Tips on Getting a New Dog and Training It

Congratulations on the new family member. We have raised 4 puppies in the past several years. The first three we trained the more 'traditional' way and the last one we decided to try crate training. I will never go back to the traditional way. Crate training has been by far the easiest for us. The puppy, a lab, who is now 10 months, has had very few accidents, knows where her safe place is and has not chewed up anything that she shouldnt. At first I felt guilty for leaving her in the kennel when we were gone but now I even find her in there just hanging out when we leave the door open. When we travel she rides in her kennel and does not have any problems when we are at motels or other places. As long as she has her kennel and blankets she is 'at home'. Good luck with whatever you decide. Dogs add something special to a family.

I have two dogs, the main thing no matter what approach you decide to use is consistency. Also I love my Spotbot. I used to have simple green and use the hand device, it is so great to be able to use the Spotbot and do something else while it cleans up a mess, I wish I had it when I was potty training!!
I also love Ceaser Milan--I always make my dogs sit before going out or coming in, helps to establish pack order...I'm alpha! lol. Negative training also didn't work with my dogs, as a kid we used to punish the animals to get behavior we wanted--but we also only had outside pets. Having indoor animals has really shown me how that doesn't work. The positive reinforcement is so much better. I give my dogs a "cookie" (dog biscuit) when they go lay down on their bed at night. All I have to do now is say "time for bed" and they run up to bed for their treat and go to bed. It does take time and consistency but it pays off. I've had my dogs for 3 and 2 years now respectively and people always comment on how well behaved they are. It's just being consistent with the same phrases and rewards.

This is a great time to get a dog because it is warm outside. We bought a dog a few years ago and there were a few things we did (thanks to some dog training books) that were very helpful. As far as housebreaking, make sure you take your puppy out to go to the bathroom every two hours around the clock. That's right, it's like having a newborn for a while. Say a command every time she goes so that there is a command in her brain for going potty. Praise her profusely when she goes where she is supposed to go and even give her a treat while she is going so that there is no question what the appropriate action is. Our dogs owners also had a bell hanging from a string on the back door. When they were training her they would lift her paw to ring the bell. This trained her to ring the bell whenever she needed to go out.

We got a 6 wk old border collie puppy in December - the first time I've ever had a puppy so I knew nothing! As far as housetraining, I approached it much the same way as my child. I took the puppy out in the morning, after naps, after eating/drinking, before bed and basically every 1-2 hrs. Yes, there were lots of accidents - I recommend investing in a pet stain spray and a carpet steamer (always great to have with kids around too!) But it only took about 2 wks. before the puppy was going to the door and whining to go out. We let the puppy sleep in our room with us at night - I wanted to contain the nighttime accidents to one room. I got up several times a night at first - more than with my baby!!! A lot of times after taking the puppy out I would sit on the floor with it a hold/cuddle it for awhile before it would go back to sleep. I was surprised at how much like a baby the puppy was!! The most annoying thing for me was/IS the chewing. You really have to watch them CONSTANTLY!! Our puppy chewed the corner off a coffee table, ruined a coffee table book, ruined lots of shoelaces, etc. He still loves to chew, but now that he's losing his teeth I'm hoping it will be better. (Be ready to find little puppy teeth all over your house - I didn't expect that, ugh!) He has lots of chew toys, but still loves to chew our stuff more! He especially loves to chew my daughters toys and pacis (he'll jump up to take the paci out of her mouth and then run like hell! Pretty funny!) and our shoes. For awhile he was nibbling the carpet - he made a couple small holes. We put cayenne pepper in the small holes and he stopped that. I would invest in a kennel/crate, too. We never leave the puppy alone in the house. I feel like a puppy is worse than a new baby - they're instantly mobile and much more destructive!!! But on the other hand, it's really wonderful to see the bond that is developing between the puppy and my daughter. They will be best of friends. Good luck!!

We use Caesar Millan, AKA the Dog whisperer. We have a boxer, and we use Caesar's method with our dog, and he well mannered.

R.,

You will get a lot of advice on what to do and what not to do with your dog, but also remember that if you have not had a dog before, and your children have not been exposed to dogs a lot...you are going to have to train your kids how to act around the new addition.

I also recommend finding a good family obedience trainer to start talking with about some good professional training. It isn't expensive when you look at the stress it will relieve from you when the dog acts up and you don't know how to handle it, and it will help everyone grow closer to the new puppy.

Have you ever heard of someone bell training their dog?

Well we did! You being a SAHM the training is easier.
We have brother and sister Cockapoohs (Cockerspaniel and Poodle mix). We placed a bell on a rope hanging on the backdoor doorknob, low enough for them to reach. When we were getting ready to let them out to "go" we would ask them if they "needed to go potty" or tell them that "it's time to go potty". When they came scrambling we would hit the bell with a hand and then we would let them out in the yard. After a few weeks we started to pick their little paws up and ring the bell with their paw. Slowly but surely the dogs learned to ring the bell when they had to "go" and we no longer need to watch for the other signs they show of needing to go. Now they both ring the bell when they are in the need and sometimes they both go at the same time and at other times one or the other will be in need to go. With this trick we still had to watch to make sure that they were really doing their business and not just playing. With only having one dog you should be able to avoid that part.

Oh, and there are times now when they ring because they just want to go out and play. We don't remember how long it took to get them to use the bell, but we think that they were mostly trained after about 2 months. Then the reinforcing and reminding for a while. Now they do it on routine or simply jump up on us and scratch lightly, because they know that now we are aware that it also is a sign. When we are slow to react they will go and ring the bell.

If you have questions let me know.

Crate training- You can get rid of all accidents from the begging if you crate train her. It is tough to do sometimes, because she will be so cute that you will want her out of the crate more then in the crate, but it really will work. When you bring her home, have a crate (kennal) and put her in it, ever hour or so take her out of the crate and straight outside to go potty-then you can bring her inside and play with her for a bit before crating her again....Every time you get her out of the crate take her outside and tell her to go potty, so she knows what she is supposed to do immediately, then reward her for going. She will get to the point that the first thing she wants to do when you let her out of the crate is go out to go potty-

Crate training really does work for the potty issues-

The whinning and crying probably won't be to bad if you don't respond to her the first little while (nights especially) Just like getting a child to sleep though the night without you. Until she is potty trained tell the kids that she has to sleep in the crate and only in the crate- My boys begged and I gave in and have found that the dog actually prefers to sleep in the crate and I never find messes if she sleeps in the crate...

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you watch the Dog Whisperer.
He is the most amazing guy I've ever seen when it comes to dog training (or as he calls it dog rehabilitation). his name is cesar milan and he's on the national geographic channel. you can catch many episodes because they are throughout the week with reruns and i think the new ones are on fridays. i'm not sure what times since I DVR and watch them at once. I love his show and i have learned so much about dogs from watching it.
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/dogwhisperer/

A great book to look for is "Super Puppy" by Pinkwater. It helps with training and house breaking and all of that stuff. Also, invest in some Nature's Miracle--available at Petsmart or the vet's office. It is a stain and odor remover that is made from a natural enzyme and is completely safe to use around your kids and the dog. It will help clean up all those "accidents".

Good morning, R. ! May I suggest a book to you, entitled, "Smarter Than You Think," written by Paul Loeb, an animal behaviorist, who has trained dogs for movies (among other things) and has appeared on programs, such as, the Johnny Carson Show, to share some of his unorthodox, but remarkable, training techniques. My husband and I read this book prior to becoming owners of a Wheaten terrier and then a Welsh terrier. We have been delighted with Loeb's advice and the results we have gotten with our puppies!

The best part is that Loeb makes it all so easy! As a lifetime dog owner, I have gone through all the usual steps for bringing a new pup home and for training him. I even went so far as to take one German Shepherd through attack training. In my opinion, Loeb's ideas stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of raising a dog that is bonded with you and is obedient.

Best of luck,
T. N.

I found it is best to potty train little dogs to use a litter box. I have had 3 pugs all of which used the litter box. I did this because my smaller dogs did not like to go outside when it is cold. I suggest getting a automatic litter box because dogs do not burry there stuff like cats and dogs don’t like to use the box if there is anything in it. It sounds strange but when the weather is nice and my dog is playing outside she will actually come inside to use the litter box. The only problem I have is sometimes the cat takes to long in the box and my dog gets a little nervous. Spontaneous reinforcement worked best for training my dogs. When you are first starting to train your puppy have the litter box accessible (make sure the puppy can get in and out of it okay) when you see him starting to go put him in the box. Or if he defecates, put it in the box and let him see. Also get to know your puppy’s schedule, you may find that he urinates every hour so put him in the box every hour and tell him to go potty. Reinforce him with a treat, toy or play time every times he uses the box. When this is established you can reinforce him spontaneously (to prevent burn out). One thing my pug does is she will go in the box and “fake pee” to get a treat, so I have to often look and see if she actually did something. Try to avoid punishing your dog for mistakes that will just make him nervous and create more accidents and possibly an aggressive animal. Good Luck!

Okay...I will give you my advice becuase two days ago we got a 8 week old Border collie who is calm like the dad and no where near as hyper as the mom....Potty Training it is best to take him out ever 2-3 hours say lets go Potty to them and put them outside and while they walk in the yard say Go potty several times till they do if they dont then just take them out again shortly later. Remember when he/she goes potty to say good boy/girl you went potty and reward them. Now some dogs if you kennel train them they will not potty in the kennel bc they dont want to lay in it. SO they may learn faster to go outside instead of inside. Also some people use potty training pads that smell like grass and lay them on all exposed carpet. And it will train them to use Grass. You may expect accidents in the car. We have had two poops in the car on leather seats that i had to clean up becuase he is my puppy not my boyfriends. You may want to get a book on the breeds to train them Petsmart is just going to make you pay 108 for puppy classes to end up just telling you how to train them....Not helpful its just you need to keep on them when training them. Dont let the puppy sleep several hours before bed. If you keep him/her active they might be able to sleep the whole night through if you take them to the restroom before bed. Either kennel him/her at night or sleep in the bed so you know what he.she is up to. Our puppy chews on our fingers when he has to go potty at night or he will whine. Just really read up on them and keep firm and displine and love equal. Its going to be frustrating at first...I am upset with ours today becuase i let him sleep all evening and then went to bed and he wanted up at 3am to go potty and didnt want to go back to bed after that and we dont have kennels. So its hard....Good luck
K.

We got a puppy right after my ex moved out, we adopted a aussie/collie mix. The whining will last only a few nights. Give him or her a crate with soft blankets close to you at night. Having her in a laundry room or alone will just make it prolonged, after being weaned and used to her litter mates she will be sad and feel lonely for a few nights.
As far as training, you can start that immediately. Our dog was three mos when we got her so she took to crate training and potty training within two weeks.
A younger dog it is going to take longer as she doesn't have the bladder control. Make sure you just take her outside after meals, frequently through the day and lot's of praise when she does go outside. If she pees or poops in the house (which she will) then clean it thoroughly or she will have the scent and return to the same spot.
There are tons of great cleaners and scent removers at Petsmart.
Since you are at home it is good as she will get used to it. If they go in their crate it freaks them out as they do not like the mess, but if you don't take her out a lot it will happen.
Being so young, she needs downtime away from kids and noise and to sleep. That is so crucial or she can become a high strung dog.
You picked good breed as poodles are super smart and pick up on things, however sometimes pick a favorite in the family and aren't too social with the rest of the family. Alasos are great dogs too.
Keep her socialized with other dogs when she has had all her vaccinations, keep her around kids, noisy situations so she becomes accustom to it, but give her down time to sleep.
Like babies, they need sleep, eating frequently and they pee and poop a lot.
When she is teething provide her a LOT of options so she doesn't go after shoes or toys or anything else. Change your tone when she is doing the wrong thing but don't yell.
She will loose teeth too so be prepared to see them around the house, freaked me out!
Our dog is amazing, she is two and just the perfect kid dog. Loves kids, no agressive behavior of any sorts. We took her to Home Depot, Petsmart and to my children's school a lot as a puppy so she would get used to people and different places.
Dog parks are the way to go to when she is older.
CONGRATS! Your kids are at a great age to help and be responsible for the care too. Mine were younger and it took a little while and many eaten toys before mine figured it out! :)

You've gotten plenty of good suggestions for training. I don't have anything new for you there. But as far as accidents go, get Kids 'n Pets cleaner from the grocery store. It works wonders on getting the "oops" spots clean and free of smell. It's in a white pop top bottle, sold in the all purpose cleaner section of most grocery stores, walmart, etc. I pour mine into a spray bottle because it's easy to use without saturating the area. Good luck with your new pet!

Hi R.,

You're getting a smart dog (not that other dogs are not smart, there are just varying degrees :-) I have a pug - not known to be super quick)so if you're consistent with your routine and commands then it shouldn't take too long.

A crate is a must. Comforting items for the dog will help too. Blankets, stuffed animals and the like. Restrict/limit water before bedtime - like an hour before. It'll probably be around 10 weeks before she's able to hold her bladder at all so don't expect miracles. Just be supportive. Positive reinforcement rather than punishment. The whole rub their nose in it doesn't work. Some trainers recommend hanging a bell from the door you're going to use to take them out. The bell ringing will become a signal to them and they'll eventually ring the bell when they need to go out.

The one thing that I would do over if I had an opportunity to do so is to buy a hand held steam cleaner BEFORE my puppy had accidents. I didn't know their bladders couldn't hold it at 8 or 9 weeks and there were a few too many accidents. I went bonkers and bought a steam cleaner. It would have saved me a lot of stress if I had one before the puppy had arrived. Accidents need to be cleaned up or the puppy will return to the scene of the crime.

Anyway...hope this helped! Congratulation on getting a new puppy. It's a great lesson in love and responsibility for children.

Hi R.,
We have a Lab and love him to pieces. I would highly recommend getting a dog, especially for your kids. BUT, dogs are a TON of work. They need to be walked EVERY DAY, even if you have a big yard for them to play in. You'll also have to clean up their poop and everything else. Even with all the work, they are definitely worth the time and investment. We took our dog when he was 9 weeks old to "Puppy School" at PetsMart. It was kind of expensive and time consuming ($100 and every Wednesday for 2 hours for 10 weeks), but it paid off. I would highly recommend any sort of training school for your dog. But, you need to involve your girls in the training process too. If you don't, then your dog won't listen to them much. Dogs live in a Pack society. You must become the alpha dog to them or they will end up running things. By involving your kids in the training process, your girls will become second to you in the pack. Also, just because you know the puppy's parents, doesn't mean that the dog will automatically be a good dog. You need to be viligant in training and spending time with your dog. The more time and effort you spend with your puppy, the better the dog will be. There are also some great DVDs out there about training your dog. I recommend "Family Dog." You can check out their website at www.familydogs.com. It is also very helpful. We've had our "Puppy" since he was 6 weeks old and he's now 5. My 2 1/2 year old just loves him and so do we. He is a fantastic addition to our home. I'm sure that your puppy will be too. Good Luck!

Hi R., I'm a dog groomer. Have you ever watched "The Dog Wisperer"? His name is Ceasar Millan. Look him up on the internet, buy a DVD, or watch National Geographic Channel. He is a Dog Psycologist. He works with dogs that have major issues, but every dog owner can learn from his basic theries. He is amazing! His phylosophy changed my whole thinking process and how I interact with dogs. I must say that after watching his show (at least 50 episodes), I have the best dog in the world! He is the most obedient and behaved dog that I have ever met, and it's because I trained him to be that way! What a sense of accomplishment that is!
MaryA

Something that worked for us was to use the same words every time that we would take our dog out (he is a English Springer Spaniel) and now we just have to ask him and/or tell him using the same words and he will go. We also have a rug that is his and when he is inside we tell him to go get on his rug. It takes a while but if you show the dog their "rug" (it doesn't even have to be a rug, just a spot that is safe for them to be) and then tell them to get on it and while they are puppies you will have to put them on it, then you will be able to later tell them and they will know that it is time to go lay down and get out of the way. We have been enjoying our dog for 6+ yrs now and he has been there when we have brought home 4 of our 6 kids and they love him to death. Good luck on getting the newest member of your family.
J.

I got my baby when he was 10 weeks old from a pet store right after i had surgery it was kinda funny cuz i told my husband that i felt like i had just had a baby so now i have 1 he is totally spoiled he is a shih tzu. I have bought the books about training and taking proper care of the new addition to the family. i was like u and expected to have accidents but with me being home al the time with him he really didnt have very many except at night. and at night i layed a pee pad near the bed where he slept and he used it so i started moving it closer to the door where he would need to be let out with in the second week and he was totally potty trained. he does let us know when he needs out without fail now. he sleeps all thru the night and is quite active during the day. i dont leave him alone at home ever tho i take him everywhere so he is a true mommas boy. i didnt crate train him cuz i just cant bring myself to locking him up but the crate is suppose to be a small space that they will not be active in I guess my baby's crate cant be considered as my car then he is pretty calm when he is in it except when the window is open he loves to feel the wind in his hair he is adoreable still he is now a 1 1/2yrs old (in people yrs) he minds very well.
Enjoy ur new addition while its small cuz they grow up soo sooo fast its unreal. I think to best advice is to use a firm sound when the pup is doing something u dont approve of. they r not like kids time out does not work u have to discipline them the moment they r doing wrong and reward them for right things. have fun.

Well you sound pretty prepared, We have 3 dogs, all a lot bigger than your dog, so they stay outside pretty much all day. We had just the two dogs (weimaraners) and just got a puppy (weim/german shorthair)in august. He was a hand full, nothing like the other 2. He whined, had accidents, and ripped up the dog food bag. I think with your pup, it will be inside with the family more often, sometimes puppies do things just to get attention, so being inside with the family will help. I think crate training is great, especially for small dogs. As long as your consistant I think things will be just fine, it does sound like you are ready to have a dog.

Heya! Sounds fun! My husband used to train dogs for a living, so he would be better at giving advise than me. But a have learned a bit for him, so here is my advise on training a dog to be good with kids...Do not allow your cute little puppy to nip at people with her cute little teeth. Dogs need to be aware of their teeth. One way to do this is to gently close her mouth anytime her teeth graze human skin. It might take a few months, but she will respond. Also, some very sweet dogs can be aggressive around their food. To help avoid that, occasionally put your hand in her food bowl and play with her food as she eats. This seems to consistanly work.

Our Golden Retriever was potty trained very quickly. What we did was reinforced the good. After she went potty outside we would give her a puppy treat & make a really big deal about it. She caught on very fast. As for sleeping at night, we bought a big dog pillow & put it by our bed. She never cried. You could get a kennel and put it in your bedroom. I think you'll be surprised at how it works. Good luck! A.