Advice for new puppy

Hi all, we have a 6 week old boxer cross pup arriving to us next week. We both always wanted one, and after lots of discussion we took the first steps. We have a newly built house in the countryside so space is not a problem. We are getting him off a neighbour - free to good homes. However we have a couple of questions.

• We don't want a dog sleeping in the house, and we have a kennel in an area on the lawn fenced off. I realise that I can't have him in the kennel for the first few nights. Would it be ok to section off an area in the garage, and put down bedding and blankets for him for the first few nights?
• We want him in around the house during the day (come and go as he wants), but not at night. Will this be a problem for him to get used to? Am going to try and house train him straight away.
• We have to get him his injections. Do I need to know which ones or do I just bring him to the vet who will know?

Any other general advice for 2 enthusiastic newbies.....Thanks.

andreac

Ok, firstly, are you getting the pup aged 6 weeks? as this is too young to be taken from the mother, they should be at least 8 weeks.

Why dont you want the pup in the house at night? do you know how cold it is out there at nights now? I wouldnt be putting any pup outside to sleep now.
I dont understand why it cant be in the house during the day but not at night. I think its very unfair to ask a young pup to sleep outside on its own when its after being taken away from its mother, plus as i said its very cold at nights out there.

You will find it hard to house train him if hes outside at night or in the garage. i would suggest crate training as this will help with toilet training.

The pup should already have some injections so the vet will give the next set. You should get a vaccination card from the breeder when you get the pup and it will show what vaccinations it already has.

The pup will need to be wormed regularly too until its 6 months then every 3 months.

Toulouse

The pup needs to be 8 weeks before it leaves his/her mother. This 2 week period is very important in the pups development so I would advise you to leave the pup with the breeder until then.

Secondly I would not be leaving a pup outside or in a garage at night. I don't understand why people get dogs and then leave them outside. If he's allowed in during the day then why not at night? It's not a massive leap.

If he's coming at 8 weeks then he should at least have had his parvo shot. Your vet will tell you what he needs. Also remember that he needs to be wormed every fortnight until 12 weeks old, every month until 6 months old and then every 3 months after that. Please get all your worming and defleaing preparations from your vet, you can buy them over the counter and steer clear of the supermarket brands. Also find out what the pups owner has been feeding him as switching food brands too suddenly can cause stomach upset.

Some good info here http://www.dogstardaily.com/training

spurscormac

I had the exact same plan when I was getting my pup - he'll sleep out at night, but be free to go in and out during the day.

That changed pretty quickly after we got him and we used a childs play pen to crate train him and prevent him from chewing the furniture in the kitchen. 15 months later and its still his bed.
He loves being outside, but would hate the thought of having him sleep out there.

Our fella is a cocker, so the pen keeps him in, not sure if it would work for a boxer cross, as he's probably a lot taller.

Thanks for the replies. There are other threads here which say that it is actually better to take the pup at 6 rather than 8 weeks. Anyway we have agreed to take him on this date so that's that. As for not wanting him inside at night, well to be honest, our house isn't even built 12 months, alot of work went into it and there are alot of expensive items in it...suites of furniture etc. I don't want to wake up one morning with something destroyed. I was told by good few people that if you let a dog in at all, that your house will be destroyed over time. And to be honest there are loads of people out there that don't let a dog inside their front door....

andreac

There are very few threads here that advise taking the pup at 6 weeks, its is highly advisable to leave a pup until 8 weeks or more.

So you have a new house and you dont want the dog destroying it, so why get a dog if its not going to be part of the family and household? what happens when it destroys your garden from being locked outside and not allowed in to have company?

I really dont know why people get a dog if they want to keep it outside. Dogs are pack animals and dont do well being left alone.

Dogs chew and stuff, thats what puppies do. My dog is 3 now and still wrecks/breaks things, but thats part of being a dog owner. If you commit to getting a dog then thats part of partial of the lifestyle of a dog owner.

You will have things that will be destroyed either way so you may get used to that, even if the pup has to stay outside.

If you crate the pup inside at night you wont have furniture etc being chewed.
If the dog sleeps out at night you are liable to have the dog barking/howling as it is bored or lonely.

Cupcakes

slookie wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. There are other threads here which say that it is actually better to take the pup at 6 rather than 8 weeks. Anyway we have agreed to take him on this date so that's that. As for not wanting him inside at night, well to be honest, our house isn't even built 12 months, alot of work went into it and there are alot of expensive items in it...suites of furniture etc. I don't want to wake up one morning with something destroyed. I was told by good few people that if you let a dog in at all, that your house will be destroyed over time. And to be honest there are loads of people out there that don't let a dog inside their front door....

Get a cat instead :rolleyes:

spurscormac

slookie wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. There are other threads here which say that it is actually better to take the pup at 6 rather than 8 weeks. Anyway we have agreed to take him on this date so that's that. As for not wanting him inside at night, well to be honest, our house isn't even built 12 months, alot of work went into it and there are alot of expensive items in it...suites of furniture etc. I don't want to wake up one morning with something destroyed. I was told by good few people that if you let a dog in at all, that your house will be destroyed over time. And to be honest there are loads of people out there that don't let a dog inside their front door....

You can expect a load of replies saying that 8 weeks is the earliest to take a puppy. The 2 weeks are crucial for development with its litter mates.

As for the new house thing, I also have a relatively new house, with all the massive outlay on furniture etc. If the puppy is taught properly to know its limits, you should be fine.
I also think having him inside and using a crate will get him house trained quicker.
Couldn't he sleep in the utility room, or in his crate?
That way you're not going to wake up to a destroyed house - he'll be restricted in where he can go.

I don't mean to sound preachy, but I was getting pretty much the same advice on here before I got my fella, and was against having him inside. He was so cute I quickly dumped that plan, and accepted I could never put him out in the cold.

So can anyone recommend a good website for crate training, as I know nothing about it....and best place to get a crate?

Toulouse

I gave you a link in my post above.

Any good pet shop will have crates or you can get them online. Shop around and get a nice sturdy one and it'll last forever. I find the Savic brand ones very good.

andreac

http://www.topdog.ie/showthread.php?t=3109&highlight=crate+training

http://www.topdog.ie/showthread.php?t=1720&highlight=crate

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_cages_carriers/carriers

If you get a crate, it should be big enough for when the dog is fully mature.

The Sweeper

slookie wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. There are other threads here which say that it is actually better to take the pup at 6 rather than 8 weeks. Anyway we have agreed to take him on this date so that's that. As for not wanting him inside at night, well to be honest, our house isn't even built 12 months, alot of work went into it and there are alot of expensive items in it...suites of furniture etc. I don't want to wake up one morning with something destroyed. I was told by good few people that if you let a dog in at all, that your house will be destroyed over time. And to be honest there are loads of people out there that don't let a dog inside their front door....

Honestly, +1 to what cupcake said. Don't get a dog. You don't have the facilities for a six week old puppy - you can't get a dog like that, play with it for a couple of hours during the day, then leave it outside, and expect it to bond, adjust or grow up as a good-tempered animal. You also can't bring it into your shiny new house and expect it not to toilet on your floors or chew things while it's teething.

Apologise to the breeder - they won't care, they'll just sell it to someone else. Enjoy your house for a while, and make a decision again at a later date.

Howitzer

I just got a boxer pup 2 weeks ago.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Bullit2k to see vids.

There is no way that little thing could survive outside until at least 1yr old+.
Even then she should be in at night (except summer if you want).
Boxers aren't built for the cold - look at the short hair on her.

I recommend you fence off an area of your house for the dog. Utility room or something. Or go with the cat option...

http://www.puppiesanddogsinfo.com/ have great starter videos / podcasts.

re: vaccines - the vet will take care of that for you. Expect 2 sets of €50+ for the visit and vaccine. + some worming advice and tablets.

Make as much space as you can in your life for this dog.
I'm up an hour earlier to play and tire ours out before work.
Plus total bill for getting her and all the bits added up quite rapidly...
Enjoy

muckety

We have outside dogs who we first crate-trained as young pups, then moved outside (they have a kennel within an insulated outbuilding) after they were c. 6 months. We got our first at just 6 weeks old as he was a rescue pup - it makes it more difficult for you as an owner to deal with the younger pup so if you can negociate with your neighbour to keep the pup with the mother for another 2 weeks min that would be better for you and the pup. Maybe offer some feed or whatever expense it puts him to - it will be worth it in the long run. Ours don't come inside much - maybe for a couple of hours in the evening for company and to sleep occasionally in very cold periods but they have each other for company and warmth so I would suggest that you consider a partner for yours as it will make your life easier if he has doggy company.

Paul91

slookie wrote: »

So can anyone recommend a good website for crate training, as I know nothing about it....and best place to get a crate?

try these guys £60 (incl postage to Ireland) for 42" crate, with matt and lint roller

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Foldable-Dog-Puppy-Crate-Cage-Car-Carrier-42-XXLarge_W0QQitemZ220504603131QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs?hash=item33571939fb

00112984

If you take a pup at 6 weeks, chances are you'll be back here in a month looing for advice on how to stop the puppy biting and growling over his food/with a toy.
These are things a pup learns to not do fom its mother and siblings. By taking the pup at such a young age, you're leaving yourself open for huge problems. 8 weeks is an absolute minimum for a pup to be parted from its litter.

Ok we got the pup yesterday, and everything is going ok. He is very playful and friendly. He sleeps nearly every second hour. The only problem was last night when he was whining when left in the utility...went on at all hours of the night. Was up then at 7 this morning, took him for a walk and then he slept again. This toilet training lark is alot of work....how can so much ****e and piss come out of something so small!! Anyone have any ideas on how to stop him from crying at night?

andreac

Unfortunately thats what pups do, they pee, poo and cry and chew, so you may get used to it

With the crying, the pup will cry as its all new and different to them. The trick is to be consistant, and when the pup is crying you have to ignore it, even if it is hard. If you go to the pup when it cries it will learn that it gets your attention by crying and it will continue to do so if you go to it when it cries.
You will have a few sleepless nights initially but the pup should settle over the next few days once it has a routine so try stick to the same routine each night.

Try tiring the pup out just before bedtime and it should sleep easier then.

Toilet training can take weeks, even months so again you need to be consistant. Take the pup out after every mealtime, when it has a drink, when it wakes up from a sleep and then after a play session too.

Lots of praise when the pup goes outside and it will eventually learn that outside is the place to go. Dont give out too much if you catch him going in the house, just say a firm no, and pick him up and bring him outside to finish.

Toulouse

He's missing his mum and siblings! You'd be crying too. Thought he wasn't coming until next week?

Try a warm hot water bottle wrapped up well so he won't burn himself, this will emulate the mothers heat. You can also try a ticking clock wrapped up too to emulate her heatbeat.

If he's 6 weeks you'll be toilet training for a while yet. Also don't walk him outside if he hasn't had any injections. And the rule for walking is 5 mins per month of age to protect growing joints.

Phenix

if you dont mind me saying you dont sound very prepared for this dog. You have taken him too early, hes a boxer cross so will probably be medium to large when fully grown with high energy levels, but you have a brand spanking new house you dont want messed up and you have him one day and are already asking how to stop him crying :rolleyes:
he's barly 6 weeks and jsut left his mother and siblings so he's confused and sad and lonely as he's never been on his own at night time.
give him warm blankets, maybe an old t-shirt/jumper with your scent on it and a little ticking clock. tire him out before bed time also.
best of luck with him, put up some pics if you can
oh by the way, his bladder is TINY so there will be a lot of peeing

Thanks for all the replies. I agree with you that we weren't fully prepared. I was under the illusion that I could leave him outside in a kennel at all times....I know now that I can't! We are getting there slowly. Another question....is he too old to have his tail cut off. It just doesn't look right on him. I know that vets won't do it, but I have a friend that breeds them that would do it(He's on hols at moment so haven't asked him yet)

toadfly

slookie wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. I agree with you that we weren't fully prepared. I was under the illusion that I could leave him outside in a kennel at all times....I know now that I can't! We are getting there slowly. Another question....is he too old to have his tail cut off. It just doesn't look right on him. I know that vets won't do it, but I have a friend that breeds them that would do it(He's on hols at moment so haven't asked him yet)

this is a joke right?? you want to cut a 6 week old puppys tail off? I thought it was bad reading this all week but what you have just said is ridiculous. did you ever think that there are rules for a reason? you arent supposed to take a pup at 6 weeks, all the reasons that have been mentioned already and you havent taken any heed of. but now you want to get a "friend" to do it as the vet wont? the vet dont do it because it is cruel and a horrible thing to do. what if your mother though your ears didnt look right and cut them when you were a baby?!! :mad:

andreac

slookie wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. I agree with you that we weren't fully prepared. I was under the illusion that I could leave him outside in a kennel at all times....I know now that I can't! We are getting there slowly. Another question....is he too old to have his tail cut off. It just doesn't look right on him. I know that vets won't do it, but I have a friend that breeds them that would do it(He's on hols at moment so haven't asked him yet)

Oh sweet jesus, i cant believe you just asked that

DO NOT GO NEAR THAT PUPS TAIL FOR ANY REASON!!!!!!!!!

YES he is way too old now for that and that is down right cruelty if you touch that tail now, its barbaric if you do anything to his tail now.

If and only if you were getting a pups tail docked, its only to be done at a very young age, like 2-3days old and by a vet.

I would urge you to think twice about keeping this pup as if you are consider hacking his tail off now then you are definately not cut out to be dog owner if you are considering cutting this dogs tail off now.:mad:

toadfly

you should read this, I am guessing you wont so I have picked out a few bits that might be usefull

http://www.dogtrainingireland.ie/documents/why_taildocking_should_be_prohibited.pdf

"Tail-docking involves the amputation of most or part of a dog’s tail. The amputation is usually done when puppies are between two and five days old"

"The tail is an appendage that forms the hindmost part of the dog’s backbone and usually consists of between 6 and 23 mobile vertebrae, enclosed in muscle that is served by 4 to 7 paired nerves. The tail muscles (located on the hind part of the dog’s back as well as on the tail itself) are attached to the tail vertebrae by tendons. Docking length varies, but short-docked dogs such as Rottweilers may be left with only 1 or 2 tail vertebrae. Tail-docking therefore involves the cutting through or crushing of skin, muscles, up to 7 pairs of nerves and bone and cartilage connections"

Sound nice???

Toulouse

Why would you want to butcher a 6 week old pup? You are aware that docking is now illegal in the UK. I wish they would ban it here. Seriously, if the vet won't do it does that not tell you something???

andreac

I would seriously hope that your friend doesnt do this to 6 week old pups, if and i mean if they are to be docked they should be done at a very young age, as in 2 or 3 days old.

At this age if someone decides to cut their tail off id imagine the poor pup would bleed to death or be in serious amount of pain. If a dog needs a tail amputation it has to be done by a vet and under anaesthetic and not just hacked off.

Phenix

slookie wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. I agree with you that we weren't fully prepared. I was under the illusion that I could leave him outside in a kennel at all times....I know now that I can't! We are getting there slowly. Another question....is he too old to have his tail cut off. It just doesn't look right on him. I know that vets won't do it, but I have a friend that breeds them that would do it(He's on hols at moment so haven't asked him yet)

i am begining to think (hope against all hope) that this is a wind up!!! HIS TAIL DOSNT LOOK RIGHT???? what is wrong with you? First you take a pup you have no idea how to look after then you moan when he does puppy things and now you want to disfigure and butcher him by some 'friend' who does home jobs! OP do the right thing and either give the pup back to the breeder to find a new home or get him a new home yourself imediatly. Dogs are NOT accessories that you can dickie up to look how you want them. If you didnt like the look of the dog in the first place why on earth did you take him. :mad:

toadfly

Phenix wrote: »

i am begining to think (hope against all hope) that this is a wind up!!!

thats what I was thinking when I read that. no-one would be that stupid surely?! and if they are, they dont deserve the dog. really hope if they are serious with these questions they wont keep the dog.

SarahSassy

The poor poor pup. We got our pup at 8 weeks and he has been trained not to eat the furniture and (touch wood) to date hasnt done any damage... If you spend the time training him it will pay off in the future...

DO NOT attempt to do a back street operation on his tail.

Ok ye might all like to keep ye're knickers on. There's a reason I asked the question - to get the answer. I didn't know it had to be done in the first 2 or 3 days - Obviously I wont be getting it done now!

00112984

Look, you seem very lost. Instead of worrying about the dog's very lovely, natural tail "looking funny", you should be doing the following, as a new puppy owner-

Taking some time off work/college to socialise him and get him used to a daily routine.

Set a firm feeding routine. Make sure you've investigated the best food for your dog. Decent dogfood is not cheap.

Get him to the vet to get his injections up to date, worming tablets and get a microchip fitted, if he doesn't already have one.

Puppy-proofing the house. A puppy, especially one that young, will chew anything including electrical cables.

Buy toys, chews, treats (for training), a collar, nylon lead, ID tag (required by law. Oh, and you'll need a license for him once he hits four months).

Start lead training in the next 4 to 6 weeks.

Secure your garden. A pup that young will easily squeeze through the smallest of gaps.

Investigate and book puppy obedience classes in your area. A Boxer cross will most likely be a fairly big, muscular dog and will need discipline. It doesn't sound like you have any experience of training or owning a dog before so get professional help to do it right.

Stock up on washing powder, wet wipes, Febreeze (for wet dog smell on furniture), little treats, poo bags (for when he's a little older, has all his vaccinations and you're able to take him out on walks), toys (a mix of soft, chewy and squeaky) and towels.

Mister Man

This is just personal advice
dip his/her nose in his/her piss every time he goes inside (im not joking best way to house train them) i know it sound bad but works very well

00112984

^^^ Do NOT do this.

This teaches your dog to pee where you can't see, not to pee outside. It's cruel (would you like piss up your nose Mister Man? No? Didn't think so) and dos not work. Don't do it.

coolmoose

@ OP,

Best bet is to buy a book on pups or rent one from the library, as you will get your face chewed off by some people on boards when you ask a question. Obviously you need to research owning a pup more, and probably should have before you got the pup, but do some reading and you may be in a better position. Best of luck with the pup!

Yes I agree with getting your head bitten off for asking a question....I thought thats what this website was for...asking for and providing information on various topics!! Anway thanks for that helpful advice.

star-pants

slookie wrote: »

Yes I agree with getting your head bitten off for asking a question....I thought thats what this website was for...asking for and providing information on various topics!! Anway thanks for that helpful advice.

You have to understand that people here are big animal lovers and find it hard when someone comes in going 'oh um I have a pup what do I do' type questions. Whilst not everyone researches correctly before getting a pup you really should have known it was going to be a lot of work. It's like having a brand new baby.
It's going to cry, it's going to wee/poop uncontrollably, it's going to sleep a lot, it's going to need lots of attention, love, care and routine.

As for docking it's tail - you must understand it's illegal in some countries to do this as it's seen as cruel. Only very certain cases does a pup get it's tail docked - usually a dog in a working environment and is done for the safety of the dog incase it got caught in something. As said tail docking needs to be done in the first couple of days for minimum pain and distress.

It is too cold for the pup to be left outside, and it's way too young to leave outside anyway. Good advice has been given on a warm hotwater bottle, maybe a ticking clock by the bed to remind them of the mothers heartbeat, and if you're still in touch with the person who gave you the pup, get a blanket off them that the mother was on, that will bring the pup comfort.

You need to bring the pup out after big drinks/after food and just rather often really - they cannot hold it, and will not physically be able to hold it until around 12 weeks, and they need to be trained. Lots of praise when they go outside is good. At the moment when they go inside, don't give out to the pup - it's not it's fault at all. You can give a firm 'no' if you like, and then lots of praise when they go outside. Even if it means picking them up mid-pee.

You need to have plenty of water available and have a routine with food and bed. Pups need small amounts of food often, usually 3 times a day, and I wouldn't suggest you feed them much later than 6 because otherwise they'll be pooping at/after bedtime too.

Check if/what vaccinations it's had - and get it booked into the vets for the rest/all of them. Don't take the pup out until 2 weeks after the final vacc as it can get parvo and other horrible things that would make it very ill /kill it.

Best of luck with your puppy, and it will cry for possibly up to the first week. You need to be firm, not get up to them at the first cry, so they don't associate 'I cry and they come running' but do go down, be firm and put them back to bed.

Mister Man

00112984 wrote: »

^^^ Do NOT do this.

This teaches your dog to pee where you can't see, not to pee outside. It's cruel (would you like piss up your nose Mister Man? No? Didn't think so) and dos not work. Don't do it.

It does work, i was told this by a dog trainer, it doesnt teach them to pee somewhere you cant see, my first dog was house trained this way, and my puppy was trained this way aswel
my first dog was trained by a real dog trainer who gave our family loads of addvice

You cant really compare a human to a dog here, if you do pee on the ground as a human im sure u will clean it up, its not cruel its called training, sometimes you have to be a bit harsh to get something like this across

00112984

Excellent post there from Star-pants.

Just on this comment-

star-pants wrote: »

You have to understand that people here are big animal lovers and find it hard when someone comes in going 'oh um I have a pup what do I do' type questions.

I just want to add that it's very frustrating for regular users here as a thread like this crops up maybe once a week and they usually take the same format-
"I just got a very young pup and now it's crying outside, when will it behave?". Combine that with emotive issues like tail docking and then the "rub his nose in it" mis-advice that someone always comes up with and it can be so frustrating to see the same thing time and again especially when the OP often doesn't take the advice at all and seems to usually decide that their "face is being bitten off" because they're getting advice contrary to what they want to hear.

The posters on here are dedicated animal lovers and many work/have worked with shelters and animal rescue agencies and know how many puppies brought into a situation like this one are surrendered to pounds and destroyed. The posters here have the best interest of the pet at heart- it's an animal and pet issues forum, not a forum to be pat on the ack just for thinking puppies are cute and wanting one without doing proper research.

OP, I think you'll agree that you negated to do the necessary research before taking this puppy. We all want to see it work out for you and him but, in order to get to that stage, you're going to need to be able to take advice when that wa specifically what you came here asking for.

newname

00112984 wrote: »

I just want to add that it's very frustrating for regular users here as a thread like this crops up maybe once a week and they usually take the same format-
"I just got a very young pup and now it's crying outside, when will it behave?". Combine that with emotive issues like tail docking and then the "rub his nose in it" mis-advice that someone always comes up with and it can be so frustrating to see the same thing time and again especially when the OP often doesn't take the advice at all and seems to usually decide that their "face is being bitten off" because they're getting advice contrary to what they want to hear.

The posters on here are dedicated animal lovers and many work/have worked with shelters and animal rescue agencies and know how many puppies brought into a situation like this one are surrendered to pounds and destroyed. The posters here have the best interest of the pet at heart- it's an animal and pet issues forum, not a forum to be pat on the ack just for thinking puppies are cute and wanting one without doing proper research.

OP, I think you'll agree that you negated to do the necessary research before taking this puppy. We all want to see it work out for you and him but, in order to get to that stage, you're going to need to be able to take advice when that wa specifically what you came here asking for.

Like the OP i don't know alot about dogs, i had one as a child. I'd love to get another one now i have my own place, but from what i've read i'd be weary of asking for advice on here.

Its been quite a depressing hour reading some of the threads in the animals & pet issues forum.

Well meaning pet novices asking for advice and getting responses with :mad: and :rolleyes: and , scolded, talked down to etc.

I'd bet the OP genuinely didn't have a clue that docking the tail was such a no no. And people telling her to leave the dog back.... who are you to tell people to leave a dog back???

lrushe

newname wrote: »

Like the OP i don't know alot about dogs, i had one as a child. I'd love to get another one now i have my own place, but from what i've read i'd be weary of asking for advice on here.

Its been quite a depressing hour reading some of the threads in the animals & pet issues forum.

Well meaning pet novices asking for advice and getting responses with :mad: and :rolleyes: and , scolded, talked down to etc.

I'd bet the OP genuinely didn't have a clue that docking the tail was such a no no. And people telling her to leave the dog back.... who are you to tell people to leave a dog back???

Personally (and this is not having a go at anyone) I can't understand how someone can get an animal of any type and not know its very basic care needs. The docking of the tail aside, other things like taking the pup at 6 weeks and then when told that this is not a good idea responding by saying that the date is set and that is that, regardless of the advice given in the best interest of the dog, this is not my idea of a "well meaning pet novice". The poster seems to put more value in bricks and mortar than flesh and blood and for animal lovers that is hard to hear hence the :mad: and :rolleyes: and

fatmammycat

Mister Man wrote: »

It does work, i was told this by a dog trainer, it doesnt teach them to pee somewhere you cant see, my first dog was house trained this way, and my puppy was trained this way aswel
my first dog was trained by a real dog trainer who gave our family loads of addvice

You cant really compare a human to a dog here, if you do pee on the ground as a human im sure u will clean it up, its not cruel its called training, sometimes you have to be a bit harsh to get something like this across

This is incredibly outdated advice. And horrible to do to a pup who has a tiny bladder, poor bladder control and only needs a touch of patience to learn.

lrushe

Mister Man wrote: »

It does work, i was told this by a dog trainer, it doesnt teach them to pee somewhere you cant see, my first dog was house trained this way, and my puppy was trained this way aswel
my first dog was trained by a real dog trainer who gave our family loads of addvice

You cant really compare a human to a dog here, if you do pee on the ground as a human im sure u will clean it up, its not cruel its called training, sometimes you have to be a bit harsh to get something like this across

You certainly can't compare a human to a dog, if you pushed a human's nose in pee they might be able to put 2 and 2 together and realise the reason that you did it but a dog can't, the only thing the dog will learn is that when they pee their owner gets really angry but they won't know why, this could well lead to a nervous dog or a dog that goes and hides when they need to pee

TrapperChamonix

Slookie, you are right there is oftan a real chance of getting jumped on, or lectured to by some posters on the site. To me this is silly and wholly unproductive as it discourages people asking questions and as a result increases the chance of them taking a course of action that is counter to the dogs interest.

However many posters really are very patient and helpfull and valuable. One this page alone, Star Pats and 001122984 have given you really detailed, patient and usefull advice. From personal experience I have got so much usefull information from posting or reading other peoples posts.
So I would advise you to keep asking and if you get a response you don't like, ignore and read on. The next post might be the one that really solves the question you have.
In relation to your puppy, I would say 2 things.
- I don't think this has been mentioned before. You need to be carefull about walking your dog prior to him having his vacination shots 7 days after the 2nd set. If your dog comes in contact with other dogs (or dog feaces or urine) it can pick up diseases that can be quite serious. So no walking the do outside on the pavement or park till after the 2nd set of shots.

- You originally talked about wanting the dog to sleep outside. My Retriver sleeps outside and is a lovely well adjusted dog who has no particular hang ups or issues. This may run counter to the "he's part of the family" and "you wouldn't like it if you were made sleep outside" arguments that are raised here. But quite frankly of the many family dogs I saw growing up, about half slept outside and half inside.
The issue you have is that with a pup so young and heading into the winter (did we ever leave it) you will need to keep the dog indoors untill the spring. I think the best advice is what Star Pants said "what You need to be firm, not get up to them at the first cry, so they don't associate 'I cry and they come running' but do go down, be firm and put them back to bed."

The best advice I got was make sure you encourage the same behaviour in the pup / young dog as you would like to see in the fully grown dog. So if you don't want your fully grown boxer jumping up on you or you don't want him begging for food at the tabe when he's fully grown, then don't encourage it when he is 12 weeks old. I have a friend who has a mature dalmation who jumps up and puts his paws on your chest because they thought it was cute when he was a pup.

Magenta

slookie wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. There are other threads here which say that it is actually better to take the pup at 6 rather than 8 weeks. Anyway we have agreed to take him on this date so that's that. As for not wanting him inside at night, well to be honest, our house isn't even built 12 months, alot of work went into it and there are alot of expensive items in it...suites of furniture etc. I don't want to wake up one morning with something destroyed. I was told by good few people that if you let a dog in at all, that your house will be destroyed over time. And to be honest there are loads of people out there that don't let a dog inside their front door....

I think you should buy an ornament instead and let the puppy go to someone who will look after it as a member of the family.

Magenta

TillyGirl wrote: »

this is a joke right?? you want to cut a 6 week old puppys tail off? I thought it was bad reading this all week but what you have just said is ridiculous. did you ever think that there are rules for a reason? you arent supposed to take a pup at 6 weeks, all the reasons that have been mentioned already and you havent taken any heed of. but now you want to get a "friend" to do it as the vet wont? the vet dont do it because it is cruel and a horrible thing to do. what if your mother though your ears didnt look right and cut them when you were a baby?!! :mad:

The vet won't do it because the vet can be banned from practising for mutilating an animal for cosmetic reasons.

Magenta

Mister Man wrote: »

This is just personal advice
dip his/her nose in his/her piss every time he goes inside (im not joking best way to house train them) i know it sound bad but works very well

I really thought that the only way for this thread could be up. You proved me wrong.

Magenta

slookie wrote: »

Yes I agree with getting your head bitten off for asking a question....I thought thats what this website was for...asking for and providing information on various topics!! Anway thanks for that helpful advice.

I'd rather get my head bitten off than see a 6 week old puppy get his tail chopped off.

Ok Magenta...keep your knickers on...we've gotten over it - the whole tail thing. The second night he slept like a baby, and has been since. He is very good...most of the time he toilets on the newspaper at the back door so its slow progress. Took him to the vet at the weekend and said that he was a fine healthy dog. Bought a crate on e bay so waiting for that which will hopefully help with the training. There's a 2 hour gap during the day when he's on his own, so the crate will be handy for that.

mymo

To start crate training you have to go slow. Put the crate in the utility/other small room or close off an area. Put a bed/blankets and a couple of treats in and leave the door open. Don't close the door at first as the pup will get upset, let them get used to it. When the dog is in the crate(of its own accord) and settled, close the door and go do something like sweep the floor around the crate or something where he can see you, let the pup out when finished, don't make a big fuss just a rub and gradually increase the time in the crate.
If using it at night you have to let the pup out at least twice as they can't hold it for long when young. One of mine was 4 months before he went 7 hours overnight the other was just over 3 months. Try took keep the time regular and increase time between by half hour every week.
As I'm sure you're finding out its like having a baby, the good news is they grow up faster and please try to find a training class, you can start as soon as vacs done and its well worth it.

00112984

slookie wrote: »

There's a 2 hour gap during the day when he's on his own, so the crate will be handy for that.

I think a few hours a day is good for a pup, gives them a chance to learn to amuse themselves. i work from home and have a dog who is with me all the time and she's very, very clingy. It got to the stage where she'd cry outside the bathroom door when I was in there. Now, I make a point of putting her into a room on her own with some toys (and bed and water) a few times a day so she gets used to being left to her own devices.

Another tip for you- when you get home, don't make a big fuss of the pup. Walk into the room, take off your coat, put down your days, turn on the TV, open the crate door, put down the kettle etc. Once you have all your bits and bobs done, then greet the dog. That way he learns to not go mad hyper as soon as your key is in the door.

Magenta

slookie wrote: »

Ok Magenta...keep your knickers on...we've gotten over it - the whole tail thing.

Who's "we"? Are you now a spokesperson for loving responsible dog owners? :rolleyes:
And I don't need to be told to keep my knickers on sweetheart, thank you very much.