My plan to get a CSW

[Apache]

Hi,


I've never had a dog as my sister and mother are allergic to dogs. Now that I'm living on my own (in an apartment) I'm thinking of getting a CSW. I work a full time job so I won't be able to spend the day during the week with my dog. Here's the plan I came up with to own a CSW. Feel free to tell me (brutally) honestly whether it's a good idea or not.

- I was thinking of having a 6 week old puppy and take 3 weeks off from work. During this time I would try to socialize my little puppy as much as possible without going too far. After all the puppy is still weak and is prone to disease as it didn't receive all its vaccines yet.
- After this 3 week period I would be going back to work. I was thinking of dropping off my dog at a dog day care center and pick him/her off after work. The day care center would basically be a place where my dog could be playing outside with other dogs. Now I understand that for a young dog this might not be possible because of immunity problems.
- During the week I would walk my dog once in the morning (before dropping him/her off to the day care center) and once after coming back from work.
- Twice a week I would go to a training school so as to educate both the dog and myself.
- During the weekend I would take my dog with my on my trips/hikes. I like to walk so at least during the weekend I know my dog would have plenty of exercise ... and attention from me.


So is this realistic? Would a CSW be happy with this kind of schedule and attention?


As I said earlier be as brutally honest as possible. After all I don't want my dog to be unhappy or to raise a socially unstable dog.

[Rona]

Welcome Apache, nice to to see you here

Originally Posted by Apache

As I said earlier be as brutally honest as possible. After all I don't want my dog to be unhappy or to raise a socially unstable dog.

As you wish Detailed plans rarely work out for CSVs. In other words - though your plan sounds OK at the superficial level, it may or may not match the personality, character, nature of the pup you'd get.

One of the first thing vlcaks teach their new owners is the necessity to develop quite a few contingency plans

[Apache]

So it's possible that a CSW would not fit in a or any day center? Or at least the probability is not negligible? I don't have a plan B in case that fails

[vila]

I think what Rona was trying to say is that the problem isn't that the puppy won't fit in a daycare, it's just that Vlcaks are really special in many ways and there has to be room for some improvisation along the way because things often don't turn out as planned. But the most important thing I see here is that you seem to be highly motivated to make this work and won't give up that easily. So my advice to you is jump in with both feet, don't give up and keep an open mind and room for improvisation

I had a similar situation - all odds being against me, but when you know you want to have a Vlcak you will make it work, because they are worth it

[Angelika]

Rona, don´t you think you were a bit too diplomatic?

[Rona]

Originally Posted by Angelika

Rona, don´t you think you were a bit too diplomatic?

Haha, I love your comments Angelika

So my advice to you is jump in with both feet, don't give up and keep an open mind and room for improvisation

One should be VERY cautious with such advice unless he/she knows the person it's given to very well. Some owners would perservere under difficulties, but don't forget the vast majority of young vlckas from "CSVs looking for new homes" section had owners who didn't manage.

So it's possible that a CSW would not fit in a or any day center? Or at least the probability is not negligible? I don't have a plan B in case that fails

Everything is possible: your pup might be most happy at the dog centre without any problems, but it might also miss you badly and howl for hours annoying other dogs and carers. The puppy, and later a young dog may also bully other dogs in the dog centre to the point that you'll be asked to stop bringing him/her there. It may withdraw and stop developing or become aggressive to humans, keep escaping from the place, or may develop a closer relationship with somebody at the dog centre than with you, etc. etc.
I'm not saying that any of these will happen, but that you should be aware of such possibilities and take them under consideration. IMO there is nothing worse than wishful thinking when getting a vlcak. Better to be prepared for worse and then be nicely surprised than the other way round.

[tupacs2legs]

Hi

Honesty?.... Ok,personally I don't think this setup would suit

Working full time and leaving your dog in day care imo is not suitable for this breed,u need a lot of time and paitence for a young vlcak,they need guidence,is it fair to leave all the important stuff to a day centre? I don't think so they are a specialist breed and can be very 'testing' when young,also as the dog matures if there are a lot of different dogs in and out your vlcak may not be accepting to this.

Because I chose to have this breed I only work 3-4 days a week and sometimes they come with me.

Also,I don't think its a good choice for a first time dog owner that works full time ....sorry

[vila]

I totally agree with everything said, and I am very sorry for the dogs whose owners haven't thought things through or lacked the motivation to make it work and the dogs ended up being put up for adoption. But coming from my personal experience, I know it's difficult when you don't have all the answers yet and everyone is telling you it will be a disaster (especially "experts" in Slovenia, who haven't even seen a Vlcak in person ) but if you know you're committed to make it work, you will. My Vila's personality is adored everywhere we go and I'm glad I wasn't discouraged to get her by everyone else. But I sadly would have to agree with the others that the plan should be one of the possibilities and not the only one :/

[Apache]

OK, thanks for the replies.

[Priska182]

Hello Apache,

It's true that with a Vlcak you need to be prepared and really motivate. Genzo is my second Vlcak and he is totally different from Priska (my first one).
Everything is not going like I was hopping... Genzo is terrible and I need to admit that sometimes I'm totally desperate... I know that many people will have giving up with him...
But I'm confident that all the time and energies I spend on him will lead soon to an happy and well balance dog :-)
To be in an apartment with a Vlcak is not a good idea. Genzo was howling all the night during 2 weeks :-o but of course if he sleeps with you well he will be happy To stop him doing that I was obliged to sleep with him near his create...
I have also bought him a treadmill because I wasn't able for unpredictable personal reason to let him have enough exercises...
I love my dog and will do anything for him, to I need to admit that if it was my fist dog well I will probably turn as a cat woman
Best regards,
Stéphanie & Genzo

[Priska182]

BTW if your interesting I can tell you the story of someone that have plan every detail regarding is new dog, and who have been obliged to improvise... It's my story and now I have some trouble with Genzo and I quite sure I'm the only one ti blame, not my dog or is pedigree, only me... So I do my best to have the best dog possible and I'm planning to make the Canadian goog citizen dog test with him next year Ha ha it's a quite big objective for now I can assure you
Take care

[André]

Sorry but that's a very risky plan...
First time dog owner, first time CzW owner... in an apartment. From all you said this is the point I think that can easily go wrong.
For example, if you have the bad luck of picking a dog like mine you're screwed CzW tends to be destructive, howls and has a LOT of energy.
If you could see my dog running non-stop on my yard like a cheetah you would get my point

[avgrunn]

I don't want to ruin your plan but to tell the truth, there are many reasons why it can go wrong and it is not only about the dog. Do you have anyone who can help you with him?
You have to take into consideration the fact that you will be exhausted for the first couple of months, your work, a puppy, remember a vlcak is not a dachshund who will go back to sleep when you want him to ( well at least my dachshunds were doing that ) The more frustrated you will be the more active the dog will be

My Uro wasn't really a wild force of destruction, we had our problems but it wasn't anything bad or serious. I believe the main reason of that was that we are very lucky to have 3 other dogs of different breeds,very attached to us, without any stupid ideas and very keen to help us. Without them it would be very hard to raise him, they are very patient and Uro can be a real pain in the ..neck but they have their ways to keep him busy and quite well-behaving when we are not home I love spending time with Uro but I can't take him everywhere.

Think about everything before you decide.

[Rona]

Originally Posted by André

First time dog owner, first time CzW owner... in an apartment.

I don't think the apartment is a crucial issue. I know vlcaks raised and living happily in apartments, houses and kennels (never allowed inside human lodgings!) and also vlcaks abandoned from all of the above! Each solution has its advantages and drawbacks. Young "apartment vlcaks" need a lot of outdoor time from their owners, but are bound to learn good manners fast

I agree that it's much easier to raise a vlcak in a family where there are "helpers" - other dog(s) and people. If not for other reasons - to get sometimes a bit of rest time from the beloved little monsters

[Priska182]

Other point... A treadmill can be useful with such dogs in your case They really have a lot of energy

[Apache]

Yes I thought about a treadmill seeing as it sometimes used by Cesar Milan.

[tupacs2legs]

Originally Posted by Priska182

Other point... A treadmill can be useful with such dogs in your case They really have a lot of energy

Often 'over exercise' can be over stimulating(adreneline rush that's hard to relax from) so counter productive,they need a tired mind not just tired body...so more training and trick solving and mental stimulation is what's needed,also u have to be carefull with a young large breed pup with how much and what kind of exercise they have.

Csv's seem to self regulate so don't often use all their energy up anyway,they always have some in reserve and also u will just end up with an ultra fit dog so its kind of a no ended road

[tupacs2legs]

Originally Posted by Apache

Yes I thought about a treadmill seeing as it sometimes used by Cesar Milan.

Noooooo not milan!

[avgrunn]

Originally Posted by tupacs2legs

they need a tired mind not just tired body...so more training and trick solving and mental stimulation is what's needed,also u have to be carefull with a young large breed pup with how much and what kind of exercise they have.

Csv's seem to self regulate so don't often use all their energy up anyway,they always have some in reserve and also u will just end up with an ultra fit dog so its kind of a no ended road

Completely agree

I remember when Uro was a puppy it was impossible to tire him physically, he could run, jump, play with dogs, annoy me for hours, afterwards he needed only 20-60 minutes for a sleep and then he could do it all over again . But after mental exercises he needed some more time to recharge his batteries (around 2-3 hours). Only after a year he calmed down, he just got used to me and my way of spending days. But nowadays he still tires mentally not physically So treadmill is just a waste of your money.


About Milan, I used to watch his show, kind of believed in all that but since I've got Uro I can see that those methods are just pointless and cruel. This is just my opinion.

[Priska182]

Originally Posted by tupacs2legs

Often 'over exercise' can be over stimulating(adreneline rush that's hard to relax from) so counter productive,they need a tired mind not just tired body...so more training and trick solving and mental stimulation is what's needed,also u have to be carefull with a young large breed pup with how much and what kind of exercise they have.

Csv's seem to self regulate so don't often use all their energy up anyway,they always have some in reserve and also u will just end up with an ultra fit dog so its kind of a no ended road

That the reason why you need to don't use it every day and too often... I don't want an athlete And I can assure you that Genzo is not one. But the treadmill is also a "mental" activity because he need to concentrated to stay on it
Anyway, I'm glad to have one when I don't have enough time to walk him for hours
But it’s true that adult CsV are really surprising… My old lady at 12 years old was a real sofa girl, but when we goes for long walk she was always ready