[LadyLuck1022]

Hi Everyone! :wavey:

My fiancé and I will be bringing home an English Golden Retriever puppy in mid-December! We are so excited! We got to go visit them at 3 weeks and they were so cute! We'll have one more visit at about 6 weeks, then we'll pick her up at 8 weeks.

I do have a couple of questions for the experienced dog owners out there. If there is a different place I should post these, please let me know

Question 1: We went and looked at crates and play pens this weekend. There are so many options out there. Does anyone have any suggestions? Size, brand, store, etc.

Question 2: We live in an apartment, the apartment complex is very dog friendly and there is a city park out front with lots of grass and lots of dogs. The more we read about parvo the more worried we get. We have a balcony, should we use this to start the potty training until she has all her shots or should we take her outside and wash her paws when she comes in? Any advise from others in apartments?

Thank you!!!!

 

[Oaklys Dad]

Welcome to the forum. Hope you are able to post some pictures of your pup soon.

I think plastic crates are probably the safest. Get one large enough to hold and adult golden. Get one with an adjustable divider so you can make it very small for a puppy. You just want your pup to be able to turn around in there. Puppies feel more secure in a small space.

I would not use your balcony for potty training. Too easy for this to become a bad habit in the future. Dogs learn when it is ok to potty by what is under their feet. Do your best to try to potty your pup where you never see other dog owners walking their dogs. Carry him to some tall grass if possible.

 

[Rob's GRs]

Welcome to the board.

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

Welcome to the forum.

Congratulations on your new puppy-looking forward to your pup's introduction.

Enjoy the forum.

 

[PiratesAndPups]

Welcome to the forum!

For the crate, you should definitely get one large enough for an adult dog so that you don't end up having to buy several, but I'd definitely get one with a movable divider. You want the space the pup has to be just large enough to lay down, get up and turn around. If there's too much space, the pup will be more likely to pee in the crate since it could pee on one side and lay down on the other.

 

[LadyLuck1022]

Thanks everyone! Once we know which puppy we'll be bringing home I will post pictures!

How big of a crate should we get? 48x36 or something smaller. We plan on getting one with a divider.