New puppy owners

[Jewel]

It seems like there are several people getting new pyr pups this summer, CONGRATS!! My pup turned a year old last month, and I thought I share a bit of my experience and the "I-wish-I-had-done-that" thoughts.

First of all, I would recommend using a crate. It is very helpful with housetraining and it keeps the pup safe when you have to leave it alone. Get a crate big enough to fit the adult dog because you don't know how long you may need to use the crate.

Socializing is a must. Especially exposing the pups to children and small animals (cats for sure!). I had big plans to socialize my pup when we got her. Unfortunately my father became ill (he's okay now) during the pup's critical socialization period (8-16 weeks) and I wasn't able to socialize her as I had planned. She wasn't introduced to cats at all and she now chases them because she learned it from her big "brother". It's a pain.

Get the pup used to being handled from day one. This means stuff like getting the pup used to having its feet held and squeezed, hands poking around the mouth, rolling over and having their bellies examined. All this is to prepare them for getting their nails trimmed, teeth brushed, going to the vet/groomer, etc. I find it a good time to do this exercise when the pups are a little tired and getting sleepy, this way you can handle them while they are relatively calm. Don't want to try it when they are full of energy as it will more likely to become a game to them.

Have the pup get used to you being around its food during feeding time. A pyr with food aggression is scary. The first time I put my hand into my pup's bowl while she was eating she growled at me, a small growl but a growl. She was about 9 weeks old. I made a stern negative sound and kept my hand in the bowl, but not taking anything away. She quickly learned just to eat around my hand and not bother with the growl anymore. I can stand or sit right next to her while she's eating and she's fine with it.

Getting them used to the bath is another good thing. They are easy to wash and dry when they are little. I admit I am a bit obssessive about bathing my dogs (they get a bath every 2-3 weeks, but they play and roll around in my sandy backyard and get pretty dusty), but even if you only plan on bathing a few times a year, I think it is overall a useful thing to get them used to being bathed starting at a young age.

Those are my two cents. I will leave the spoiling your puppy part all up to you!!

[joyfulmama]

Thanks for all your tips! I think these are valuable for any new puppy owner.

Ours isn't a puppy, so we aren't having all the problems but still wanted to keep her crated while we are gone/asleep. Problem: She BROKE one crate and pushed her way out of another. Next thing we are trying is a plastic crate because we just can't leave her alone for long in our bedroom.

[ragingbull83]

Got no suggestions on that one mama Great Pyr is a better escape artist then Hudini. And they dont like to be in a cage or small area if you get them stuck in a cage your going to have a Barkathon kate comes up with some pretty good nicknames

[Budsprout]

I had to laugh a little when I read about introducing your pyr to cats because of what I caught Frosty (my puppy Pyr) doing last night.
My daughter, who is 3, has one of those Fur-Real toys that is a life-size cat that moves, blinks, meows, purrs, etc. (I think the thing is down right creepy myself but she adores the crazy thing). Well, my daughter left it in the living room and the both of us were in her room getting things ready for bedtime. I kept hearing Frosty barking in the livingroom so I went out to see what he was barking at. I looked in the direction he was barking and thought that he was barking at the front door. I looked, didn't see anything and figured he heard a neighbor and just ignored him. He did this for a good 10 min. before I realized he was barking at that terrible toy cat!
I think it's good that you mentioned it because I didn't even think about introducing cats with Frosty. Thanks for the advice!!

[Jewel]

Yes, I highly recommend socialization with cats! My two dogs collectively outweigh me and and it is quite annoying when both of them try take off after cats on our walks!!

[John W. JOHNSON]

We have a cat and Axel really wants to be friends and the cat is comming around bbut will chase him away if he is too persistant and Axel rus away. When we are outside and he sees a cat he still wants to chase esp. if the cat run and they all run away, so it is a hard one. I do the same as anything he wants to get after, I talk to him tell him what it is and that no your not going to get after it. I can only imagine trying to hold two of these dogs back from anything let alone a running cat.
jj

[Bunchie]

I am a new pyr owner this summer as well! We adopted Samson on June 15 at 6 weeks, (a little too soon I now realize). I have to admit that I fell in love with the dog breed/puppy, and then started researching the breed after we had him home. At times I thought I had gotten in over my head with the great pyr. I have 3 teenagers at home and two grandchildren who visit often, and wanted to really raise the dog properly. Through books , this site and other references, I started to feel overwhelmed by what I had gotten myself into. Sam though is my new best friend. He is a fast learner, a love with my grandkids, (aside from the usual puppy behavior of chasing and nipping at clothing), and is fitting into our family perfectly. I have been kennel training him since he came home, but since we have been having an unseasonably warm summer here in Portland, he has been wanting to sleep out on the deck. At first I was a little dissappointed in his "aloofness" as he wasn't the typical puppy who is always at your feet wanting attention. But now that I have gotten to know more about the breed and him, he is so loving in his own ways. I swear he actually smiles at me! Any suggestions for a new puppy owner is welcome... I will post a picture soon... He currently weighs in at about 27 pounds, and I think he grows bigger every day. Please send any advice you have! Thanks for letting me be part of your online community...by the way, we have a cat and Sam does great with it... after a couple of gentle taps from Marble to let Sam know whose boss!

[Bunchie]

One more time, checking to see if my profile picture shows up...

[JenMeg]

One more time, checking to see if my profile picture shows up...

I found out that you have to do the picture as the avatar for it to show up with each post. Not as the profile pic.

[ragingbull83]

I got to say its great to see some new Pyr owners on here welcome guys.