Lucas Terrier Club

Before your puppy arrives

Prior to your puppy coming home you should give some thought to the equipment you'll need. You will have at least 6 weeks to get yourself organised as puppies should remain with mum for at least 8 weeks and most breeders wait a couple of weeks to make sure all is okay before offerering pups to prospective owners

Buy a crate. This is somewhere the puppy can call its own and can retreat to when tired or when he has had enough of the children. It is also somewhere safe for when you are unable to keep an eye on what he is up to, for example when making dinner. So, you can concentrate on what you are doing safe in the peace of mind that puppy isn't chewing electrical wires or the leg of the antique table. It makes economic sense to start off with one that will be big enough to accommodate him when fully grown, even if he does look a little lost in it to begin with. You can line the crate with Vetbed or old towels/blankets.

You will need food and water bowls, a starter collar and leash and some toys. You should begin to keep old newspapers or you can buy 'puppy piddle pads' for house training. Also, you should find out what the breeder is feeding the puppy and, at least in the first instance, purchase the same. Sudden changes in food leads to upset tummies, so if you want to feed something different it should be introduced gradually. The breeder will probably give you a quantity to see you over a day or two.

Journey home

Before you set off with your puppy, particularly if you have a journey of any significant distance, you should try to ensure that the puppy has emptied its bowels and bladder. Then, hopefully, there won't be any floods, or worse, on the way home. Whilst I would always advocate dogs being restrained in a car, whether by a doggy safety belt or in a crate, this is the one time that I would break that rule and carry the puppy in a towel or blanket. This first time in a car should be as enjoyable and trauma free an experience as possible. It is no fun to own a dog that is nervous about travelling in a car and even on the shortest of journeys is reduced to a shivering, drooling wreck that throws up everywhere.

If your journey is a long one then you may have to stop to let the puppy relieve itself. If your puppy is not fully vaccinated I would suggest that you do not stop where lots of other dogs have been before, for example, in a motorway service station. Try to find a quiet out of the way spot where the puppy is less likely to pick up any of the common doggy diseases it may encounter in a more heavily dog frequented place.

On arrival

Try to keep your puppy busy over the next three or four days. Often new owners are lulled into a false sense of security because they are told that the first night can be sleepless as the puppy is suffering from separation anxiety (no longer surrounded by mum and littermates) and will make his unhappiness known at the top of his lungs. Instead the first night is relatively quiet and the new owners think they have escaped the worst and have Perfect Puppy. No! Puppy is tired from the journey and all the attention of the first day so conks out. The following day is less busy and that night is when the squeaking, yapping and yelling may start. So, if you can keep the puppy involved in all activities in the household when it is awake then there is less likelihood of problems through the night when the puppy should be sleeping. It is a matter of choice where the puppy sleeps, some like the dog in its crate in the kitchen and some like to bring the crate into the bedroom so that they will hear if the puppy should need to relieve itself through the night. Don't make too much of a fuss of the crying puppy. Try to harden your heart, put your earplugs in and to get some sleep. If you respond to every cry you will either be completely cranky and worn out in no time or have a dog sleeping on your pillow by the end of the week.


If you have other dogs

All Lucas puppies will be different in the way they react to meeting other dogs in the household. Think about when you were a two year old child meeting a new adult for the first time. As this massive stranger loomed over you your reaction might have been to try and hide behind your mother's skirts or you maybe started wailing. The varied reactions of puppies are no different. If you have more than one dog, introduce the puppy to them one at a time so that the puppy isn't overwhelmed by all the attention and activity. This is best done on neutral territory. Do not pick up your Lucas puppy as this will prevent him from hiding behind your legs if he is a little shy; being restrained in your arms can lead to panic wriggling and you may drop him. Keep both dogs on a leash so that no harm can come to the puppy from the, presumably, larger adult dog. Even if your adult dog is friendly towards the puppy it can be over-friendly, sniffing and snuffling, poking and prodding. Your puppy may be terrified, and the puppy's equivalent of the wailing child is to growl at the older dog, saying 'Back off, buster, get out of my face'. This does not mean that your dogs are destined to be mortal enemies or that you need to pack the vicious puppy into the car and head back to the breeder. It only means that things are happening too fast for the baby and your adult dog needs to show some restraint. Do not leave the puppy and the older dog together until you are absolutely certain that your older dog has accepted the new arrival. If you have followed the advice given at the beginning of the page, you will have a crate to put the puppy in when you can't be there to supervise. Once the puppy is comfortable in its new pack then the tables can sometimes be turned, so keep an eye on your dogs and remove the puppy if he is obviously being a pest. Puppies under 4 months of age often cannot reliably read the subtle cues from other dogs and will carry on regardless of the adults signalling that enough is enough. Your older dog may set limits with the puppy using growls, barks and even a well placed foot to hold him down, this teaches him doggy manners! Introductions to other animals, cats, rabbits and so on is done in much the same way. Keep the puppy on a leash and correct him if he tries to chase the other animals. Adult cats can seriously damage a puppy's eye with a well placed swipe, so all initial contacts should be fully supervised. It can be a good idea to have dog free zones where the cat can go to get away from the puppy. Some people use baby gates that the cat can jump over whilst keeping the dog out of that particular area.

To the Vet

One of the first things you need to do is get the puppy into a Vet for an initial puppy examination. You’ll want to make sure the pup is in good health and is sound in body. You should know exactly what the breeder has done for the puppy. In all probability the puppy has had some vaccinations and you will have been given the necessary paperwork to show your Vet. Remember, Lucas terriers are a rare breed, your breeder will likely have entered into a contract with you, whether verbal or on paper, to the effect that if your dog is of the required quality that he or she should be bred from at least once to help the breed continue. Explain this to your Vet so that he or she knows that you do not want to get into a conversation about neutering or spaying your Lucas until you feel the time is right.

Teething

Most puppies go through a stage of mouthing at the fingers and hands of their new owners, and even small dogs like terriers can inflict a significant amount of pain. The puppy should be discouraged from doing this. They should be pushed away and told 'No' when they grab at fingers and hands. Provide them with an alternative to human flesh that they can chew on safely, as often this stage comes along when they are teething. Try giving them ice cubes or a carrot (you can dip carrots in water, place in the freezer and then give as a frozen lollipop). I like Kongs, these are made of hard rubber which can withstand many years of chewing. The Kong is hollow and to entertain a puppy in its crate when you have to go off and do something else you might want to smear some spreading cheese or peanut butter inside the Kong. That should keep puppy busy for a little while. If the rubber Kong is showing signs of perishing or if the dog manages to bite a piece of out if then you should throw it away and buy a new one.

Going out

Remember that small puppies do need to go out at regular intervals to relieve themselves. On waking from a sleep and after a meal are crucial times. You will soon begin to recognise the signs that your pup needs to go - sniffing and circling are give away signs. Most dog owners start off taking their puppy to the same part of the garden each time and telling the puppy to 'Busy' or some other key word and eventually the dog will head automatically to that spot to relieve itself when at home.

Touchy feely

You should be able to touch your puppy on any part of its body. Being able to do this from a young age can make life so much easier in the long run. When the puppy is small you should clip his nails weekly, even just taking off the smallest sliver. It is amazing the number of dog owners whose dogs will not tolerate having their nails clipped or even allow the owner to handle their feet. This is because feet handling was never done with them as youngsters. These dogs almost invariably have to be muzzled by the Vet or dog groomer to have their nails clipped when, with a little foresight, this should be completely unnecessary. The same goes for teeth. Many people nowadays regularly brush their dog's teeth with special doggy toothpaste and whilst you might feel this is a step too far you should still be able to look at your dog's teeth and in his mouth. You should have a look at his teeth at least once per week to ensure that he is comfortable with you doing so. If at some point in his life he has to take medicine then being used to this will make getting either liquid or pills down his throat a lot easier.

Make the rules and stick to them

Your puppy needs to understand that you are in charge and you will set the boundaries in your relationship. If you do not want your puppy to go onto the furniture or bed do not let him jump up on them. I would recommend that Lucas terriers are not encouraged to jump up whether this be on furniture or on people. The construction of a Lucas terrier, long and low, means that jumping on the bed would be the equivalent of you leaping onto a 6 foot high wall from a standing start. This, and the jumping down again, can put untold pressure on the discs in the back and may lead to problems in later life, so don't let the dog do this. Pick him up, tell him 'No' and put him back on the floor. Be consistent, do not give him mixed messages by then lifting him up and sitting him on your lap. Remember that something he does as a tiny puppy might be cute, like grabbing your socks and running off with them. However, when he is fully grown and is ripping holes in socks and chewing shoes it's not so funny. It has degenerated into destructive behaviour originally endorsed by you. Think ahead! Stop behaviour before it becomes an annoying bad habit or could lead to painful health problems in the future.

Do not allow your dog to beg at the table. When you are eating if he is in the habit of hanging around to see if there are any titbits for him put him in his crate, this is particularly important if you have children who may be inclined to drop their hated broccoli onto the floor thus reinforcing the behaviour. If you feed him at the table you'll never have a meal alone again and there is nothing worse than a dog either circling the table like a shark or making 'feed me' eyes at you and drooling every time you have something to eat!

Your Breeder

The breeder of your puppy will be interested in hearing about your puppy throughout his or her entire life. Keep in touch! You don't have to live in one another's pockets but an occasional phone call or a Christmas card with a photo and a few lines about how wonderful your dog is should suffice. Your breeder should also be one of your first ports of call should you run into a problem. Breeders will take dogs back or help with re-homing (as will the Secretary of the Lucas Terrier Club) should you have a lifestyle change that means you cannot keep the dog. The breeder knows about the health and temperament of the dogs behind your dog, so if you have a medical or behavioural problem and need help or advice, call the breeder!

Lucas Terrier Club

Do consider joining. There are a number of advantages in being a member of a Club set up specifically for the type of dog you have. You will receive regular newsletters and an invitation to the annual show. The Secretary will answer all and any questions you have, and if she doesn't know the answer she will endeavour to find out. If you intend breeding the Secretary will guide you towards dogs that are suitable for your bitch to ensure you don't end up doing anything too incestuous and if your dog is available at stud she will recommend him to those with suitable bitches.

Many firm friendships have come about in the first instance through a shared love of the Lucas terrier. One lady said 'My life in London has changed so much since I got my Lucas terrier. I have made many new friends, found dog walking companions and attended so many dinner parties where our Lucas terriers, of course, have been a main topic of conversation. Owning a Lucas terrier, for me, has been a wonderful, life changing experience!'.

Finally

The arrival of a new puppy is an exciting time. A lifelong friend has, hopefully, just come into your life. You should be a responsible owner who lets your dog know you are the boss, then you will be able to take him anywhere with you and be ensured of being made welcome as most people will respond positively to a friendly and well behaved dog.