Mia our new Flatcoated Retriever Puppy

So today was the day to collect our new Flatcoated Retriever puppy. Mia is from an experienced and professional breeder who was able to supply heath screening details and hip and elbow scores. Of course, she was transported home in one of my TransK9 boxes, the safest and most comfortable way to transport dogs of all sizes.

The journey was two hours and twenty minutes. Understandably, when Mia was first put in her box, she whined a little. My wife commented that her instinct was to stop the car, wrap the puppy in a blanket and let it sit on her lap to travel home. Of course, she has been in this situation before with me and knows that’s not the answer. From day one, we need to lay the foundations with Mia. We travel a lot with our dogs and she will have to get used to this. After her initial whimper, she travelled the whole journey without sickness, whining or barking.

Start as you mean to go on

As soon as we got back to the kennels, we let Mia out into a toilet area. There was no fuss or cuddles, no communication, just clear boundaries. Mia went into the crate I had prepared for her while I saw to the other dogs. Within one hour, I was able to walk in and out of the indoor kennels with my others dogs without Mia barking, whining or jumping up.

This is the first day of the rest of Mia’s life. She is a lovely Flatcoated Retriever puppy but what we want is an obedient dog who is a joy to have around. To achieve this, you need to start as you mean to go on. Don’t over do the attention. Regular toileting without too much communication and your puppy will soon settle in to your routine. Don’t spoil them now and you can enjoy them for life.

Posted: November 4, 2019