Looks like we’re getting our first dog, a cavapoo puppy later this week. I love dogs, but haven’t had a dog since I was a little kid so I know really nothing about being a dog owner. Our teenager will help, but, yeah a teenager. That leaves me and mrs trueblueinpw.
Need to know most immediately about house training. So would love ideas there about the best method and approach. Also curious about the pros and cons of the cage vs no cage.
All advice and opinions are welcome. Oh and by the way, in honor of Joe Judge we already had the pup neutered.
crate training is a must.
also, enroll in a real puppy training class, it's essential to get the puppy (and you) to learn about the things that will keep him/her alive (staying when told, coming to you when called, leave it (so they don't eat things they shouldn't), etc.).
so much more but mostly congratulations.
Right at the outset, I crate trained and I watched mine like a hawk when he was out, like all the time, and try to catch them mid squat. With vigilance, I hardly had to train him and he was only ~8 weeks.
Best to you and your family!
Positive reinforcement always.
figure out what motivates the puppy... some dogs are more food motivated... toy motivated, etc... then use that... affirm the dog when they do something good, even if it's not what you asked... if the puppy looks at you, affirm that... if the puppy sits (and you didn't ask), affirm that... so they learn that certain behaviors will get them rewards... they will figure out things faster than you realize.
have consistent words that your family uses for commands...
Like someone above said..crate training is a must. These are velcro dogs and won't leave your side.
Get a set of bells to hang down from the handle of whatever door you take him/her out for the bathroom and ring the bell with it's paw EVERY time you go out for the bathroom only. Within no time they will ring the bell when they have to pee or poop. It's the best potty training trick and NEVER use those wee wee pads. feel free to email me rossww@yahooo if you have questions/
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Standing Stone Kennels Training Videos - ( New Window )
It's funny, the same motivational tools don't work on my kids...think I must have started training them too late.
Our breeder highly recommended Baxter and Bella for on line training and advice. They are very responsive and knowledgeable especially for a first time pup owner.
Yes they are velcro dogs and ours cries whenever one of us has to leave. But only briefly.
Best of luck
Good luck.
I don't know it just seems weird to me.
Potty training can be easy or tough, its more dependent on you (unless there's a medical issue with the dog). We took George out every 1-2 hours when we first brought him home and the first month I woke up at 2am to let him out at night. After about 4-6 weeks that should subside. Once he hit 4 months old i'd stay up until about 11pm, take him out then get him up at 6:30am and he was good to go, has never peed in his crate.
The big mistake we made was not getting him really early training. We had a really busy summer and just kinda let it get away from us. We are doing at home training now and after 2 sessions we learned a ton and he's taking to it well.
Socialize your dog as much as possible. That said, until its 6 months old and can get all its distemper/rabies shots, you really need to keep the dog on property and know what other dogs its socializing with. We were pretty open with what George did but still had to be somewhat cautious.
Ohh, take it in the car A LOT the first month. Get them comfortable in your car very early so they don't develop car anxiety. Short rides, even just down the block and around the corner every day will be well worth the 5 minutes.
We wanted to but didn't want to deal with the annoyance. He just sits by the door if he has to go and if he isn't let out he might let out a small bark. Much more tolerable than the bell.
here is my COVID dog, we got Cooper in March, he turned 1 last Friday. Awesome dog. You will have to excuse the Boston Bruins dog tag, I'm outnumbered.
This was when he was around 3 months old and 25 pounds;
This picture was a couple days ago he's now 1 year and 75 pounds:
they grow up so fast...
I don't know it just seems weird to me.
Not weird, you’re just a dog person. Join the club lol
Did you neuter him yet? We are trying to wait as long as possible - most recommendations were to atleast wait until puberty and if possible, waiting until after. That's basically anywhere from 6-24 months old though. Going to definitely wait until he's a year and see how his behavior is and go from there. So far no major issues.
here is my COVID dog, we got Cooper in March, he turned 1 last Friday. Awesome dog. You will have to excuse the Boston Bruins dog tag, I'm outnumbered.
This was when he was around 3 months old and 25 pounds;
This picture was a couple days ago he's now 1 year and 75 pounds:
they grow up so fast...
Beautiful pup! I see you didn’t get the no dogs on furniture memo lol
Did you neuter him yet? We are trying to wait as long as possible - most recommendations were to atleast wait until puberty and if possible, waiting until after. That's basically anywhere from 6-24 months old though. Going to definitely wait until he's a year and see how his behavior is and go from there. So far no major issues.
We did, Cooper is a rescue and it was a condition of adoption, so he was neutered before we got him from the rescue.
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you're supposed to post pictures in any dog thread, so hopefully you fix that.
here is my COVID dog, we got Cooper in March, he turned 1 last Friday. Awesome dog. You will have to excuse the Boston Bruins dog tag, I'm outnumbered.
This was when he was around 3 months old and 25 pounds;
This picture was a couple days ago he's now 1 year and 75 pounds:
they grow up so fast...
Beautiful pup! I see you didn’t get the no dogs on furniture memo lol
lol, I struggled with that and that's the kind of thing trueblueinpw will need to figure out.
My family likes to cuddle with our dogs, so they will be up on the couch with us. Cooper sleeps in a crate still, but my older dog sleeps in one of my kids beds now (the older dog is 8). but with something like this (furniture) you need to decide your approach and be consistent.
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In comment 15485023 pjcas18 said:
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you're supposed to post pictures in any dog thread, so hopefully you fix that.
here is my COVID dog, we got Cooper in March, he turned 1 last Friday. Awesome dog. You will have to excuse the Boston Bruins dog tag, I'm outnumbered.
This was when he was around 3 months old and 25 pounds;
This picture was a couple days ago he's now 1 year and 75 pounds:
they grow up so fast...
Beautiful pup! I see you didn’t get the no dogs on furniture memo lol
lol, I struggled with that and that's the kind of thing trueblueinpw will need to figure out.
My family likes to cuddle with our dogs, so they will be up on the couch with us. Cooper sleeps in a crate still, but my older dog sleeps in one of my kids beds now (the older dog is 8). but with something like this (furniture) you need to decide your approach and be consistent.
Ours is only 20 lbs soaking wet and doesn’t shed so we love having her with us as well
My recommendations with a puppy;
Anticipate the dogs needs. Take the puppy out many times before the dog actually has to go. Reward the puppy for good behavior, treats etc.
Play with your dog. Puppies have a lot of energy, keep him occupied. Give them toys. Tire the puppy out this will get them out of trouble avoiding accidents and chewing.
Train the puppy from the beginning. Have the puppy wait for food, teach the puppy to walk with you, teach proper behavior, no jumping, etc.
The most important recommendation that I can make is to treat the dog as a pet . They are cute and loveable but they need boundaries. Establish ground rules, such as staying off the couch, sleeping in a crate and not in your bed, eating at a specific time, use the treats as reward not to supplement their diet, etc.
A trained dog makes a great pet.
great resources: "the art of raising a puppy" by the monks of new skete; the dog whisperer.
ABSOLUTE NUMBER ONE LESSON: at feeding time, put its bowl out in front of it, but do not let it eat until it has relaxed (you'll know because it will put its head down on the ground and let out an audible sigh). this lesson - that he/she will get what you want when his/her mind is relaxed - is the bedrock upon which all further lessons are built...
Puppy kindergarten will be answer more questions than we could answer here, and its fun! The puppy gets to start socializing with other dogs and people, which is vital. And you get to ask questions, play games, and learn training techniques.
We insisted our two kids had to attend every session. They had fun, but its their dog too.
OP I recommend hand feeding from the get go. It builds trust, shows your dominance, and helps keep their excitement/anxiety down when eating. You don't need to do it forever but I would definitely do it out of the gates and feel out the progress from there.
Positive reinforcement always.
Also, the training is for YOU, not so much the dog.
OP I recommend hand feeding from the get go. It builds trust, shows your dominance, and helps keep their excitement/anxiety down when eating. You don't need to do it forever but I would definitely do it out of the gates and feel out the progress from there.
I wish we had an excitable eater. Our biggest problem was finding a food she would readily eat. She turned her nose up to any type of hard kibble. Finally found a food by Fresh Pet for small dogs. It’s expensive but worth the money since it relaxed our fears we were starving our dog. She would go days without eating sometimes ugh
Remember the #1 thin on a dogs mind is to be with its owner (unlike lets say a cat).
If you want a poodle BUY a poodle.. Stop supporting these ass hole breeders.. Stop being so damn cheap..and buy a pure breed.
Sincerely,
a poodle owner of over 45 years
fuck doodles their owners and all the rest of those cross bred monster dogs
If you want a poodle BUY a poodle.. Stop supporting these ass hole breeders.. Stop being so damn cheap..and buy a pure breed.
Sincerely,
a poodle owner of over 45 years
fuck doodles their owners and all the rest of those cross bred monster dogs
Boy, you got a big ‘ol stick up your butt don’t ya?
Take it out and toss it to the dog. You’ll enjoy life more.
If you want a poodle BUY a poodle.. Stop supporting these ass hole breeders.. Stop being so damn cheap..and buy a pure breed.
Sincerely,
a poodle owner of over 45 years
fuck doodles their owners and all the rest of those cross bred monster dogs
First of all your response shows just how ignorant you are. Congratulations! Secondly, we were so cheap that we saved a pup that we knew required a $5,000 heart surgery or she would have died within three years.
One thing to keep in mind, tying in with the stress on positive reinforcement - if you don't catch a dog in the act of pooping or peeing on the floor, they will have no idea why you're angry at them anyway. If you do catch them in the act, try to hustle them outside before they're finished to convey that this is something to be done outside.
We've been lucky. All of our dogs took to housetraining fairly quickly.
Our current girls:
If you want a poodle BUY a poodle.. Stop supporting these ass hole breeders.. Stop being so damn cheap..and buy a pure breed.
Sincerely,
a poodle owner of over 45 years
fuck doodles their owners and all the rest of those cross bred monster dogs
You sound fun.
Treat your dog like you would treat a two year old (helps if you have had kids). They are smarter than you think but they need clear and consistent communication to figure you out. You can talk to your dog a lot and if you use consistent and simple language, your dog can learn and understand a lot of what you say.
For the first month, maybe a bit longer, your dog may not understand the situation and not know what to do, what to expect. So be very patient at first while dog figures things out. You won't really know how your dog is until about 2 months in, as behavior changes once comfort level begins to be reached.
That is a superb idea.
One thing to keep in mind, tying in with the stress on positive reinforcement - if you don't catch a dog in the act of pooping or peeing on the floor, they will have no idea why you're angry at them anyway. If you do catch them in the act, try to hustle them outside before they're finished to convey that this is something to be done outside.
We've been lucky. All of our dogs took to housetraining fairly quickly.
Our current girls:
awesome, more pictures.
We have a slack channel at work called dogs of [my company name]. People upload pictures and videos of their dogs. that's it. no other commentary.
it's my favorite slack channel, I'll check that every day.
One thing to keep in mind, tying in with the stress on positive reinforcement - if you don't catch a dog in the act of pooping or peeing on the floor, they will have no idea why you're angry at them anyway. If you do catch them in the act, try to hustle them outside before they're finished to convey that this is something to be done outside.
We've been lucky. All of our dogs took to housetraining fairly quickly.
Our current girls:
Yeah we’ve always allowed our dogs on the furniture too. Cuddling with them is one of the best things about having dogs. I’m not sure why the one poster was so adamant about making sure they don’t get on the furniture but our dogs have all turned out to be incredibly sweet, loving, obedient pets so if it’s a behavioral concern for that poster, then I disagree with his position on that.
So, we'll have to see...
Also, I know the dog store's can be fucked up. I know there are lots of good dogs that need homes. But I'm working with what I have here though - my wife went to the store with my daughter and the rest has been going about as you would expect.
Thank you all for your advice. I really appreciate everyone's comments!
I don't know how that works, I've only rescued dogs (no judgment though, seriously).
Can you have the dog seen by an independent vet? I've heard some horror stories about the health and treatment of mall pet shop dogs.
I'm getting my first puppy (black lab retriever) on Dec 23. I'm super excited but I want to try to get things right initially and avoid rookie mistakes.
*Crate or cage training is just fine. Don't give up easily if they don't like it at the beginning. Wear them out playing and put them in cage when you notice them falling asleep. At some point we left the door open and they would go in on their own when really tired and needed to crash.
*Always...and I mean always take the puppy outside IMMEDIATELY after they come out of the cage. Every single time. Stay outside until they do their business, otherwise you will ruin a few carpets.
*Buy a large bottle of Nature's Miracle.
*Food out when its time to eat. If they are not eating...pick it up.
*Short one or two word commands. Big time praising when they obey. Plenty of praising, petting and playtimes with other dogs (after their shots).
Have fun!
There are tons of good advice on here, I will second the crate training and positive reinforcement. We did NOT do the wee wee pads, we have carpet in the house and my previous dog was trained with wee wee pads.. lets just say he would take the carpet for a pad every once in a while.
I would start brushing the teeth as a puppy, my guy loves having his teeth brushed and it will save you with vet bills much later in life. Get the poultry flavored toothpaste for dogs, he loves it.
Early dog socialization is important too (puppy classes will help you with that). Obviously you need a certain amount of shots before you should introduce him/her to other dogs but it is also very important.
Best of luck! Dog's are wonderful
He would cry at night so we purchased a life saver, the Snuggle Puppy. Best $40 I have ever spent. It is a plus dog that you put a little heart shaped battery powered device in that has a small heart beat. Simulates the littermates. He would lay on that thing and sleep no problem after that. We still have it to this day, he sleeps with it in his crate without the heartbeat on now.
I don't know how that works, I've only rescued dogs (no judgment though, seriously).
Can you have the dog seen by an independent vet? I've heard some horror stories about the health and treatment of mall pet shop dogs.
Tbh, I’m not thrilled but it’s where we are. I totally favor a rescue or a breeder but I haven’t been involved enough evidently. The misses said today the store would have a vet check out the puppy but I’m not really convinced that’s going to be an fair eval.
The hair thing doesn’t sound great but the dog could be stressed.
Not a big fan of these new cross breeds but any Breeder can be unethical, even poodle breeders. We looked for a Breeder for a year before we decide on ours and if anyone needs an excellent Springer Spaniel, I know a Breeder. I think I could train this dog to drive me to work.
Don't just let him run around in the yard and say good enough.
Dogs need an loved to be walked. And controlling your dog during walks also teaches them that you are in charge.
Dogs thrive on 2 thing beyond affection:
Routine. Walk time, food time, especially
Knowing who's in charge. There is no democracy in a pack. You either lead or follow. Anything else is confusing and causes anxiety.
Dogs are amazing animals. Enjoy