What do you need to know about puppyhood?

[TheWorstWeek]

Before I start, I want to point out that I've had a rescue JRT (from age 3 to 15) as an adult, I had a childhood rescue dog, and my family currently has several dogs, all different breeds. I'm in no way a newbie to having a dog but this is the first time I'm going to have a PUPPY that I'm completely responsible for, alongside my DH and I'm determined to get it right.

With that in mind, please tell me all the things you think is relevant about having a puppy. I've obviously done A LOT of research myself already but I want to make sure I've thought about and considered all the little things. I've already covered what to look for in a breeder/new puppy in a previous post so this is more about actual puppyhood. So from toilet training to simple commands to socialising, and everything in between, tell me all the things you wish you knew before bringing home a puppy.

Thanks.

I know that, in the beginning, it’s as exhausting and time consuming as having a very active toddler!

I think it’s like a baby. Despite researching and feeling prepared, I was still blindsided by how relentlessly exhausting it was and the sudden reduction in my freedom. During potty training how you can feel you can’t relax and when you miss spotting that they needed a pee and they pee on the carpet, the frustrations you feel. Maybe I’m just too hard on myself! But there were a lot of unexpected emotions and also at times I felt so annoyed with pup which brought guilt. So I think just getting ready for a challenging time and doing what you need to, to help bolster yourself through that, as it will pass quickly enough.

My pup is 4 months now and we've had him since early August. The main things I've found useful:

They need a LOT of sleep. At the start mine was maybe awake for sometimes just 30 minutes before needing another hour or so nap. If they start getting bitey that means they need to sleep.

Focus on teaching the commands which will be most useful. It's cute when they can give you a paw etc, but a bit pointless spending time teaching it. Sit, stay, heel and 'leave it' have been the main ones for us so far. Leave it especially when you're out on walks and they keep trying to eat all the rubbish off the ground!

Some people don't do it, which I understand, but we found crate training to be a godsend. Being able to get on with housework etc knowing he is asleep and safely contained is invaluable.

Something which really helped us with toilet training was buying a cheap metal pen for the garden to pop him in. Otherwise he would just run around sniffing everything and getting distracted, so containing him in a boring part of the garden meant he would eventually go to the toilet instead of trying to explore the garden.

Also join the puppy survival thread on here as the advice received from others on there has been a life saver.

You need to know that the window for dog to people socialisation closes at 12 weeks. And dog to dog closes at 18 weeks.

That means you have a very short time (given that the earliest you can legally take a pup home is 8 weeks) to socialise a pup. Unsocialised pups grow into very difficult and sometimes downright dangerous dogs.

Socialisation does not mean letting your pup run up to every Tom, Dick and Harry and being a complete and utter pest in the park.

It means exposing your pup gently to all the things it needs to be comfy with.
In these early weeks, pups are accepting of anything. So you want to make sure your pup is met by children, men, women, folks with beards, glasses, carrying umbrellas, everything.

And the 'meet' can just involve asking the person to give your pup a bit of kibble and a few kind words.

So - take your pup out (carried pre vax) amongst people. People love a pup but take care not to overwhelm. You dont want crowds of kids with their hands all on him at once. Just nice and gentle but as many different folks as you can pre 12 weeks.

People you know well - gentle handling and play with your pup.

Get your pup on car journeys, on a bus if you use buses, used to traffuc noise, loud bangs. Expose to all.

Now - the dog - dog - you dont want a pup that is a Royal pain, nor terrified.

So you want your pup to meet many dogs but play with just a few. A WELL RUN puppy class can be ideal to meet other pups - especially one where they let 5 or 6 pups have a few mins rough and tumble play and then break and do individual learning.

Your pup definitely needs to be able to have free play with a couple of other pups ideally or one or two friendly dogs that are owned by friends of yours.

This is how they learn bite inhibition fastest - pup nips, other pup squeals or dog will give a gentle bite back to teach the pup that nip was hard.

Be careful with this - once your pup is matched you can let them play fairly rough - they love it- but you certainly don't want your pup to have a bad experience so make sure you do know the other dogs' temperaments and dont put a small pup in with huge dogs.

Finally, never let your pup go flying up to other dogs you don't know. Both you and your pup will be very unpopular!!

@Anisty amazing information, thank you. With dog to dog socialisation, is it okay to have puppy meet the other dogs in my family, all of which are fully vaccinated, flea treated and wormed, before they are fully vaccinated?

Fully planning on taking the pup out on walks (carried) and on short drives in the car too so hopefully will get used to a variety of sounds, smells and people.

@YorkshireFelix oh, that's a really good shout about the metal pen. We have one in the shed from when our JRT was young so that might be perfect. We also plan on crate training. Even if only to give the dog a safe space to sleep away from the kids

@TheWorstWeek - yes, absolutely fine to be with vaccinated dogs and play in your garden. Go for it!

Anisty has covered a lot of the practical stuff, but I would say - be prepared for the emotional overhaul and how much they can turn your lives upside down. Be prepared for the huge time commitment (especially when they're young) and how you really do need to plan your life around your dog to some extent.

Also, it's really important to remember that all puppies are individuals - sometimes when you read threads on here, it's really easy to feel as though you're doing a bad job. Some will toilet train in a matter of days, some take months. Some are fine being left from day one, some will never truly love it but will learn to adapt. Some will never have issues with recall, others will be a nightmare.

There's also the issue of not being able to control other dogs - so while you can do everything right in terms of socialisation and training, you can't stop other dogs bombing over to yours and causing problems. I'm not saying that to scare you, more to try and reassure you that if something goes wrong, it's not necessarily something you could have prevented, if that makes sense. Don't beat yourself up if you find something hard or because you seem to be struggling more than someone else.

Haven't had chance to read all the advice so apologies if this has already been mentioned but join the Facebook group Dog Training Advice and Support. They are professionals who give advice. All force free. You have to read the guides before asking for advice on there. But there are loads of guides for puppies and beyond. And just reading others' posts is helpful too. They also have a book.

I genuinely thought I'd got the most aggressive puppy in the world. I knew they were little biters but I was not prepared for just how much. I even got in touch with my amazing breeder for help. But mine is now the most soppy loving dog. They are little land sharks. Be prepared for that. And a host of emotions including regret. I felt so down for a while about how he had turned my life upside down. But I promise month by month it gets easier. Mine is now 2.5. He still has his moments but is a lovely boy. Put in the work early and it pays off

This might also be useful:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/5172686-how-long-roughly-does-it-take-to-train-a-puppy-going-to-dog-trainers?reply=138563753

Are there any allergies in the family?

The smell and mess they bring, does that concern you?

Suggest getting a crate which sits in a bigger playpen - enforced naps are a must

The potential hidden costs in dog ownership

Small kids - puppies will think they are litter mates and treat as such

Walks are boring / non existent for a while

You can't guarantee a great dog, even with training. Are you okay with that?

Essentially what I'm getting from these replies is mostly "be ready for an emotional rollercoaster" which, honestly, I was already expecting. As much as you can anyway!