Best puppy / training book?

[river1]

Hi - we are picking up a puppy in early Jan. Our old dog died earlier this year so it’s been 13yrs since we had a puppy. We have never crated but due to layout in current house it’s something we need to do at least while young.

Recommendations please?
Thanks a lot

Not a book but the Dog Training Advice and Support FB group is brilliant. There's lots of good information/guides in their 'Files' section, including a collection specifically for new puppy owners.

There's also loads of great resources on this thread.

Zak George training revolution allll the way. It's pretty American but very useful. Plus YouTube videos to accompany it

Thanks for the links and suggestions.

Cornflake - can I ask a question? I have read the articles re puppy’s first night and crate training. I understand about slowly getting the puppy used to the crate as a positive place but can’t see how you are then able to crate the puppy on it’s first night? What am I missing here?

Thanks again

The key with using a crate right from day one if you want to is not just putting the puppy in when you decide it's time for bed and shutting the door.

They should only be put in when they're really sleepy and you should stay with them, crate door open, comforting them until they're properly asleep. Once they are then you can shut the door and get some sleep yourself. You need to be right by the crate so as soon as they start stirring because they need the toilet you can nip them outside and get them back in before they've even fully woken up. Then you just repeat the process, making sure they're properly asleep before you shut the door.

If you're putting them in the crate when they're appropriately sleepy and getting them out as soon as they're starting to wake then they won't really be registering that they're in a crate.

Of course you don't need to use a crate at night if you don't want to. I don't when I have a pup. I sleep downstairs on a sofa bed and just have the pup in the bed with me. When they start stirring it wakes me up and I can get them outside to the toilet and back pretty much before either of us have properly worken up.

Thanks for clarifying things. How long do you end up having them with you on sofa bed?