Yes, it’s true… that new family member is a new puppy! It is not quite as cool as a baby would be, but still awfully cute and fun and is a very anticipated arrival in our household right now!
Here’s some pictures of our puppy at 4-weeks old. We met the family that owns mom and dad and this adorable litter and picked out the one for us! Now our new puppy just needs a bit more time with mom and dad and siblings and then we will take him home! He will be 10 weeks when we get him next month!
Sitting up like a happy pup!
Happily willing to be held like a baby by the 4-year old
Alex- the puppy’s new human daddy checking him out!
Here he is disguised as a baby polar bear!
Lounging on Alex’s lap while he checks his unique features that identifies him separately from his 6 siblings!
Being held and happy as can be!
Our oldest telling him good-bye as we prepare for his arrival!
Do you know what breed this puppy is??
Well, we haven’t had a dog since having children. In fact, our move out of our home state of Idaho was a move due to a job transfer that was very sudden. Alex and I had two Miniature American Eskimos and they were wonderful dogs. Since we had 3-days to move from Idaho, we couldn’t find a place fast enough that allowed us to keep our dogs easily. As such, my grandma’s brother said he would take care of them for us as they just lost their dog to old age and would love to take care of them. Well, our living situation became more permanent than expected…. primarily because this was a time in our lives that was our very unthrify days (see the story being told in this series HERE) and our credit was horrible and we could not live anywhere else for a long while since hardly anyone wanted to rent or lend money for a house. It was basically another scar and result of our bad choices and going into so much debt (over $100K in consumer debt). So since our dogs had been living with extended family members for a while, we felt it wouldn’t be right to ask for them back after all of that time.
Then we had 5 wonderful, amazing, awesome God-given blessings of 5 children. We shared the story of our 5th and his Miracle Birth in our story HERE. Well, we don’t know if we will be having any more kids as this is up to God….. but in the meantime we have been talking about getting another family member, a dog, after 11 years of not having any. Our kids have been wanting one badly, so we will be welcoming a baby soon 🙂
For the past 6-7 months, we’ve been researching, deciding and saving for a pure bred pup (see reasons below)!
Here’s what our requirements were:
- Good dog for those with allergies – after research, we could basically pick from this list of 10 (and the reason why the dog has to be a pure bred, otherwise the allergy sensitivities are trumped).
- Good dog for kids
- Good working dog in the sense that our families activities include: walking/jogging, hiking (we’ve hiked every week this summer!! – Best summer yet!), Snowshoeing in the winter and biking. We do all of these regularly (depending on the season) and so we needed a dog that could keep up with all of this – especially the snowshoeing in the winter!
- We also loved our Miniature American Eskimos – they were so awesome….. but they are not completely hypoallergenic…. BUT one of the breeds that these dogs are bred from are….
So what did we decide to get??? Do you know???
Well, we will be welcoming home a male Samoyed in less than a month!
Here’s approximately what he will look like full grown!
Yes, we are so excited and the more we research this breed, the more we think it is the best fit for our family. Our allergies are a concern, but the other needs in having a dog seem to out-weigh that at this point (and we hope that stays the case).
Our previous dogs were partly Samoyed and so we feel like we know a few things about these types of dogs.
However, we haven’t had a dog for 11+ years (our kids have never had a dog)! So…. we need your help! We have the next few weeks to prepare, and so we want to ask you a few questions!
- What items do you think are necessary to buy for pup?
- What items are good but optional?
- What items are just for total fun but not necessary?
- How much do you spend on your pup monthly?
- Anything else? Any advice?
We trained our Miniature American Eskimos using the positive reinforcement method (a.k.a. the clicker method) and so we plan to do the same for this pup. We are going to be taking him hiking and a little bit of snowshoeing this winter while he is still a pup. When he is full-grown (next winter) we plan to have him pull a small sled with our supplies. He can also have a pack for hiking too!
Interesting fact: We learned some really fun interesting facts about Samoyeds with the most interesting being the history of the breed. They are one of the original 14 ancient dog breeds in the world. That is one old tried and true breed!
Yes, he will be a big dog….. but for the purposes we want to have him for… that is perfect 🙂
Erin
Hello!
I have a few suggestions.
Leash: I would strongly advise you to get a nylon or leather leash, not a retractable one, as the locking mechanism may break and leave you with a leash that is much too long. Especially with a large breed like the Samoyed.
Food: It’s difficult to get a good quality, corn-free dog food for a reasonable price. I recommend a raw diet. It’s much healthier, plus if you can work out a deal with a slaughterhouse or rancher for the odds and ends(such as the lungs, kidneys, etc), it’s cheaper, too.
Bed: An average dog bed will do, but many heavy breeds enjoy elevated beds, too.
Toys: An absolute must. Sturdy, long-lasting rope toys are great, avoid stuffed animals packaged for dogs, often sold at a pet shop. They aren’t very sturdy, and many dogs have swallowed the squeaker inside. Bones are good too, chicken bones included as long as they’re NOT cooked.
Erin
Collars: Avoid chain collars, but nylon is great. Tags are essential in case you were ever to lose him. They should contain your phone number, at least.
Samoyeds have a good dose of prey drive, and will take off if left unattended in an unfenced area.
Enjoy your new puppy!
Cassie
Awesome Tips Erin!! Thank you so much for all of that information. You know your stuff 🙂 As far as the food goes, are you talking about raw as in feed it to the dog raw? Do you freeze it? Also, if this isn’t a possibility – what other food options would you recommend?
Erin
No problem 🙂
A raw diet is just that, raw meat. You can buy it weekly or freeze larger quantities to thaw. They can eat it from a young age. Including eggs is sometimes beneficial.
As for other options, there are several fairly good ones out there, I would definitely stick with corn-free, corn is an allergen and also may contribute to hyperactivity. Also, I would stay away from most wet food, sticking to dry kibble. Wet food has a lot of junk included. You will see corn meal in the ingredients of dog foods containing corn, usually near the top as there is a lot of corn in it.
Jamie
Not sure what the clicker method is, but we used this book when we got our dog (10 months old at the time).
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Tricks-Your/dp/0876050836/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375915398&sr=8-1&keywords=the+complete+idiots+guide+to+training+your+dog
She has been a GREAT dog! Our dog is an American Eskimo – I thought that’s what your dog was by looking at the cute puppy in your pictures! Hope you guys enjoy your new family member.
Lindsey
I have 150 pound Irish Wolfhound (our second) and I have never ever had a retractable leash break–although I always buy the better ones, not the cheesy ones. The advantage to a retractable is that it allows for better control in places where there are vehicles and also reduces the inclination to put the leash around your wrist—with a larger dog, if it is on your wrist, you can get pulled to the ground if your dog suddenly takes off and you are still attached. We use a regular leash for walks but a retractable for crowded places that may necessitate pulling your dog very close to you.
Pure breeds tend to have more medical issues. I have always purchased pet insurance and have never had a year where it didn’t pay for itself. My breed may, however, be more prone to problems because they are so tall—bigger than Great Danes, they tend to have bone/hip issues. You might want to join a Yahoo chat room dedicated to your breed and find out if those folks recommend insurance.
Also, I would disagree with statements other commenters have made about giving larger breed dogs bones of any kind, as would most vets. They crunch through the bones that small breeds cannot, and it can result in punctured intestines. They can cause choking…and you can end up with splintered bone bits on your floor that make for unhappy feet when they are stepped on. (Speaking from experience gained with my first Irish wolfhound.)
Before you switch to an entirely raw diet, you might want to read some of the professional literature on it. It is popular, but there is controversy about whether it can deliver the nutrients a domesticated dog needs. Many vets suggest a combination, rather than straight raw or straight commercial. It is also harder to travel with your dog if all he is used to is a raw food diet and so spurns commercial foods. Even if he gets hungry enough to eat commercial foods, they can cause intestinal distress if you suddenly switch from one type of food regimen to another. Wolfhounds are big eaters, and we hunt and fish so we have “free” moose and salmon available, but still found that between the economics and ease in travel (both availability and not having the dog get the runs with an abrupt switch), a combination of raw and commercial works best. I don’t really think there is a right way—it is what you need for your lifestyle and what your dog does well on and likes.
Lindsey
Sorry to come back again, but I just thought of one other thing. It was not until after we inadvertently caused problems for our first wolfhound that we learned that larger breeds should NOT be fed puppy food because it encourages fast growth that can cause problems by prematurely fusing bones. Again, I don’t know much at all about your breed, but I would check with a vet about puppy versus adult chow (our wolfhound gained a pound a day for the first three months we had him). Also, wolfhounds are not supposed to be taken for long walks or climb a lot of stairs the first year of growth, due to their size. This is also true for some other large breeds.
I would recommend taking your puppy to a vet right after purchase; your purchase contract should have a clause that if a vet says the puppy in unhealthy, you get your money back. We spent $1,400 on our first puppy, for issues that a vet later told us should have voided the sale. And it was not just the money, it was the heartache of putting him down and how long we let him suffer before we realized something was wrong.
Toni Wetter
I haven’t read every comment but in those I have read I did not see a reference to having him microchipped. Personally I think it is a very good idea for any dog but especially one that is going to be out and about with the family so much.
Gloria
Looks like a lot of grooming. Some good brushes for that beautiful coat.
BJ martin
My first sons dog when he was 4 years old (he is 39 now) was a full blood samoyed puppy. That puppy grew into the most beautiful and loving dog. He dearly loved my son and protected him. What a great choice for children.Dogs do not need a bunch of toys and stuff, they need love and attention and lots of play time.with your children it will be perfect..
sandy weinstein
if you are buying from a legit breeder, they should guarantee the health of the puppy, also require that you cant sell, breed, or give the dog to anyone, not even a family member. they will also require you to neuter the dog.
as for health, try to stay homeopathic as much as you can. if you dont need shots, such as bordatella, (for grooming and boarding), there is no need to get this vaccine. use heartworm meds, only use tick and flea if need, try to go natural root if not in a bad area for flea and tick, ask the vet to titer the dog later, when getting updated vaccines, (titer is taking blood to check the antibodies to see if the dog has enough of the vaccine so they dont need a new vaccine)…you can overvaccinate your dog.
since these dogs are double coated, you will need a good furminator ? comb to get the undercoating, you will probably need to brush several times a week. as for the nails, play with them, gettting the dog used to have his nails trimmed. a grinder is easier and faster, some dogs will not let you cut the nails, but will allow a grinder. make sure you keep the ears clean, you will need to pluck some of the hair in the ears…brush teeth, can use a very soft baby toothbrush, but do not use human toothpaste, can put additives in the water to help w/ tartar. can also put a little organice apple cider vinagar in the water to help with tartar as well as help w/ fleas and ticks. you can also use this as a final rinse, do not wash out, for flea and tick control.
as for food, read the ingredients. no corn, no wheat gluten, nothing from china, make sure no ingredients are made in china as well. you can feed raw, nature’s variety or blue ridge raw are good, holistic select is a good dry kibble, make sure the kibble as no added salt, that the first ingredients are meats-salmon, beef, chicken, etc, sometimes yeast can cause problems in dogs, some foods have added yeast, No by products at all, may want to feed no grain, can add baby carrots-cut up, no salted stringbeans-cooked, mustard greens/kale steamed in olive oil is good,
do not let your vet put your dog on steriods if he has a problem, you will be looking at more problems down the road. no pig ears, no bones- can give all natural cow ears/lamb ears, beef taffy, as he teeth stronger, can give bully sticks, watch the weight, exercise,
may want to look into pet insurance, a big no is pets best, and a few others, i have vpi…not always happy w/ it, but seems to be the best of the lot, i have researched many of them, vpi does allow homeopathic treatments, akc does not, their are good and bad points to microchipping- not every reader can read all of the different chips out today, so that is a problem, there is not a universal reader for all of the chips, there have been instances when the chips have migrated..
but most of all, love him and give him plenty of attention. make sure the dog toys have nothing he can tear off and swallow, no sticks, no tennis balls-chewing on tennis balls can wear down the enamel on the teeth.
never pull on the collar, or jerk around w/ the collar, can result in neck injuries. can feed baby carrots, apples-cut up-no seeds, blueberries, frozen stringbeans as treats, also use a probiatic, i give my dogs a bit of all natural plain, non fat yogurt w/ every meal, do not leave the food out, feed 1-2 times a day, depending on the dog, maybe more when he is a puppy, i feed 2/days.
take good care of him, b/c big dogs do not live as long as smaller dogs-a bad thing, samoyed are very sweet…i am not a fan of retractable leashes b/c they can wrap around your legs, and cut you, and you can get tangled up in them. since you have kids, this may present a problem if they are going to be walking the dog.
Michelle
Hello, Congrads on the new addition!! I am excited for all of you! Have you picked a name yet??
JAYJAY
Dog will need snow boots – ice & salt can cause great harm.
Get a 2 or 3 of them since they easiy loose them in the snow.
Take him to beach, lake, pool so he gets friendly with water. He will know how to swim (but do show him he is safe with you closeby to comfort and save him).
Newspaper – puppies love to lay on newspaper (no idea why) (natural fiber?) and if they make a mess on it, it can quickly be picked up and tossed.
Martha
I live in Fairbanks, Alaska, and practically the only dogs that wear booties here are sled dogs in races. Booties are expensive, constantly fall off and annoy the dog (or else they wouldn’t keep trying to yank them off). Dogs have thick pads that protect them in normal weather (obviously we don’t take our dog out for long walks at 40 or 60 below zero, but up to 20 below no problem), unless they are tiny dogs meant to be house pets only. This breed is used to cold living—save your booties money for something else.
Erin
Hello again!
I agree about the booties. Dogs don’t wear booties on sled trips in Alaska, at least not very often.
Yes, raw has its distinct advantages and disadvantages, and depending on what you decide, it can be a lot more expensive, or much cheaper. It’s certainly more natural, though it can be a pain on a trip. A high quality, corn-free food is great also, just depends on personal preferance as far as I’m concerned.