A new puppy on it's way..

Hi

I should be getting a puppy around 3 weeks time and I havent had a dog before, is there any advice or help when training a puppy?

Thanks

Vicky

Congratulations!! what are you getting?
There are some great articles here!!

http://www.dogsey.com/section.php?f=58

Thanks for the link

We'll be getting a Sprollie

Spaniel X Collie

Congratulations! What type of puppy is it?

I would have a look at www.apdt.co.uk and find a puppy class near you. Puppies can start classes a week after they have had their first injection and it is important that you use classes that only use positive methods. (that is why i reccomend an apdt class).

On that webiste you will also find lots of reccomended books.

Training is important and as, if not more important, is thourough socialisation.

http://www.perfectpaws.com/pup1.html

Just found that website, which explains socialisation and how to do well. Personally i tried to expose Tonks to as many things asshe might experience as an adult, before the age of 12 weeks old. The crucial period for socialisation ends at 12 weeks so puppies need to go out before they have had their second jabs, so they need to be carried for short outings and car rides.

Good luck!

tonnes and tonnes and tonnes

I'm sure someone will be along shortly with some excellent training advice, so all I will offer you is some advice as someone who was in your situation 11 years ago. When I got Selkie I had never had a dog before, notr did I have anyone with a dog in my extended family I could ask for advice. It was decision I did not make lightly, but I did make somewhat less prepared than I should have been, I just hadn't anticipated some of the things that turned up and the books were clearly written about other dogs, not my wilful cantankerous, mad fluffy crazy pup!...

More than anything else, you need patience and humour. You are going to make a hundred mistakes and your puppy isn't going to be like anything you read in books (they rarely are, you may be one of the lucky ones). You need the books to make sure you don't make any big mistakes, but don't panic about the little things. Your puppy will housetrain when it's good and ready and not necessarily on page 4, your puppy might not be the brightest (Pharaoh is as thick as several short planks).

You will have sleepless nights. You will have times when you think you are going to kill the tiny fragile thing in your charge, either by accident, by doing something silly or wrong, or on purpose when you find your best and most expensive new shoes. The puppy will destroy things, it just will. It's up to you to make sure the things it destroys aren't too expensive. You have to love them right though it.

Oh I envy you.

I loved every wonderful crazy moment with my first ever puppy.

You never get that again... No dog aver again will be your first dog!

You are in for such a fun amazing special rollercoaster. Strap in and good luck!

Wow you described and gave out that advice really well. I'm just nervous and I want to make sure I do the job right.

When is it best to start the house training, because the puppy needs injections before being able to go out.

do you have a back garden? If so then I would say you start housetraining from day one. I have never found puppy training pads work, but some people swear by them. I have always used newspaper.

Here's what three dogs later I have figured out; From the moment the puppy arrives going toilet on paper is Good dog!. Going toilet outside is best thing ever great dog! going anywhere else is nothing at all. Just clean it up and make no fuss. I would wrap solids in newspaper, take them outside the backdoor, put a rock on the paper to stop it blowing away and when the puppy sniffs at the pooeypaper 'Good dog!"

Selkie took ages and ages to get the hang of it. We had to spend so long every day creating a joint language, with no older dog to act as translator. I would take her outside to look at poo and say good girl, she's look at me like I was a crazy person! I waited outside until she went in the garden and made a big fuss... She thought I was a crazy person. I picked up her poo in the house and moved it outside, she picked it up and gave it back to me...

I made mistakes, I got angry with her. I got frustrated when she would just stand in the middle of the living room peeing while I shouted at her and she thought crazy woman, clearly you have to pee, so what's she so mad at?... It was a learning experience.. we both got it through alive.

Hiya

We started house training the very minute our boys Barkley and Aries were carried in the door, we use a puppy pad near our patio door in our family room and they are doing well using this and they go out in the garden too, we do get the odd accident and only give a stern NO and either put them on the pad or take them outside if not raining but only if i catch them in the act of doing it, otherwise the mop comes out and we say nothing. We found time and patience helps and not to get too stressed out if it doesn't happen over night

Hope this helps