crate when we went to work and sleeping (I come home on lunch, etc) and he actually LOVES it. I try to get him to sleep with us but he prefers his crate. Huskies are very independent, so don't take it personal if he grows to love his little den you create for him. Kato puts himself to bed when he's tired and often lays in there when he's played rough and needs a break.

Hope that helps at least a little! Every pup is different. Congratulations! Can't wait to see pictures

Camisado wrote:

My overall impression of the breed is that they are fully capable of being very well trained and behaved.. as long as you respect the fact that they need quality exercise and entertainment.

I second the mental stimulation. These dogs aren't stupid. The smarter the dog, the more maintenance they need. Which sounds backwards but smart animals get bored and go looking for something to entertain themselves with. So yes, they definitely need the entertainment. I've come to the conclusion that way too many people have Huskies that have no business having them, because every single time I take Mila anywhere, someone comments on how well behaved she is. If I go somewhere that dogs are allowed (into pet stores or the vet's office), every single time I get a "she's so much more calm and well behaved than the Husky that was in here earlier!" And don't get me wrong, I appreciate the compliment, but any dog can be well behaved. People just don't know how to do it. I don't care where we are, who we're around, or what we're doing, if Mila is being rude, she gets in trouble. If she's dragging me over to someone to say hi because she's all excited, she gets two fingers jabbed in her neck we go in the other direction or she has to lay down and stay there because that is just RUDE! It didn't take long for her to learn that she doesn't get attention from anyone unless she is calm and they approach her. Just like nobody likes the screaming kid catapulting mashed potatoes across a restaurant or pitching a fit because they can't have a Barbie, nobody likes a rude and unruly dog. Mila knows that I expect her to be polite at ALL times. So yes, they are fully capable of being well behaved, you just have to make them know what you expect from them and what the consequences are if they don't adhere to the expectations.

Mila gets a bath way more often than most Huskies, but her hair is also significantly longer than most Huskies and she gets really dirty. Alot. She's a creamsicle right now thanks to all the rain Saturday where she laid in puddles and M-10. And then yesterday went sloshing through the Red Georgia Clay sludge with her white legs Good times.

Socializing early and often is the best way for your dog to know how to act around other dogs.

What's the recall for? If it's got rat poisoning in it or something like that I would switch him over cold turkey. I'd rather him have an upset tummy for a day or two than a vet bill or possibly a dead dog. If it's nothing too serious, just start putting the new food in a small handful at a time, and as you give more of the new food just give less of the old food.

I keep seeing the coat insulates them from the heat also. I think I'm just as confused as you are. As summer approaches I guess we'll find out! Everyone of course has to comment "I bet she gets real hot down here in the summer!" Well, gee. Do you get 'real' hot down here in the summer? Cause I know I do. It's Georgia. 105 degrees with 85% humidity and no air flow at all. I think if you're uncomfortable going for a run, then he will be too. That's the gauge I would use, and just pay attention to him. He'll tell you if he's too hot.

Camisado wrote:

I'm guessing Cloud is named after FFVII?

As Roxy mentioned, food wise I personally feed TOTW. I'm not against Blue Buffalo, but I know my pup had a horrible experience with it that included two months of constant diarrhea. If it doesn't sit well with your pup after the first month, don't be afraid to change.

And yes, Cloud is after Final Fantasy, Yuki is after Vampire Knight, and Link is after Legend of Zelda. Theme here?