Adopting a six month old pug cross

LastApacheInjun

Hi all

We’re adopting a six month old pug cross from a shelter in Wicklow. While both myself and my husband had dogs growing up, we are first time dog owners. We have three kids, aged 12, 9 and 7. The 12 and 7 year old are fully on board, the 9 year old is very nervous as she has always been afraid of dogs (one of the main reasons we are getting one). My 7 year old is autistic but great with animals.

I think I’ve bought everything we need: House crate, car crate, dog bed, toys, feeding bowl, collar and lead, pee pads, stair gate, food. We haven’t met the dog yet so we have it on a weeks trial. If all goes well, I’ll book into puppy training classes.

Anyone got tips to make my 9 year old more comfortable? Am I missing any dog items? Any tips on house training? I’m sort of overwhelmed here so any tips gratefully received!

wandererz

Re: house training

I trained our dogs to use puppy pads which we place close to the doors. So if they need to go at night when we are asleep or when we are away then they can do so. I don't have the option of a pet door unfortunately.

They go in one place and one place only, if they cannot get out.

tk123

I’ve only ever toilet trained baby puppies and never used puppy pads. I take them out regularly, after they wake up, after they’ve eaten and during the night if they cry. I also have a bell hanging at the door that they can ring if they need to go out. Usually after a week or two they’re sleeping through the night. You’re adopting a 6 month old though - it’s not a puppy anymore so may already be toilet trained in that it has bladder control and is able to hold its wee/poo! 🤞🏻

SuperBowserWorld

We had a puppy in a crate at nighttime and very absorbent mats in the crate that wash and dry very quickly. So any night time pees were not a big deal.

Crate training is important. They need to not be afraid, so lots of treats, cajoling, toys. You might have to stay with the puppy for the first night or so, e.g. you on the couch until they settle in.

Positive reinforcement training. Some training classes should give you this knowledge. Then use any opportunity you can to train the dog. It's not just a walk, it's training + a walk, etc etc

Bring the 9 year old to the training, and all the kids if the training allows. There will be lots of puppies at it if it's a class. It's training the humans just as much as the dogs. I would hope that would help the 9 year old - it should be fun and not stressful for the humans or the dogs.

Also, you need lots of patience. Try not to get anxious around the pup or shout etc.

Good luck !

volchitsa

I'd totally agree about crate training - like a lot of first timers I found it hard to get my head around it, but it's actually great. You have to get the children to respect the fact that it's the puppy's own personal space: that will mean he can take refuge there if he's feeling overwhelmed, which should in turn help your 9 year old as it should lead to less negative interaction.

As for toilet training, some breeds are easier to train than others, so I don't know about yours, but in our case we were advised not to use puppy pads as they can then confuse the dog and make it harder for him to do without them. You do have to do a bit more work at the start without puppy pads, as explained above, and TBH if we hadn't had a closed-off, safe garden I probably would have used the pads, but as it is, it worked fine without them.

Last thing is: puppy training classes - absolutely essential IMO especially if your child is nervous. But a brilliant experience even without that need for reassurance, we found. They really are all about training the humans rather the dog, and if you can get a good group class, which is a lot cheaper than individual classes too, that will be a great way for your child to get to see how dogs behave generally, as well as working with his own dog. That should really help him learn to recognise when a dog is angry and when it's not, and make him more confident around unknown dogs as well as his own.

And as above again: PATIENCE. It's like having a new baby (but doesn't last nearly as long, luckily!) but you will really get out of it what you put in. If you are gentle but consistent with training, once they get to adulthood they are such a delight. And a great confidence-builder for children.

volchitsa

Also, if you have a crate, you probably don't need a stair gate: you just tell the dog "no" and bring it back down when it disobeys at the start. Our dog never comes up the stairs because she knows she's not allowed.

The only times she ever has done, after the first few weeks, is a couple of times she was ill and needed out to the toilet before we got up in the morning, we heard her scrabbling around outside our door. So, not her fault really - she was looking for help!

You do need to dog proof your garden though - make sure it can't get out. That will make a huge difference to your peace of mind. And a small dog like a pug can probably get out of a tiny space. On the upside though, fences don't need to be tall! 😉

josip

We've had 2 dogs from pups and gave the puppy pads a go with both but gave up after a few days because of mixed results and chose a fortnight of sleep deprivation instead.

LastApacheInjun

Well we have him now for three days. It seems he was partially house trained by the previous owners, we've only had one accident so far and he seems to be able to hold it through the night.

He's definitely a lot of work, but we were expecting that and we're happy to do it. It's difficult WFH with him as he's quite needy in terms of attention (which again, we knew would happen). I've signed up to puppy training classes but they don't start until 10 October. It was the earliest one we could get. It seems he is half pug, half jack russell terrier. And he seems to take after the jack russell side more than the pug, in that he is very prone to jumping - jumping on to our laps, on to the kids, on to the couch, etc. I know I can't train him out of the jumping but can I train him not to jump on to laps? I wouldn't mind if he settled on my lap but he spends his time trying to lick my face or climb on to my head, or - most painfully - trying to nip my hands. The kids are getting scared of him because he is so boisterous. Also, his claws (right word?) are quite sharp and I'm covered in bruises.

So, oh wise boardies, what can I do to alleviate these things before the puppy classes start? I'm not letting him on my lap at all, and only petting him when the four paws are on the floor. I assume I can go and get his nails cut at the nearest groomers and then the jumping won't be so painful? Mainly, how can I stop him nipping? I don't want the kids to be nipped as they're already a bit wary of him.

josip

I think you've got to tire him out a bit more so that he's less boisterous. I'd be worried about your kids withdrawing from the dog scene. Within 2 weeks you'll have your very own dog that will be a huge demand on your time. Can your kids bring him for walks? Less chance of the dog jumping up if he's on a lead and stimulated by the outdoors. Plenty of walks on a concrete footpath will help to keep the claws blunt.

But if he's 'nipping' don't let him near other people. Get a tug rope to play with him and only allow him to bite that. If he nips, he has to be put in a "quiet" place for a short time until he learns that nipping is not on. Rawhide chews help to keep our dog calm but he's not a terrier and not everyone likes/approves of rawhide so up to you.

I haven't much of a clue about dogs so if anyone else gives you proper advice, go with that.

tk123

You’d probably be better off with a 1 to 1 session where somebody comes to your house so you can show them what’s happening and get a program to work on it.. vs puppy classes where some of the content could be based more around baby puppies. My focus would be the jumping up, nipping and teaching him to settle in the house vs group classes right now. (I homeschooled my last 2 pup’s rather than do puppy school lol 😅). Puppies will go hyper when they’re overtired - they need a lot more sleep than you might realise. People make the mistake of trying to exhaust them and end up with a dog who doesn’t know how to sit still. Your guy has just arrived and will be finding his feet for a while - as well as the humans in the house adjusting. I’d maybe look at puzzle toys, kongs etc (be careful with lickmats as a pup might shred them) to mentally stimulate him and keep him busy when you’re trying to work. My guys have a walk and breakfast before work and sleep until midday, we have another walk and they sleep all afternoon until we’re finished work.

volchitsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122663500#Comment_122663500

Puppies will go hyper when they’re overtired

Oh that's a very good point - ours used to go a bit hyper in the evenings, and she literally just needed to be put to bed! Like a child not knowing they're tired! We'd tell her to go in her crate and sleep, and she'd be as good as gold then. But she just didn't know she needed to go to bed. I think she liked being told to go to bed - it calmed her down immediately.

I suppose it's a decision that a puppy can't really take for itself, other than just collapsing from exhaustion, which as tk123 says, doesn't actually develop good habits.

volchitsa

Also, three days is nothing - the pup will need time to settle, and at 6 months, for a smaller breed he's almost certainly entering adolescence, which makes them go a little bit mad again. But he will get over it - like human teens, but not as bad, TBH!

https://www.purina.co.uk/articles/dogs/puppy/behaviour/puppy-adolescence

muddypaws

Totally agree with TK, people really don't understand how much sleep puppies need and spend a lot of time trying to wear them out which makes the behaviour worse. Teaching a pup to settle is the most important behaviour anyone can master I think. Lots of downtime in their own space with a chew or stuffed Kong etc. I got a pup last year, a working, highly driven dog and spent the first 9 months of his life with short walks and training sessions but getting him to sleep for most of the day. He's 18 months old now and is a very calm, settled dog - but still with a fantastic working drive.

Also be aware of what you're feeding, if kibble, stay away from anything with coloured bits, they're not carrots and brocoli, but food colouring which has the same impact on a dog as on a child.

As hard as it is, try and ignore the bad and reward the good, with the nipping - redirect onto an appropriate toy. Also teach a Leave it and Drop it command - 2 different things.

As TK suggested, a one to one training session would probably be helpful, check out the APDT Ireland and IMDT Ireland websites for recommendations in your area.

LastApacheInjun

Thanks for all your advice everyone. He seems to be calming down a teeny bit and I've taken your suggestions and booked three one-to-one sessions with a dog trainer, starting this weekend. I'll let ye know how it goes. I've also realised that you're right, he can get a bit hyper when he's tired, and he doesn't seem to know when he's tired. So we've given him more opportunities to rest and sleep and that seems to have helped.

JameGrooms

For your 9-year-old, maybe try introducing her to the dog slowly. Let her watch from a distance at first, then gradually have her help with feeding or holding treats. It can help her feel more comfortable and in control.

For house training, consistency is key. Take the dog out frequently, especially after meals and playtime. Celebrate the little successes to encourage good behavior.

When we adopted our pug, Bubbles, we took it slow with our kids too. They were nervous at first, but they quickly became best friends. If you’re looking for more tips or pug inspiration, check out Celebrity Pugs. There’s a lot of fun info there for new pug owners!

hamburgham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122658826#Comment_122658826

That behaviour is all normal for a pup. I don’t think people realise how mad pups are. I would go with bursts of play, throwing a ball in the garden, walks and then giving him a chance to sleep. Unlike others here, I think you should tire him out. They do need a lot of sleep so make sure he can sleep in peace without the children waking him after a period of activity.
Many people, myself included, disagree with the use of crates. Just substitute the word cage and ask yourself should a dog be locked in a cage? You’ll be told the cage is their ‘safe place’. Their ‘safe place’ can be a bed in the corner of a room. These use of these cages came from America, they are are not used in the rest of Europe.

LastApacheInjun

So we're a month in to our pup adventure and things are definitely getting easier. I'm inclined to agree with you Hamburgham, about the crate. I think at his previous owners he might have been put in the crate quite a lot, as he really really hates it. He'll never see it as his safe space. However, we do need to keep him in it at night time as he's a bit of a chewer (like most pups) and I just don't trust him to be wandering around. Another month I'd say, and with a bit of leaving him alone in the house for short bursts and we'll see where we are.

Some things we've done so far:

1. We didn't want him jumping up on the couch. I wouldn't mind if he settled up there but all he would do was climb on you, try to bite your hands, lick your face and leap from one person to another. Worse if it was the kids. So we put tin foil along the couch seat for about two weeks. We changed the foil every day, and you just moved it to the side if you wanted to sit down. It worked! He hated the feel of the foil. We haven't put the foil on in a week and he rarely jumps up there. If he does, he gets down with the "off" command - which obviously he had to be taught first.
2. He sits on command, but we're still working on the lie down. The usual methods I've looked at online don't seem to be working.
3. He gets a good long walk in the morning, and during the week he mostly settles downstairs and snoozes for the rest of the morning. We'll have the occasional bursts of games or training, but mostly it's quiet because I'm working. The kids get home from school at 3pm and obvs he's full of energy then. They'll take him outside to play and then he's a bit of a pain when they are doing their homework. We mostly have to keep him in another room.
4. He'll get another walk in the evening, probably a short one as it's dark now. We're loose lead training him but it's definitely taking a while. There are still lots of treats involved. I was in a rush the other morning trying to get the kids to school and went out without the treats and he was an absolute psychopath. Pulling until he choked himself or refusing to move. So that's going to take quite a bit longer I expect.
5. I'm struggling with getting a harness on him for walks. He desperately wants to chew it and it's like trying to get a harness on an octopus. I haven't managed it yet. I'll keep trying.

My previously dog-phobic nine year old adores him. She still won't let him lick her or jump up on her, but she'll sit beside him and stroke his belly or is super-enthusiastic about taking him for walks. So for that alone this whole adventure has been worth it.