First week or so

greenturt · 10-30-2009, 04:52 AM

This might have already been covered but what needs to be done during the first couple weeks a new puppy arrives to your home? When is it good to start introducing him/her to people other than family living in the house? What should the plan be on getting him/her to recognize their own name when called? I've been reading Ian Dunbar's "Before you get your puppy" and everything has been clear so far, I would just like a timeline for it all..if anyone can point me in the right direction i'd appreciate it

FaithFurMom09 · 10-30-2009, 04:59 AM

Id recommend the following:
-Get a crate
-Get a leash/Collar
- Get puppy pads if thats how you are going to house train (i didnt do this route so im no help there)
- Get food dishes
- Get food (good food

)

those are the basics. I would read as much as possible on House training before puppy comes home. It can be a stressful time period and you need to know what to do with puppy so he/she can do well. Read through the forums here, theres lots of great puppy tips too. Puppy shouldnt have to wait to meet other people living with you, other pets maybe, but not people. To get puppy to recognize their name, you just have to keep using it (whether just talking to them, praising them, walking them, anything). As far as a timeline, thats different for everyone. It matters on a lot of factors. Im no expert, but thats my 2c.

HayleyMarie · 10-30-2009, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenturt

This might have already been covered but what needs to be done during the first couple weeks a new puppy arrives to your home? When is it good to start introducing him/her to people other than family living in the house? What should the plan be on getting him/her to recognize their own name when called? I've been reading Ian Dunbar's "Before you get your puppy" and everything has been clear so far, I would just like a timeline for it all..if anyone can point me in the right direction i'd appreciate it

Have a schedual when to let your puppy out to the bathroom. After playing, after eating, drinking, and she will proble need to go in the early morning too as she cannot hold her bladder. You can pretty much let your puppy meet other people as soon as you get her, but I would not let your puppy down anywhere there might be a high population of dogs until she is fully vaccinated like the park, or the streets where people walk their dogs. If you have friends who have fully vaccinated dogs you could take your puppy there for a nice socialzation/playing time. As soon as you get your puppy you should do tons of socialization with everything and every possible situation. I have Teagan so socialized with loud noises that a shot gun could go off right beside her and she could care less, but with my other dogs as soon as they see the gun they go run and hide.

Pretty much to get them to recongize their name I would pick a name that is easy to say or no more than three sylables. Say the puppies name when you call her or when you are playing with her. They pick up their name pretty fast. And I have to give you props for reading up and getting as much info as you can I read Ian Dunbars book as well and I found it as an exallent source of great info.

Good Luck.
Hayley.

Labsnothers · 10-30-2009, 02:07 PM

It is quite critical to start things at once. You only have a few weeks between when a puppy is ready to go home and when it no longer accepts new things as well or learns as quickly.

I start obedience and housebreaking on my way out of the kennel with a 7 week old. They learn fast at that age if you keep the sessions short, only a couple of repetitions of a command.

You also need to have it meet strange people and known to be well cared for dogs.

They are very flexible then and adjust well.

greenturt · 10-30-2009, 02:47 PM

Thanks for the replies. About the puppy pads, I don't thnk I am going to use them but I've read that puppies need to be let out every hour atleast if not more..when I'm away from home for more than an hour, would it be better to leave him in a crate (so he'll hold it) or leave him in a playpen with an "indoor toilet"? I'm afraid if I use the second method he will get confused, but I don't want him to poop in his crate and learn that it's okay..

FaithFurMom09 · 10-30-2009, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenturt

Thanks for the replies. About the puppy pads, I don't thnk I am going to use them but I've read that puppies need to be let out every hour atleast if not more..when I'm away from home for more than an hour, would it be better to leave him in a crate (so he'll hold it) or leave him in a playpen with an "indoor toilet"? I'm afraid if I use the second method he will get confused, but I don't want him to poop in his crate and learn that it's okay..

I could be wrong on this (and someone can correct me) but when the doggy pees or poops in the house, on the carpet lets say, the scent is there unless you clean it up REALLY well. Where as in the crate, you can clean it up pretty easily and theres no left over scent for them to even sniff and re-cover their area. Faith, when i got her needed to go out every 30min to 1hr day and night so the crate didnt teach her to "hold it" perse, only with age and training did she go longer and longer holding it.

MoosMom · 10-30-2009, 10:39 PM

Yes put your puppy in the crate when you leave is good for a couple reasons, it keeps him/her safe and puppies for the most part try very hard not to mess in their own space. A good rule of thumb for time is the age of your dog. For every month of age they can hold it for one hour usually. So 2 months would mean about 2-3 hours before a potty break should be given. Stop giving water a couple hours before crating to help. Of course not all of can come home every 2 hours, but if you can make it home midday it will help. Yoshi is 6 months now, but can hold for upwards of 18 hours(his choice). We took turns coming home during lunch to let him out when we first got him. He did pretty good holding it for 4 hours at a time.

Labsnothers · 10-30-2009, 10:54 PM

We have had good results leaving puppies from 7 weeks in the crate 4-5 hours at a time.

KarliMom · 10-30-2009, 11:10 PM

Labsnothers a 7 week old puppy should not even be away from their mother and litter mates yet and no way could it hold its urine for any 5 hours .

FaithFurMom09 · 10-30-2009, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarliMom

Labsnothers a 7 week old puppy should not even be away from their mother and litter mates yet and no way could it hold its urine for any 5 hours .

I agree

Well i agree on the bladder part especially.

Labsnothers · 10-30-2009, 11:57 PM

I guess all the ones that have for us didn't know that.

7-8 weeks is the ideal time for puppies to go their home. What do you base your opinion on otherwise? The dog guide school our puppies come from have been breeding and sending 300 puppies a year home for a long time at 7 weeks. They do that to ensure they are properly socialized.

You want a link, http://www.akc.org/enewsletter/akc_b...nter/puppy.cfm

You might also try reading about the work of Scott and Fuyller.

FaithFurMom09 · 10-31-2009, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labsnothers

I guess all the ones that have for us didn't know that.

7-8 weeks is the ideal time for puppies to go their home. What do you base your opinion on otherwise? The dog guide school our puppies come from have been breeding and sending 300 puppies a year home for a long time at 7 weeks. They do that to ensure they are properly socialized.

You want a link, http://www.akc.org/enewsletter/akc_b...nter/puppy.cfm

You might also try reading about the work of Scott and Fuyller.

Faith was 7w when she left her mom and siblings. I wish the BYB had waited as Faith really needed more time with her mom.

yappypappymom · 10-31-2009, 01:49 AM

I just got my new pup a month ago-he is 12 weeks & 1 day, so, I am all "filled up" with new puppy ideas*winks*..I have not had a pup to train in MANY MANY years, & knowing some neat things NOW that I didn't know back then are sure making things go 1000% more easily for me & the boy.

Everyone has given you some great tips already, so I will touch base in another area, the "training" part..(no dog expert here, but...passing along things that have worked BEAUTIFULY with us so far)...

First off, give the pup a couple of days to settle in & get to know everyone & get the general idea of how the household operates & such, then, a great thing to do is teach the dog the "good" command..and the "no" command so that the pup learns what is right from wrong...I taught my fella this(I also taught him the hand signs for this on how to train for deaf people/dogs by googling sites as well)..ie.-thumbs up for "good", & shakes head no for "no"..(I actually say "un-uh" though). Also the "look" command..(he HAS to look me in the face for this one)...these teeny, simple commands have astounded me at how much easier it is to communicate with my pup!!

Line your pockets with lots of tasty treats though!! - I now, even after just a month don't even have to give treats EVERY time because, well, we are now just kinda "talking" to each other in a way...

So, remember, just because a dog is a puppy, don't take it as they are just too young to learn-It is quite the opposite actually!! *shakes head vigoriously YES*..they are like little sponges(my husband is always saying to me "he's just a baby" when I teach him new tricks, well, I now have a puppy the size of a crockpot that can crawl, do tip-toes, sit, stay(ok..this one needs work), peek, twist, jump through a hoop, & a few more things I am sure I am forgetting!! *adds house broke too....had to sit on top of him like a hen on her eggs though-PLUS 4 people that assist in letting him outside*

...all of this he has learned in 1 months as he is just 3 months old!!

Also, remember when training your pup, to adjust their feeding intake to accomodate training treats(you don't want to overfeed), & as soon as the pup has moved on to something else instead of training, simply say "good job" or something of the like & leave it go...I always do my training as soon as we come back inside(which is frequently), & I get maybe 3-5 minutes a pop on training time.

I hope I did not ramble on too much & hope any of this make sense too! Good luck on your training! LOL

Ayanla · 10-31-2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labsnothers

I guess all the ones that have for us didn't know that.

7-8 weeks is the ideal time for puppies to go their home. What do you base your opinion on otherwise? The dog guide school our puppies come from have been breeding and sending 300 puppies a year home for a long time at 7 weeks. They do that to ensure they are properly socialized.

You want a link, http://www.akc.org/enewsletter/akc_b...nter/puppy.cfm

You might also try reading about the work of Scott and Fuyller.

The link you listed recommends that the BREEDER socialize the pups in the first twelve weeks, which would seem to suggest that the breeder actually have the pups until twelve weeks. It does not in any way recommend that the pup be taken away from it's litter at seven weeks and given to a stranger. I'm not saying I disagree with you in this particular instance, though I'm in the "eight weeks at the earliest" camp for the most part, but if you're going to post a link...at least pick one that doesn't near directly contradict what you're saying.