Getting a Puppy

Meet our Tibetan Terrier

A month ago we brought home our little Tibetan Terrier puppy, which we named Rossi. Rossi is a ball of energy, taking a photo of her requires lightning speed. So a dedicated photo shoot was never going to happen. Instead, I thought I would just share my favourite photos of her from the last four weeks.

Having a dog was not an option for us for a really long time, as we lived in a rented flat. I found it so difficult, as I have always been a huge dog lover. I have had one previous dog in my life, a crossbreed terrier poodle, called Milo. Since losing Milo there was a hole in my heart, I don’t think a day went by when I didn’t mention getting another dog. They bring so much love, happiness and companionship. Taking care of an animal is a big responsibility and requires and lot of thought about lifestyle/ availability and finance. We knew getting a dog was the right thing for us but we had to wait years before it was realistic. As soon as we brought out house in May, I began looking for our new furry family member.

Why a Tibetan Terrier

Hypoallergenic

I had my heart set on a Tibetan Terrier for a few reasons. First she is a hypoallergenic breed. As I am an allergy suffer, it was really important to find a breed that was hypoallergenic. As you can see, Rossi has plenty of fur, but she doesn’t shed. I am mainly allergic to dog saliva and did have some reactions to Rossi to begin with, but from the moment I meet her it was a very low reaction and over the past month, I have become less and less affected by her.

Intelligent and Easy to train

Tibetan Terrier’s are very smart dogs, Rossi has proved this by learning very quickly. I’m amazed at how quickly she picks things up. Easy to train, was high on our list of properties when getting a dog. We needed a pet that understood, when to behave and when it’s okay to have fun and play. In our area we are subject to; boats, planes, main roads, family’s and children. She has seen and heard to a lot already and has done amazingly with responding, understanding and listening to our commands. Being intelligent means, she needs plenty of mental stimulation to ensure she doesn’t get bored and destructive. Food toys are amazing for this and there is plenty on the market to help keep her entertained, when play time or a walk is not an option.

Small

A small/medium dog was our final requirement. Rossi is currently 2.5kg but will grow to be about 8-10kgs. This could push her into the medium category but really she is a small dog. Although I adore larger dogs, realistically they just aren’t suitable for our lifestyle and home. I wanted to be able to pick up my dog if I needed to, and enjoy cuddles on the couch without a sofa hogger. As we only have a small garden, I didn’t feel a lager dog would have enough space to run around. Larger dogs generally require more exercise and although Tibetan Terriers do have a very high exercise requirement, her size is in general easier to walk and manage.

Finding the right Dog

I had been spending most evenings looking at shelters and kennel club breeders. We were happy to wait for the right dog, and after three months of looking we found her. We are still very open to the idea of adopting a dog and more than likely our next pet will be from a rescue centre. Unfortunately, none of the available dogs in our local shelter were suitable for our lifestyle and needs. Although I kept looking, it didn’t look like it was going to be an option at this time. I’m happy to report however, that the dogs from our local shelter do get adopted very quickly and often go within a fortnight. Once Rossi is a little older we will start looking again.

I was extremely careful when looking for puppies to ensure they were registered breeders and not from puppy farms. There are a few tell-tails signs, so the more you can see and speak to the breeder the better. As soon as I saw Rossi, I feel instantly in love with her. She was the only black and white girl in her litter and although smaller than the rest of her brothers and sisters, she captured our hearts right away.

First Meeting

We had facetimed and chatted with the breeder a couple of time before deciding to visit. We knew that once we held her in our arms, there would be no turning back. Once we felt comfortable that the puppies were happy and health, we took a long three hour drive to go and meet them. Little Rossi was only five weeks old when we first saw her. She could fit in one hand she was so small. One look into her puppy dog eyes and I feel in love. Sitting in a room full of puppies was the most amazing afternoon ever. Once we left, we felt sad to be going home alone. It was three weeks before we could drive down and pick her up.

Rossi at 4 weeks (a photo sent from the breeder) and 5 weeks when we first paid her a visit.

Collecting her

It was a long drive to our house and I was worried how she would handle the car journey. When we arrived at the breeders house, I couldn’t believe how much she had grown. She was 1.7kg when we picked her up and had almost doubled in size. I covered the car in towels and puppy pads but she ended up sleeping in my arms the whole way home.

First day

Once Rossi was home, we wanted to get her settled in as quickly as possible and get her used to her new home. We decided the kitchen would be her den, as it has access straight into the garden and is a nice and secure room for her. We also have a baby gate at the doorway to ensure she is secure if needed. She has full run of downstairs but we have held off allowing her upstairs unattended, until she is a little older. Our breeder gave us some food for the next weeks, so we could phase out her food into her new diet. She quickly learned the lay of the land and settled in nicely.

Night time

Rossi struggled her first night and I can’t blame her, she went from being surrounded by her brothers and sisters and mum to being totally alone in a strange place. She cried most of the night, but only the first night. By day two she only cried once or twice and a week later she wasn’t crying at all. We were very lucky with how quickly she adapted. She has even let us have a lie in on a Saturday! It’s more than we could have asked for.

Night toilet training

It took three weeks before she could hold her bladder for a full 8 hours. I didn’t expect her to be able to sleep through so quickly, so we are very grateful to her for this. I think what really helped was a regimented routine, so she knows when her bedtime is and when it’s time to wake up. We would take her out at set times throughout the night and it was important she knew it was strictly business and not play time. After a week we dropped from two trips to one. Then after two weeks we started to push the time back into it was completely phased out.

Walks and meeting other dogs

Rossi had her second jab when she was 10 weeks old, we had to wait another week before we could start walking her and introducing her to other dogs. It was difficult to keep her inside for 3 weeks but we made sure she was still getting exercise by playing with her in the garden as much as we could. Now that we can walk Rossi she has been loving ever minute. Every person and dog she is desperate too meet. I love talking her for walks and look forward to when she is a bit older so we can go further afield.

Puppy Classes

Last week we started puppy classes, the first session was dog free but I cant wait to take her to the next sessions. She is very confident and learns quickly but we still want to get assistance with training and allow her to meet other puppies. Its so much fun and I’ve already learnt a lot from one session.

I can’t wait to share more of little Tibetan Terrier pup Rossi. She has such a lovely nature and we love her to bits. I hope you enjoyed reading about her story so far, if you would like me to write more dog posts. let me know!

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