Monday, June 4, 2012

Dog Health Questions: I got a new dog! training?

hey poeple.. i got a new puppy today.. its 2 months old... well..i named him whisky.on a suggestion of a friend

anyway..so.. i really wana know how how to train him... and teach him good manners..i know he is very small..

i was already feeling very bad for him that we took him away from his parents..

anyway.. but i have been showing him lot of love today... been cuddling him... and right now he is with me in my bed..sleeping...

is it alright for touching and cuddling him to much?

i dont know i dont want to spoil him..but i want to love him a lot aswell..

anyway..so do i do to train him... and also potty train him...???

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Recommended Answer:
You won't spoil him by cuddling and staying close to him whilst he adjusts to his new environment - in fact, you're doing exactly the right thing. The more you touch him, the more you are reassuring him that this is his new pack and you will take care of him.

Night times are an issue you will have to work out. Do you want him always on your bed? If so, then that's fine - make sure you have paper down in your room, or be alert to jump out of bed and take him to out to pee during the night (paper is probably wise anyhow!). If you don't want him to be sharing your bed forever, then you need to set the ground rules immediately - and put him in his bed or crate tonight, and be firm. Ignore whining and wails - only go to him if he gets in a complete state, then reassure him calmly, and leave again.

Potty training takes time - but the more consistent and alert you are, the quicker it will be. Most pups are trained somewhere between four and six months of age - bowel control comes first, followed by bladder control. Take him to the designated area after every meal, and every time he wakes up after a nap - and wait with him until he performs. Then praise. Keep a close eye on him indoors, and as soon as he starts sniffing and circling, take him outside. Accidents are very likely - but they are your fault, not his!!

Find a good local training school and take him along to puppy classes - the socialisation with other dogs will do him good, and the trainer will be able to show you the best way for you to train - it is as much about learning how to manage your behaviour as it is about him learning new skills - so for a first time owner - you can't beat training classes.

Good luck, have fun!

Successful Dog Training at Home - Having the Right Mindset


  • i got a puppy at 7 weeks old and now shes almost 10 weeks. She is a great dane/st bernard mix.

    I let her sleep in my bed with me but only during the day or when im awake so she isnt used to the bed being hers at ngiht because she is obviosuly going to be very large.

    at night she usually sleeps in a crate. if you crate train your puppy they will whine and cry for the first couple of nights, no doubt. but after she got used to it a little bit I let her sleep in her own little corner.

    peeing and pooping.

    -she usually whines now if she has to go.
    if your dog goes int he house, tell her NO and bring her right outside and stay out there for awhile with her or until she goes again.

    hope this helped

  • i got a teacup maltese about 3 months ago when he was 2 weeks and me and my sister had no idea wut to do but with the potty training...we got wee wee pads and put them next to his cage and if he did business anywhere but there our vet told us to take the dog to their business and put their face next to it...i know it sounds mean but 3 months later and chewy doesnt dare poop or pee anywhere but the pad...lol...good luck...and enjoy!!! :-D

  • 1)Crate Training. It may seem mean but it will provide a safe place for him if no one is able to supervise, help with house-breaking and accustom him to being crated in case he is boarded, groomed or has to go to the vet for anything serious.
    2) Do not teach or allow any behaviors that will not still be cute and harmless when he is an adult.
    3) Look into clicker training. It's very effective and helps build a bond especially with puppies.

    http://www.rewardingbehaviors.com/forum/…
    http://www.rewardingbehaviors.com/forum/…

  • I never crate trained a dog, so can not offer assistance there. I always potty train using the firm and consistant method. If you are home most of the day with him, this is possible. When he does wet on the floor, immediately tell him no show him by putting his nose down to it, then take him outside. He will begin to realize that you want him to do his business outside. Be very consitent. Puppys are like babies, they go often, so take him out often. He will prefer to go outside anyway, they just won't hold it long.

    Do not incourage any behavior now that you dont want later. Such as biting you. Teach him that you are off limits. Provide plenty of safe durable toys for him to chew on. Teach sitting and what not now. Find a treat that they love. Reward any good behavior very frequently at first, then slowly teach him to repeat the good behavior before rewarding him. The ultimate goal is for him to know that even without a treat, you ecpect him to mind you. Dogs are pack animals, and look to the leader for guidance and acceptable behavior. You must always be the leader, or you may eventually have discipline problems. Babies need to be cuddled, so right now cuddle all you want, just make sure that you want that behavior to possible continue with an older dog. Puppies that are cuddled from early on, usually tolerate, and some even want cuddling later on. But some as they get older see cuddling as you trying to dominate them, so take your cues from him on that.

    Be firm and consistent on training and correct bad behavior and things will work out great.

  • Congratulations!

    In the first week home, Whiskey will be very confused. Don't do anything you won't let him do later, such as sleep on your bed or jump on the couch. Also, he will cry at night, sometimes all night. When he cries, take him outside to pee/poop. If he goes, or doesn't after 10 minutes, bring him inside. If he still cries, shut your door and leave him alone. He will be very lonely and missing his mother/siblings.

    Feed Whiskey a premium dog food. Canidae and Timberwolf Organics are good foods that will make his fur shiny and smooth and his eyes clear. Your breeder should have given you a feeding schedule.

    If Whiskey does something bad, such as peeing on the floor, don't let it go. If you don't start disciplining him now, it will be harder for him to learn later.

    Cuddling is very good for puppies. Make sure that you touch his feet, nails and pads. This way he won't be angry when you have to cut his nails. However, make sure that he gets plenty of play time. Fence off your deck or part of your yard, and run around, chasing tennis balls or you.

    You should probably start puppy school now. Take him to puppy kindergarten. The instructors will teach you a lot of commands that will keep your dog safe and you happy.

    Last of all, NEVER HIT YOUR DOG!!! This will make him scared of you!! You want Whiskey to respect you and think that you are the boss, but not be frightened!!

    Have fun!

  • Congradulations on your new puppy, Whisky. Here are some potty training tips, use what helps and leave the rest.

    I use a crate* to potty train with, but only for potty training and then I break it down and store it. I put blankets and a small food and water dish in the crate. Dogs don't potty where they eat and sleep. When they are first little, I only expect them to hold their potty for 4 hours, and then 6 hours, then 8 hours and so on. So when they are first little, I set a timer or alarm clock to wake myself up at night to take them out. I only allow my puppy in the bedroom* or the living room, only one room at a time. They have to graduate to more space. If I allow them to have full run of the house, it will overwhelm them. I take them out the same door each time. I tie a dinner bell to the door handle. Do not use a jingle bell as they could get their toe caught in it. So when they are little, I ring the bell for them, and then open the door to go outside to potty. When they get bigger, I take their paw and whack the bell and open the door to go potty. Eventually getting to the place where the puppy will ring the bell and let me know when they need to go potty. Dogs want to please you, so it is your job to let them know what behaviors please you and what doesn't. So when my puppy goes potty, I give her a treat*, and clap, and make a fuss and praise her. So she learns that going potty outside makes me happy. If she has an accident I use a word like "shame" and take her out right away. When correcting, I use a stern, firm voice, but I never yell* or spank* my puppies. Take them out when they first wake up, after they eat or drink, or when they are sniffing around. Some puppies go pee right away, but may not go poop until 10 minutes later, so wait for the poop. I have a little play time here, because sometimes I think they are done, and they are not. Puppies train at their own pace. While I may have a puppy that hasn't had an accident in several weeks, I don't let my guard down. I don't expect my puppies to be "fully potty trained" until the 6 to 8-month-old time frame, and depending on the puppy, one-year-old. If they have a setback, shake it off, and start over. I only have my puppies in the crate when I am not watching them. When I am sleeping, cooking, ironing, doing chores, basically when I am not watching her. All other times, she is out of the crate practicing being a "big girl." This is the time I train her how to behave in the house. So we are practicing "no barking", 'no biting", "no jumping", and "don't eat the furniture." I also have to practice "playing inside" so she doesn't knock over things. Some puppies can sleep through the night around 3-months-old, but their bladder is grown around 6-months-old.

    REVISIONS:

    *I use a crate to train with. It is the method I prefer, compared to other methods I have tried. While personally, the crate traumatizes me, (it looks like a doggie jail), my puppies do better in the crate. They like it, I guess for the den like feeling, but I noticed that if they are in the crate, while I am doing chores, they are o.k., because the crate allows them to see me and be re-assured. The crate can also be a comfort when stored in the basement for dogs who live in areas where thunderstorms and tornados are an issue. It is a safe secure place for them. However, use the method that works best for you.....a laundry basket, a cardboard box, a woof-woof house, child gates......whatever works for you.

    *Bedrooms, I use the bedroom and living room for training, because it works for me. Choose rooms that work for you, but watch for rooms that are damp, or drafty. While my puppies sleep in the bedroom during training, once they are trained, I let them sleep where they want to. They don't have to sleep in the bedroom forever.

    *Treats. While I use treats for training, you don't have to. I like Charlee Bears for training (a little cracker for a little mouth,) I use them for training, but once they are trained, I cut back on them. Although I use them to give pills too. I used different treats for different things. We use one bone at bedtime to let the dogs know it is time to go to bed. We use a big rawhide for when we go on long trips, so they have a bone to amuse them, and they will be expected to hold their potty. When they get the rawhide, they will not eat their food and water, until we get home from our trip. (dogs are funny) Do what works best for you.

    *Some puppies will go potty in the same spot each time. Some puppies have to be told to go potty. A command like "go out" for #1, or "go finish" for #2 might work for you. This is a good thing to train if you travel with your dogs. By using commands, the puppy won't get confused when you are visiting someone, on vacation with you, or when you get to a new home. The command will tell them what you want them to do in an unfamiliar place.

    *Yelling. It is not a good idea to "yell" or "spank" your puppy and then take them outside when they have an accident. They may get confused and think that going outside is punishment. While you want to correct them, if you are extreme, they may not want to go outside again.

    *Sometimes it seems like you take your puppy out 5 million times a day. You can sit on a bench, or folding chair, or a 5 gallon bucket turned upside down to stay in the shade. I use an umbrella for shade too. You can always tape your favorite tv shows. In the winter I microwave a gel pack heating pad, (sold at walmart in the pharmacy, made by Kaz, I think.) I put the heating pad under my jacket so I won't freeze to death. In the summer, I freeze bottles of water, so we can grab one real fast on our way out the door. I have a mini back pack by the door I can just grab with doggie treats, a flash light, a rubber band for my hair when the wind is bad, etc. Do what works for you.

    *Time lines. Keep it real. Puppies train at their own pace, so while your last 2 dogs may have trained faster, this puppy might take longer. Training is all about routines, and repeating yourself. It is about rewarding good behaviors, and correcting bad ones. If you have a setback, shake it off, and keep going. Good luck.

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