Just got a 1 year old - help!

[LoneTortoise]

Neighbours on my street were struggling with their 1 year old pug, so I agreed to take the dog on (they are not bad people, just don't have the time/space).

Problem is they never house trained her, took her for walks, met other dogs with her. So she's like a puppy really. I've rescued pugs for many years but usually seniors that rescue found hard to move on due to age. I've never had a 1 year old before!

She's currently so excited to be out of a permanent crate that she doesn't stop whizzing around, won't concentrate on anything. Does anyone have any tips on training or calming an over excited 1 year old who basically knows nothing?

That's going to be a challenge. Poor pup. I think I would start by playing in the garden with her to get her used to being outside in a safe place.

First things first ...

Have you insured her with a reputable company and a high limit for lifetime cover?

Have you asked the original owners to sign something that says they've handed her over to you, so they don't come back demanding money later, when someone tells them that they paid good money for her (and 'think what lovely pups she'd have, you could have made a fortune' if she's not already spayed)?

After that, I would concentrate on doing some training at home to start - teach her to concentrate on you, build your bond.

Treat her like a puppy - out to go to the loo every hour at least, after meals, and also if she starts sniffing around. Associate commands for her going to the loo too.

Thank you both.

Yep, I have signed her up with Agria lifetime cover and we have a written document from neighbours. They'd never registered her microchip so it's now in our name and we will get spay booked as soon as she's a little more settled.

I've honestly never house trained, right now we're just taking her out lots but she just looks confused. I have so much dog experience but never realised it's all seniors, I feel like a novice all of a sudden.

You just do the same as toilet training a puppy. Out in the garden every hour and after waking up, play, dinner time etc.

Structure and routine is key.

Awww poor little dog! We also have a 1-year-old pug and he is honestly a dream (touch wood). They are such loving little creatures 🥰 Ours was very easy to house train as a puppy. We just took him into the garden a lot and very quickly he got it, but then ours was just a puppy.

How horrible that he was kept in a crate all day, but I now remember that actually having crate/playpen helped ours with toilet training. He broke his leg as a 10-week-old puppy in a freak accident and was placed in strict crate rest. He wouldn't pee/poo in his crate, so we were taking him outside all the time and that's when it clicked. He was either always with us (in our arms) or on crate rest and being taken out to do his business. Since he has recovered we have never used the crate.

It will be tough - don't underestimate just how tough.

I'm a dog walker and I walk a terrier who had a similar start in life - he's fine in the house now (two years later) and he's absolutely excellent with people, but outside and around any other dogs, it is a whole different story.

He is so over-stimulated that he won't take treats, he won't listen to commands - all he does is squeak/shout/bark/lunge. Constantly. He isn't silent for longer than about two seconds.

He will bark/lunge/growl/snarl at other dogs, cats, cars, trucks, lorries, horses, cows, gates, cattle grids...he just had no socialisation during those formative months and now he's just either over-excited or terrified by everything.

I've managed to introduce him to new dogs in a controlled setting and he's been fine so I think his behaviour is fear rather than aggression, but sounds horrific on the lead around other dogs and we get some absolutely filthy looks. I can't distract him with anything - all I can do is just walk past as fast as possible.

I don't mean to sound horribly negative but just prepare yourself that this may be a life-long problem and she may never be a "normal" dog.

We got our dog ( patterdale x ) as a 5 month old that had never had any sort of training , or indeed been in a house and he turned out fine . I treated him as if he was 8 weeks old and really his only issue is being a bit reactive onlead with some dogs . Our ironing lady got a 16 month old yorkie x that had basically spent all her time in a cage and she’s also turned out perfectly .