Well thats Christmas over for another year, just the New Year to get through. My New Year will consist of a bottle of wine, a couple of DVDs and a puppy book, oh and the hubby somewhere in the background!!

To be honest i've not really been into the festivities this year, I usually am but I think the excitment of picking the puppy up in the New Year has just over shaddowed it.

We travelled the 2 1/2 hrs to visit the litter a couple of weeks ago, they were 4 1/2 weeks old and absolutely adorable bundles of fluff.

One really stood out for me, he was big, forward and very fluffy! Ali (the breeder) said that the sire occasionally throws a longer haired rottie and I think this is him. As i'm not planning to show him the longer coat dosen't matter to me, in fact i love it that hes going to be different.

I'm a little apprehensive about him being so forward as he is likely to develop a strong personallity which is going to take work to establish myself as pack leader but on the other hand who wants a shy retiring dog!! and I enjoy a challenge.

My living/dining room has been rearranged to fit in his crate, its huge! but its important to me that hes in amongst us and part of the family, this area of the house is where we spend a majority of our time so was really the only option.

Theres been another trip to the pet shop to buy his first collar and lead, some more toys and a bed which we couldn't resist. As hes going to be crate trained the dog bed is probably a little premature but never mind, there is one member of the family who appreciates it and the pup is going to have a fight on his hands to get near it I think!

More decisions!

Went shopping the other day and just happened to end up in 'Pets at home'! I was like a child in a sweet shop, just as well hubby was with me or the bank account would have suffered.
Such an array of 'stuff' for your four legged friend.
I did manage to hold myself back and left with a couple of toys, a Kong, a blanket and a brush.

I've spent a few hours researching the 'BARF' diet, Bones And Raw Food diet. This seems to be becoming a very popular way to feed your dog, due to recent research into commercial dog and cat foods people are concerned about the amount of additives and chemicals which are finding their way into the commercial foods, even more worrying is the other additives such as deceased cats and dogs which includes the collars and name tags! It seems that commercial feeds are causing many health problems in our animals and are contributing to a reduced life span. The BARF diet means no added chemicals, its an all natural diet.

I want to do what is best for my dog but I feel the BARF diet is going to take excellent time management which I do not have, it requires you preparing and making up your dogs meals and to be honest cutting up raw meat is not a favourite pass time of mine!

There are some commercially prepared feeds which have passed the close inspection of researchers and you can also get prepared, frozen, raw meat feeds so I think i'll be looking into those a little more before making a final decision on what to feed my pup.

Planning and more planning!

Its been many years since I had a puppy to take care of, and even then I don't remember so much planning going into it!
A majority of my spare time seems to be spent with my head in a puppy training or Rottie book, if i'm not buried in a book then i'm on my laptop engrossed in a Rottie forum or an online pet shop, I don't even have the puppy yet and already its taking up most of my spare time!
There are so many plans and decisions to make, where he'll sleep, where, when and what he'll eat, who'll come visit him on occasions we are out longer than usual, to crate or not to crate (have decided we will, at least till hes house trained) what and when to train, the list is endless.
I'm one of those people who like to know what i'm doing well in advance of it happening so I have lists and schedules all ready for life with a puppy, somehow i'm feeling these will eventually be forgotten and i'll have to learn to live with a lot less order!!