Waiting for the new bundle of joy!!!

[Piper'sMom]

Hi Everyone!

My name is Susan. My husband and I are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first Boxer baby. She was born last Friday. The wait is getting very hard. I am very excited to have found this site. I am sure I will be asking many questions in the near future. However... I do have a few questions now. My husband and I are having a difference of opinion when it comes to 2 topics. 1st, the first night and 2nd, crate training.

Do you think that it is bad if I decided to get up and play and love my puppy the first few nights when she is crying? Then when she falls asleep, I sleep?

Second, what is the opinion of this group on crate training. This is a hard choice for me and any advice would be great.

Well, Thanks in advance.

Susan

[haleyandmark]

i don't have any helpful opinions to offer on your two questions but i just wanted to welcome you to BoxerWorld! this site has really helped me through a lot of questions i have had throughout my year with my baby asia!

i know how you're feeling right now ... the wait is the hardest part!

and don't be discouraged by me not having any educated opinions on your questions, there are tons of boxer lovers here who have had a lot of experience who are very helpful and give wonderful advice!

i know you'll enjoy it here

[Piper'sMom]

Thanks for your reply. I am going crazy. Only 7 more weeks until my pup gets to come home. I can not wait. There is so much to do before then. So much Puppy Proofing!

Susan

[schipman]

Congrats!! Getting a pup is sooo exciting. I could hardly stand myself when I was waiting to bring Lucy home.

My opinion on your questions (for what it is worth) is crate/kennel training is a good idea. You cannot watch a puppy 24/7 and when you aren't watching is when trouble happens. No matter how puppyproof you think your home is there is danger out there for a curious pup. Also kennel training makes housebreaking much easier. Placing your new baby girl in a kennel is not mean. It gives her a safe place to rest. Be sure to put in a soft blanket and toys and something to chew on (teething is fun).

You will probably have to get up every couple of hours during the first nights to let her outside. I recommend letting her out and just a few minutes of play and then back to bed. If you let her out to play too much she will learn crying gets you out to have fun. My fur babies (2 yrs and 4 months old) did great with the kennel - took only about a week to get them used to it.

Good luck!!

[Ciscobxr]

Welcome to boxer world!!!
I agree with everything from the above poster, but just want to add:
She will like to have the crate as her own space, or her own little cave. I leave Cisco's crate door open at all times and it is not uncommon for me to find him napping in it!
I would make potty breaks at night just that, not a play time at all! If you do make them fun and a play time you are going to not be getting much sleep. And it is going to take her alot longer to get used to the crate. We have read many sad stories on here of puppies that were not crated and destroyed the house, or got into something that hurt or even killed them!
If you want to read up on any of these topics, use the search button at the top of your screen.
Hope the next few weeks pass quickly for you, I had to wait two days to bring Cisco home and THAT seemed like forever!

[abby's mum]

I agree with the above posts. Crate training is wonderful and highly recommended for so many reasons (just do a search). I would have the crate next to my bed and you will hear when the puppy needs to go to the bathroom. Let the puppy tell you, don't get on a schedule because then the puppy will get used to it and wake up uneccesarily. At 11 weeks Abby could sleep through the night (11-7), not all can but that is an example. You will also learn to tell the difference between a bathroom whine and a let me out protest whine. When you take the puppy out, let it be just that - bathroom only, no play. Then back to sleep. After about 6 months, Abby slept in the bed with us but I don't regret her sleeping in the crate then- it taught her to like the crate and get used to it. Good luck and have fun with your little one.

[MonaC]

To save $$$ on a crate make sure you purchase one that'll be large enough for your girl when she gets bigger but has a divider so that you can restrict her space when she's little. It is important that she have enough room to stand, lie down and stretch out, and turn around. That's all she needs. If you give her too much room she has space to relieve herself in the crate and not have to lie in it. That kinda defeats the purpose of crate training for housebreaking.

;-) Mo

[Piper'sMom]

Thanks so much to everyone! This information will help me so much. I am so glad that I found this sit. : )

Susan