Never had one one before. Our puppy arrived today....tips please!

[Indaba]

Think subject line says it all.

And am sure this has been done a million times, but any handy hints for complete novice in the dog world. Got loads of books to read but am interested in any little things you have learned.

Much appreciated!!!!!

sorry there's more - you will love training her and making her a really good dog. this is very sad but i'm so proud of us whenever we're out walking everyone always remarks on how good she is and how good natured and well socialised etc especially for such a young dog. she has superb social skills and instincts in approaching and playing with other dogs and people. she's my pfb (first dog i ever had apart from when i was a baby).

Echoing the off the lead thing - my doggy neighbour pointed out to me when I first got my dog that as a little puppy you're all she has in the world - she won't run away from you in a public place. Early puppidom is a good time to teach recall training before they get the teenage confidence and feel like they can swan off if they feel like it.

I thought the Roger Mugford books about training with only positive reinforcement were good.

Yep I was told the OTT praise too, RSPCA quote "when she poops in the garden make out as if it is the best thing you have ever seen in your entire life"

Neighbours thought I was nuts before, now they know it.

As above!

Crate
Clicker
Puppy classes and loads of socialisation
Recall work right from the beginning.

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy!

Come along and join us on the New Puppy Threads, they really are invaluable.

One bit of advice we all took on was the NOT overstimulating your puppy. The whole if it doesn't sleep at night don't let it sleep during the day is not good advice in my experience. Puppies need A LOT of sleep and the better quality sleep they get during the day the better they will sleep at night. It is really tempting to try and tire them out and do a lot during the day under the impression that this will make them sleep at night but this hasn't been the case for me and a lot of others, the puppies just get overstimulated and won't sleep. So many people on the New Puppy thread found they had a much easier puppy in terms of sleeping and behaviour once they chilled out a bit and did far less with their puppies.

My puppy hasn't eaten her breakfast, she'll eat if hand fed it but is completely ignoring the food if it is in her bowl. She's been here since Wednesday and up until this morning has been a gannet. She was sick in the nght but no runny poos. Can't spell the diahorrea word or can I?

She's on Burns puppy food same food she was on at the rescue though they had her on sensitive 100% for the first day and gradually reduced that to 50 50 today, on RSPCA's advice.

It's only been since this morning, is this still the settling in period or should I worry or do anything else?

thanks everyone.

Am feeling like it is having a new human baby in the house. Worrying he won't sleep then worrying he is sleeping too much. Has he eaten enough? etc etc.

And am so glad we have wooden floors

Thanks for all your help.

Can see these threads are going to be a lot more interesting now instead of boring old AIBU and chat

Best tip I can give you is to train him to the whistle, so when you are out and he is off lead, he will come when called, or whistled, immediately.

Buy a whistle from pets at home. Every time you feed him, blow the whistle just before you put the food down, same with treats. After a few days of this, try him out, go somewhere in the house away from him, blow whistle, if he comes to it give treat. Soon he will come to the whistle outside. Good luck!

Its nice to come on this thread so I can talk about my puppy ad nauseum.....feel I have boring everyone else in RL senseless.

Anyway, he is following Gina Ford timetable for last two days (by default...no controlled crying in our house!!!!!!)

Up at 7am, eat, play, sleep, up at 11.30am, eat play sleep, same at 2.30, down until 7 till 11pm and repeat, up again at 4am.....cuddles with mum (I know I should have lights dimmed and no eye contact ) till back to sleep till 7am.

There must be a book in this for GF somewhere. She has been very quiet of late

my dog is 10 months now and she still sleeps at least half of time. she goes to sleep before me and only wakes up when ds gets on the bed, goes down eats a bit, goes out to the loo then sneaks back to my bed. we go out drop ds at school and go for a big walk and she runs like crazy. we come home and she sleeps again.

end of day the same walk and pick up ds, come home, plays a bit with ds, gets under my feet whilst i make tea, dozes on and off and then it's bed time. i tend to be on the laptop or watching stuff or reading in my bedroom from 7.30pm or so when i put ds to bed. that's when she clocks off for the day. she is currently unconscious and pressed into the backs of my leg like a cat.

so i reckon actually she sleeps for about 16hrs a day.

sounds like pup is settling well btw - just need to get past that 4am bit.

not been on for a day or so cos knackered

am being completely over caring....cuddle him when he wakes up in night and wrap him warm blanket that I warm

i know, rod for own back but blimey hes just "lost"his mum and siblings and was put on a plane to Cape Town all on his own at the weekend

flame me, I don't care