Alfinmarsh Gundogs
What you need before you bring your
Puppy Home
A comfy cosy bed is a must
Be that a bed with sides, as below...
or a cage with a bed or vet blanket inside of the cage
Often a blanket thrown over the top of the cage, will help to make the puppy feel as if he/she has a wonderful den to go to.
Please remember, cages can be useful for keeping puppies in whilst they are still teething and you are not there to supervise, but not for an adult to be kept in.
Also, for the puppy to use as his den, when he/she want to go there, to sleep or play with a toy.
Lead & Collar
We prefer lead and collar for the puppies because they wriggle so much. Also if they do get away from you (God forbid) they have identification to be seen by all who may come across them.
Dummies and Toys
Dummies and Wabba kongs are wonderful toys, and the dogs love them. Keep these toys though for training. This will mean your puppy hasn't got bored with them, therefore will look forward to training with them.
The rabbit ball is great fun for them, but once again keep these and tennis balls for training.
These Toys are wonderful to leave down for your dog to play with.
Though always make sure all toys are safe before you leave them with the puppies.
It is wonderful for the puppy to have something to cuddle up to, especially when he/she has just left us and their dog family
Dog Bowls
Go for a heavy water bowl, as the puppies are great at picking up 'near empty b0wls' there-by making the floor all wet, Lovely!
The food bowl however can be as pretty or as light as you desire. We like stainless steel feed bowls for our dogs.
Brushes
If you give the puppy a toy that the puppy is only allowed to have when you brush it, he/she will be far happy for you to brush them whilst they play with it. This is a great way to get the puppy use to the joys of being brushed.
Items that would be useful for you to have
from the start
David Lisetts dvd
are a must for anyone planning to train their dogs for working and field trialling.
But even if you just want a well trained Springer, these dvd's can help you achieve that!
The 'Essential Care in the Field' is a very useful book to have.
These are things you will need when the puppy is a little bit bigger
We use slip leads for when the dogs are getting that bit more adventurous, and are getting into the bushes etc. Collars have a nasty habit of getting caught on sticks and barb wire. It also helps when you are teaching heelwork, but must be put on correctly.
Whistles & Lanyards
Whistles for any springer are a must- they respond to them far better then they respond to our voices. But you must have taught your dog recall to your voice first before you transfer it to the whistle. It is also fabulous for teaching the 'stop' or ' emergency stop', which can save their lives
