I love it when people bring their Fur Babies to West Coast Photos (WA) for either a studio shoot or an outdoor shoot in a nearby park or beach. The “Parents” are always keen to share stories especially about when they first brought them home, and all the mistakes they made, how they wish they knew then what they know now. So this got me to thinking about my own experiences. I have had dogs all my life, my grandmother used to breed Springer Spaniels in the UK, and I have taken two of my fur babies through to obedience trial level. As I listen to the sound of my fur baby, Cebar, snoring I got to thinking what lessons I had learned over the years about brining a new pup home.
So you’ve taken the plunge and a fur baby has stolen your heart forever! If this in not your first fur baby you probably already know all the things I’m about to share, but it never hurts to have a once over just in case - especially if it’s been a while. If this is your very first fur baby you might find some of the suggestions below very useful.
Whilst you are waiting for you fur baby to be old enough to leave their doggie Mum, there are a few things you can do to get organised at your home to make the transition easier on your fur baby.
If the breeder will let you, ask if you can leave something with your baby like a small soft blanket or safe soft toy - something that will help make the transition from the breeder’s home to yours a little smoother. So when you collect your baby that blanket or toy will have the scent of their doggie family on it and act as a big comfort when they are at your place all by themselves and the world feels very strange at first.
Make sure you home is puppy safe before your new fur baby arrives. Check that you have all you need to make them comfortable and feel at home, such as bedding, food and water bowls and of course a collar, lead and name tag. You should also consider having your fur baby micro chipped and registered with your local council. By having all your contact details in a number of places you can feel reassured that should the unthinkable happen, and your fur baby gets lost, you will have the best chance possible of finding them again.
Ask the breeder what kind of food your fur baby is used to and how often they have been feeding. To make it easier on their little tummies and digestive system, it’s usually best to start off the same and then slowly transition to how you want things to be.
Have an area in your home that is “safe” for your fur baby to retreat to, it might be a pet crate, or a play pen, or some other designated space they can easily access where they know they won’t be disturbed. This is critical if they have siblings at home without fur!
As with any baby, routine is important as this builds stability and safety for your fur baby and lets them know what to expect and when. They learn to trust their environment and that their new parents will ensure that everything will be taken care of.
Finding a Vet you trust and are comfortable with is very important - you wouldn’t want to go to just any Doctor, and neither should your fur baby. You want to choose a Vet that understands the special relationship you have with you fur baby, and that they are NOT your pet. I have found it a good idea to make this very clear right from the start at the first meeting - you will soon see by their reaction if they are the right Vet for you and your fur baby or not. Ask around and you can also get word-of-mouth recommendations from other fur baby Mum’s and check the Vet’s out for yourself. Don’t be afraid to shop around - this person is going to look after your pet for many years to come so you want to get it right from the start.
Fur babies are pack animals - and like all children they will test the waters to see who is boss and how much they can get away with. There are lots of training methods that you can read about or Google, find one that you feel comfortable with and stick to it, as with any child, consistency is the key. All household members need to follow the same method to ensure your fur baby doesn’t get confusing messages about what the rules of the house are. Of course you need to be patient with your fur baby and understand it will take time for them to adjust and mature. Toilet training is one of the first challenges, and a good consistent approach with lots of positive reinforcement is essential. There are “puppy pre schools” you can take your fur baby to and this not only makes the Vet a fun place to visit (which you want), but also helps with early socialisation for your fur baby once they have had all their necessary vaccinations and it’s safe to play with other dogs and be out and about.
Socialisation is very important for fur babies, both with humans and other fur kids. The sooner they learn how to play and get along with others the better, and the less scary the world will seem and the less chance of them developing any inappropriate behaviours. Take your fur baby out as much as you can to a range of dog friendly places to help with their socialisation.
I hope these ideas are helpful to you and congratulations on your new arrival! Hope to see you in the studio or on location with West Coast Photos (WA) soon!
Kindest Regards
Great Places I Googled for Fur Mum’s NOR to know about:
CAFES
Jindalee Beach Shack
Blue Vue Cafe Quinns Rocks
Union Kitchen Mindarie
Burns Beach Cafe
Done Currumbine
White Salt Sorrento
Furbaby Cafe Westminster
Woogle Expresso Osborne Park
Dome Cafe Osborne Park
Cup and Co Innaloo
Rise and Grind Expresso Bar Doubleview
Blue Lotus Cafe Waldecks Stirling
Kaffeine Cafe and Pizzeria Gwelup
Lawley’s Bakery and Cafe North Beach
96 Express North Beach
Lady Latte Scarbrough
Wild Fig Scarbrough
C Breez Kiosk Scarbrough
Georges City Beach
Hamptons City Beach
Academy Cafe Claremont
The Kiosk Floreat
Freshwaters Peppermint Grove
Lake Expresso Claremont
Davies Ground Claremont
Coffee Table Biscuits Wembley
Bayside Kitchen Matilda Bay
BEACHES
Quinns Rocks Dog Beach 231 Ocean Drive
Hillary’s Dog Beach Fliders Ave and Whitfords Ave
North Beach Dog Beach - Flora Tce Cafe Strip
Trigg Dog Beach 345 West Coast Drive
Peasholm St Dog Beach West Coat Highway
South of Cit Beach Dog Beach Challenger Parade
FULLY FENCED DOG PARKS
Kingsway Dog Park (small dogs) Madeley
Inglewood Dog Park Mount Lawley
Whiteman Park Dog Park Whiteman
Carine Fenced Dog Park Carine
Charles Riley Reserve Dog Park North Beach
Carrington Rd Dog Park Nedlands
Moffin Ave Park Claremont
Asquith sure Reserve Claremont
Dianella Dog Park
Jack Marks Park Mt Lawley
Elcar Part Dog Park Joondalup
Annie’s Landing Dog Park Ellenbrook
Ellenbrook Dog Exercise Park
Avery Dog Park Aveley
OFF LEAD DOG PARKS
Sir McCuster Park Iluka
Robin Park Reserve Sorrento
Carine Regional Open Space
Lake Gwellup
Abbot Park Scarborough
Bulters Reserve Scarborough
Millet Park Innaloo
Jackadder Reserve Woodlands
Rankin Reserve Shenton Park
Forrest Park Mt Lawley
Bishop Road Reserve Dalkeith
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