# Bringing puppy home



## Duke14 (Jul 20, 2014)

I read that giving the breeder a towel to leave in the puppy's litter can help with separation anxiety when you bring your puppy home. As we are going to the breeder on Sunday I was thinking of bringing a towel for this reason. 

Can anyone give my any input on this? Am I going to be laughed at? Is it helpful? I'm sure it's not necessary but it's something worth considering if it works. I'm mostly concerned with the first few days, especially the ride home.

All that being said, I don't want to make Duke dependent on it. So if we do decide to do this, how long should I let him have it for?


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

For my first two dogs, I took a blanket with us and rubbed the mom-dog down with the blanket before we left. I didn't leave a blanket ahead of time, but wish we would have. I also let the pups sleep on the blanket for a day before they got baths - believe me, they needed baths so this was hard for me to do. When we picked out our vizsla, I just took a soft toy out to the breeders and she let the litter play with it. It was a mess when I brought it home, torn and dirty from puppy slobber, but Bristol loved it.

Recently we had a litter of labs. I had my nieces with me one weekend and we made fleece blankets for each pup to go home with. We also made fleece toys. I rotated the blankets and toys so each had the scent of the mom and litter on it. I have gotten pictures from each new home and at least one of each pup with their blanket. I also got great comments how it helped the pups settle into their new kennels. 

So, from personal experience, I think it's a good idea. I wouldn't worry about the pup being too attached - he will have favorite things, whether it be a blanket or a toy or a towel.


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## samkins (Apr 15, 2013)

We left towels as well as the crate we were going to be using with Moose so the pups and mom to go in and out of it etc. for a week. It worked out great for us...


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

Miles and Chase were each sent home with a soft toy from their litter. We let them keep it until they destroyed it, which was in about a week!


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## Duke14 (Jul 20, 2014)

Thanks for the input guys! It's really helpful!!

I didn't think to ask the breeder if she sends anything home with the pup that was with the litter. I will shoot her an email and find out. If not, I'll try to find a suitable toy and pick up a towel to leave. I've got five weeks before he comes home with me though so I'm thinking I should ask the breeder to wait until two weeks before so that neither gets destroyed too badly before he comes home.


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## Sydney (Jul 28, 2014)

Duke14,

When Trevi first came home, he had a stuffed toy from the breeder. He also came with a blanket, which proved handy because it came from the breeder and Trevi had some accidents in the crate. I recommend bringing a towel.


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## EuroVizion (Jun 8, 2014)

Hey Duke,
I brought my pup home about two months ago. I picked her up from a breeder in Hungary who likely would have found a request to leave a blanket in the whelping box and kennel very strange indeed. (Although I thought about asking to do the same thing!  ) 
My puppy cried it out for a few nights upon arriving at her new home. 20 minutes max, and then she settled down. I don't think a blanket would have prevented that, particularly since I see how social a breed Vizslas are. They want company. Plan on giving your pup time to socialize and bond with you...that's the relationship that matters the most. Nobody likes leaving "home," but just like arriving in a hotel...a warm welcome and a bit of order go a long way to feeling comfortable. I would try to concern myself more with how you will handle your "guest" after arrival to become one of the family. Your pup will miss her litter mates, but it's more important that she connects to you.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Hey Duke14.
Yes try to send her a towel that way it will smell like the litter and mom. Cheri will give you your paperwork, a toy and a small bag of kibble as well as some milkbone biscuits. I tried to bring Dharma home in a car carrier but she ended up in my lap and exploring the front seat while I held her. I had a leash and collar to put on Dharma too.


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## Duke14 (Jul 20, 2014)

MCD said:


> Hey Duke14.
> Yes try to send her a towel that way it will smell like the litter and mom. Cheri will give you your paperwork, a toy and a small bag of kibble as well as some milkbone biscuits. I tried to bring Dharma home in a car carrier but she ended up in my lap and exploring the front seat while I held her. I had a leash and collar to put on Dharma too.


Cheri recommended I bring a blanket so she can rub down mom and his brothers so I found a cute one at petsmart today when I was exploring their sale. I am going to see her tomorrow and I am so excited! I was so concerned that we may have to cancel because of the Skyway closure but we were able to juggle things around and make it work! That means the kids are now coming with us, which they are over the moon about!

I thought about bringing Duke home in a crate or even putting him in a harness in the back seat - I know these are the two safest options and I will be employing the harness while he is a puppy and the crate when he gets bigger - but I don't think that's realistic, or fair, for the trip that will separate him from all he's ever known. It's a good 3 hour drive for us to get home (without stopping for a puppy pee break) and I think it will be a great opportunity for me to bond a little with him. My husband will be driving but I am sure the kids will continually ask to hold him. Lol


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## Duke14 (Jul 20, 2014)

EuroVizion said:


> Plan on giving your pup time to socialize and bond with you...that's the relationship that matters the most. Nobody likes leaving "home," but just like arriving in a hotel...a warm welcome and a bit of order go a long way to feeling comfortable. I would try to concern myself more with how you will handle your "guest" after arrival to become one of the family. Your pup will miss her litter mates, but it's more important that she connects to you.


You are right, it is important for us to bond with him and we do have a plan for proper bonding once he's home. I just really want to make the transition as easy as possible for Duke and it's no skin off my back to bring a blanket to the breeder. If it helps, wonderful, if Duke could care less, it's not a total loss, he still has a blanket that I think he will appreciate. From what I've seen Vs love their blankets! Lol


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## Eddiemoto (May 4, 2013)

We did this and the breeder was thrilled that we thought about it. My experience with this breed or others is that the breeders feel a little more relieved when the new family is thinking ahead like this.


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## aliciavp (Mar 14, 2014)

Our breeder gave us a blankie that Lazlo's mother and litter mates had lay in. We actually didn't put Laz in a crate or harness on the way home... He sat on his blanket, on our laps for the 3 hour drive. He did cry for the first hour but then settled in and slept for the rest of the journey. Just make sure you bring a leash and collar - you don't want Duke running away scared when you stop for a potty break!


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