Nearly a week into owning a pup - how are we doing??

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bex1984

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I am new to dog-ownership so have been reading books and the internet left right and centre to find out what I should be doing with my new puppy.

Stan is 12 weeks old today and we got him last Friday. Since then he has learnt Sit, is just about grasping Stay, comes to call quickly 90% of the time (unless something smells really interesting), walks calmly on the lead, goes off the lead for short spells in the park, and is starting to learn Leave It.

He hasn't pood in the house since his first evening, and only weed in the house yesterday morning because I didn't get him out quick enough after he woke up. He is still taking a while to realise he's been taken outside to go to the loo and I'm not going to let him in to play (he prefers being indoors) until he goes but we're trying to teach him to 'toilet' on command. When we're at home we're with him nearly all the time so we take him straight out if he looks like he needs the loo - will he eventually learn to ask to go out? He is whining if we go upstairs (he is shut downstairs) but we're just ignoring him until he goes quiet - will this work given time?

He is on the waiting list to go to a puppy party at the Vets (should be in the next few weeks) and I have the number for a puppy training class round the corner from my house.

Does that sound like we're doing OK? what else can we teach him at the moment? I don't want to overload him but do want him to be learning - I can't stand naughty dogs!
 
Sounds good.

Bear in mind he is only 12 weeks, a baby, and walking/trips to the park are for socialisation and getting him out and about, not for exercise, don't overcook him, his bones are still very rubbery - in that vein, when teaching sit and down, try to tempt him into the position using food - back over his head for the former, down low between his paws for the latter - not pressing on his bum or shoulder.

Try and teach him to spend short periods of time on his own in the house, in a crate or den - that will make him realise it is not a trauma for you to be out of sight (ie when you go upstairs or back to work)

Recall can be a great fun game with you and OH calling him between you, one holding on while he goes nuts, not letting go until he is really worked up, then loads of praise for the person who he is running to.

Toilet training sounds grand.

I would introduce a 'focus' command, like 'watch' or 'look at me' - where the longer he holds your gaze, the bigger the treat (cheese, chicken, play with a toy, whatever!) so if he wants something (the food, the toy, a run around, to be let out, whatever) he has to be looking at you to get it - he will learn that all good things come from you.

It's brilliant for teaching the heel, recall, avoiding problems later on where he might get over excited by other dogs/cats/everything!
 
Thank you, the 'watch' thing sounds really good - we'll work on that.

We're defo not pushing him into position when it comes to sit etc, and now he's learnt what to do we're teaching it both from hand signals and voice commands.

We do the recall thing in the park in the morning :) getting him to come to each one of us in turn when called - he loves it!

His favourite outing is to the yard - loads of people to play with, other dogs, horses, cows, sheep - lots to smell and look at. I have tried to explain to him that he is not fully grown and therefore launching himself off the back of the sofa and across the living room is not the best idea...
 
Another Q - he smells (of dog - I am too used to cats!!) - when can we give him a bath and what should we use to bath him? I have already put him in the sink a few times to wash his paws when he has trodden in poo etc, he thought it was great fun and enjoyed drinking the water,
 
Good news :)

I know it's a personal thing but I like to take baby pups places in the car and let them have a good look at anything and everything, teach them lead manners in the house and then full blown walks when they are a bit older.

I do love that game :) me and my mum do it on the beach, great fun.

Re the smelliness, I wouldn't worry about it too much (well, mine are outside, I would say that :p) but it is quite normal and a wee skoosh in the sink with a cloth every so often won't do him any harm. I wouldn't bother with shampoo at this age unless he is absolutely stinking, and then, make sure it is something mild.
 
It sounds like you are doing fine, I could E.mail you my puppy manual (it's home typed:rolleyes::D) jsut what I send out with all the rescue puppies if u think it will help you, it covers alot about toileting and crate training and lots of other waffle:D
 
When he is a bit older, you can combat smelliness by hot clothing him with a really hot, well wrung out chamois leather. I wouldn't when he is a baby as I'm not sure how sensitive his skin might be to the heat, though I might be being overcautious:)

You will learn to love the smell anyway:D
 
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