New puppy thread, where new puppy owners can come for help and advice and hopefully clever people like minimu, midori et al will check regularly (please) to help us...

[Happymm]

Exactly what it says on the tin really. Kings idea, that we have a thread where we can all come and ask for help, advice, support or just to vent and that the much more experienced people will come and help us out :)

I am envious of all your clever dogs.We have had ours just over a week and he only knows some rudimentary commands.He obeys my daughter who is his number one carer but not always me.He is normally pretty good and doesn't dirty his crate at night but was taken out 3 times this morning to do a poo-didn't do one and then started fussing the minute i brought him in and then pooed inside.He seems to get distracted by his chewy toys when outside and forgets.He also frequently leaves little puddles of wee wee even when taken outside regularly.He doesn't seem to be very interested in treats from me or clickers at the mo.What to do?.

Teta - remind what your dog is and how old? You have only had him for a week - not very long at all - our puppy was still having accidents after a week! Don't be too hard on yourself or the pup. He is still a baby/adjusting to your house. If I were you I would take all toys away from garden when you want him to wee/poo. Go outside, shut the door and just wait - are you staying out for long enough for him to forget the distracton of being outside and then focus on the loo (I find it sometimes takes a while)? Choose an amount of time - if 10 mins then come back inside, watch puppy like a hawk and try again 15 minutes later or if you see him show any signs of needing the loo (circling/sniffing/squatting).

Are you trying to train him before his meals? That might help with his interest in the treats... what treats are you using?

Our pup (13 weeks) is really good off the lead. I just crouch down with treat outstretched, call him and he flies over to where I am.

However! This all goes out the window if he sees another dog or person. We were just out and a runner passed by. I held his collar until she was a speck on the horizon then let go. He still hared after her!

How can I stop him from losing all sense when other people or dogs are around?

How old is your pup teta?

I can only tell you what worked for us - going outside often (every hour initially), saying a particular word when she did a poo or wee, click and treat. If your pup isn't very motivated by the treats you are offering, try to find something really high value - cheese, hot dog, chicken? I suppose eventually they associate outdoor wees with nice treats and indoor wees with zilch!

If he doesn't go when you take him out, come back inside (ian dunbar says to stay out for just 3 mins),keep a very close eye on him and watch for the signs before whisking him out again - or after something like 20 mins even if you haven't seen any signs.

If you can't watch him like a hawk when you come back in, confine him to a crate (as you say he doesn't soil that) and try again in 20 mins.

If he gets distracted when you go outside, could you take him on a lead and keep him away from toys etc?

Agh x posts with kings (yes it did take me 10 mins to write..distracting puppy!)

He was born on the 7th of april so i guess he's 13 weeks or 12?.We picked him up from the breeders quite late as our building work took longer than anticipated.Yes,i know he hasn't been here that long but he is not a very tiny puppy.He's going through the chew everything phase and always finds something to chew like wellies or crocs if i don't leave his toys outside.He is a very nice-natured cocker and is lovely with the kids.He knows some commands like sit and roll-over and paw!.But usually ignores me when i call him! [but i have seen him responding to my daughter when i can barely hear her call]He is not keen on doggy treats but likes frankfurters and meat.

Hi all!
Glad all going well with you guys. Well, you'll be pleased to know that the devil pup has hugely improved this week! Think she must have sensed she was on the precipice of something BAD and backed off from it! This coincided with inlaws leaving and DH coming home, so maybe that had something to do with it. Was completely ready to send her back on Saturday.
Not biting so much (is still going for it when she gets overexcited, which is often) but not just biting for the sake of it at any time! She's also not jumping up so much and is behaving a bit more nicely with the DC's.
Training haphazard. She really is fighting me on it. Probably sits maybe 90% of the time, though with a look in her eye. Doing down she tries all sorts not too, squirms herself inside out before she finally gives in, but always goes and lies down behind me...no idea what that means but any clever people out there...Also working on wait, as she's very rude and barges past in doorways etc. Have followed advice her re:starting wait to come out of crate, which she's good at, but in doorways I have to physically hold her back? And absolutely no way I can make her wait and not dive into her food-strangled herself nearly at lunch time!
On the plus side, sleeps all night 10-8 and hasn't had any accidents in the house for wks. She's 13 wks today-happy 13wks to yours too Kings if I remember rightly, another separated by birth twins! :o

Hi all, Maggie okay this morning eye is looking fine, thank goodness.

We still have the odd little accident, won't get one for days or even a week and then I find a little wee somewhere, it is really frustrating but proves that even 8 weeks down the line we still get accidents! I haven't had many at all, think I only had ten or so in the first 3/4 weeks but overall I think we are up to about 20/25 indoors accidents.

Happymm your puppy sounds so full on with everything but then again she is still much younger than mine and I seem to remember mine being more full on 5 weeks ago. I think I have a little wimp, bless her she is so gentle about everything...doesn't dive out of doors, doesn't dive on her food, lays about most of the day unless she wants a cuddle and then she comes over and sits at your feet smiling and wagging her tail. Loves licking feet so will gently have a lick as she passes or if you are making a cup of tea or sitting at the computer. She is still nervous of people and has got a bit worse in the last couple of weeks which is strange. We had loads of visitors during the first couple of weeks and she was fine, some of these people have come back and she is being very funny....hoping it is just a phase, also gone back to hiding between my legs if people try to talk to her on a walk...

It sounds like you are making progress with her and more importantly you sound more positive which is good news!

Smarty, you just have to keep making yourself much more interesting that other things, there are some great threads on here from minimu, valhalla and midori about recall. What we have done is lot's of recall between my me, husband and daughter, we all go off in different directions and hide in the woods and take it in turns to call her and give her a really high value treats. If I see something in the distance I let her look at it but then start asking her to sit or down or something to distract her also giving high value treats, by the time the runner, cyclist or whatever has passed she usually hasn't noticed it - far more interested in the cheese I have. I also found a squeaky toy worked far better than my voice on certain occasions. She is by no means perfect but she is a lot better than she was at 12/13 weeks. Good luck

Hi all, our pup is 13 weeks today too!

I have a bit of a stupid question I think..but what do you all do with your pups all day?

If I go out, she goes with me, but the rest of the time she is either pottering about (if I am nearby to supervise) or in her playpen (if I can't supervise) or in her crate (because she simply won't sleep unless I put her in there).

Every now and then I do a quick training session (run through repertoire) or throw a ball or give her a cuddle, but that's it.

I think I just feel a bit guilty, like I should be doing something extra. This is based on the fact that she spends 90% of her day sitting nearby, eyes boring into me, tail wagging expectantly. I find it hard to ignore, is this what I should do? I just expected her to spend at least some of the time looking sleepy or content, but she doesn't..a permanent expression of 'what next?'.

Oh, and we are doing a couple of walks a day now too, although she has permanent access to the garden, and the children do a bit of playing when they get home from school too.

Yay! Poo'ed in the park this evening!!! Finally the penny has dropped!

We don't do anything specific with ours during the day. Whoever's here with him carries on with their day and he potters around. He loves company, so if I'm at my laptop MNing working, he's on my feet dozing, if I get up to make coffee he follows me to the kitchen. We go out into the garden at regular intervals for wees/poos and games, go for a walk or two, do a bit of training, the kids invariably bring friends back to pester play with him, I might take him out to Pets at Home, or my SIL's to play with her dog or to school to see the kids.... Other than that he naps. Spends a fair bit of time in the garden (puppy-proofed) sniffing at things, playing with his toys, chewing a bone.
Remember, you do not have to entertain him, other than walks. He is "just" a dog after all, not the queen!

Howdoes - same as ours! We usually go to the park for an hour in the morning. Sometimes again in the afternoon. he sleep mostly over lunchtime and apart from that we play or he is in playpen (usually sleeping). Or sitting next to me on sofa etc.

Wow, triplets then Howdoes!
I must admit, don't do anything special with our pooch either. Up and a play, breakfast, poo, then back in crate whilst I do school run (as she pulls so much on lead I can't really take her on the run and control the stroller) then out for a play, mooch, and dig in the garden-tips on how to stop gratefully received-digging up the lawn!!!
Once DS2 having afternoon nap we do a training session in the garden.
Mooches some more or sleeps. Have a lovely friend who walks her dog and sometimes picks pup up to join them, which she loves. Comes on school run if another adult around for stroller duty, or crate if not. Then plays and mooches more. Once DC's all in bed then another walk before an evening of me trying to make her kip in her bed.have just provided her with a rawhide chew though, which she is LOVING! Am able to watch Luther in peace-apart from noise of chewing!:o
Feeling much more positive though. A few biting/growling sessions but seems more puppy behaviour than what she was doing IYSWIM...:)

Is it just the one same patch of lawn that she likes? Coz SIL suggested putting one of those cheap latticed plastic doormats on the offending section - lets light through, but means wretched dawg can't dig.

Caught mine trying to bury his teddy yesterday under my wisteria!

Is all around the patio, and rabbit run. Digs big big big holes! Not sure can cover it all...
Be careful with the wisteria though. Very poisonous to dogs!

Happymm mine digs a lot! I roll up a newspaper and bang it very loudly every time she digs, I don't let her see it's me but I bang on the decking and she stops. I also praise her for coming off the digging hole. Another thing I read was to give them somewhere where they could dig, sandpit or place in the garden you weren't worried about. I had previously fenced off a particularly interesting digging spot but it is completely unseen by anyone so I thought I would let her have that for digging, after all she is a terrier! When she digs where I don't want her to, I bang the newspaper, praise her for coming off and take her to her digging spot, she is getting the message.

Oh okay, so I'm not being too neglectful then..she just looks at me so expectantly, all the time; I have to make a big effort to ignore her. But then of course she does need to learn to amuse herself I suppose. Anyway, useful to compare!

Happy - ours started digging too..she worried away at one hole and when I covered it with a playpen panel (no access but still allows light through of course) she moved on to another spot.

I then read that you could keep a water pistol handy and give them a quick squirt every time they started digging, without them seeing that it is you doing it iyswim - but she actually seemed to enjoy that.

Anyway, in the end I read online somewhere that they won't dig through their own poo so I put a tiny tiny bit of poo in each hole (we had six at this point) and filled each hole in (so not too disgusting!) and she sniffed them all the next day but didn't dig and hasn't done it again since.

So it worked for us but if it isn't your cup of tea then I have also read that you can encourage them to dig in a designated spot (sandpit or special area) and that they sometimes grow out of it!

Filled hole in with soil, with teeny bit of poo in the bottom underneath it all, god hope that was obvious - didn't fill giant hole in entirely with poo, that would've been gross!!

Filled hole in with soil, with teeny bit of poo in the bottom underneath it all, god hope that was obvious - didn't fill giant hole in entirely with poo, that would've been gross!!

Agh am so enthused about poo felt need to say it twice..

ha ha Howdoes! in fact that is a great idea, will do that too I think! Water pistol is a no go in this house, puppy thinks it is brilliant!

Poor love had diarrhoea again tonight and I think I have finally sussed the culprit, I think it is the Kong filler liver paste that is causing it so going to stop that.

Seeing as we are all so poo obsessed I have noticed a weird change in my reaction. A few weeks ago I was going round the garden gagging every time I had to pick up poo, could not stomach it at all. Today I picked it up with not a care in the world and tonight when the poor love came in covered in runny poo I just dealt with it and didn't gag once. I know this is not something to be proud of but am thinking progress is progress whatever form it takes! Also thinks part of it is down to the JWB - the poo doesn't smell anywhere near as bad as when she was on the Science Diet!

Anyway enough of that, eye looked very sore today. Vet didn't have any antibiotic drops last night and they were in stock from lunchtime, by lunch her eye was looking really sore so got the drops and have put two lots in today. It's looking much better now but hoping it stays that way.

Yeah, I know about wisteria, thanks. Have clipped it out of his reach and he's not burrowing too near the trunk or roots.

Hi all. Glad to report that had 2 good days with my little girl!! Went to my first Guide Dog training session yesterday which went really well. She behaved and really enjoyed seeing all the other youngsters. It also wore her out so she mooched most of the afternoon. When she came back to life early evening I was prepared, made sure she had her trailing lead and the minute she jumped at me to start nipping, I just grabbed the lead, said off, sort of held her at arms length and looked the other way. She soon got fed up and wandered off when I finally let go! Today we did the school run then went to the vet for her injections. Again, all went well and been lovely today. She never has 'free range' in the garden as I have to toilet train her to command on concrete. So when she is in the garden its all completely supervised and controlled play. Lots of toys, throwing for her, practicing 'leave' then 'sit' etc. Also digging is a no-no, so some spots that she tried I have covered with a heavy pot or something, the minute she tries if a squeeky toy doesn't distract then I bring her back in. Its hard work and I think if she was mine to keep I would have given up, let her wee & poo in the garden and dig to her hearts content, but I cant!!! I know it will pay off though.

Happy, I have to train her to 'wait'. When I feed her I put the bowl of food in her crate, hanging on to her with one hand. If DD around, she carries the food for me and I have pup on her short lead. I make her sit, then give the 'wait' command. Holding her at first as she physically just couldn't wait. Once she has 'waited' for a few seconds I blow a whistle 3 times. Then she is free to get her food. It only took a few days for her to wait independantly for at least 5 seconds. Now she is fab at it and I can also start to use the wait command in other situations. I will also be using the whistle for recall when she goes off lead as it ties in with getting food. Give it a try, this breed really seem to learn quickly.

Thanks for the tips Wags-keep them coming!!!
Devil dog went nuts at me again last night, trying to jump, pulling her lips back and nipping. Barked at me a couple of time too :(

That's a shame Happy, is there anything you could identify as a trigger for the loopy behaviour at all?

We have realised that our pup goes mental whenever she is taken into the living room - usually this is in the evening, when we are all in there together and trying to ignore her and chat or watch television. I think it is a combination of excitement (doesn't have free access to this room) and frustration, because we are ignoring her. She then goes bonkers and gets lots of negative attention that must be rewarding to her in some way.

Yesterday I took her in several times during the day so that the room itself wasn't quite so exciting, wore her out with a nice play before taking her in etc - and she still went mental (nipping, charging about, jumping on furniture).

Tonight I am going to try leaving the room when she gets going, rather than shouting and chasing (which I know is wrong but hard not to). Failing that it will be a training line job (already bought).

Spam - yes it's funny how you desensitise to the yucky bits isn't it? Yesterday we went for a walk along the river and she pooed, but I didn't have any bags, so I picked it up IN MY HAND and threw it in the river. In retrospect I even disgust myself!

wags - I love hearing about the guide dog training, a sort of uber training that I can only aspire to, but there are elements of it that I would like to try, I like the idea of the whistle!

Oh, and we had a fab walk last night. It was raining so there was hardly anyone else around so I felt brave enough to let her go off lead. She loved it, and came back every time I called (top treats on offer)!

Howdoes - IN YOUR HAND!!! get a stick and flick for goodness sake!! We are now officially allowed out so have walking and all of that to come!

Had dog trainer over last night and apart from some nightmare behaviour from our kids the dog behaved quiet well and did usual things of nipping and biting clothes etc so I was pleased he got to see that.

He mentioned using a whistle for recall which I think we will do, DH seemed keen on this and it does seem easier than hollering across a park!

One thing he said was that we don't need to tell her 100 times it will be thousands before it's 100% set in! Also if she doesn't do what we ask at home she's not going to do it out on a walk so don't expect to much!