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Advice needed, getting a 4 month old puppy

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  1. #1

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    Advice needed, getting a 4 month old puppy

    So I am finally getting a 4 month old puppy in 10 days!! I have had lots of cats (have two excessively outgoing and friendly 5 month old kittens at the moment) and decided to get a puppy since the kittens hopefully will get on well with her and they can all grow up together.

    Just wondering if people have advice for a first time puppy owner in a HK flat?
    Also any advice of how to best introduce the kittens to the puppy?


  2. #2

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    Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

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  3. #3

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    Be prepared for a few accidents. Male and female puppies pee in different directions, so be prepared. Just like kids, teething will be an issue.

    We opted for a 2+ year old rescue, so did not have too many accidents. She figured out quickly if she needed to pee, the balcony or the toilet was the only place she would not get yelled at. About 18+ months later, no problems.

    One of the rescue groups has a few -

    https://geoexpat.com/forum/newpostinthread339689.html


  4. #4

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    How long have you had the kittens?? I don't know about dogs in HK, but I would think you might be biting off more than you can chew. In an apartment it takes a lot of work to keep a small space clean with pets and keep them entertained. It's not like places where there's more outdoor space and they can entertain themselves. At the moment the kittens might be content, but once they're 1 year old they will start getting less active (self-initiated at least) and more demanding. I've got two cats now and its far more work than I ever thought compared to having pets back in the States. A dog will need to be walked every day multiple times, and that's time you're not spending with your bored cats. But if you're a full time stay at home spouse or working from home then that sounds great to give a dog in need a home. (Note I think even working from home with pets can be hard!). You'll also have to consider how much you'll have to pay to have all these pets taken care of while away.

    By the way, I hope you're adopting, not buying. Thousands of unwanted dogs get killed each year in HK.... No need to purposefully breed more animals.

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  5. #5

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    Definitely get your puppy from SPCA or Hong Kong dog rescue. Yes most dogs are mixed breed but I adopted my husky from SPCA so you just need to keep an eye out there.

    Firstly research the dog breed to make sure it fits you. Husky's for example are more independent and they could really care less about coming up to me and saying hi. Whereas my mixed breed is always excited to see me. Certain breeds bark more, need more exercise, need more attention, etc.

    Cats can be left alone but dogs need to go outside unless you plan to come home to pee and poo in the house everyday. Not too fun.

    You can train your puppy with positive reinforcement about pee and poo outside. I did it with my two dogs and they learned quickly. I gave treats when they went outside. You take them out after they eat/drink and in the morning is the best. Control the hours which food and drink are available then you can have better control training them. Having water out all the time is good but in the beginning we limit it because they drink all day then need to go pee every 5 minutes.

    Ive known some locals who think dogs can just pee and poo in the house on those pee pads. It's true but really it is smelly and dirty so do know that once you train this way it will be difficult to change it. This might work with small dogs but definitely not with larger ones.

    During the first two years. Dogs eat a lot of stuff. Your furniture, your sofa, even my dog ate the electrical wire and still has a spark on his nose! So just be aware that anything you leave on the ground is fair game, shoes too! So don't be too upset. Make sure they have their own toys but they will still eat your stuff. This behavior slows down about 2 years but sometimes things can not be resisted even later on.

    How to introduce to your cats. I would get a crate. Crates can help for training too and prevent them eating everything but try not to leave them in the crate too long.

    So puppy stays in while you are out and cats get used to him. Then you have supervised play time. Probably don't try to take them all outside together. As time goes on you use the crate less and less. Now my crate is open all the time but the dogs like to go in there now and then. My husky is pretty much glued to it.

    Good luck!


  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    Ive known some locals who think dogs can just pee and poo in the house on those pee pads.
    Or wherever and have a helper go around cleaning it up.
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  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by emx:
    Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
    Probably in HK, I grew up here as an expat brat. If not the pets will come too.
    emx likes this.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    Be prepared for a few accidents. Male and female puppies pee in different directions, so be prepared. Just like kids, teething will be an issue.

    We opted for a 2+ year old rescue, so did not have too many accidents. She figured out quickly if she needed to pee, the balcony or the toilet was the only place she would not get yelled at. About 18+ months later, no problems.

    One of the rescue groups has a few -

    https://geoexpat.com/forum/newpostinthread339689.html
    Cool thanks re the peeing. The puppy is a shelter puppy. I'm away at the moment so getting it next week when I'm back. I have my eye on one in particular.
    Fiona in HKG and AGxM like this.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Elegiaque:
    How long have you had the kittens?? I don't know about dogs in HK, but I would think you might be biting off more than you can chew. In an apartment it takes a lot of work to keep a small space clean with pets and keep them entertained. It's not like places where there's more outdoor space and they can entertain themselves. At the moment the kittens might be content, but once they're 1 year old they will start getting less active (self-initiated at least) and more demanding. I've got two cats now and its far more work than I ever thought compared to having pets back in the States. A dog will need to be walked every day multiple times, and that's time you're not spending with your bored cats. But if you're a full time stay at home spouse or working from home then that sounds great to give a dog in need a home. (Note I think even working from home with pets can be hard!). You'll also have to consider how much you'll have to pay to have all these pets taken care of while away.

    By the way, I hope you're adopting, not buying. Thousands of unwanted dogs get killed each year in HK.... No need to purposefully breed more animals.
    Thanks for this I grew up here, so have only ever had cats in an apartment and regarding the cats I'm sure I'm not biting off more than I can chew. I also fostered kittens for the SPCA and have had a lot of kittens over the years, and these two are literally the coolest cats personality wise which is why I decided to keep them. They re nearly 5 months but I've had them since they were 3 weeks old.

    The dog is a much more unknown for me. I have factored in the cost of a day time dog walker when I'm at work and some evenings if I need to work late and then care when I'm away. I found the costings and then tripled it to make sure it was doable even if I underestimated something.

    Thanks for the comments, its good to get outside opinions =) Oh and it is a shelter puppy.
    Fiona in HKG and Elegiaque like this.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    Definitely get your puppy from SPCA or Hong Kong dog rescue. Yes most dogs are mixed breed but I adopted my husky from SPCA so you just need to keep an eye out there.

    Firstly research the dog breed to make sure it fits you. Husky's for example are more independent and they could really care less about coming up to me and saying hi. Whereas my mixed breed is always excited to see me. Certain breeds bark more, need more exercise, need more attention, etc.

    Cats can be left alone but dogs need to go outside unless you plan to come home to pee and poo in the house everyday. Not too fun.

    You can train your puppy with positive reinforcement about pee and poo outside. I did it with my two dogs and they learned quickly. I gave treats when they went outside. You take them out after they eat/drink and in the morning is the best. Control the hours which food and drink are available then you can have better control training them. Having water out all the time is good but in the beginning we limit it because they drink all day then need to go pee every 5 minutes.

    Ive known some locals who think dogs can just pee and poo in the house on those pee pads. It's true but really it is smelly and dirty so do know that once you train this way it will be difficult to change it. This might work with small dogs but definitely not with larger ones.

    During the first two years. Dogs eat a lot of stuff. Your furniture, your sofa, even my dog ate the electrical wire and still has a spark on his nose! So just be aware that anything you leave on the ground is fair game, shoes too! So don't be too upset. Make sure they have their own toys but they will still eat your stuff. This behavior slows down about 2 years but sometimes things can not be resisted even later on.

    How to introduce to your cats. I would get a crate. Crates can help for training too and prevent them eating everything but try not to leave them in the crate too long.

    So puppy stays in while you are out and cats get used to him. Then you have supervised play time. Probably don't try to take them all outside together. As time goes on you use the crate less and less. Now my crate is open all the time but the dogs like to go in there now and then. My husky is pretty much glued to it.

    Good luck!
    It is a mixed breed little mutt from a shelter. Good to know about the water restriction initially.

    With the crate, how long is too long? I've heard people say use a crate, but Ill go to work and it will get walked at least once during the day while I'm away but usually twice, but to me that seems a long time in a crate for a puppy (but I don't know). I will do a long morning walk before work.
    Not a fan of the dog peeing in the house long term, understand with a puppy there will be accidents, probably quite a lot.

    Also is there any particular type of crate you would recommend? There seems to be quite a variety.

    Thanks for the advice about introducing the puppy to the kittens? Any idea how long it would usually be before they can play unsupervised? Is it typically days, weeks or months?

    Thanks!!

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