how do i take care of a border collie?

Question

i just got a border collie puppy.i want to know how do i take care of my new puppy.
its only 5 weeks old now.
I NEED HELP!!!:(

Answer 1

IAMS puppy food is a well balanced diet for him. A puppy that small doesn't need too much. You can't bathe him until he is a little older because he has sensitive skin. When he starts to grow bigger, I would bathe him with a moisturizing shampoo to keep his coat shiny and soft and brush him a lot. Get him used to this early so it is easier as an adult. You have to take him outside every 2 hrs to potty train and buy the puppy training pads so he doesn't mess everywhere. Anything more than that, just talk to your vet. They don't mind all the questions, they appreciate it.

Answer 2

Bring the puppy back to the breeder, and tell him or her you will pick it up in 3 weeks when it is ready to be separated from the mother. During the next 3 weeks, read up on puppy care, training, housebreaking, etc. There is TONS of information available for free on line, or you can get books from the library. Go ahead and get a crate for the puppy to sleep in, a leash, an inexpensive buckle collar (don't get anything fancy now, as the puppy will grow out of it), stainless steel water and food bowls, a couple of toys for the puppy to chew on, a tennis ball to chase, and a bag of good quality puppy food. Find a vet in your area, and make an appointment now to bring the puppy in to be checked for the same day you pick it up. Ask the vet when you go to recommend where you should go with your puppy for basic training. I know it will be hard to wait the 3 weeks, but it is much better for the puppy to stay until then, and with all you have to do to get ready, the days will go by fast. When you pick it up, ask the breeder to give you a few cups of the food it has been eating so you can introduce the new food gradually and not give the puppy an upset stomach.

Answer 3

I am glad you want to take good care of your pup. Here is a book to check out: Before and After Your Get Your Puppy by Dr. Ian Dunbar.

And if the pup is 5 weeks old then you need more help than you realize :(

Here's the REALLY bad news---it is too young to be away from its mom. If you have it because the mom died or something happened to her, then thumbs up to you for taking in an orphaned pup.

If you bought it from a breeder then you should know that selling a pup that age is dangerous for its short AND long term health and behavior and it is ILLEGAL in many states. The pup is too young to be completely weaned and it should still be getting its immunities from the mom's milk. Having it at this age makes it more susceptible to health problems. It is also missing out on some important early socialization which makes teaching bite inhibition possible.

It is one thing to have a pup because something happened to mom---the situation is unavoidable and you realize that the pup needs extra help. However, if the pup was purchased at this age then HIS BREEDER chose to short change the pup's health and behavior.

If the breeder was willing to do something bad for the pup to make some money (and save money--now he doesn't have to feed it dry food until it is 8 weeks and he doesn't have to pay for some routine vet care) then I have to wonder what else the "breeder" skimped on to save $$$$.

For example: Is this little pup going to have bad hips and need $5,000 surgery at two years old because the breeder didn't get hip clearances on the parents?

I am torn between urging you to consider returning the pup until it is older and the thought that you would just be returning the pup to a potentially bad situation. It really should be with its mom and litter.

Here is a list of some of the state laws about how old a puppy needs to be in order to be sold. Check it out.

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovuspuppysaletable.htm

Answer 4

Have a high fence, over 6 feet and lots of activity for it to do or it will get bored and destroy things. We have a border collie and she is terrific she has another dog to playwith in the yard which seems to keep her satisfied but they are working dogs and need to have a job to do. They will heard your children and other animals! They really are great dogs, I can't say enough about ours. She is sweet, loving and kind but she is really active. Check and see if there is a fly ball group or herding groups in you area for your dog to join. You can also get her into agility. Border Collies are highly intellegent as well.

Answer 5

5 weeks is awful young for a puppy to be it's own. It usually takes 8 weeks with mom before they are weaned off of mother's milk. I would take it to the vet and get all the necessary information. If you can't afford a vet I would call the local animal shelter and ask them what your next step would be. When he's old enough you definitely need to get him wormed and get his distemper shot. They can die from that when they are very young. There's a lot of info on the Internet too. Here's a good source for what you need:

http://www.bordercollierescue.org/breed_advice/Content/PuppyAdvice.html

Answer 6

Find a trainer ASAP (peferably positive) and plan to put the time in. Border Collies are wonderful pets, but very high energy and active dogs. Find your dog a job (agility, herding, frisbee - anything) or your dog will find his own job. Good luck. For further information, contact a Border Collie specific website -- there are plenty.

Answer 7

Well you will want to feed him puppy food for the first full year. Puppy food has more protein and will help him grow best. Science Diet or Bil Jac are two good brands.

Spend lots of time with your dog. Border Collies needs lots of attention and lots of room to work off their energy. They are a herding animal so he will need lots of things to do. I would suggest obedience training. You might also look at agility classes.

Right now if the breeder didn't do it he needs his first shots so take him to the vet to be checked for any parasites and to get his first shots.

Answer 8

Just some FYI for the future with your new doggy.

I don't want to say this breed is hyper...but they are the type of dog that you need to keep active and do things with A LOT. They really always want to be on the go and active. They are a hearding dog, so that type of personality is just natural to them. If you don't keep them active and they get bored...they can become a bit destructive.

This breed can be a bit of a handful at times, but they are very intelligent. I hope you have a lot of patience and are willing to spend a lot of time with this type of dog!

Answer 9

#1 is to take the pup back to his mother, immediately. The breeder had no business removing the pup from the litter at this young age. This is a very, very serious problem and your dog will have major problems with socialization if you and the breeder don't let this pup stay with his litter for at LEAST another 3 weeks!
*****IAMS and Bil-Jac are terrible foods. Please read
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/
when your dog is ready for puppy food. I cannot believe people are still recommending that junky food!