Is there a new puppy thread?

[FiveHoursSleep]

If not, could this be one, please?
We have just agreed to offer a home to a 6 week old GSD x collie? pup whose mum was rescued from an Irish dog pound.
We pick him up in a couple of weeks. Time to drag out the crate and chew toys...
He's living in a kennel atm with his mum and siblings so we''l be starting from the top when it comes to toilet training too.
Who else has new puppies and what stage are you up to with them?

Oh and also... His head is now at kitchen bin height and he's worked out how to open it.

We went through 3 different bins with our lurcher before we found one that she couldn't open!

hooray a full nights sleep and a dry crate! Although he is now absolutely wild today to make up for it, he has no interest in of all of the toys we bought him and has been playing with a (washed!) salad cream pot he nabbed from the recycling.
I sympathise tabulahrasa, he hates the rain and it has rained a lot in the last week and is scared of the dark at the moment so through the evening taking him out for a wee involves carrying him and then shutting the door super quick before he can sneak back in, ther have been several occasions when i have been wandering the garden only to find the puppy has sneaked back in!!

Applegate my pups favourite toys at present are the cardboard tubes out of the kitchen roll and carrots. House looks like a tip littered with the debris!

Mine too! Along with flower pots and plastic milk cartons... anything that he isn't really supposed to have is much more appealing than what he should!!

The bin is cat proof and anything exciting gets put straight outside anyway - but it's clearly not puppy proof and it's not food he's after, just random things to play with, lol.

Yeah cardboard tubes are great, plastic bottles as well.

The rain thing is infuriating, I sympathise with him that he'd rather stay inside, lol, and I can get him out long enough to go to the toilet, but he has sooooo much energy and of course I can only take him on short walks, so I need him to play out as well.

Can I ask, for those of you using a crate at night, where is it? Someone recommended putting it in our bedroom at night but I'm not keen, wondered if you all had yours in your room?

Nope - it's in my living room, I figured I'd start as I meant to go on - so downstairs it is and that's also why we're still fighting over access to the couch, lol.

He uses it through the day as well(open I mean), so I'd need something downstairs anyway...and I figure he needs to be used to being alone. But he was used to a crate before I got him, although of course he wasn't alone in it.

Some people have dogs sleeping in their bedroom anyway though and some start off with them there and move them gradually.

It's a personal choice thing really :)

Ours is downstairs too. The kitchen has no door in to the hallway so it is being used to also block access to the stairs. We haven't encountered any problems having his crate downstairs and he has only cried one night (about the 5th day I think). Turned out he'd wee'd in his crate so I think that was why as he is normally dry through the night.

Fanof, yy to house looking like a tip with carrot and cardboard! Our pup doesn't so much eat the carrot as shred and spread it over the floor.

Quick update:

The Good: I think we're pretty much housetrained - no accidents for three weeks now, and she asks to go out. She even holds it in when we are out for walks and then runs into the garden for a wee when we get back... She hasn't pooed inside since she was nine weeks old and had an upset tummy so we've been very lucky.

She sleeps really well at night, usually from about 10:30 until 7.

She's doing very well with clicker training and has learned lots of tricks, such as leaving food even when dropped from the table or thrown across the floor in front of her nose. Sadly this only applies when I am holding the clicker and the treats, other than that she pretty much ignores everything I say.

She is now almost 4 months old, so I have bought her first rawhide bones and I can tell they're going to be a lifesaver. She spent literally hours with one yesterday. I wonder how many they can safely have though?

The Bad: She is definitely the worst behaved pup at puppy class. She is the biggest there and just goes crazy happy and yaps and wants to play the whole time. She occasionally does what she is told but the teachers keep growling at me about how I need to get her under control NOW before she gets any bigger. I am trying, but how do you control this exuberant pile of fur with sharp teeth and insane amounts of energy?

Lead training is really hard work. She is getting better all the time but it is SO tedious and repetitive and as soon as we see anything remotely exciting it all goes out the window.

She is barking more and more and I have no idea how to stop her. It seems to happen mainly when she's bored and wants me to play - it doesn't matter that I am in the same room and have just given her a Kong AND a carrot AND an empty cereal box with a hidden treat inside. It is getting to be quite annoying.

Worst of all: she is just not very affectionate with me She loves plenty of other people - she trips over herself with delight when some of my friends come over, she always greets my husband with a wagging tail, but she frequently can't be bothered getting out bed when I come home. If I sit on the floor and call her over for a cuddle she usually ignores me. I realise this makes me sound utterly pathetic but it just makes me sad - Golden Retrievers are usually so loving, and she is with other people, but not with me. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Do you think it will improve as she gets older?

Dogs are a lot like kids for certain things, they pretty much throw themselves at other people and keep all the bratty bits for you, lol.

I don't use a clicker, but I'd assume you'd be wanting to have it all the time, so you can reward anything desirable? That's what I do with treats anyway, I do have actual little training sessions, but I have a pocketful so that I can reward him every time he comes when I call him or gets off something or whatever else. That way he lives in constant hope, rofl.

Tbh I'm dreading puppy classes as while he'll do lots of things, getting him to stop doing things is not going so well.

Hi everyone.
I'm more of a mn lurker and I never thought I'd find myself posting in the Doghouse topic, but here I am!
We are going to be getting a lab puppy in 6 weeks, so any advice would be gratefully received!

Thanks Tabulah, I suppose that is true - I am just used to my old dog who more or less hated everyone else but loved me with a passion. That made things tricky, and the fact that I wanted to avoid that this time around was one of the reasons I wanted a Golden this time. I guess I just need to get used to her!

I do have treats available at all times, but so often there isn't even time to tell her anything before she's already done it! I think it's just like you said, she'll do lots of things but isn't very good at stopping doing things...

Berry - sounds like you are doing great and putting tons of time and effort in with just reward. She's only 4 months, seems like the trainer is being a bit impatient? Do you ignore the barking or time out etc? I think it's the Ian Dunbar books which suggest teaching your puppy TO bark, to teach it NOT to bark but I have only skimmed to be honest.

We visited our puppy again yesterday, he's a 5 week old bundle of energy with no fear but adorable too. HUGE paws! Our breeder says they are tough little puppies, having 12 seems to have made them all be able to hold their own, given some litter mate or other is always up for a play! Personally, I think she's been fab, allowing 12 different sets of people visit as often as they want, 6 came yesterday! The puppies are very well socialised, given all this, 3 adult dogs and all the breeders own friends, family and other dogs visiting too. However, the pups have been relegated to their specially made house in the back yard, given that last week, they ALL escaped from their box and wrecked the kitchen!!

Hi Biscuits - a puppy for Christams then!

Hi doublemocha- yes, just in time to chew the christmas tree and decorations!

I have just googled images of Hungarian vizslas as I wasn't sure what they looked like, what gorgeous dogs!

We have ordered a couple of books, time to get reading and learning. Dd's are going to make a puppy countdown after school tonight, only six weeks to go....

LOL, I did think this myself about the Christmas tree etc. What colour is your puppy? I always loved chocolate labs in particular but like all Labradors really, what made you choose this breed? How old are the kids?

Yes, Viszla's are a stunning looking dog but also very intelligent and have high activity levels too, 2 hours at least of exercise a day, lots of mental stimulation needed etc. They also like being near you and are extremely affectionate too (Velcro dogs) so I guess that's the 'downside' to them as it's harder for them to be left for long periods. That's ok, I am home most of the time.

I guess it's about knowing about what your getting, as much as that is possible anyway isn't it?

I liked the Gwen Bailey book very much indeed, and Ian Dunbar (although he's a tough dramatic in parts for me!), both seemed entirely sensible and positive reward based. I concluded that Cesar Milan is a bit of a knob but others might like him, I don't know!

Doublemocha- She is a golden lab, the same as the mum who's a beautiful dog. We have always talked about getting a dog one day. The mum belongs to my cousin, so we went to visit them on Saturday and fell in love! I do a lot of walking and dh runs a couple of times a week, we read that labs are good running partners
My dd's are 12 and 9. We thought they are old enough to help out with walks etc and learning some responsibility.
I have ordered the Gwen Bailey book and also Collins dog owner guide- Labrador.
Not long for you to wait now, do you have everything you need yet?

Biscuit - Yep, my kids are a touch older at 13 (just) and 11, so pretty self sufficient really. I think DS in particular, who is quite quiet and reserved will bond and spend lots of time with him. DD is far too self centred and will like him for 2 weeks! We are the same as you, busy and active.

I am told 'just going to see them' is fatal! Although, at least you know the temperament and background for your puppy, a major plus.

I think I have all that I need, plus many other needless things too. Although, our friends were over on Saturday night and said our donated crate (from a Springer) isn't near big enough so now I have DOUBT!!

I feel like I did when I was pregnant with DC1, questioning whether I am doing it all 'right'. Nothing like on the job training I suspect.

Well thought I would post a little update...

Pup is now out for little walks which are going ok, we are just going round the block at the moment. It can be a bit frustrating and slow trying to stop him pulling, he seems to like walking with the collar pulling on his neck! Also my rewards dont seem to mean anything compared to a bit of manky tissue someone has dropped! It is however good to get out.

The nipping has probably reduced in frequency, but has upped in ferocity! He really tries to get a bit of leg with the trouser now. I am still struggling with this. He responds really well to positive training but anything negative I can't get the message through and I dont want to inadvertantly reward negative behaviour iyswim.

On the upside housetraining is going OK, although he isnt worried aout just peeing where he stands he doesnt poo in the house. We dont have too many accidents though as he goes out a lot and will sometimes wee on command! He is dry in his crate overnight.

Also he responds really well to reward training and has now started to bring balls back rather than just killing them which gives us another game. We seems to have got sit, stay, down (ish), sometimes he comes when he is called (i have no idea how i will ever get the confidence to let him of the lead in public though). He also seems to be getting "leave" and "drop" although he wont drop a leg!

He is probably in his crate more now for substantial enforced chill outs, it seems better all round as it gives me a break too from the constant vigilence that was really beginning to wear me down!

Oh and he keeps getting ticks! He has been treated and I cant see any fleas but I keep finding ticks round his face!

I still have moments where I think oh what have I done and feel like I havge destroyed our lifes, but they are getting fewer. DH would be happier without him but I think that is all about the nipping, DH has said a few times that if he bites one of the kids he would want him rehomed. I explained that most of the nipping is play not anger, but the problem is he does bite in anger too - luckily only me so far. So that is still an issue. I am hoping to start puppy classes soon so maybe that will help too. I think DH sees him learning something like stay so quickly and doesnt know why he cant learn "dont bite" just as fast!

Anyway it is all good! Loving the puppy just need to sort out the nipping x

I tried stay the other day...it made him jump up and bark at me lol, he does wait though for his dinner, so I'm thinking I'll just use wait instead and get him to do that at other times.

He does sit, down, paw and we've been doing roll over, he is though brilliant at coming when called, even outside with other dogs or people about, drop is a bit unreliable... He'll do it with stolen non-food items because he'll get a treat, stolen food it depends what he's managed to get and toys - he knows it, but sometimes when you want to play fetch he decides that actually he'd rather play tug of war. Leave, he's good at when I'm working close up, if I put a treat down and say leave, he's quite often eaten it before the word registers and he looks a bit confused, lol, if I hold him back first he gets it though and if I use it in real life situations, like harassing the cat to play with him or he's about to grab something he shouldn't, it seems to mean, come and get a treat...which works I suppose, rofl.

He also asked to get out to pee and poo all day yesterday - he was pretty much pooing outside and peeing wherever he was before that, but it's raining again today so I'll see how today goes.

I haven't really tried to get him walking nicely on the lead yet, we're still trying to walk without tying ourselves in knots, lol, but I'm walking him twice most days, a tiny on lead walk somewhere with traffic and people and a slightly longer one somewhere he can go off lead and there's lots of dogs.

He's still biting too, but there's definitely less of it - he's done it in anger and defiance as well, but I find it helps to think of him as a toddler not a dog if that makes sense, though we are getting much less of that as he figures out what he's supposed to be doing.

Like I said the other day, getting him to stop doing unwanted things is so much harder than getting him to do something, he's fairly insistent that bitey wrestling games are fun, that he should be on the furniture and that jumping up on you is the best way to say hello, so we're working on off - but he's not getting the point of that at all, where things like sit he picked up in a day.

Hey Tab, sounds like you are going great guns. I guess it makes total sense that they get the positives rather than the negatives - suppose you are working with nature rather than against it!

Can I ask when did you first let him off lead? I just get this feeling that if I let my pup off he would be so distracted i would never get him back! Or he would go and savage someone! We are going to the coast at half term and I would love him to have a run on the beach, but not sure whether its such a good idea....

I cant get roll over at all, i think its me though - bad lure placement!!

I actually let him off lead the first time we went out, but I cheated sort of... My DP has a workshop round the corner - which is in a grassy area but fenced, so I went there and just called him and gave him a treat it took a few tries till he got the idea that even though it's exciting outside it works the same as inside. I had bought a long lead to practise with, but he's so easily bribed with food that I haven't needed it.

I make a point of calling him when there's something interesting, rewarding him for coming and then letting him go investigate it so he doesn't assume that he's not getting to do what he wants and when I have DD with me we take treats each so we can just call him backwards and forwards.

To be fair though, he comes every time I call him inside...because he knows I have a never ending supply of biscuits and he's a little piggy, lol.

Rolling over - I watched a YouTube video because I couldn't work out how to do it, he's not going right over yet, but he goes over and on to the right side, so it's more like a 270 over rather than a 360...

Except once when we'd been doing it and I stopped, he sat, tried to give me a paw, lay down and when that still didn't get him a biscuit, he rolled right over, only I hadn't told him to do anything, lol. He does that a fair bit though, goes through his full bag of tricks to try and beg for a biscuit - when we were doing drop, he spent 10 minutes one night bringing me random objects and dropping them at my feet then looking at me expectantly...

He's still driving me demented half the time, but he's funny with it a lot of the time, if I could stop him biting completely, keep him off the furniture and persuade him to play with his toys instead of mooching round trying to find other things to play with - he'd be lovely, I figure though, I've just got to be more pigheaded than him and eventually he will be.

Oh now I'm green with envy that you can now go out 8hours given that our pups are the same age but I've still got 2nd/3rd vax on saturday. I'm hoping vet will say we are ok to go out as she did admit she was only really covering her own back saying he needed a 3rd and that personally she thought he'd be covered. But when I've taken him in the front garden he is desperate to see what lies beyond the gate. And after the puppy party he has struggled to get down whenever he sees a dog being carried as he wants to say hello. I can see I'll struggle keeping him out of other dogs faces out and about.

I have started using a clicker and treats for recall training in the house and he flies in whenever I call his name followed by 'come'. I'll still be terrified of letting him off the lead in the park though ...if we ever manage to be allowed out of house arrest. Nipping is now much less. He has been dry and night for 2 weeks and does all his poos and most wees outside now so pleased there.

It will be soon Fan! It is good being able to take him out, but we are housebound today as DD is poorly!

I think I am going to get a long lead for recall practice, and also for in the house near the kids for a bit....

I gave up on the clicker as I just dont have enough hands! I'm hoping that the words "goodboy" can have a similar effect.....

I've not used a clicker and good boy works fine, he waits expectantly even if I've just said it randomly.

I've decided my puppy is either a bit odd or really clever... I just took him for a walk off lead, except he walked behind me with his nose touching the back of my leg the entire time, unless I stopped to see what he was doing and then he got all excited and jumped up on me - I'm not sure if he's decided to teach himself to heel (not something I'm doing with him yet), if he's decided that's the point of walks, or as I suspect if he was in fact using me as a windbreak